Bolinsky: New ‘October 1st’ Laws on the Books

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.

POLICE BODY CAMERAS
The new law helps local municipalities fund the equipment for one year and requires state police and university police to wear body cameras. The bill also encourages police minority hiring and establishes standards for investigating officer-related shootings.

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 they won’t be punished for refusing to hand it over.

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.

CONNECTICUT GROWN
The legislation provides for 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.

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