Acts Effective October 1, 2015

With the start of October comes new laws that may directly affect you, your business or your community. An entire list of these laws can be found by clicking here.

VARIABLE RATE BAN

After receiving thousands of complaints by electric customers who saw their bill skyrocket through variable rates, the state now becomes the first in the nation to ban variable rate electric contracts.

E-CIGARETTES

A decade old ban on smoking in public places has now expanded to include e-cigarettes. E-cig users can no longer smoke in bars and restaurants.

POLICE BODY CAMERAS

The new law helps local municipalities fund police body cameras for one year and also requires state police and university police to wear body cameras.

EMPLOYEE PRIVACY

Employees concerned about their employers asking them to hand over their Facebook and Twitter login and password will now have protections. Employees have a right to say no and in doing so won’t be punished.

CONNECTICUT GROWN

There are now more standards for farmers market vendors. The “Connecticut Grown” law cracks down on vendors who label produce as local when it’s not. The fine goes up from $25 to $100. The new law also mandates that farmers who grow in the state must post a sign at the market with the name and location of the farm.

ANIMAL PROTECTION

Connecticut is now the third state to enact a laboratory animal protection bill, also known as the “Beagle Freedom Bill.” This groundbreaking legislation mandates that testing laboratories must offer healthy dogs and cats for public adoption through charitable rescue groups instead of euthanizing them.

BOAT SAFETY

This law improves boat safety by establishing a minimum age of 16 for anyone towing a water skier or tuber.