Below is a select list of successes for women, children and seniors from the 2017 Connecticut legislative session. A more exhaustive legislative report will be available soon. Click on the bill number for more information.
SB 772, AN ACT REQUIRING EMERGENCY GENERATORS IN CERTAIN HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY: This bill has passed both chambers and awaits signature by the Governor. If signed into law, this bill will ensure that elderly persons have sufficient backup power in emergencies in New Haven.
SB 867, AN ACT CONCERNING NOTICE REQUIREMENTS FOR HOME HEALTH CARE REGISTRIES: This law will provide an exception for emergency circumstances that prevent home health care registries from complying with notice requirements at the time a contract is entered into with a consumer.
SB 912, AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO THE STAFF QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS: This law will allow an individual who holds a bachelor’s degree and has completed twelve credits or more in early childhood education or child development to satisfy the staff qualifications requirement for early childhood educators.
SB 954, AAC THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN FOR UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL: This law will require the Department of Education, in consultation with the Office of Early Childhood, to develop a plan for universal preschool beginning in 2022.
HB 6002, AN ACT CONCERNING “SEXTING” BY A CHILD: This law will ensure that a child under a certain age, rather than just those thirteen years of age and older, may be charged with a misdemeanor for “sexting” behavior rather than a felony for child pornography.
HB 6297, AAC VOLUNTARY PLACEMENT IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND PARENTAL RIGHTS: This bill has passed both chambers and awaits signature by the Governor. If signed into law this bill will prohibit the Commissioner of Children and Families from requesting or requiring that the parent or guardian of a child or youth admitted to the department on a voluntary basis terminate such parent or guardian’s parental rights or transfer legal custody of the child or youth to the department.
HB 6668, AAC PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE: This bill has passed both chambers and awaits signature by the Governor. If signed into law this bill will improve workplace protections for pregnant women.
HB 6695, AAC THE PROTECTION OF YOUTH FROM CONVERSION THERAPY: This law will protect youth from conversion therapy.
HB 7037, AN ACT CONCERNING WITHHOLDING WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INCOME FOR CHILD SUPPORT: This law will ensure more timely payments of child support from obligors who received workers’ compensation benefits.
HB 7121, AAC REVISIONS TO THE STATE’S SAFE HAVENS LAWS: This law will strengthen protections for individuals caring for infants who are considered to be in the custody of the Department of Children and Families under the state’s safe haven program.
HB 7205, AAC EARLY LITERACY: This bill has passed through both chambers and awaits signature by the Governor. If signed into law, this bill will require that the results of the reading instruction survey be distributed to teachers and supervisors for the purpose of informing such teacher’s professional development in reading instruction and to establish a reading readiness program that provides tiered supports in early literacy to schools and school districts.
HB 7254, AN ACT REQUIRING SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM OF STUDY IN EVIDENCE-BASED STRUCTURED LITERACY INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA: This law will require teachers applying for professional certification with a comprehensive special education or integrated early childhood and special education endorsement to complete a program of study in the diagnosis and remediation of reading and language arts that includes supervised practicum hours and instruction in the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia.
HB 7299, AN ACT CONCERNING STRENGTHENING LAWS CONCERNING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: This law changes the standard of fear required for the stalking statutes, includes suffocation in the strangulation statutes, deletes the requirement that the contents of a restraining order forwarded to law enforcement include the applicant’s affidavit, amends the violations of conditions of release statute to provide for an enhanced penalty and amends presentence investigation statutes to prohibit the waiver of such investigation in the case of a family violence crime.
HB 7309, AAC HUMAN TRAFFICKING: This law will combat human trafficking through increased penalties, training and awareness.
Commission on Women, Children and Seniors 