Connecticut SB 476: AN ACT CONCERNING VISITATION POLICIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION AND THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS HELD IN TRUST BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION TO PERSONS WHO WERE FORMERLY INCARCERATED.

Bill Text

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General Assembly  
Substitute Bill No. 476  
February Session, 2026 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING VISITATION POLICIES OF THE DEPARTMENT 
OF CORRECTION AND THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS HELD IN TRUST 
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION TO PERSONS WHO WERE 
FORMERLY INCARCERATED.  
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. Section 18-81oo of the general statutes is repealed and the 1 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2 
(a)  The  Commissioner  of  Correction  shall [not  use  the  provision  of 3 
voice  communication  service  or  any  other  communication  service  to 4 
persons who are in the custody of the commissioner and confined in a 5 
correctional facility to supplant in-person contact visits any such person 6 
may  be  eligible  to  receive] permit  any  person  who  is  confined  in  a 7 
correctional  facility  and  housed  with  the  general  population  of  such 8 
facility to have not less than three in-person visits per week. 9 
(b) (1) [On and after July 1, 2022, the] The commissioner shall provide 10 
voice communication service to persons who are in the custody of the 11 
commissioner and confined in a correctional facility. The commissioner 12 
may  supplement  such  voice  communication  service  with  any  other 13 
communication    service,    including,    but    not    limited    to,    video 14 
communication and electronic mail services. Any such communication 15 
service  shall  be  provided  free  of  charge  to  such  persons  and  any 16 

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communication, whether initiated or received through any such service, 17 
shall   be   free   of   charge   to   the   person   initiating   or   receiving   the 18 
communication. 19 
(2) Each person in the custody of the commissioner and confined in a 20 
correctional  facility  shall  be  eligible  to  use  the  voice  communication 21 
service described in subdivision (1) of this subsection for at least ninety 22 
minutes  on  each  day  of  such  person's  confinement,  provided  the 23 
provisions of this subdivision shall not be interpreted to interfere with 24 
the standard operations of the facility in which such person is confined. 25 
(c) [On and after July 1, 2022, the] The state shall not receive revenue 26 
for  the  provision  of  any  communication  service  to  any  person  in  the 27 
custody of the commissioner and confined in a correctional facility. 28 
(d)  The  Commissioner  of  Correction  shall  not  use  the  provision  of 29 
voice communication  service or any other communication service  to a 30 
person  who  is  in  the  custody  of  the  commissioner  and  confined  in  a 31 
correctional  facility  to  supplant  in-person  visits  authorized  under  this 32 
section, including any in-person contact visit that such person may be 33 
eligible to receive. 34 
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) Upon the release of any person 35 
from a correctional facility, the Department of Correction shall disburse 36 
to  such  person  the  remaining  balance  in  such  person's  Inmate  Trust 37 
Fund  account.  The  department  may  make  such  disbursement  to  the 38 
formerly incarcerated person in the form of cash, a check, or a prepaid 39 
device, provided the department may not disburse funds by means of a 40 
prepaid  device  unless  the  department  also  provides  the  formerly 41 
incarcerated person with at least one alternative option of receiving the 42 
disbursed funds by cash or check. 43 
(b)  In any situation where  the  department  is unable  to  make  such 44 
disbursement upon release of such person because the department was 45 
not informed of the person's release date at least two weeks in advance 46 
of such date, the department shall obtain a mailing address from such 47 
person prior to, or at the time of, such person's release, and mail such 48 

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disbursement to such person. In any such situation, not later than two 49 
weeks  after  such  person  is  released,  the  department  shall  mail  the 50 
disbursement by United States mail to the mailing address provided by 51 
the formerly incarcerated person.  52 
(c) If the department disburses funds by means of a prepaid device 53 
pursuant  to  this  section,  neither  the  department  nor  the  issuer  of  the 54 
prepaid device may impose, or cause to be imposed, any fee payable by 55 
the  formerly  incarcerated  person.  As  used  in  this  section,  "prepaid 56 
device"  means  a  card,  code  or  other  means  of  access  to  a  consumer's 57 
account   held   by   a   financial   institution   or   other   financial   service 58 
provider. 59 
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following 
sections: 
 
Section 1 
October 1, 2026 
18-81oo 
Sec. 2 
July 1, 2026 
New section 
 
 
JUD Joint Favorable Subst.  
A