HB 5476 — AN ACT CONCERNING OVERSIGHT OF EFFORTS TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE USE OF CONFIDENTIAL CRISIS HOTLINES AT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

5476 social worker trainee to complete the training in the prevention, identification and effects of family violence established pursuant to subdivision (6) of this subsection and on and after January 1, 2027, the training on human trafficking developed under section 17a-106h, as amended by this act, prior to being assigned acase load;

(9) establish a case LCOaudit 5unit ofto 13monitor Substituteeach Billregional No.office's compliance with regulations and procedures;

5476 audit unit to monitor each regional office's compliance with regulations and procedures;

(b) The training program shall include a presentation, developed and approved by said commissioners, that offers awareness of human trafficking issues and guidance to (1) law enforcement personnel, (2) judges of the Superior Court, (3) prosecutors, (4) public defenders and other attorneys who represent criminal defendants, (5) hospital emergency room staff, urgent care facility staff and emergency medical services personnel who have contact with patients, and (6) persons employed by a local or regional board of education or a constituent unit, asPublic definedAct inNo. section 10a-1, who have contact with students.

The26-70 Commissioner5 of Children16 andSubstitute FamiliesHouse shall,Bill withinNo. available appropriations, provide the training developed pursuant to this section to all employees of the Department of Children and Families and all providers that provide services pursuant to a contract with the department.

(c)5476 [Any] (1) Except as provideddefined in subdivision (2) of this subsection, any person described in subsection (b) of this section shall10a-1, completewho thehave LCOcontact 6with ofstudents. 13 Substitute Bill No.

5476The initialCommissioner educationalof trainingChildren programand notFamilies latershall, thanwithin Julyavailable 1,appropriations, 2018,provide andthe shalltraining completedeveloped thepursuant refresherto trainingthis programsection everyto threeall yearsemployees thereafter,of providedthe anyDepartment personof beingChildren employedand asFamilies suchand all providers that provide services pursuant to a personcontract shallwith completethe suchdepartment, initialexcept educationalsuch training programshall not laterbe thanrequired sixfor monthsemployees afteror beginningproviders suchwho employmentdo ornot Julyhave 1,regular 2018,contact whicheverwith ischildren later.while in the course of employment or while providing such services.

Such training may consist of a recorded training.

(c) [Any] (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, any person described in subsection (b) of this section shall complete the initial educational training program not later than July 1, 2018, and shall complete the refresher training program every three years thereafter, provided any person being employed as such a person shall complete such initial educational training program not later than six months after beginning such employment or July 1, 2018, whichever is later.

(NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) The Chief Court Administrator shall, within available appropriations, develop and providetraining to allemployeesofthe CourtSupportServicesDivision within the Judicial Branch regarding the trafficking of minor children.children and adults.

The training shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) awareness and compliance with the laws and protocols concerning humanPublic trafficking,Act (2)No. identification of, access to and provision of services for victims of trafficking, (3) de-escalation and harm reduction techniques when encountering victims of human trafficking, and (4) techniques on receiving disclosures of trauma from minor children.

The26-70 Chief6 Court Administrator may use the training curriculum developed by the Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinator pursuant to section 1 of this16 actSubstitute toHouse satisfyBill theNo. requirements of this section.

5476 human trafficking, (2) identification of, access to and provision of services for victims of trafficking, (3) de-escalation and harm reduction techniques when encountering victims of human trafficking, and (4) techniques on receiving disclosures of trauma from minor children.

The Chief Court Administrator may use a recorded training curriculum to satisfy the requirements of this section.

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5476 Sec.

(NEW) (Effective fromOctober passage) Not later than July 1, 2027,2026) the(a) CommissionerAs ofused Children and Families, in conjunctionthis withsection, the(1) appropriate"child localcare lawfacility" enforcementor agency,"facility" shallhas assess the securitysame ofmeaning theas placementprovided location, whether public or private, of any child who is placed in out-of-homesection care17a-93 by the Department of Children and Families pursuanttoanemergencyorderundersubsection(e)ofsection17a-101g of the general statutesstatutes, or(2) an"operator" ordermeans ofthe temporaryperson custodyresponsible orfor anthe ordertotal ofoperation commitment under section 46b-129 of the generalchild statutes,care facility, and determine(3) whether"department" additionalmeans lighting, security cameras or other measures are needed to increase the securityDepartment of suchChildren location.and Families.

Not(b) laterAny thanoperator Augustof 1, 2027, the commissioner shall submit a reportchild containingcare thefacility resultsshall: of such assessment, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and government oversight.

(1) Maintain policies covering its plans, program and services which shallbe clearly stated inwriting andreviewedfor necessary updatesnot less than annually and, upon request, submit evidence of such annual review to the Department of Children and Families, in a manner prescribed by the department;

(2) Maintain personnel policies for the training and education of employees, temporary workers, volunteers and interns that include, but are not limited to, (A)introductory orientation;(B) ongoing training and development;

(C) supervision;

and (D) annual evaluations;

(3) Develop a plan for ongoing training which includes a written curriculum and a minimum number of hours of annual training, review Public Act No.

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5476 such plan not less than once every two years, update such plan as necessary for consistency with best practices and document the implementation of such training in a manner prescribed by the department;

(4) Submit to the department not less than once every two years a written quality assurance plan that describes how the operator intends to monitor the quality of the facility services, the extent to which the facility complies with its stated purpose, program objectives, security requirements and any other requirements of the department, including any documentationof the implementation ofthe quality assurance plan, with findings and, if applicable, an improvement plan, and make immediately available any revision of the quality assurance plan to staff of the facility and the department;

(5) Provide internal and external security measures necessary to ensure the safety of residents of the facility;

and (6) Provide supervisory staff capable of ensuring (A) the health and safety of each child;

(B) the security and well-being of each child;

and (C) appropriate security of the facility while maintaining a home-like atmosphere.

(2) Review periodically the procedures established by any state agency providing services to children to carry out the provisions of sectionsPublic 46a-13kAct toNo. 46a-13p, inclusive, with a view toward the rights of the children and recommend revisions to such procedures;

(3)26-70 Review complaints of persons concerning the actions of any state or municipal agency providing services to children and of any entity that provides services to children through funds provided by the state, make appropriate referrals and investigate those where the Child Advocate determines that a child or family may be in need of assistance from the Child Advocate or that a systemic issue in the state's provision LCO 8 of 1316 Substitute House Bill No.

5476 ofsections services46a-13k to children46a-13p, isinclusive, raisedwith bya view toward the complaint;rights of the children and recommend revisions to such procedures;

(3) Review complaints of persons concerning the actions of any state or municipal agency providing services to children and of any entity that provides services to children through funds provided by the state, make appropriate referrals and investigate those where the Child Advocate determines that a child or family may be in need of assistance from the Child Advocate or that a systemic issue in the state's provision of services to children is raised by the complaint;

(9)Public PeriodicallyAct reviewNo. the number of special needs children in any foster care or permanent care facility and recommend changes in the policies and procedures for the placement of such children;

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5476 (9) Periodically review the number of special needs children in any foster care or permanent care facility and recommend changes in the policies and procedures for the placement of such children;

LCO(12) 9Prepare an in-depth report on conditions of 13confinement, Substituteincluding, Billbut No.not limited to, compliance with section 46a-152, regarding children twenty-one years of age or younger who are held in secure detention or correctional confinement in any facility operated by a state agency.

5476 (12) Prepare an in-depth report on conditions of confinement, including, but not limited to, compliance with section 46a-152, regarding children twenty-one years of age or younger who are held in secure detention or correctional confinement in any facility operated by a state agency.

(Effective fromJuly passage)1, 2026) (a) ThereThe is established a temporary task force to be known as the Human Trafficking Prevention and Response Task Force, which shall (1) be made up of the existing membership of the Statewide Steering Committee of the Regionalized Human Trafficking Recovery Taskforce established by the Division of Criminal Justice,Justice includingshall representationestablish froma relevantHuman stateTrafficking agencies,Prevention law enforcement, prosecutors, providers that specialize in providing services to trafficking victims, child advocacy centers and multidisciplinaryResponse teams,Subcommittee survivor-informedconsisting representativesof and other members appointed by the Regionalized Human Trafficking Recovery Taskforce as necessary to carry out the purposes of this section,section. and (2) serve as a public-private partnership to implement the recommendations set forth in the Regionalized Human Trafficking Recovery Taskforce's report entitled "A Blueprint to Strengthen Connecticut's Response to Human Trafficking".

Such subcommittee shall serve as a public-private partnership to implement the recommendations set forth in the Regionalized Human Trafficking Public Act No.

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5476 Recovery Taskforce's report entitled "A Blueprint to Strengthen Connecticut's Response to Human Trafficking".

(1) Advancing development of a permanent state-wide governing body to coordinate the state's anti-trafficking response across agencies and service providersproviders, to assist both minor children and toadult createvictims state-wideof standardstrafficking, relatedas todefined suchin LCOsection 1046a-170 of 13the Substitutegeneral Billstatutes, No.as amended by this act, and to create state-wide standards related to such coordination;

5476 coordination;

(5) Expanding and strengthening state-wide service capacity by mapping and verifying existing providers, identifying service and funding gapsgaps, and supporting development of a vetted state-wide resource directory;

(c)Public TheAct taskNo. force shall not replace or supersede the statutory authority of Trafficking in Persons Council, established pursuant to section 46a-170 of the general statutes, as amended by this act.

(d)26-70 Not11 later than January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter until three years after the effective date of this16 sectionSubstitute orHouse theBill submissionNo. of a final report, whichever is later, the task force shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to government oversight and the judiciary.

Suchreport5476 shallincludeany(c) activitiesofthetaskThe forcesubcommittee duringshall LCOnot 11replace or supersede the statutory authority of 13Trafficking Substitutein BillPersons No.Council, established pursuant to section 46a-170 of the general statutes, as amended by this act.

5476 the year preceding the report, and the final report shall detail the proposed structure, authority and funding of the permanent state-wide governing body described in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section.

The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such final report.

and (2) provide appropriate services to a minor child residing in the state who the Department of Children and Families reasonably believes may be a LCOPublic 12Act of 13 Substitute Bill No.

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(b) The Commissioner of Children and Families [may] shall, within available appropriations,appropriations and in collaboration with the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management, provide trainingassistance to the Police Officer Standards and Training Council in developing training [to] for law enforcement officials[officials] officers regarding the trafficking of minor children.children [.

The training shall include, but not be limited to, (1) awareness and compliance with the laws and protocols concerning trafficking of minor children, (2) identification of, access to and provision of services for minor children who are victims of trafficking, and (3) any other services the department deems necessarytocarryouttheprovisionsofthissectionandsection17a-106a,necessary to carry out the provisions of this section and section 17a-106a] and adults, as amendeddescribed byin section 11 of this act.

ThisSec. act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section11. 1 July 1, 2026 New section Sec.

2(NEW) July(Effective October 1, 20262026) 46a-170(a)Each police basic or review training program conducted or administered by the Police Officer Standards and (b)Training Sec.Council established under section 7-294b of the general statutes or a municipal police department in the state shall include training on the trafficking of minor children and adults, developed pursuant to section 17a-106f of the general statutes, as amended by this act.

3The Octobertraining 1,shall 2026include, 17a-3(b)but Sec.not be limited to, (1) awareness and compliance with the laws and protocols concerning trafficking of minor children and adults, (2) identification of, access to and provision of services for minor children and adults who are victims of trafficking, and (3) any other services the council deems necessary to carry out the provisions of sections 17a-106a and 17a-106f of the general statutes, as amended by this act.

4 from passage 17a-106h Sec.

512. October 1, 2026 New section Sec.

6(Effective fromJuly passage1, New2026) sectionNot Sec.later than October 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Correction shall issue a request for proposals to obtain Public Act No.

726-70 July13 1,of 202616 46a-13l(a)Substitute Sec.House Bill No.

85476 fromproposals passagefor Newa sectionconfidential Sec.crisis hotline to report incidents of sexual violence for purposes of making such hotline available to correction officers and persons who are incarcerated in a correctional institution, including, but not limited to, the York Correctional Institution.

9Not Julylater than January 1, 20262027, 17a-106a(b)the Sec.commissioner shall report the results of such request for proposals and any request for appropriations to establish such hotline, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to government oversight, judiciary and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies.

10Sec. July 1, 2026 17a-106f GOS Joint Favorable Subst.

APP13. Joint Favorable LCO 13 of 13

(NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) Not later than December 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Correction shall (1) revise the Department of Correction's existing policy concerning the use of any confidential crisis hotline to report incidents of sexual violence that is available to correction officers and persons who are incarcerated in a correctional institution, and (2) post such revised policy on the Internet web site of the department.

The revised policy shall ensure that persons who are incarcerated can access such hotline at no charge, in a location that enables such persons to access such hotline confidentially and without thesupervisionof,orpermissionfrom,any employee oftheDepartment of Correction.

Sec.

14.

Subsections (a) and (b) of section 4-68m 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 Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Divisionwithin theOffice ofPolicy andManagement.The divisionshall be under the direction of an undersecretary.

(b) The division shall promote a more effective and cohesive state criminal justice system by:

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5476 (1) Conducting an in-depth analysis of the criminal justice system;

(2) Determining the long-range needs of the criminal justice system and recommending policy priorities for the system;

(3) Identifying critical problems in the criminal justice system and recommending strategies to solve those problems;

(4) Assessing the cost-effectiveness of the use of state and local funds in the criminal justice system;

(5)Recommending meansto improve thedeterrent andrehabilitative capabilities of the criminal justice system;

(6)AdvisingandassistingtheGeneralAssemblyindevelopingplans, programs and proposed legislation for improving the effectiveness of the criminal justice system;

(7) Making computations of daily costs and comparing interagency costs on services provided by agencies that are a part of the criminal justice system;

(8) Making population computations for use in planning for the long- range needs of the criminal justice system;

(9) Determining long-range information needs of the criminal justice system and acquiring that information;

(10)Cooperating withtheOffice oftheVictim Advocate by providing information and assistance to the office relating to the improvement of crime victims' services;

(11) Serving as the liaison for the state to the United States Department of Justice on criminal justice issues of interest to the state and federal government relating to data, information systems and research;

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5476 (12) Measuring the success of community-based services and programs in reducing recidivism;

(13) Developing and implementing a comprehensive reentry strategy as provided in section 18-81w;

(14) Engaging in otheractivities consistent with the responsibilities of the division;

[and] (15) Advising and providing assistance to the state concerning development of coordination of trafficking prevention efforts among executive branch state agencies and other multidisciplinary partners, including, but not limited to, assisting in providing training pursuant to section 17a-106f, as amended by this act;

and [(15)] (16) Developing and implementing policies for the state-wide delivery of postsecondary educational programs in correctional facilities, including, but not limited to, policies pertaining to federal Pell grants and prison education programs.

Governor's Action:

Approved May 27, 2026 Public Act No.

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