Here Are A Few More Laws That Go Into Effect July 1 In CT

CONNECTICUT — The new month of July will hopefully usher in cooler weather, but it most definitely opens a door to a boat-load of new laws in the state, fresh on the heels of a very busy legislative season in Hartford.

Here are a few of new laws going into effect July 1 in Connecticut:

One act, Senate Bill 2, is a whirlwind of legislation all on its own, centered loosely around social equity, child health, safety and education. A few of the provisions include the establishment of a youth suicide prevention training program, minimum mandatory mental health training for health care professionals, and new standards for remote learning. It also provides a framework for handling school lunch debt, eliminates any fees associated with early intervention services, and codifies some procedures for the handling of complaints of child abuse and neglect by the Department of Children and Families.

Just in time for rollercoaster season, children as young as 16-years-old may now operate the rides at amusement parks, thanks to Senate Bill 186. Up to now, Ferris wheel jockeys had to be 18 or older. The law does not lower the age requirements for workers at carnivals, which the legislation describes as "transient enterprises."

As of July 1, it is against the law in Connecticut for pregnancy centers to advertise reproductive health care services they cannot or do not provide, most notably abortions. Proponents of the controversial new law claim that staff at the facilities sometimes pose as medical professionals and distribute incorrect information in attempts to persuade women to keep their babies. Critics say it will have a chilling effect upon the flow of information between faith-based pregnancy crisis centers and their clients.

You may be pleased to learn that it's a little easier to walk around the state with an electroshock weapon as of July 1. A new law allows those age 21 and older to carry an "electronic defense weapon" if they possess a valid firearm credential, such as an eligibility certificate or permit to carry or sell handguns or long guns, or an ammunition certificate. Previously, such a weapon would score you a class D felony if carried in a motor vehicle, and a class E felony if you were just toting it.

So thirsty you can't wait for your bartender? The Connecticut General Assembly feels your pain. New legislation which allows self-pour alcohol machines to be used in bars, restaurants, and breweries statewide, goes into effect July 1. The technology is currently legal and available in 45 states nationwide, including Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maine, and now Connecticut. The same law also allows package stores to now sell alcohol-infused candy and chocolates.

In what is a clear by-product of lessons learned during the coronavirus crisis, Senate Bill 975 extends the rights of long-term care residents to include the use of virtual visitation technology. Ditto Senate Bill 1008. It requires health care providers, insurers and others in the industry to ensure their workers are informed that a pulse oximeter is more likely to produce an inaccurate blood oxygen level reading for people of color as opposed to white people. Both laws are effective July 1.

Usually when a child born in Connecticut gets adopted, the Department of Public Health seals their original birth certificate and creates a new one, substituting the adoptive parents' names. Persons adopted prior to October 1983 could expect a bit of a hassle, involving having to get a court order, among other chores, if they wanted to obtain their original birth certificate. If either of their birth parents were still alive, the hassle became major. As of July 1, the speed bumps for obtaining a copy of an original have been mostly removed, regardless of when the adoption took place. The new law also moves most of the paper shuffling associated with obtaining the document away from the state Department of Health and over to the town registrar.

Previously, any private, occupational school needed to communicate to the state's Office of Higher Education statements detailing their financial condition as part of both their application for a certificate of authorization and their annual financial status statement. Effective July 1, out-of-state private occupational schools seeking to operate a distance learning program in Connecticut must apply to OHE and go through the same ordeal.

Easily the most significant piece of legislation triggering in July is Senate Bill 1201. The new law not only makes recreational marijuana use legal for adults, but lays the foundation for a whole new industry in the state. We've explained it in more detail here.

See also: Marijuana Possession Legal In CT, But There Are Some Restrictions

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