Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01442 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	LCO No. 5785 1 of 14
4	4
5	5	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1442
6	6	January Session, 2025
7	7	LCO No. 5785
8	8
9	9
10	10	Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY
11	11
12	12
13	13	Introduced by:
14	14	(JUD)
15	15
16	16
17	17
18	18
19	19	AN ACT CONCERNING LEGAL PROCEEDINGS CONDUCTED BY THE
20	20	COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
21	21	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
22	22	Assembly convened:
23	23
24	24	Section 1. Section 46a-51 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
25	25	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 2
26	26	As used in section 4a-60a and this chapter: 3
27	27	(1) "Blind" refers to an individual whose central visual acuity does 4
28	28	not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with correcting lenses, or whose 5
29	29	visual acuity is greater than 20/200 but is accompanied by a limitation 6
30	30	in the fields of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field 7
31	31	subtends an angle no greater than twenty degrees; 8
32	32	(2) "Commission" means the Commission on Human Rights and 9
33	33	Opportunities created by section 46a-52; 10
34	34	(3) "Commission legal counsel" means a member of the legal staff 11
35	35	employed by the commission pursuant to section 46a-54; 12
36	36	(4) "Commissioner" means a member of the commission; 13
37	37	Raised Bill No. 1442
38	38
39	39
40	40
41	41	LCO No. 5785 2 of 14
42	42
43	43	(5) "Court" means the Superior Court or any judge of said court; 14
44	44	(6) "Discrimination" includes segregation and separation; 15
45	45	(7) "Discriminatory employment practice" means any discriminatory 16
46	46	practice specified in subsection (b), (d), (e) or (f) of section 31-51i or 17
47	47	section 46a-60 or 46a-81c, as amended by this act; 18
48	48	(8) "Discriminatory practice" means a violation of section 4a-60, 4a-19
49	49	60a, 4a-60g, 31-40y, subsection (b), (d), (e) or (f) of section 31-51i, 20
50	50	subparagraph (C) of subdivision (15) of section 46a-54, subdivisions (16) 21
51	51	and (17) of section 46a-54, section 46a-58, 46a-59, 46a-60, 46a-64, 46a-64c, 22
52	52	as amended by this act, 46a-66 or 46a-68, sections 46a-68c to 46a-68f, 23
53	53	inclusive, sections 46a-70 to 46a-78, inclusive, subsection (a) of section 24
54	54	46a-80, sections 46a-81b to 46a-81o, inclusive, sections 46a-80b to 46a-25
55	55	80e, inclusive, sections 46a-80k to 46a-80m, inclusive, or section 19a-26
56	56	498c; 27
57	57	(9) "Employee" means any person employed by an employer but shall 28
58	58	not include any individual employed by such individual's parents, 29
59	59	spouse or child. "Employee" includes any elected or appointed official 30
60	60	of a municipality, board, commission, counsel or other governmental 31
61	61	body; 32
62	62	(10) "Employer" includes the state and all political subdivisions 33
63	63	thereof and means any person or employer with one or more persons in 34
64	64	such person's or employer's employ; 35
65	65	(11) "Employment agency" means any person undertaking with or 36
66	66	without compensation to procure employees or opportunities to work; 37
67	67	(12) "Labor organization" means any organization which exists for the 38
68	68	purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining or of dealing with 39
69	69	employers concerning grievances, terms or conditions of employment, 40
70	70	or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment; 41
71	71	(13) "Intellectual disability" means intellectual disability as defined in 42
72	72	Raised Bill No. 1442
73	73
74	74
75	75
76	76	LCO No. 5785 3 of 14
77	77
78	78	section 1-1g; 43
79	79	(14) "Person" means one or more individuals, partnerships, 44
80	80	associations, corporations, limited liability companies, legal 45
81	81	representatives, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers and the state 46
82	82	and all political subdivisions and agencies thereof; 47
83	83	(15) "Physically disabled" refers to any individual who has any 48
84	84	chronic physical handicap, infirmity or impairment, whether congenital 49
85	85	or resulting from bodily injury, organic processes or changes or from 50
86	86	illness, including, but not limited to, epilepsy, deafness or being hard of 51
87	87	hearing or reliance on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or 52
88	88	device; 53
89	89	(16) "Respondent" means any person alleged in a complaint filed 54
90	90	pursuant to section 46a-82 to have committed a discriminatory practice; 55
91	91	(17) "Discrimination on the basis of sex" includes but is not limited to 56
92	92	discrimination related to pregnancy, child-bearing capacity, 57
93	93	sterilization, fertility or related medical conditions; 58
94	94	(18) "Discrimination on the basis of religious creed" includes but is 59
95	95	not limited to discrimination related to all aspects of religious 60
96	96	observances and practice as well as belief, unless an employer 61
97	97	demonstrates that the employer is unable to reasonably accommodate 62
98	98	to an employee's or prospective employee's religious observance or 63
99	99	practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer's 64
100	100	business; 65
101	101	(19) "Learning disability" refers to an individual who exhibits a severe 66
102	102	discrepancy between educational performance and measured 67
103	103	intellectual ability and who exhibits a disorder in one or more of the 68
104	104	basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using 69
105	105	language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in a diminished 70
106	106	ability to listen, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical 71
107	107	calculations; 72
108	108	Raised Bill No. 1442
109	109
110	110
111	111
112	112	LCO No. 5785 4 of 14
113	113
114	114	(20) "Mental disability" refers to an individual who has a record of, or 73
115	115	is regarded as having one or more mental disorders, as defined in the 74
116	116	most recent edition of the American Psychiatric Association's 75
117	117	"Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders"; 76
118	118	(21) "Gender identity or expression" means a person's gender-related 77
119	119	identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related 78
120	120	identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally 79
121	121	associated with the person's physiology or assigned sex at birth, which 80
122	122	gender-related identity can be shown by providing evidence including, 81
123	123	but not limited to, medical history, care or treatment of the gender-82
124	124	related identity, consistent and uniform assertion of the gender-related 83
125	125	identity or any other evidence that the gender-related identity is 84
126	126	sincerely held, part of a person's core identity or not being asserted for 85
127	127	an improper purpose; 86
128	128	(22) "Veteran" means veteran as defined in subsection (a) of section 87
129	129	27-103; 88
130	130	(23) "Race" is inclusive of ethnic traits historically associated with 89
131	131	race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles; 90
132	132	(24) "Protective hairstyles" includes, but is not limited to, wigs, 91
133	133	headwraps and hairstyles such as individual braids, cornrows, locs, 92
134	134	twists, Bantu knots, afros and afro puffs; 93
135	135	(25) "Domestic violence" has the same meaning as provided in 94
136	136	subsection (b) of section 46b-1; [and] 95
137	137	(26) "Sexual orientation" means a person's identity in relation to the 96
138	138	gender or genders to which they are romantically, emotionally or 97
139	139	sexually attracted, inclusive of any identity that a person (A) may have 98
140	140	previously expressed, or (B) is perceived by another person to hold; and 99
141	141	(27) "Employer's agent" means an individual who is authorized by an 100
142	142	employer to (A) undertake or recommend tangible employment 101
143	143	Raised Bill No. 1442
144	144
145	145
146	146
147	147	LCO No. 5785 5 of 14
148	148
149	149	decisions affecting the employee, or (B) direct the employee's daily work 102
150	150	activities. 103
151	151	Sec. 2. Section 46a-81c of the general statutes is repealed and the 104
152	152	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 105
153	153	It shall be a discriminatory practice in violation of this section: (1) For 106
154	154	an employer [, by himself or his] or the employer's agent, except in the 107
155	155	case of a bona fide occupational qualification or need, to refuse to hire 108
156	156	or employ or to bar or to discharge from employment any individual or 109
157	157	to discriminate against [him] any individual in compensation or in 110
158	158	terms, conditions or privileges of employment because of the 111
159	159	individual's sexual orientation or civil union status, (2) for any 112
160	160	employment agency, except in the case of a bona fide occupational 113
161	161	qualification or need, to fail or refuse to classify properly or refer for 114
162	162	employment or otherwise to discriminate against any individual 115
163	163	because of the individual's sexual orientation or civil union status, (3) 116
164	164	for a labor organization, because of the sexual orientation or civil union 117
165	165	status of any individual to exclude from full membership rights or to 118
166	166	expel from its membership such individual or to discriminate in any 119
167	167	way against any of its members or against any employer or any 120
168	168	individual employed by an employer, unless such action is based on a 121
169	169	bona fide occupational qualification, or (4) for any person, employer, 122
170	170	employment agency or labor organization, except in the case of a bona 123
171	171	fide occupational qualification or need, to advertise employment 124
172	172	opportunities in such a manner as to restrict such employment so as to 125
173	173	discriminate against individuals because of their sexual orientation or 126
174	174	civil union status. 127
175	175	Sec. 3. Section 46a-64c of the general statutes is repealed and the 128
176	176	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 129
177	177	(a) It shall be a discriminatory practice in violation of this section: 130
178	178	(1) To refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, or to 131
179	179	refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make 132
180	180	Raised Bill No. 1442
181	181
182	182
183	183
184	184	LCO No. 5785 6 of 14
185	185
186	186	unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any person because of race, creed, 133
187	187	color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, 134
188	188	marital status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, status as a 135
189	189	veteran or status as a victim of domestic violence. 136
190	190	(2) To discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or 137
191	191	privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services 138
192	192	or facilities in connection therewith, because of race, creed, color, 139
193	193	national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, marital 140
194	194	status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, [or] status as a 141
195	195	veteran or status as a victim of domestic violence. 142
196	196	(3) To make, print or publish, or cause to be made, printed or 143
197	197	published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the 144
198	198	sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or 145
199	199	discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, 146
200	200	gender identity or expression, marital status, age, lawful source of 147
201	201	income, familial status, learning disability, physical or mental disability, 148
202	202	[or] status as a veteran or status as a victim of domestic violence, or an 149
203	203	intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. 150
204	204	(4) (A) To represent to any person because of race, creed, color, 151
205	205	national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, marital 152
206	206	status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, learning disability, 153
207	207	physical or mental disability, [or] status as a veteran or status as a victim 154
208	208	of domestic violence, that any dwelling is not available for inspection, 155
209	209	sale or rental when such dwelling is in fact so available. 156
210	210	(B) It shall be a violation of this subdivision for any person to restrict 157
211	211	or attempt to restrict the choices of any buyer or renter to purchase or 158
212	212	rent a dwelling (i) to an area which is substantially populated, even if 159
213	213	less than a majority, by persons of the same protected class as the buyer 160
214	214	or renter, (ii) while such person is authorized to offer for sale or rent 161
215	215	another dwelling which meets the housing criteria as expressed by the 162
216	216	buyer or renter to such person, and (iii) such other dwelling is in an area 163
217	217	Raised Bill No. 1442
218	218
219	219
220	220
221	221	LCO No. 5785 7 of 14
222	222
223	223	which is not substantially populated by persons of the same protected 164
224	224	class as the buyer or renter. As used in this subdivision, "area" means 165
225	225	municipality, neighborhood or other geographic subdivision which 166
226	226	may include an apartment or condominium complex; and "protected 167
227	227	class" means race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender 168
228	228	identity or expression, marital status, age, lawful source of income, 169
229	229	familial status, learning disability, physical or mental disability, [or] 170
230	230	status as a veteran or status as a victim of domestic violence. 171
231	231	(5) For profit, to induce or attempt to induce any person to sell or rent 172
232	232	any dwelling by representations regarding the entry or prospective 173
233	233	entry into the neighborhood of a person or persons of a particular race, 174
234	234	creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, 175
235	235	marital status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, learning 176
236	236	disability, physical or mental disability, [or] status as a veteran or status 177
237	237	as a victim of domestic violence. 178
238	238	(6) (A) To discriminate in the sale or rental, or to otherwise make 179
239	239	unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any buyer or renter because of a 180
240	240	learning disability or physical or mental disability of: (i) Such buyer or 181
241	241	renter; (ii) a person residing in or intending to reside in such dwelling 182
242	242	after it is so sold, rented, or made available; or (iii) any person associated 183
243	243	with such buyer or renter. 184
244	244	(B) To discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions or 185
245	245	privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services 186
246	246	or facilities in connection with such dwelling, because of a learning 187
247	247	disability or physical or mental disability of: (i) Such person; or (ii) a 188
248	248	person residing in or intending to reside in such dwelling after it is so 189
249	249	sold, rented, or made available; or (iii) any person associated with such 190
250	250	person. 191
251	251	(C) For purposes of this subdivision, discrimination includes: (i) A 192
252	252	refusal to permit, at the expense of a person with a physical or mental 193
253	253	disability, reasonable modifications of existing premises occupied or to 194
254	254	Raised Bill No. 1442
255	255
256	256
257	257
258	258	LCO No. 5785 8 of 14
259	259
260	260	be occupied by such person if such modifications may be necessary to 195
261	261	afford such person full enjoyment of the premises; except that, in the 196
262	262	case of a rental, the landlord may, where it is reasonable to do so, 197
263	263	condition permission for a modification on the renter agreeing to restore 198
264	264	the interior of the premises to the condition that existed before the 199
265	265	modification, reasonable wear and tear excepted; (ii) a refusal to make 200
266	266	reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services, 201
267	267	when such accommodations may be necessary to afford such person 202
268	268	equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling; (iii) in connection with 203
269	269	the design and construction of covered multifamily dwellings for the 204
270	270	first occupancy after March 13, 1991, a failure to design and construct 205
271	271	those dwellings in such manner that they comply with the requirements 206
272	272	of Section 804(f) of the Fair Housing Act or the provisions of the state 207
273	273	building code as adopted pursuant to the provisions of sections 29-269 208
274	274	and 29-273, whichever requires greater accommodation. "Covered 209
275	275	multifamily dwellings" means buildings consisting of four or more units 210
276	276	if such buildings have one or more elevators, and ground floor units in 211
277	277	other buildings consisting of four or more units. 212
278	278	(7) For any person or other entity engaging in residential real-estate-213
279	279	related transactions to discriminate against any person in making 214
280	280	available such a transaction, or in the terms or conditions of such a 215
281	281	transaction, because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, 216
282	282	gender identity or expression, marital status, age, lawful source of 217
283	283	income, familial status, learning disability, physical or mental disability, 218
284	284	[or] status as a veteran or status as a victim of domestic violence. 219
285	285	(8) To deny any person access to or membership or participation in 220
286	286	any multiple-listing service, real estate brokers' organization or other 221
287	287	service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or 222
288	288	renting dwellings, or to discriminate against him in the terms or 223
289	289	conditions of such access, membership or participation, on account of 224
290	290	race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or 225
291	291	expression, marital status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, 226
292	292	learning disability, physical or mental disability, [or] status as a veteran 227
293	293	Raised Bill No. 1442
294	294
295	295
296	296
297	297	LCO No. 5785 9 of 14
298	298
299	299	or status as a victim of domestic violence. 228
300	300	(9) To coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any person in the 229
301	301	exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of his having exercised or 230
302	302	enjoyed, or on account of his having aided or encouraged any other 231
303	303	person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected 232
304	304	by this section. 233
305	305	(b) (1) The provisions of this section shall not apply to (A) the rental 234
306	306	of a room or rooms in a single-family dwelling unit if the owner actually 235
307	307	maintains and occupies part of such living quarters as his residence or 236
308	308	(B) a unit in a dwelling containing living quarters occupied or intended 237
309	309	to be occupied by no more than two families living independently of 238
310	310	each other, if the owner actually maintains and occupies the other such 239
311	311	living quarters as his residence. (2) The provisions of this section with 240
312	312	respect to the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of marital status 241
313	313	shall not be construed to prohibit the denial of a dwelling to a man or a 242
314	314	woman who are both unrelated by blood and not married to each other. 243
315	315	(3) The provisions of this section with respect to the prohibition of 244
316	316	discrimination on the basis of age shall not apply to minors, to special 245
317	317	discount or other public or private programs to assist persons sixty 246
318	318	years of age and older or to housing for older persons as defined in 247
319	319	section 46a-64b, provided there is no discrimination on the basis of age 248
320	320	among older persons eligible for such housing. (4) The provisions of this 249
321	321	section with respect to the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of 250
322	322	familial status shall not apply to housing for older persons as defined in 251
323	323	section 46a-64b or to a unit in a dwelling containing units for no more 252
324	324	than four families living independently of each other, if the owner of 253
325	325	such dwelling resides in one of the units. (5) The provisions of this 254
326	326	section with respect to the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of 255
327	327	lawful source of income shall not prohibit the denial of full and equal 256
328	328	accommodations solely on the basis of insufficient income. (6) The 257
329	329	provisions of this section with respect to the prohibition of 258
330	330	discrimination on the basis of sex shall not apply to the rental of sleeping 259
331	331	accommodations to the extent they utilize shared bathroom facilities 260
332	332	Raised Bill No. 1442
333	333
334	334
335	335
336	336	LCO No. 5785 10 of 14
337	337
338	338	when such sleeping accommodations are provided by associations and 261
339	339	organizations which rent such sleeping accommodations on a 262
340	340	temporary or permanent basis for the exclusive use of persons of the 263
341	341	same sex based on considerations of privacy and modesty. 264
342	342	(c) Nothing in this section limits the applicability of any reasonable 265
343	343	state statute or municipal ordinance restricting the maximum number 266
344	344	of persons permitted to occupy a dwelling. 267
345	345	(d) Nothing in this section or section 46a-64b shall be construed to 268
346	346	invalidate or limit any state statute or municipal ordinance that requires 269
347	347	dwellings to be designed and constructed in a manner that affords 270
348	348	persons with physical or mental disabilities greater access than is 271
349	349	required by this section or section 46a-64b. 272
350	350	(e) Nothing in this section prohibits a person engaged in the business 273
351	351	of furnishing appraisals of real property to take into consideration 274
352	352	factors other than race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, 275
353	353	gender identity or expression, marital status, age, lawful source of 276
354	354	income, familial status, learning disability, physical or mental disability, 277
355	355	[or] status as a veteran or status as a victim of domestic violence. 278
356	356	(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, complaints 279
357	357	alleging a violation of this section shall be investigated within one 280
358	358	hundred days of filing and a final administrative disposition shall be 281
359	359	made within one year of filing unless it is impracticable to do so. If the 282
360	360	Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities is unable to complete 283
361	361	its investigation or make a final administrative determination within 284
362	362	such time frames, it shall notify the complainant and the respondent in 285
363	363	writing of the reasons for not doing so. 286
364	364	(g) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be 287
365	365	guilty of a class D misdemeanor. 288
366	366	Sec. 4. Subsection (e) of section 46a-83 of the general statutes is 289
367	367	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 290
368	368	Raised Bill No. 1442
369	369
370	370
371	371
372	372	LCO No. 5785 11 of 14
373	373
374	374	2025): 291
375	375	(e) If the complaint is not resolved after the mandatory mediation 292
376	376	conference, the complainant, the respondent or the commission may at 293
377	377	any time after such conference and before a draft investigative report is 294
378	378	issued request early legal intervention. If a request for early legal 295
379	379	intervention is made, a commission legal counsel shall determine not 296
380	380	later than ninety days after the date of the request whether the 297
381	381	complaint should be (1) heard pursuant to section 46a-84, (2) processed 298
382	382	pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, or (3) released from the 299
383	383	jurisdiction of the commission. In making such determination, 300
384	384	commission legal counsel may hold additional proceedings and may 301
385	385	utilize and direct commission staff. If a commission legal counsel 302
386	386	determines that the complaint should be processed pursuant to 303
387	387	subsection (f) of this section, the commission legal counsel may 304
388	388	recommend that the investigator make a finding of no reasonable cause. 305
389	389	The investigator shall make such a finding unless the investigator 306
390	390	believes the commission legal counsel made a mistake of fact. If the 307
391	391	investigator intends to make a finding of reasonable cause after the 308
392	392	commission legal counsel recommends otherwise, the investigator shall 309
393	393	consult with the commission legal counsel. 310
394	394	Sec. 5. Subsection (c) of section 46a-94a of the general statutes is 311
395	395	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 312
396	396	2025): 313
397	397	(c) The commission on its own motion may, whenever justice so 314
398	398	requires, reopen any matter previously closed, provided such matter 315
399	399	has not been appealed to the Superior Court pursuant to subsection (a) 316
400	400	of this section. Notice of such reopening shall be given to all parties. A 317
401	401	complainant or respondent may, for good cause shown, in the interest 318
402	402	of justice, apply in writing for the reopening of a [previously closed 319
403	403	proceeding] matter that was closed prior to the commencement of a 320
404	404	contested case proceeding, provided such application is filed with the 321
405	405	executive director of the commission within two years of the 322
406	406	Raised Bill No. 1442
407	407
408	408
409	409
410	410	LCO No. 5785 12 of 14
411	411
412	412	commission’s final decision and the complainant has (1) not been issued 323
413	413	a release of jurisdiction pursuant to section 46a-83a, as amended by this 324
414	414	act, and filed a civil action, or (2) requested and received a release of 325
415	415	jurisdiction from the commission pursuant to section 46a-101. 326
416	416	Sec. 6. Subsection (c) of section 46a-55 of the general statutes is 327
417	417	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 328
418	418	2025): 329
419	419	(c) The executive director may, within available appropriations, 330
420	420	assign a commission legal counsel to bring a civil action concerning an 331
421	421	alleged discriminatory practice, in accordance with this subsection, in 332
422	422	lieu of an administrative hearing pursuant to section 46a-84, when the 333
423	423	executive director determines that a civil action is in the public interest 334
424	424	and if the parties to the administrative hearing mutually agree, in 335
425	425	writing, to the bringing of such civil action by commission legal counsel. 336
426	426	The commission legal counsel shall bring such a civil action in the 337
427	427	Superior Court not later than ninety days following the date the 338
428	428	commission legal counsel notifies the parties of the executive director's 339
429	429	determination. Such civil action may be served by certified mail and 340
430	430	shall not be subject to the provisions of section 46a-100 [,] or 46a-101. [or 341
431	431	46a-102.] The jurisdiction of the Superior Court in an action brought 342
432	432	under this subsection shall be limited to such claims, counterclaims, 343
433	433	defenses or the like that could be presented at an administrative hearing 344
434	434	before the commission, had the complaint remained with the 345
435	435	commission for disposition. A complainant may intervene as a matter 346
436	436	of right without permission of the court or the parties. The civil action 347
437	437	shall be tried to the court without a jury. If the commission legal counsel 348
438	438	determines that the interests of the state will not be adversely affected, 349
439	439	the complainant or attorney for the complainant shall present all or part 350
440	440	of the case in support of the complaint. The court may grant any relief 351
441	441	available under section 46a-104. Where the Superior Court finds that a 352
442	442	respondent has committed a discriminatory practice, the court shall 353
443	443	grant the commission its fees and costs and award the commission a 354
444	444	civil penalty, not exceeding ten thousand dollars, provided such 355
445	445	Raised Bill No. 1442
446	446
447	447
448	448
449	449	LCO No. 5785 13 of 14
450	450
451	451	discriminatory practice has been established by clear and convincing 356
452	452	evidence, which shall be payable to the commission and used by the 357
453	453	commission to advance the public interest in eliminating discrimination. 358
454	454	Sec. 7. Subsection (b) of section 46a-82b of the general statutes is 359
455	455	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 360
456	456	2025): 361
457	457	(b) If the commission fails to issue a determination of reasonable 362
458	458	cause or no reasonable cause on any such complaint not later than 363
459	459	January 1, 1997, the executive director of the commission shall issue 364
460	460	forthwith a release of the complaint from the commission, allowing the 365
461	461	complainant to bring a civil action. Upon receipt of a release pursuant 366
462	462	to this section, the complainant may bring a civil action in accordance 367
463	463	with the provisions of sections 46a-100, 46a-101, 46a-103 and 46a-104. [, 368
464	464	notwithstanding the statute of limitations pursuant to section 46a-102.] 369
465	465	Sec. 8. Section 46a-83a of the general statutes is repealed and the 370
466	466	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 371
467	467	If a complaint is dismissed for failure to accept full relief pursuant to 372
468	468	subsection (m) of section 46a-83, and the complainant does not request 373
469	469	reconsideration of such dismissal as provided in subsection (h) of 374
470	470	section 46a-83, the executive director shall issue a release of jurisdiction 375
471	471	and the complainant may, within ninety days of receipt of the release 376
472	472	from the commission, bring an action in accordance with sections 46a-377
473	473	100, [and 46a-102 to 46a-104, inclusive] 46a-103 and 46a-104. 378
474	474	Sec. 9. Section 46a-102 of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective July 379
475	475	1, 2025) 380
476	476	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
477	477	sections:
478	478
479	479	Section 1 July 1, 2025 46a-51
480	480	Sec. 2 July 1, 2025 46a-81c
481	481	Sec. 3 July 1, 2025 46a-64c
482	482	Raised Bill No. 1442
483	483
484	484
485	485
486	486	LCO No. 5785 14 of 14
487	487
488	488	Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 46a-83(e)
489	489	Sec. 5 July 1, 2025 46a-94a(c)
490	490	Sec. 6 July 1, 2025 46a-55(c)
491	491	Sec. 7 July 1, 2025 46a-82b(b)
492	492	Sec. 8 July 1, 2025 46a-83a
493	493	Sec. 9 July 1, 2025 Repealer section
494	494
495	495	Statement of Purpose:
496	496	To (1) define "employer's agent" for purposes of the state's
497	497	discrimination laws, (2) make conforming statutory changes relating to
498	498	an individual's status as a victim of domestic violence, (3) clarify when
499	499	requests for early legal intervention can be made, (4) clarify when
500	500	commission proceedings may be reopened or appealed, and (5) align
501	501	state law with federal law concerning a complainant's ability to pursue
502	502	a matter in state court.
503	503
504	504	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
505	505	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
506	506	underlined.]
507	507