Connecticut’s newest laws took effect Monday, reducing electric bills, cracking down on street takeovers and emergency price-gouging, and increasing investments in child care, birthing centers, and health care workers.
Though the laws passed during Connecticut’s legislative session are often signed into law by the governor shortly after they are passed, their effective dates can vary and many took effect on July 1, the start of the new fiscal year.
Among the new laws were measures to reduce Connecticut consumers’ electric bills including shifting hardship protection measures to state bonding, removing up to $250 million over two years from bills.
Other new policies include requiring Connecticut schools to provide students with studies of Asian American and Pacific Islander history and culture. Additional points of education students will receive include civics and media literacy and personal financial management and financial literacy, as provisions of additional bills went into effect on July 1.
To protect against workforce reductions in the state’s health care industry, the Department of Public Health will develop a new loan reimbursement program for health care providers in the state, encouraging health care workers to remain in Connecticut. The bill specifically supports grants for workers in rural communities and federally qualified health centers.
In a response to price-gouging during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, a new law gives Attorney General William Tong the ability to enforce new rules against applying “unconscionably excessive prices” during emergencies declared by the state. Anyone determined to lease, rent or sell an item at a price that’s disproportionate to its value outside of an emergency can be investigated under the new law.
After controversies related to birthing center closures, officials in the Office of Health Strategy, and the Departments of Social Services and Public Health will develop a strategic plan to increase these centers’ availability in regions where residents have limited access to birthing centers and hospitals and where the state had significant percentages of Medicaid recipients.
Another new law aimed at addressing the impacts of climate change adds flood risk awareness to information submitted in the Uniform Property Condition Disclosure Act. Similar information will be included in housing sales documents. In a similar vein, municipal hazard mitigation plans will need to address threats to communities due to sea level changes.
Meeting public concern over “street takeover” events, where hundreds of drivers take over town streets with cars, trucks, ATVs and other vehicles, a new law will regulate the use of snowmobiles, dirt bikes, mini-motorcycles and ATVs with stronger penalties including seizure of vehicles and financial punishments. Municipalities will be allowed to destroy vehicles used illegally if they are not claimed within a certain time frame.
The state will also begin developing an electronic portal to aid parents with accessing early childhood programs and will begin endorsing family child care homes as leaders work toward expansion of overall early child care programs to meet demand.
