Connecticut HB 5476: AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPELLED STUDENTS.

Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5476

Public Act No. 26-70

AN ACT CONCERNING OVERSIGHT OF EFFORTS TO PREVENT
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE USE OF CONFIDENTIAL CRISIS
HOTLINES AT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) As used in this section, "human
trafficking" has the same meaning as "trafficking", as defined in section
46a-170 of the general statutes, as amended by this act. The Criminal
Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and
Management shall evaluate the coordination of efforts among executive
branch state agencies and law enforcement agencies to prevent human
trafficking in the state and shall develop a comprehensive plan for how
activities and programs of executive branch state agencies and other
multidisciplinary partners should be coordinated to combat human
trafficking in the state. All executive branch state agencies shall provide
any assistance, information or data needed by the division to perform
the planning duties established under this section, to the extent
permitted under state and federal law.
(b) Not later than January 1, 2027, the division shall submit a copy of
the comprehensive plan developed under subsection (a) of this section,
in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes,
to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having

Substitute House Bill No. 5476

Public Act No. 26-70 2 of 16

cognizance of matters relating to government oversight, the judiciary
and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies. Such report shall
include, but need not be limited to, any recommendations for legislation
to implement the division's recommendations.
Sec. 2. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 46a-170 of the 2026
supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026):
(a) There is established a Trafficking in Persons Council that shall be
within the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and
Opportunity for administrative purposes only.
(b) The council shall consist of the following members: (1) The Chief
State's Attorney, or a designee; (2) the Chief Public Defender, or a
designee; (3) the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public
Protection, or the commissioner's designee; (4) the Labor Commissioner,
or the commissioner's designee; (5) the Commissioner of Social Services,
or the commissioner's designee; (6) the Commissioner of Public Health,
or the commissioner's designee; (7) the Commissioner of Mental Health
and Addiction Services, or the commissioner's designee; (8) the
Commissioner of Children and Families, or the commissioner's
designee; (9) the Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the
commissioner's designee; (10) the Commissioner of Developmental
Services, or the commissioner's designee; (11) the Commissioner of
Transportation, or the commissioner's designee; (12) the director of the
Basic Training Division of the Police Officer Standards and Training
Council, or the director's designee; (13) the Child Advocate, or the Child
Advocate's designee; (14) the Victim Advocate, or the Victim Advocate's
designee; (15) a chairperson of the Commission on Women, Children,
Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, or the chairperson's designee; (16) the
Secretary of the State, or the Secretary's designee; (17) one representative
of the Office of Victim Services of the Judicial Branch appointed by the
Chief Court Administrator; [(17)] (18) a municipal police chief

Substitute House Bill No. 5476

Public Act No. 26-70 3 of 16

appointed by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, or a designee;
[(18)] (19) the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's
designee; [(19)] (20) a judge of the Superior Court, appointed by the
Chief Court Administrator; [(20)] (21) a state's attorney appointed by the
Chief State's Attorney; [(21)] (22) a public defender appointed by the
Chief Public Defender; and [(22)] (23) sixteen public members appointed
as follows: The Governor shall appoint four members, one of whom
shall represent victims of commercial exploitation of children, one of
whom shall represent sex trafficking victims who are children and one
of whom shall represent a coalition of children's advocacy centers and
multidisciplinary teams that are dedicated to serving child abuse
victims and their families, the president pro tempore of the Senate shall
appoint two members, one of whom shall represent the Connecticut
Alliance to End Sexual Violence and one of whom shall represent an
organization that provides civil legal services to low-income
individuals, the speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint
two members, one of whom shall represent the Connecticut Coalition
Against Domestic Violence and one of whom shall represent the
Connecticut Lodging Association, the majority leader of the Senate shall
appoint two members, one of whom shall repr