Name: 7 new laws that take effect in Connecticut on Oct. 1, including first provisions of police accountability bill
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7 new laws that take effect in Connecticut on Oct. 1, including first provisions of police accountability bill

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AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantSep 30, 2020 at 6:00 amNew laws taking effect in Connecticut on Oct. 1 primarily include the first provisions of a sweeping police accountability bill that lawmakers passed over the summer amid racial justice protests that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.Some of the more controversial parts of the police bill — changes to qualified immunity that protects officers from lawsuits related to their conduct and a narrowing of the circumstances under which officers can use deadly force — won’t take effect until next year.AdvertisementBut beginning Thursday, police officers will face new restrictions on searches and a newly created independent office will take over responsibility of investigating deadly use of force by police.As of Oct. 1, police in Connecticut cannot ask drivers to search their car if they’ve been stopped solely for a motor vehicle violation. They may only conduct such searches if they have probable cause or receive unsolicited consent. Drivers pulled over for motor vehicle violation also cannot be asked to produce anything other than their driver’s license, registration and insurance information.AdvertisementPolice in Connecticut, starting Oct. 1, will be required to step in if they witness another officer using unreasonable, excessive or illegal force. The law also applies to correction officers in the state’s prisons. An officer who witnesses unreasonable, excessive or illegal force and does not intervene may be charged with the same crime as the officer who used the force. The law contains exceptions for undercover officers and stipulates that departments cannot retaliate against officers who intervene.Defendants charged with falsely reporting a crime or misusing the 911 system will face stiffer penalties beginning Oct. 1 if police determine their false report was racially motivated. The new law was prompted in part by the high-profile case of Amy Cooper — a white woman who called police on a Black man in New York’s Central Park in May and falsely reported he was threatening her life.Beginning Oct. 1, police officers who lost their state certification will no longer be able to apply for licenses to be security guards in Connecticut. Under existing law, the certification, issued by the state Police Officer Standards and Training Council, can be revoked if the holder is convicted of a felony or has been found by their department to have improperly discharged their firearm resulting in injury or death. The police bill expanded the conditions under which an officer’s certification can be revoked to include discriminatory conduct, falsifying reports, racial profiling or excessive use of force.The police bill stipulates that as of Oct. 1, a new independent Office of the Inspector General will be tasked with investigating deadly use of force by police in Connecticut and determining whether the officers involved were justified in their use of force. If the officers' actions are found not to be justified under the law, the inspector general is in charge of prosecuting those cases.The position to lead the office remained vacant as of Tuesday after the state Criminal Justice Commission last week deadlocked on making a recommendation for the job to the legislature’s judiciary committee, instead sending the names of two finalists for consideration. It’s unclear when the committee will take up the matter. The new agency will require office space and staff before it can be up and running.Unrelated to the police bill, beginning Oct. 1, nail technicians in Connecticut can begin applying for licenses through the state Department of Public Health. In addition to a $100 fee, applicants must show that they have completed at least 100 hours of training or have been working as a nail technician in the state for at least two years. All nail technicians in the state will be required to be licensed by Jan. 1.Russell Blair can be reached at rblair@courant.com. Advertisement

AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantSep 30, 2020 at 6:00 amNew laws taking effect in Connecticut on Oct. 1 primarily include the first provisions of a sweeping police accountability bill that lawmakers passed over the summer amid racial justice protests that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.Some of the more controversial parts of the police bill — changes to qualified immunity that protects officers from lawsuits related to their conduct and a narrowing of the circumstances under which officers can use deadly force — won’t take effect until next year.AdvertisementBut beginning...

7 new laws that take effect in Connecticut on Oct. 1, including first provisions of police accountability bill

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