With the legislative session over and the governor signing – and even vetoing – bills almost daily, I wanted to highlight several, and provide a full list of new laws that take effect on July 1st.

You can find a link to a complete list of all bills that passed, and a link to laws that are taking effect on July 1st on my website at www.RepGregHoward.com.

Several new laws will take effect July 1st that could have an impact on you, your business, or our community. I have highlighted some of them below.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE FALLEN HERO FUND – I supported this bill so that the surviving family of a firefighter killed in the line of duty shall be paid a death benefit from the Fallen Officer Fund. With the eligibility now expanded from only law enforcement members, the fund will be renamed the Fallen Officer and Firefighter Fund. This new law will also provide health insurance coverage to the survivors of a firefighter killed in the line of duty.

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BIPARTISAN DRUG TASK FORCE – This bill is aimed at reducing drug prices, and includes a feasibility study about importing prescription drugs from Canada. It also states that the insurance commissioner must require health carriers to annually report on pricing offered to, and profit generated between, the carrier and any pharmacy benefits managers (PBM) or mail-order pharmacy doing business in Connecticut.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ILLEGAL USE OF CERTAIN VEHICLES AND STREET TAKEOVERS – Municipalities with more than 20,000 residents will be empowered to adopt an ordinance allowing for the destruction of vehicles seized during so-called street takeovers (large groups of vehicles blocking roads or intersections) after holding them for 30 days. There are some restrictions, including that a reasonable effort be made to contact the owner. If the owner did not know the vehicle was used for such an event, that person has the right to collect the vehicle within 90 days.

Click to view the complete list: https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/content/aeauto.asp