New Laws That Take Effect On October 1, 2010

September 28, 2010

Every bill passed by the General Assembly affects
someone in our state and, as a result, it is in everyone’s
best interest to pay attention to legislative proposals
and take the time to learn about new laws.

Generally, new laws that do not take effect upon passage
go into effect on January 1st, July 1st or October 1st.
Sometimes, different portions of new laws take effect
on different dates – and, sometimes, laws passed
in one year are set to take effect on a certain date
in a future year.
This year, 83 new laws, or portions of new laws, take
effect on October 1st. Not surprisingly, these new laws
address a wide variety of issues. Interested readers
can find the entire list of new laws, along with descriptions
and legislative history, at www.cga.ct.gov
by clicking on “New Legislation Effective October
1, 2010.” Meanwhile, I will take this opportunity
to highlight a few.

  • An Act Providing A Safe Harbor For Exploited
    Children (Public Act 10-115)     protects sexually
    exploited children and young teens from the possibility
    of being legally prosecuted for prostitution. I am
    the primary sponsor of this new law that makes prostitution
    a crime only for people age 16 and older. Furthermore,
    it calls for creating a presumption, one that must
    be rebutted by the prosecution, that 16- and 17-year
    olds alleged to have engaged in prostitution were
    coerced or enticed. Also, it increases the penalty
    for promoting prostitution of persons younger than
    18. Finally, it specifies that, in any prosecution
    for patronizing a prostitute or promoting or permitting
    prostitution, a defendant cannot assert that the person
    engaging or agreeing to engage in sexual conduct for
    a fee cannot be prosecuted for prostitution because
    of his or her age.

  • An Act Concerning The Expiration Of Driver’s
    Licenses Issued To Members Of The Armed Forces (Public
    Act 10-16)     extends the expiration date of
    a driver’s license held by an armed forces member
    who was out of state because of his or her active-duty
    service to 30 days after he or she is honorably discharged
    or returns to Connecticut. This new law applies to
    service members whose licenses have not been suspended,
    cancelled, or revoked, and who have their licenses
    and discharge or separation papers their immediate
    possession.

  • An Act Concerning the Recommendations of
    the Speaker of the House of Representatives’
    Task Force on Domestic Violence (Public Act 10- 144)
    strengthens several criminal justice, social
    service and education programs. Most provisions of
    this new law take effect on October 1st. Among other
    things, it expands the state’s persistent offender
    law for crimes involving assault, trespass, threatening,
    harassment, and violation of a restraining or a protective
    order by eliminating the limitation on the look-back
    period and allowing the court to consider convictions
    for essentially the same crimes in other states; expands
    information and disclosure requirements for family
    violence intervention units, courts, and the state
    Department of Children and Families; allows the chief
    court administrator to establish a domestic violence
    docket in three geographical areas; makes changes
    in the law concerning restraining orders; and permit
    the state’s Judicial Branch to establish a pilot
    program to electronically monitor family violence
    offenders.
  • An Act Concerning Senior Centers And The
    Freedom Of Information Act (Public Act 10-17)
    protects senior citizens by exempting from disclosure
    on the state’s Freedom of Information law the
    names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses
    of members of, or those enrolled in programs at, senior
    centers administered or sponsored by public agencies.
  • An Act Concerning The Use Of Hand-Held
    Mobile Telephones And Mobile Electronic Devices By
    Motor Vehicle Operators (Public Act 10-109)
    specifies that it is illegal for a driver to type,
    send, or read text messages on a hand-held cell phone
    or mobile electronic device while operating a moving
    motor vehicle; increases fines for repeated violations;
    remits 25 percent of the fines collected to the municipality
    that issues the summons; eliminates the requirement
    that judges suspend fines for first-time offenders
    who obtain hands-free devices before fines are imposes;
    includes exceptions for certain official personnel
    and emergency situations.

    As always, I urge constituents to contact me with
    their questions and concerns, or to discuss issues
    that are important to Connecticut. I can be reached
    at my legislative office in Hartford at 1-800-842-1421
    or via e-mail to [email protected].

Senator Rob Kane represents the 32nd Senatorial
District, which includes the communities of Bethlehem,
Bridgewater, Middlebury, Oxford, Seymour, Southbury,
Thomaston, Roxbury, Watertown and Woodbury.