These New CT Laws In 2019 That Could Change Your Life

HARTFORD, CT — A new batch of laws is set to go into effect when we ring in the New Year that will change the lives of some Connecticut residents, especially some of those dealing with crumbling foundations in the eastern part of the state.

Laws in Connecticut generally go into effect on Jan. 1, July 1, and Oct. 1

Some big changes already in 2018 are a ban on bump stocks and regulation of Uber and Lyft. New laws generally mandate that opioid prescriptions be sent electronically to curtail fraud and that doctors discuss the dangers of addiction when prescribing medicine.

Another law limited the sale of the increasingly-popular electronic cigarettes.

Some laws while minor add convenience or savings for Connecticut residents. Don’t want to dig around the glove box for the auto insurance card? Now you can pull up electronic proof to show police. Feminine hygiene products and diapers are now tax-free.

Here are highlights of some laws that go into effect Jan. 1

Domestic Violence Arrests
In domestic violence incidents where there are two or more opposing parties police will be trained arrest the offender they believe to be the dominant aggressor. The law doesn’t prohibit dual arrests and doesn’t apply to college students in on-campus housing and tenants who live together in residential rental properties who aren’t in a dating relationship.

Pay Equity

Employers will be generally prohibited from asking or directing third parties to inquire about a prospective employee’s wage or salary history. Prospective employees are free to disclose salary history and there are certain other exceptions.

Insurance Coverage Of Essential Health Benefits

Certain health insurance policies will have to cover 10 essential health benefits that are listed in the Affordable Care Act.

Pregnancy As a Qualifying Event For Special Enrollment

Certain health insurance plans will be mandated to allow special enrollment for pregnant women. It applies to individual health plans subject to the ACA HMOs, and hospital and medical service corporation contracts offered to individuals.

Mammograms

Expansion of breast imaging services that certain health insurance plans must cover.

$12 Homeowner Insurance Surcharge

A $12 surcharge will be applied over the next 11 years to certain homeowner insurance policies. Most of the surcharge will be deposited into the Crumbling Foundations Assistance Fund.

More Crumbling Foundations

Codifies residential disclosure report home sellers must provide.

Here is a list of all new Jan. 1 laws.

Here’s some highlights of what already went into effect this past year:

Bump Stock Ban
The act generally makes it illegal to sell, transfer or purchase a "rate of fire enhancement" firearm device typically known as a bump stock.

Bump stocks were used in the Las Vegas shooting where a single shooter was able to kill 58 and injure more than 850 people.

Electronic Proof of Auto Insurance
Motorists can now present auto insurance proof electronically on a cell phone or other device to law enforcement. The information is generally accessible via an insurer's app.

E-Cigarettes
E-cigarettes and similar devices need to be purchased through employee-assisted sales instead of self-service displays.

Crediting Rating Agencies
Remember when an Equifax data breach leaked sensitive information of 143 million Americans? A government report found glaring security errors, but not much changed.

The new law prohibits credit rating agencies from charging a fee to place, remove or lift a temporary credit freeze. It also prohibits making consumers enter into agreements to limit the liability of credit rating agency in order to lift a credit freeze.

A federal law provides for free credit freezes and thaws.

Certain businesses must provide identity theft mitigation services to customers for 24 months, instead of 12 months, in the event of a data breach.

Robo Calls and Spoofing
Are you tired of picking up a call from a seemingly local number only to find out you "won" a free cruise or owe the "IRS" money? That'll likely continue, but it's now a state crime if a person is caught.

It now is a Class A misdemeanor for a person to use a blocking service or other service to circumvent caller ID to transmit robo calls.

A friendly reminder: The IRS will never call about owing taxes and instead sends a letter through the mail. Uncle Sam also doesn't accept iTunes gift cards as payment.

Maternal Mortality Review
The Department of Public Health will be required to review maternal deaths in state and gather data. The data will be used by a review committee in an effort to reduce maternal deaths.
The U.S. has the worst rate of maternal deaths in the developed world.

Pregnant Inmates
The act establishes requirements for the treatment of pregnant women in state prisons, including having specially trained staff, proper counseling for pregnant inmates and generally limiting the use of restraints on pregnant inmates.

Reverse Mortgage Protection
Requires counseling and certification requirements for reverse mortgages, which allow homeowners to turn equity in their property into liquid assets.

Bonus Points On Civil Service Exams
Armed Forces members who pass a state civil service exam can generally get a five-point bonus for their service.

Connecticut's Energy Future
A comprehensive set of laws that establishes requirements for the state to use renewable energy resources.

Pest Misting Systems
The act prohibits installing or using automatic pesticide misting systems beginning Jan. 1.

FOI Law Change
Public agencies can petition the Freedom of Information Commission for relief from vexatious requesters for a period of up to one year. Vexatious requesters are people who make an inordinate amount of requests or requests that are very large in scope or interfere with an agencies ability to operate.

Save Our Lakes Plate
A new commemorative license plate will come to Connecticut beginning in 2020. Purchases for the plate will go into an account to preserve the state's lakes and ponds.

Victim Restitution
The court, when sentencing an individual for a criminal offense, must inquire whether there are requests from victims from restitution.

Feminine Hygiene Products and Diapers Exempt From Sales Tax
Items including tampons, pads and diapers will no longer be subject to the sales tax.

Holocaust and Genocide Education
The study of the Holocaust and genocide will now be included as part of social studies curriculum in public schools.

Good Samaritan Child Abuse/Neglect
The law provides immunity from civil or criminal liability for anyone who acts in good faith to medically assist a child who is being abused or neglected. Some examples are taking a photograph or xray, causing the child to be taken into emergency protective custody and disclosing a medical record.

Behavior Analysts
Behavior analysts are now mandated reporters of suspected child abuse and neglect.

School Bus Driver Training For Food Allergies
School bus drivers will be required to learn how to help a child suffering from a serious food allergy including how to inject an EpiPen. School bus drivers will have immunity from lawsuits for administering drugs during an allergic reaction.

Whiting Forensic Hospital and CT Valley Hospital
An eight-member task force was established to review all Department of Mental Health and Addiction Service facilities. IT also requires mandatory reporting of suspected patient abuse at DHMAS-operated facilities.
The law came about after a scandal at the Whiting Forensic Hospital involving mass alleged abuse of a patient.

Pregnant Prisoners
In general pregnant prisoner restraint will be limited. The law also establishes the right to receive specialized counseling and written material regarding pre and post-natal care.
The law was created after a baby was born in a prison cell.
Rape Kit Tracking
An electronic rape kit tracking system will be established. It will also pave the way for policies to ensure sexual assault victims whether DNA evidence was entered into a national DNA bank and to know if it matches anyone in the data bank.
Telehealth Prescriptions
A telehealth provider can now prescribe schedule II and III controlled substances other than opioid drugs.
Zoning of Bright Advertising Signs
Local zoning commissions will be able to regulate the brightness and illumination of billboards and signs.
Regulation of Uber and Lyft
A new law will require transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft to register with the Department of Transportation, perform background checks on drivers and establish insurance requirements for drivers.
The act also allows taxi companies to use apps to calculate rates.

Step Therapy Changes For Stage IV Metastatic Cancer
Come Jan. 1 insurers won't be allowed to require step therapy for Stage IV metastatic cancer patients. Step therapy involves trying less expensive drugs first.

AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR FERTILITY PRESERVATION FOR INSUREDS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER
This law increases the number of people who can be covered by health insurance for fertility treatment by removing the limiting factor that people must be "presumably healthy" for fertility treatment.

Changes to Liquor Control Commission and automated ticket purchasing software
The Liquor Control Commission becomes the final authority to make decisions that are adverse to a permit holder.
This new law also prohibits anyone from using automated ticket purchasing software to purchase tickets on the Internet.

Sale of Entertainment Tickets On Secondary Market
The new law generally prohibits the sale of non transferable tickets. It applies to tickets for sporting events, concerts, theatrical performances but not movies, concert venues with less than 3,000-person capacity and tickets sold to students at a public higher education institution.

Hartford Whaler License Plates, Other DMV Changes
Commemorative Hartford Whaler license plates will be offered through the DMV. The law also stops driver learner permits from expiring when a person turns 18. The permit now only expires two years after it was issued or on the day the holder receives a driver's license.

Increase For Minimum Amount of Auto Insurance
The new law increase the minimum liability coverage to $25,000 per person in a crash, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. Previously the minimum amounts were $20,000, $50,000 and $10,000 respectively.

Opioid Law Changes
Prescription drug monitoring program data can be shared with state agencies for drug abuse studies.
Generally requires controlled substance prescriptions to be sent electronically.
Requires practitioners to discuss risks associated with opioid drug abuse when prescribing to any patient.

Creation of CT Retirement Security Program
This law creates the Connecticut Retirement Security Authority which will provide a Roth IRA plan for many in Connecticut.
Qualified private sector employers with at least five employees that don't already offer a retirement program must enroll them in the state's program. Employees can opt-out if they choose, otherwise they will have between three and six percent of earnings deducted to the IRA.

Changes To Juvenile Isolation Confinement
A new law prohibits those under the age of 18-years-old from being placed in administrative segregation status in the state's prison system. The law doesn't apply for certain special circumstances, such as a high security inmate who was convicted of a capital felony or murder with special circumstances.

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