Aside from the increase in the minimum wage, several new laws took effect in Connecticut on July 1; below is a round-up. 

Abortion Safe Harbor Law 

The General Assembly in April passed legislation that strengthens Connecticut's existing abortion protection laws. Gov. Ned Lamont signed it into law after the May leak of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling reversing Roe vs. Wade. The new laws also officially authorize advanced practice registered nurses, nurse midwives, and physician assistants to perform aspiration abortions — the most common type of in-clinic abortion.  

Police Body and Dashboard Cameras 

A piece of the Police Accountability Act, passed in 2020, went into effect on July 1.  

All sworn members of Connecticut law enforcement and members who perform police duties are now required to wear body cameras. Dashboard cameras in each police patrol vehicle will also be required. 

Law enforcement also is prohibited from editing, erasing, sharing, altering or distributing camera recordings or data except when required by certain other laws. 

New Requirements for the Connecticut Department of Education Around Children’s Mental Health 

The Connecticut Department of Education will provide grants to local boards of education to hire and retain school social workers, school psychologists, school counselors, marriage and family therapists and nurses, over the next three years under House Bill No. 5001, which was signed by Gov. Ned Lamont on May 23.  

The Department of Education must also develop a truancy intervention model that takes into account mental and behavioral health by September 2023 and begin to share it with local school districts. The Department of Education and Connecticut Department of Children and Families are required to issue guidelines to districts on intervention for certain behavioral health situations and when to contact 2-1-1 for alternative interventions. 

Protections to Employees 

Connecticut's Paid Family and Medical Leave Act laws also will be strengthened, requiring employers to tell new employees of their state FMLA benefits when they are hired, and current employees will need to be made aware of FMLA options annually.  Employees need to be told Connecticut FMLA includes family violence leave and they may file an FMLA complaint with the Department of Labor if they believe an employer is denying their benefits or retaliating for an FMLA claim.  

Catalytic Converters 

Public Act 22-43, which Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law on May 17, takes aim at the recent rise in catalytic converter thefts by establishing new requirements for businesses that purchase these parts. 

The legislation bans motor vehicle recyclers from accepting any catalytic converters that are not attached to a car. Scrap metal processors and junk dealers may still purchase converters taken off cars but must maintain detailed records of where, when, and from whom the part was purchased – including the seller’s name, address, and driver’s license number. 

Money to Improve School Air Quality 

Local school officials will now be required to conduct inspections of HVAC systems in each public school every five years. To help make improvements in school air quality, towns and cities will be able to apply for part of $150 million in grants through the Department of Administrative Services.  

Diesel Tax to Increase  

The state’s diesel fuel tax has now risen to 49.2 cents per gallon, a nearly 23 percent increase from the current 40.1-cent rate, the Department of Revenue Services announced in early June.  

The annual adjustment in the diesel fuel tax is calculated by a formula that factors in the average wholesale price of diesel fuel over the prior year. This year saw a larger than a normal increase from last year. The way the tax is calculated has been the same since 2007 but critics this year raise concerns about contributing to inflation and price hikes on everything carried by trucks.  

No Credit and Debit Transaction Fees at State Agencies 

The Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Consumer Protection, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Department of Public Health are among the state agencies that will wave credit and debit transaction fees at least for the fiscal year starting July 1.  

Prior to this legislation, some state agencies passed service fee costs on to customers, according to the governor's office. 

Connecticut Mirror and Connecticut Public reports are included.