(WTNH) – Several new laws will go into effect in Connecticut on Oct. 1, 2022, ranging from juvenile justice to protections for users of online dating.
Here’s a breakdown of new laws that go into effect on Saturday:
- One of the new laws stems from the death investigation of a woman in Bridgeport. The family of Brenda Rawls said they were never formally notified about her death by Bridgeport police. The new law requires police officers to notify a deceased person’s next of kin about the death as soon as practicable, but within 24 hours after identifying the deceased.
- A new law makes various changes to procedures when a juvenile is arrested, including requiring the child to be brought before a judge within five business days after the arrest, allowing the court to order electronic monitoring if a child was charged with a second or subsequent motor vehicle or property theft offense, and in certain circumstances, increasing the maximum period, from six to eight hours, that a child may be held in correctional center or lockup without judge’s detention order.
- A new law requires adequate dog sheltering during certain adverse weather and outdoor conditions and applies additional requirements for dog tethering. The law requires that a dog be given adequate shelter when it is outside for more than 15 minutes and the National Weather Service has issued a weather advisory or warning, or adverse outdoor environmental conditions pose a risk to the dog’s health or safety.
- Another new law offers protection to users of online dating services and domestic violence victims. The law addresses online dating, domestic violence protections, and employment discrimination. The new law requires operators of online dating services in the state to provide Connecticut users with safety awareness notifications before allowing them to use their online dating platforms. The bill also prohibits discrimination based on someone’s status as a domestic violence victim in employment, public accommodations, housing, the granting of credit, and other laws over which the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities has jurisdiction.
- On Oct. 1, a new law establishes June 19 as Juneteenth Independence Day, a new legal state holiday.
- A new law requires Connecticut-chartered banks and credit unions to tell account holders why their deposit accounts are being closed.
- One of the new laws addresses clean transportation. The law aims to increase electric vehicle adoption and improve air quality by reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. The new law:
- Establishes grant programs for traffic signal modernization, zero-emission school buses, and zero-emission medium-and heavy-duty trucks;
- Allows the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection commission to adopt California’s emission standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles;
- Sets targets for transitioning to zero-emission school buses, requiring 100% of buses to be zero-emission by Jan. 1, 2030.
- Two state clean energy programs expanded — the Non-Residential Energy Solutions program and the Shared Clean Energy Facility program. Under these programs, Eversource and United Illuminating enter long-term contracts with selected renewable energy projects, and participating customers may benefit by offsetting their energy use.
- The legislature enacted a law that requires all municipalities with a population of 25,000 or more to adopt an ordinance creating a fair rent commission. They must do so through their legislative bodies by July 1, 2023.
- A new law authorizes the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA) to provide financial assistance to students enrolled in postsecondary education programs and their parents. The law allows students and parents to take out CHESLA loans. Students also can receive grants, scholarships, fellowships, and other non-repayable assistance from CHESLA.