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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 899
January Session, 2021
AN ACT CONCERNING SE NIOR SAFETY ZONES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 54-261 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 2
(a) The Court Support Services Division, in conjunction with state-3
wide experts in law enforcement, the treatment of sexual offenders and 4
sexual assault victim services, shall, within available appropriations, 5
develop a community response education program to be offered to 6
neighborhoods and municipalities that have been notified pursuant to 7
section 54-258 that a person who has registered under said section is or 8
will be residing in that community. 9
(b) The purpose of such program shall be to assist neighborhoods, 10
senior centers and other facilities serving or housing senior citizens in 11
such neighborhoods, parents and children to learn how to better protect 12
themselves from sexual abuse and sexual assault. The program shall 13
develop educational materials and community information resources 14
on prevention and risk reduction concerning sexual abuse and sexual 15
assault and the enforcement of requirements concerning the registration 16
and supervision of sexual offenders and the notification of communities 17
where such offenders reside. 18 Substitute Bill No. 899
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(c) The program may include the following: 19
(1) An initial community meeting following a community 20
notification, sponsored by the Court Support Services Division and held 21
in conjunction with the chief of police, chief elected officials, the 22
superintendent of schools and other municipal officials of the 23
community, to discuss the implementation of the statutory 24
requirements concerning the registration of a sexual offender and the 25
notification of the community where such offender resides, to provide 26
information on the crime or crimes involved and to provide information 27
on how the offender will be monitored by the Court Support Services 28
Division and the specific conditions of probation applicable to the 29
offender; 30
(2) Information on how and where concerned residents may report 31
observed violations by an offender of the conditions of such offender's 32
probation; 33
(3) Resources to educate families, [and] children and senior citizens 34
in the prevention and avoidance of sexual abuse and sexual assault and 35
for parents seeking supportive methods for discussing relevant issues 36
with their children; 37
(4) Resources on when and how a community may wish to establish 38
a network of "Safe Houses" for neighborhood children to use when they 39
seek safe shelter or the creation of a neighborhood block watch or crime 40
watch; 41
(5) Resources for police departments and boards of education to use 42
in consulting with parents on appropriate school-based classroom 43
programs stressing safety, prevention and risk reduction and to use in 44
developing educational programs for parents to discuss relevant issues 45
with their children; [and] 46
(6) Resources for police departments and municipal officials to 47
provide programs stressing safety, prevention and risk reduction for 48
senior citizens living in the community or receiving services at a senior 49 Substitute Bill No. 899
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center or other facility located in the community; and 50
[(6)] (7) Compilation and distribution of a list of child protective 51
agencies, child guidance clinics and rape crisis centers for families 52
seeking more in-depth counseling after a community notification has 53
occurred. 54
(d) The Court Support Services Division may apply for and receive 55
grants from the federal government or any agency thereof or from any 56
foundation, corporation, association or individual for purposes of the 57
development of the community response education program under this 58
section. 59
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2021 54-261
AGE Joint Favorable Subst.