Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00899 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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7		-	General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 899
	4	+	LCO No. 3510 1 of 6
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	6	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 899
8	7		January Session, 2021
	8	+	LCO No. 3510
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	10	+
	11	+	Referred to Committee on AGING
	12	+
	13	+
	14	+	Introduced by:
	15	+	(AGE)
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14	20		AN ACT CONCERNING SE NIOR SAFETY ZONES.
15	21		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
16	22		Assembly convened:
17	23
18		-	Section 1. Section 54-~~261~~ of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
	24	+	Section 1. Section 54-258 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
19	25		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 2
20		-	(a) The Court Support Services Division, in conjunction with state-3
21		-	wide experts in law enforcement, the treatment of sexual offenders and 4
22		-	sexual assault victim services, shall, within available appropriations, 5
23		-	develop a community response education program to be offered to 6
24		-	neighborhoods and municipalities that have been notified pursuant to 7
25		-	section 54-258 that a person who has registered under said section is or 8
26		-	will be residing in that community. 9
27		-	(b) The purpose of such program shall be to assist neighborhoods, 10
28		-	senior centers and other facilities serving or housing senior citizens in 11
29		-	such neighborhoods, parents and children to learn how to better protect 12
30		-	themselves from sexual abuse and sexual assault. The program shall 13
31		-	develop educational materials and community information resources 14
32		-	on prevention and risk reduction concerning sexual abuse and sexual 15
33		-	assault and the enforcement of requirements concerning the registration 16
34		-	and supervision of sexual offenders and the notification of communities 17
35		-	where such offenders reside. 18 Substitute Bill No. 899
	26	+	(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of the general statutes, 3
	27	+	except subdivisions (3), (4) and (5) of this subsection, the registry 4
	28	+	maintained by the Department of Emergency Services and Public 5
	29	+	Protection shall be a public record and shall be accessible to the public 6
	30	+	during normal business hours. The Department of Emergency Services 7
	31	+	and Public Protection shall make registry information available to the 8
	32	+	public through the Internet. Not less than once per calendar quarter, the 9
	33	+	Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall issue 10
	34	+	notices to all print and electronic media in the state regarding the 11
	35	+	availability and means of accessing the registry. Each local police 12
	36	+	department and each state police troop shall keep a record of all 13
	37	+	registration information transmitted to it by the Department of 14
	38	+	Emergency Services and Public Protection, and shall make such 15
	39	+	information accessible to the public during normal business hours. 16 Raised Bill No. 899
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42		-	(c) The program may include the following: 19
43		-	(1) An initial community meeting following a community 20
44		-	notification, sponsored by the Court Support Services Division and held 21
45		-	in conjunction with the chief of police, chief elected officials, the 22
46		-	superintendent of schools and other municipal officials of the 23
47		-	community, to discuss the implementation of the statutory 24
48		-	requirements concerning the registration of a sexual offender and the 25
49		-	notification of the community where such offender resides, to provide 26
50		-	information on the crime or crimes involved and to provide information 27
51		-	on how the offender will be monitored by the Court Support Services 28
52		-	Division and the specific conditions of probation applicable to the 29
53		-	offender; 30
54		-	(2) Information on how and where concerned residents may report 31
55		-	observed violations by an offender of the conditions of such offender's 32
56		-	probation; 33
57		-	(3) Resources to educate families, [and] children and senior citizens 34
58		-	in the prevention and avoidance of sexual abuse and sexual assault and 35
59		-	for parents seeking supportive methods for discussing relevant issues 36
60		-	with their children; 37
61		-	(4) Resources on when and how a community may wish to establish 38
62		-	a network of "Safe Houses" for neighborhood children to use when they 39
63		-	seek safe shelter or the creation of a neighborhood block watch or crime 40
64		-	watch; 41
65		-	(5) Resources for police departments and boards of education to use 42
66		-	in consulting with parents on appropriate school-based classroom 43
67		-	programs stressing safety, prevention and risk reduction and to use in 44
68		-	developing educational programs for parents to discuss relevant issues 45
69		-	with their children; [and] 46
70		-	(6) Resources for police departments and municipal officials to 47
71		-	provide programs stressing safety, prevention and risk reduction for 48
72		-	senior citizens living in the community or receiving services at a senior 49 Substitute Bill No. 899
	43	+	LCO No. 3510 2 of 6
	44	+
	45	+	(2) (A) Any state agency, the Judicial Department, any state police 17
	46	+	troop or any local police department may, at its discretion, notify any 18
	47	+	government agency, private organization or individual, including, but 19
	48	+	not limited to, representatives of senior centers or other facilities serving 20
	49	+	or housing senior citizens, of registration information when such 21
	50	+	agency, said department, such troop or such local police department, as 22
	51	+	the case may be, believes such notification is necessary to protect the 23
	52	+	public or any individual in any jurisdiction from any person who is 24
	53	+	subject to registration under section 54-251, 54-252, 54-253 or 54-254. 25
	54	+	(B) (i) Whenever a registrant is released into the community, or 26
	55	+	whenever a registrant changes such registrant's address and notifies the 27
	56	+	Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection of such 28
	57	+	change pursuant to section 54-251, 54-252, 54-253 or 54-254, the 29
	58	+	Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall, by 30
	59	+	electronic mail, notify the superintendent of schools for the school 31
	60	+	district in which the registrant resides, or plans to reside, of such release 32
	61	+	or new address, and provide such superintendent with the same 33
	62	+	registry information for such registrant that the department makes 34
	63	+	available to the public through the Internet under subdivision (1) of this 35
	64	+	subsection. 36
	65	+	(ii) Whenever a registrant is released into the community, or 37
	66	+	whenever a registrant changes such registrant's address and notifies the 38
	67	+	Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection of such 39
	68	+	change pursuant to section 54-251, 54-252, 54-253 or 54-254, the 40
	69	+	Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall, by 41
	70	+	electronic mail, notify the chief executive officer of the municipality in 42
	71	+	which the registrant resides, or plans to reside, of such release or new 43
	72	+	address, and provide such chief executive officer with the same registry 44
	73	+	information for such registrant that the department makes available to 45
	74	+	the public through the Internet under subdivision (1) of this subsection. 46
	75	+	The chief executive officer of the municipality shall provide such 47
	76	+	information to any senior center or other facility serving or housing 48
	77	+	senior citizens located in such municipality. 49 Raised Bill No. 899
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79		-	center or other facility located in the community; and 50
80		-	[(6)] (7) Compilation and distribution of a list of child protective 51
81		-	agencies, child guidance clinics and rape crisis centers for families 52
82		-	seeking more in-depth counseling after a community notification has 53
83		-	occurred. 54
84		-	(d) The Court Support Services Division may apply for and receive 55
85		-	grants from the federal government or any agency thereof or from any 56
86		-	foundation, corporation, association or individual for purposes of the 57
87		-	development of the community response education program under this 58
88		-	section. 59
	81	+	LCO No. 3510 3 of 6
	82	+
	83	+	(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this 50
	84	+	subsection, state agencies, the Judicial Department, state police troops 51
	85	+	and local police departments shall not disclose the identity of any victim 52
	86	+	of a crime committed by a registrant or treatment information provided 53
	87	+	to the registry pursuant to sections 54-102g and 54-250 to 54-258a, 54
	88	+	inclusive, except to government agencies for bona fide law enforcement 55
	89	+	or security purposes. 56
	90	+	(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this 57
	91	+	subsection, registration information the dissemination of which has 58
	92	+	been restricted by court order pursuant to section 54-255 and which is 59
	93	+	not otherwise subject to disclosure, shall not be a public record and shall 60
	94	+	be released only for law enforcement purposes until such restriction is 61
	95	+	removed by the court pursuant to said section. 62
	96	+	(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this 63
	97	+	subsection, a registrant's electronic mail address, instant message 64
	98	+	address or other similar Internet communication identifier shall not be 65
	99	+	a public record, except that the Department of Emergency Services and 66
	100	+	Public Protection may release such identifier for law enforcement or 67
	101	+	security purposes in accordance with regulations adopted by the 68
	102	+	department. The department shall adopt regulations in accordance with 69
	103	+	chapter 54 to specify the circumstances under which and the persons to 70
	104	+	whom such identifiers may be released including, but not limited to, 71
	105	+	providers of electronic communication service or remote computing 72
	106	+	service, as those terms are defined in section 54-260b, and operators of 73
	107	+	Internet web sites, and the procedure therefor. 74
	108	+	(6) When any registrant completes the registrant's term of registration 75
	109	+	or is otherwise released from the obligation to register under section 54-76
	110	+	251, 54-252, 54-253 or 54-254, the Department of Emergency Services and 77
	111	+	Public Protection shall notify any state police troop or local police 78
	112	+	department having jurisdiction over the registrant's last reported 79
	113	+	residence address that the person is no longer a registrant, and the 80
	114	+	Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, state police 81
	115	+	troop and local police department shall remove the registrant's name 82 Raised Bill No. 899
	116	+
	117	+
	118	+
	119	+	LCO No. 3510 4 of 6
	120	+
	121	+	and information from the registry. 83
	122	+	(b) Neither the state nor any political subdivision of the state nor any 84
	123	+	officer or employee thereof, shall be held civilly liable to any registrant 85
	124	+	by reason of disclosure of any information regarding the registrant that 86
	125	+	is released or disclosed in accordance with subsection (a) of this section. 87
	126	+	The state and any political subdivision of the state and, except in cases 88
	127	+	of wanton, reckless or malicious conduct, any officer or employee 89
	128	+	thereof, shall be immune from liability for good faith conduct in 90
	129	+	carrying out the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this 91
	130	+	section. 92
	131	+	Sec. 2. Section 54-261 of the general statutes is repealed and the 93
	132	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 94
	133	+	(a) The Court Support Services Division, in conjunction with state-95
	134	+	wide experts in law enforcement, the treatment of sexual offenders and 96
	135	+	sexual assault victim services, shall, within available appropriations, 97
	136	+	develop a community response education program to be offered to 98
	137	+	neighborhoods and municipalities that have been notified pursuant to 99
	138	+	section 54-258, as amended by this act, that a person who has registered 100
	139	+	under said section is or will be residing in that community. 101
	140	+	(b) The purpose of such program shall be to assist neighborhoods, 102
	141	+	including senior centers and other facilities serving or housing senior 103
	142	+	citizens in such neighborhoods, parents and children to learn how to 104
	143	+	better protect themselves from sexual abuse and sexual assault. The 105
	144	+	program shall develop educational materials and community 106
	145	+	information resources on prevention and risk reduction concerning 107
	146	+	sexual abuse and sexual assault and the enforcement of requirements 108
	147	+	concerning the registration and supervision of sexual offenders and the 109
	148	+	notification of communities where such offenders reside. 110
	149	+	(c) The program may include the following: 111
	150	+	(1) An initial community meeting following a community 112
	151	+	notification, sponsored by the Court Support Services Division and held 113 Raised Bill No. 899
	152	+
	153	+
	154	+
	155	+	LCO No. 3510 5 of 6
	156	+
	157	+	in conjunction with the chief of police, chief elected officials, the 114
	158	+	superintendent of schools and other municipal officials of the 115
	159	+	community, to discuss the implementation of the statutory 116
	160	+	requirements concerning the registration of a sexual offender and the 117
	161	+	notification of the community where such offender resides, to provide 118
	162	+	information on the crime or crimes involved and to provide information 119
	163	+	on how the offender will be monitored by the Court Support Services 120
	164	+	Division and the specific conditions of probation applicable to the 121
	165	+	offender; 122
	166	+	(2) Information on how and where concerned residents may report 123
	167	+	observed violations by an offender of the conditions of such offender's 124
	168	+	probation; 125
	169	+	(3) Resources to educate families, [and] children and senior citizens 126
	170	+	in the prevention and avoidance of sexual abuse and sexual assault and 127
	171	+	for parents seeking supportive methods for discussing relevant issues 128
	172	+	with their children; 129
	173	+	(4) Resources on when and how a community may wish to establish 130
	174	+	a network of "Safe Houses" for neighborhood children to use when they 131
	175	+	seek safe shelter or the creation of a neighborhood block watch or crime 132
	176	+	watch; 133
	177	+	(5) Resources for police departments and boards of education to use 134
	178	+	in consulting with parents on appropriate school-based classroom 135
	179	+	programs stressing safety, prevention and risk reduction and to use in 136
	180	+	developing educational programs for parents to discuss relevant issues 137
	181	+	with their children; [and] 138
	182	+	(6) Resources for police departments and municipal officials to 139
	183	+	provide programs stressing safety, prevention and risk reduction for 140
	184	+	senior citizens living in the community or receiving services at a senior 141
	185	+	center or other facility located in the community; and 142
	186	+	[(6)] (7) Compilation and distribution of a list of child protective 143
	187	+	agencies, child guidance clinics and rape crisis centers for families 144 Raised Bill No. 899
	188	+
	189	+
	190	+
	191	+	LCO No. 3510 6 of 6
	192	+
	193	+	seeking more in-depth counseling after a community notification has 145
	194	+	occurred. 146
	195	+	(d) The Court Support Services Division may apply for and receive 147
	196	+	grants from the federal government or any agency thereof or from any 148
	197	+	foundation, corporation, association or individual for purposes of the 149
	198	+	development of the community response education program under this 150
	199	+	section. 151
89	200		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
90	201		sections:
91	202
92		-	Section 1 July 1, 2021 54-261
	203	+	Section 1 July 1, 2021 54-258
	204	+	Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 54-261
93	205
94		-	AGE Joint Favorable Subst.
	206	+	Statement of Purpose:
	207	+	To add senior centers and other facilities serving or housing senior
	208	+	citizens to those notified of sex offenders in their neighborhoods and
	209	+	provide education to senior citizens on how to protect themselves from
	210	+	the threat of sex offenders.
	211	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	212	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	213	+	underlined.]
95	214