Criminal Justice

This bill establishes a new crime called digital forgery, which applies to anyone who creates and shares fake images or audio recordings of people with the intent to cause financial harm. The law defines a digitally forged likeness as content that looks or sounds real but was created using computer systems without the person's consent. It makes this a misdemeanor or felony depending on whether the act was part of a larger scheme, but it exempts law enforcement officers acting in their official duties. The bill also protects online platforms from liability unless they knew the content was being created or shared illegally.

This bill creates a new crime called organized retail theft to target large-scale shoplifting operations and related activities. It defines retail property as items intended for sale and establishes that stealing merchandise worth over $2,000 within a year, or selling stolen goods to someone who knows they are stolen, constitutes this new offense. The law also makes it a crime to receive, possess, or sell stolen retail property with intent to distribute it, even if obtained through other means, and classifies these acts as felonies with penalties increasing if the financial gain exceeds $10,000. The bill also updates the general definition of larceny to include various methods of obtaining property such as false promises, extortion, and fraud against public communities. These changes would take effect on October 1, 2026.

SB 90 revises Connecticut's hate crime laws by expanding protected categories and clarifying offenses. It adds "gender identity or expression" and "protective hairstyles" to the list of protected social categories, while updating definitions of disability, religion, and sex. The bill maintains three offense levels: causing physical injury (class C felony, $3,000+ fine), causing physical contact (class D felony, $1,000+ fine), and damaging property (similar penalties), all with mandatory minimum fines. These changes directly affect anyone committing bias-motivated crimes against individuals or groups based on expanded protected categories like gender identity or hairstyle.