The Connecticut legislature has passed more than 50 new laws that take effect Oct. 1, including provisions bolstering protections for animals, providing additional tax relief for qualified veterans and cracking down on internet safety.
Oct. 1 is also the date when the Siberian Husky becomes the official state dog and the lollipop becomes the official state candy .
Here’s a look at the some of the new laws.
Online safety for minors
Online service providers will have to obtain the consent of those under 18 before collecting personal data under a sweeping privacy law that goes into effect Oct. 1.
The new requirements require websites to set default privacy controls intended to protect children’s data and prohibits the storage of children’s data for the purpose of targeted ads. The act also prohibits a provider from taking specific actions without the minor’s consent or, if the minor is younger than 13, the minor’s parent or legal guardian’s consent. This includes collecting their geolocation and other personal data.
In addition, social media platforms must unpublish a minor’s social media account within 15 business days and generally delete the account within 45 business days after they get an authenticated request, according to the bill.
Police worn body cameras
Law enforcement officers will no longer be able to pause their body cameras during interactions with the public under a new law aimed at police transparency.
The legislation, which passed unanimously in both the state House and Senate, was supported by the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut.
Officers will only be allowed to turn off their body cameras “if they determine that under the circumstances, the investigation could be significantly hampered by continuing to record,” according to the bill’s language.
Tax relief for disabled veterans
A new bill will help provide relief for veterans who live with total and permanent disabilities connected to their time in uniform.
Qualified veterans who are recognized as totally disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, will be granted property tax exemptions. The new law requires cities and towns to fully exempt the primary residence or motor vehicle for each qualified veteran.
“The concept of sacrifice for one’s country needs to be remembered and honored. One of the many ways we can do this for our veterans is to remove the burden of property taxes from veterans who are totally disabled,” said state Sen. Cathy Osten, a U.S. Army veteran who lobbied to pass the law.
Connecticut cities and towns are already required to provide various property exemptions to veterans based on their wartime service, retirement, and qualifying disabilities. In 2022, the state Office of Policy and Management estimates Connecticut towns provided a total of 93,400 tax exemptions to veterans and their family members, saving them about $19 million in property taxes, according to a press release.
To qualify, veterans must file for the exemption with their town assessor, according to the bill.
Home health aides
Following the death of a visiting nurse who was found dead after an at-home visit with a registered sex offender , lawmakers pushed for a comprehensive law to protect home health care workers.
Democrats’ “Senate Bill 1,” named to signify its importance, requires workers be given information about whether a patient has a history of violence or arrests so that they know the circumstances before entering a home.
The information will include “people present or anticipated to be present in a home, including family members, other residents of a household or animals, as several examples, and the location of a home, including information about violent or criminal activity in the area,” according to a bill summary.
The home health care industry has expanded sharply in recent years as lawmakers and state officials have pushed for “aging in place” so that elderly patients can remain at home and avoid more-expensive nursing homes.
In October 2023, visiting nurse Joyce Grayson, 63, was killed after arriving at a Willimantic halfway house for sex offenders to give medication to a patient on a routine visit. But Grayson was found dead in the home’s basement, and the patient, Michael Reese, was later charged with murder and attempted sexual assault in her death.
Dog racing ban
Among a handful of new laws on animals is an official ban on Connecticut dog racing , which ended with the closure of the Shoreline Star facility in Bridgeport back in 2005. But for years, animal rights advocates have been trying to ban the practice in the state.
Gov. Ned Lamont signed the bill into law in May, according to the Connecticut General Assembly’s website. With the governor’s signature, Connecticut becomes one of the last states in the country to ban dog racing.
“Dog racing is a cruel activity and it has no place in Connecticut,” Lamont said during the bill signing. “It’s mindboggling to think that at one time people considered this a legitimate sport, and I give credit to animal advocacy groups for their activism that has raised awareness about the abuse and extreme conditions these dogs face, leading to bans in nearly every state across the country. Signing this bill is an easy decision.”
Protections for small reptiles and goldfish as prizes
Additional protections have now been added for small reptiles and goldfish.
Fairs and carnivals offering living small reptiles or clear-plastic bags of goldfish as prizes will no longer be able to after Oct. 1, because of new laws making it a misdemeanor offense, according to the Department of Consumer Protection.
The bill adds the word ‘fish’ to current statutes banning animals including reptiles and birds as prizes.
“There is a statute currently that says nobody can use an animal, reptile, or bird as a prize at a carnival or fair,” said State Rep. Tony Scott at a hearing on the bill in May. “But because the number one thing at carnivals given away is a goldfish, we asked to add the word fish to the statute. So it’s really a technical change”
Scott, who supported the statute change, said that his daughter urged him to introduce a ban on goldfish as prizes after witnessing them being “thrown off a Ferris wheel” and “attempted to be eaten” by teenagers at a carnival.
Police dog protections
Another new law will increase penalties for killing police dogs , making the crime a Class D felony punishable with up to 10 years in prison and fines of $10,000. Anyone who intentionally hurts or kills a police dog will be required to make restitution that will include expenses for veterinarians.
Known as “Broko’s Law,” the measure was named after a dog who was shot and killed four days before Christmas 2023 when a suspect was fleeing in the Pawcatuck section of Stonington. Broko became the first police dog in state history to be killed in a shooting in the line of duty.
The measure was a major priority for Republicans and Sen. Heather Somers, who represents the district where the shooting occurred. The bill was passed by 35-0 in the state Senate and 146-0 in the House of Representatives.
New invasive plant species
Seven new invasive plants have been added to the state’s ban list.
The new plants include porcelain berry, mugwort, quackgrass, Japanese angelica tree, Japanese wisteria, and Chinese wisteria.
The act bans anyone from importing, moving, selling, purchasing, transplanting, cultivating, or distributing the plants. There are exceptions made only for research or educational purposes.
By law, a violation of the ban can result in a fine of up to $100 per plant, according to the bill.
PFAS ‘forever chemical’ soil ban
Beginning Oct. 1, the state will ban the sale of soil treatments with residues from treated domestic sewage or wastewater sludge that contain PFAS, the ‘forever chemical,’ according to the bill’s language.
Soil treated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS can have a number of negative effects on the environment and human health, according to the bill. PFAS are synthetic chemicals that have been found in increasing amounts in the human body and do not breakdown.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
Chris Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com
Local News
