Connecticut HB 5306: AN ACT CONCERNING SENTENCE REDUCTION OR RELIEF FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5306
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING SENTENCE REDUCTION OR RELIEF FOR
SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT,
STALKING OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 53a-35a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2027): 2
[For] (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, any 3
felony committed on or after July 1, 1981, the sentence of imprisonment 4
shall be a definite sentence and, unless the section of the general statutes 5
that defines or provides the penalty for the crime specifically provides 6
otherwise, the term shall be fixed by the court as follows: 7
(1) (A) For a capital felony committed prior to April 25, 2012, under 8
the provisions of section 53a-54b in effect prior to April 25, 2012, a term 9
of life imprisonment without the possibility of release unless a sentence 10
of death is imposed in accordance with section 53a-46a, or (B) for the 11
class A felony of murder with special circumstances committed on or 12
after April 25, 2012, under the provisions of section 53a-54b in effect on 13
or after April 25, 2012, a term of life imprisonment without the 14
possibility of release; 15
(2) For the class A felony of murder, a term not less than twenty-five 16

Substitute Bill No. 5306

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years nor more than life; 17
(3) For the class A felony of aggravated sexual assault of a minor 18
under section 53a-70c, a term not less than twenty-five years or more 19
than fifty years; 20
(4) For a class A felony other than an offense specified in subdivision 21
(2) or (3) of this section, a term not less than ten years nor more than 22
twenty-five years; 23
(5) For the class B felony of manslaughter in the first degree with a 24
firearm under section 53a-55a, a term not less than five years nor more 25
than forty years; 26
(6) For a class B felony other than manslaughter in the first degree 27
with a firearm under section 53a-55a, a term not less than one year nor 28
more than twenty years; 29
(7) For a class C felony, a term not less than one year nor more than 30
ten years; 31
(8) For a class D felony, a term not more than five years; 32
(9) For a class E felony, a term not more than three years; and 33
(10) For an unclassified felony, a term in accordance with the sentence 34
specified in the section of the general statutes that defines or provides 35
the penalty for the crime. 36
(b) (1) Prior to a court imposing a sentence of imprisonment for a 37
felony offense, a defendant may move for application of this subsection 38
to such defendant's sentence. Upon such motion and a finding by the 39
court that (A) the defendant is a survivor of domestic violence, sexual 40
assault, stalking or trafficking in persons, and (B) domestic violence, 41
sexual assault, stalking or trafficking in persons was a significant 42
contributing factor in the commission of the offense, the court shall 43
impose a sentence in accordance with this subsection. 44

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(2) For purposes of this subsection, (A) "survivor" means an adult or 45
child who has experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, 46
or trafficking in persons; (B) "domestic violence" has the same meaning 47
as provided in subsection (b) of section 46b-1; (C) "sexual assault" means 48
any act that constitutes a violation of section 53a-70b of the general 49
statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2019, or section 53a-70, 50
53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a; (D) "stalking" means any 51
act that constitutes a violation of section 53a-181c, 53a-181d, 53a-181e or 52
53a-181f; (E) "trafficking in persons" means trafficking in persons under 53
section 53a-192a or a criminal violation of 18 USC Chapter 77, as 54
amended from time to time; and (F) "significant contributing factor" 55
means that there is a substantial likelihood that the abuse suffered by 56
the survivor influenced the survivor's commission of the crime without 57
necessarily being the exclusive or overriding factor for the criminal 58
conduct. In determining whether the abuse suffered by the survivor was 59
a significant contributing factor, the court may consider the cumulative 60
impact of the abuse suffered by the survivor together with the events 61
immediately surrounding the crime. 62
(3) Such defendant shall provide the court at least two pieces of 63
documented proof corroborating that the defendant is a survivor of 64
domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or trafficking in persons that 65
may include, but need not be limited to, a signed affidavit attesting to 66
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subdivision (1) of this subsection; a court 67
record; social services record; hospital record; law enforcement record; 68
restraining order or protective order pursuant to section 46b-15, 46b-16a