Callahan, Jessica. – 2018
This report provides brief highlights of new laws affecting children enacted during the 2018 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly. Each summary indicates the Public Act (PA) number and effective date. The report begins with laws impacting children’s health, including laws addressing helmets, insurance coverage, the safe care of substance exposed newborns, and services for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The second section summarizes child protection and welfare laws, including laws addressing child abuse and neglect registry checks, fees for child support services, fictive kin caregivers, mandated reports, and safe havens. The following section summarizes laws relating to the courts and criminal law, including children’s matters in probate court, court-ordered evaluation in family-relations matters, driver’s license penalties for minors, immunity from liability for providing medical assistance in a child abuse or neglect case, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Section 4 reviews laws addressing early childhood and childcare programs, including statutes that address Care 4 Kids and background checks, child care services licensing exemptions, homeless children and child care, license exempt child care providers, limits for family child care homes, and precertification for prospective childcare employees. Laws addressing juvenile justice are then summarized, including those that address bail bond termination and release and the transfer of juvenile services to the Court Support Services Division. Section 5 reviews statutes related to schools and education, including laws that address institutional aid for undocumented students, life-threatening food allergies in schools, and school oral health assessment. The final section summarizes laws that address the membership of the Commission on Women, Children, and Seniors, inmate visitation policy, and notice of placement changes.