Connecticut SB 259: AN ACT CONCERNING FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.

Bill Text

Substitute Senate Bill No. 259 
 
Public Act No. 26-5 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) Except as provided in 
subsection  (b)  of  this  section,  a  person  is  guilty  of  performing  female 
genital mutilation when such person knowingly circumcises, excises or 
infibulates the whole or any part of the labia majora or labia minora or 
clitoris of a person under eighteen years of age. 
(b)  A  surgical  operation  is  not  a  violation  of  subsection  (a)  of  this 
section if such operation is (1) (A) necessary to the health of the person 
on whom it is performed, (B) for a medical purpose, and (C) performed 
by a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 370 of the general statutes 
or other licensed health care professional acting within the scope of their 
profession, or (2) performed on a person in labor or who has just given 
birth and for a medical purpose related to such labor or birth by (A) a 
physician licensed pursuant to chapter 370 of the general statutes, (B) a 
nurse-midwife licensed pursuant to chapter 377 of the general statutes, 
(C) a person in training to become such a physician or nurse-midwife, 
or (D) other licensed health care professional acting within the scope of 
their profession. For purposes of this subsection, a surgical operation is 
not (i) necessary to the health of the person on whom it is performed, or 
(ii)  for  a  medical  purpose,  if  the  basis  for  such  necessity  or  purpose  is 

Substitute Senate Bill No. 259 
 
Public Act No. 26-5 2 of 4 
 
based on the belief of the person performing the operation or any other 
person that such operation is required as a matter of custom or ritual. 
(c) Performing female genital mutilation is a class D felony. 
Sec.  2.  Section  54-86g  of  the  general  statutes  is  repealed  and  the 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 
(a) In any criminal prosecution of an offense involving female genital 
mutilation, assault, sexual assault or abuse of a child twelve years of age 
or younger, the court may, upon motion of the attorney for any party, 
order that the testimony of the child be taken in a room other than the 
courtroom in the presence and under the supervision of the trial judge 
hearing the matter and be televised by closed circuit equipment in the 
courtroom  or  recorded  for  later  showing  before  the  court.  Only  the 
judge, the defendant, the attorneys for the defendant and for the state, 
persons necessary to operate the equipment and any person who would 
contribute to the welfare and well-being of the child may be present in 
the room with the child during his testimony, except that the court may 
order the defendant excluded from the room or screened from the sight 
and hearing of the child only if the state proves, by clear and convincing 
evidence, that the child would be so intimidated, or otherwise inhibited, 
by the physical presence of the defendant that a compelling need exists 
to  take the  testimony of  the  child  outside  the  physical  presence  of  the 
defendant  in  order  to  insure  the  reliability  of  such  testimony.  If  the 
defendant  is  excluded  from  the  room  or  screened  from  the  sight and 
hearing of the child, the court shall ensure that the defendant is able to 
observe and hear the testimony of the child, but that the child cannot see 
or hear the defendant. The defendant shall be able to consult privately 
with  his  attorney  at  all  times during  the  taking  of  the  testimony.  The 
attorneys and the judge may question the child. If the court orders the 
testimony of a child to be taken under this subsection, the child shall not 
be required to testify in court at the proceeding for which the testimony 
was taken. 

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(b) In any criminal prosecution of an offense involving female genital 
mutilation, assault, sexual assault or abuse of a child twelve years of age 
or younger, the court may, upon motion of the attorney for any party, 
order that the following procedures be used when the testimony of the 
child is taken: (1) Persons shall be prohibited from entering and leaving 
the courtroom during the child's testimony; (2) an adult who is known 
to  the  child  and  with  whom  the  child  feels  comfortable  shall  be 
permitted  to  sit  in  close  proximity  to  the  child  during  the  child's 
testimony,  provided  such  person shall  not  obscure  the  child  from  the 
view  of  the  defendant  or  the  trier  of  fact;  (3)  the  use  of  anatomically 
correct dolls by the child shall be permitted; and (4) the attorneys for the 
defendant  and  for  the  state  shall  question  the  child  while  seated  at a 
table positioned in front of the child, shall remain seated while posing 
objections