2011 Legislative Session
Although the 2011 legislative session does not begin until January, CONNSACS is already working to develop its legislative priorities and develop partnerships with other organizations that are working to effect public policy change.
CONNSACS is pleased to be part ctEQUALITY,
a statewide coalition of diverse organizations seeking to address this gap in our state’s non-discrimination statutes by passage of a bill that would add the phrase “gender identity or expression.” The coalition, led by CT TransAdvocacy Coalition and CT Women’s Education and Legal Fund includes some of the state’s most respected agencies and organizations: the AFL-CIO, the CHRO, American Civil Liberties Union, Anti-Defamation League, among many others. ctEQUALITY member organizations represent a variety of interests—civil rights, the business community, people of faith, labor and many more—and are all united in acknowledging that our state’s non-discrimination law lacks explicit protections for our state’s transgender and gender non-conforming residents, vulnerable groups of people.
CONNSACS believes that when communities are marginalized through discrimination, they can become targets of sexual assault and other forms of violence. It is not possible to create a world that is free of sexual violence without addressing oppression and discrimination. For more information about ctEQUALITY, visit their website:
http://www.ctequality.com/
2010 Legislative Summary
Throughout the 2010 legislative session, which ended on May 5th, CONNSACS monitored and advocated on behalf of bills that could have an impact on victims and survivors. Here is a brief summary of what happened to our priority bills:
Bills that Passed
- SB 153, AN ACT PROVIDING SAFE HARBOR FOR EXPLOITED CHILDREN, passed both the House and Senate and will become effective October 1, 2010 as Public Act 10-115. PA 10-115 will ensure that if children under age 17 are arrested for prostitution, it would be assumed that they were acting under coercion. By assuming coercion, the pimps and johns involved in their abuse would be subject to trafficking laws and harsher penalties.
- HB 5533, AN ACT CONCERNING SEXTING, had unanimous support in both the House and Senate. It will go into effect as Public Act 10-191 on October 1, 2010. This law will reduce the possible punishment for teen "sexting" from a felony child pornography charge to a misdemeanor charge.
- SB 438, AN ACT CONCERNING CHARTER SCHOOLS, included an amendment that requires all public high schools (not just charter schools) to ensure that students receive ½ credit of health and safety education before they graduate. This is less than the full credit of health education that we were hoping for, but, unlike the requirement proposed in HB 5489 (see below), this requirement is notcontingent on the state receiving Race to the Top funding. The bill was signed by Governor Rell on May 26, 2010.
Bills that Died
- SB 63, AN ACT MANDATING EMPLOYERS PROVIDE PAID SICK LEAVE TO EMPLOYEES, died when its supporters concluded that it was unlikely to pass the senate. More here.
- HB 5473, AN ACT CONCERNING ACTIONS TO RECOVER DAMAGES FOR THE SEXUAL ABUSE, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A MINOR ( the statute of limitations bill), was withdrawn a few days before the end of session. Supporters did not think that the bill had enough votes to pass, but they insist that the bill has momentum and will be brought up again next year. More coverage is available from the Hartford Courant.
- SB 315, AN ACT CONCERNING THE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF PERSONS WHOSE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE LACK OF CONSENT IS SUBSTANTIALLY IMPAIRED, was not called for a vote before session ended at midnight last Wednesday. Although this bill received unanimous support in the Human Services Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Senate, the session ended before the bill could receive a vote, and it died on the House calendar.
- HB 5489, AN ACT CONCERNING SECONDARY SCHOOL REFORM (which would have included a mandatory health education requirement), died on the House calendar. However, a ½ credit of mandatory health education requirement was added to SB 438 AN ACT CONCERNING CHARTER SCHOOLS, which did pass.
Contact your Senator or Representative
