Significant Recent State Legislation

Legislation from 2008 Session

The end of the 2008 Legislative Session resulted in changes to Connecticut law regarding Families with Service Needs and Youth in Crisis:

• Bullying Statute Revised
  Effective July 1, 2008, Public Act 08-160, which addressed the in-school suspension law, made significant changes to the bullying statute.
  
  1. Definition of bullying is expanded to include overt acts “which are committed more than once against any student during the school year.” This change eliminates the requirement that the acts must be committed repeatedly against the same student over time.
  
  2. Requires teachers and other staff who witness bullying to make “written” notification to school administrators
  
  3. Prohibits disciplinary actions based solely on the basis of an anonymous report of bullying
  
  4. Requires “prevention strategies” as well as intervention strategies
  
  5. Requires that parents of a student who commits acts of bullying or against whom such bullying occurred be notified by each school and be invited to attend at least one meeting
  
  6. Requires the school to annually report the number of verified acts of bullying to SDE
  
  7. No later than Feb. 1, 2009, boards must submit their bullying policies to SDE
  
  8. No later than July 1, 2009, boards must include bullying policies in their school district’s publications of rules, handbooks, etc.
  
  9. Effective July 1, 2009, boards must provide in-service training on prevention of bullying

• PA 08-41, An Act Concerning Youth Who Run Away
  PA 08-41 (HB 5529) allows a court to order a youth who has run away from the parental home, who is determined to be a youth in crisis, to return to the control of the parents, guardian, foster parent or other custodian of the youth. Effectve October 1, 2008, PA 08-41 repeals and replaces Section 46b-150f of the 2008 supplement to the general statutes.

• PA 08-86, An Act Concerning Families with Service Needs
  PA 08-86 (HB 5926) makes minor revisions to the family with service needs statutes in accordance with the recommendations of the Family with Service Needs Advisory Board. The Act is effective October 1, 2008.

• DCF Legislative Summary
  

• For more information, go to the following websites:

• Office of Legislative Research

• Connecticut Department of Children and Families summary of recent legislation
  
  

• Legislation from 2007 session
• Legislation from 2006 session
• Legislation from 2005 session
• Legislation from 2004 session
• Legislation from 2003 session
• Legislation from 2002 session
• Legislation from 2001 session