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ConnecticutSB 000902026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
AN ACT REVISING AND CONSOLIDATING THE HATE CRIMES STATUTES.
Sponsored By: REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR PURSUANT TO JOINT RULE 9
Signed by Governor
Summary
To implement the Governor's budget recommendations.
judiciary
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
12 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 6 costs, 2 mixed.
Hate-crime protections cover more personal traits
Beginning October 1, 2026, protected traits include actual or perceived race, color, religion, ethnicity, disability, alienage, and national origin. They also include sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age 60 or older, and combinations of these traits. Race includes hair texture and protective hairstyles; religion includes observance and practice. Sex includes pregnancy, fertility, sterilization, and related medical conditions; disability includes physical, mental, and intellectual disabilities. The state’s assigned hate-crime officials must seek to prevent and detect violations of the expanded list of offenses.
Hate-crime victims gain stronger civil remedies
Beginning October 1, 2026, people injured personally or through property damage by covered acts can sue within three years. Winning plaintiffs receive three times their damages and may receive court-ordered relief and reasonable attorney’s fees. The Attorney General can investigate covered violations and seek relief, including triple damages. Civil penalties require clear and convincing evidence and can reach $2,500 per violation, paid to the state General Fund. State actions do not bar private suits, but the Attorney General cannot sue while the same parties and facts are before the state human rights commission.
False-reporting laws drop separate bias upgrades
Beginning October 1, 2026, the law removes separate bias-based penalty upgrades from the listed false-reporting and 9-1-1 statutes. Covered first-degree false reporting remains class D, rather than class C based on hate motivation. Covered false reporting causing serious injury or death remains class C, rather than class B based on bias. Covered second-degree false reporting remains a class A misdemeanor, rather than a class E felony based on hate motivation. Covered 9-1-1 misuse remains a class B misdemeanor, rather than class A based on bias; these changes do not legalize false reports.
Stalking law drops bias-based felony upgrade
Beginning October 1, 2026, bias motivation alone no longer raises second-degree stalking to first-degree stalking. First-degree stalking remains a class D felony when the offender has a prior second-degree stalking conviction or violates a court order. It also applies when an offender age 22 or older stalks someone under age 16.
Victim identity cannot alone justify crime
Beginning October 1, 2026, defendants cannot claim justification based solely on discovering, knowing, or potentially disclosing a victim’s sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. The rule also applies after an unwanted, nonforcible romantic or sexual advance. A past dating or romantic relationship does not create an exception.
Criminal penalties for rights violations and intimidation
Beginning October 1, 2026, depriving someone of state or federal legal rights substantially because of anyone’s protected trait is criminal. Placing a burning cross or a simulation to intimidate or harass someone is also criminal on public property. On private property, that offense applies when the owner has not given written consent. Both offenses are class A misdemeanors, rising to class E felonies when resulting property damage exceeds $1,000. Each carries a $1,000 minimum fine, which courts can lower or waive only with reasons stated on the record.
Felony penalties for damaging worship sites
Beginning October 1, 2026, intentionally damaging, destroying, or defacing a house of worship is a felony. The person must lack reasonable grounds to believe they have a right to do so. Damage of $10,000 or less is a class D felony with a $1,000 minimum fine. Damage over $10,000 is a class C felony with a $3,000 minimum fine. Courts can lower or waive either minimum fine only by stating their reasons on the record.
Felony penalties for hate-motivated attacks
Beginning October 1, 2026, these offenses require specific intent to intimidate or harass and motivation substantially based on a protected trait. Intentionally injuring the target or another person is a class C felony with a $3,000 minimum fine. Intentional physical contact with the target is a class D felony with a $1,000 minimum fine. Threatening that contact carries the same penalty when there is reasonable cause to believe it will happen. Courts can lower or waive these minimum fines only by stating their reasons on the record.
Felony penalties for hate-motivated property attacks
Beginning October 1, 2026, these offenses require specific intent to intimidate or harass and motivation substantially based on a protected trait. Intentionally damaging, destroying, or defacing the target’s property is a class D felony; attacking a third person’s property is class E. Threatening the same damage carries those grades when there is reasonable cause to believe it will happen. Urging someone to damage a third person’s property is class E when there is reasonable cause to believe it will happen. Each offense carries a $1,000 minimum fine, which courts can lower or waive only with reasons stated on the record.
Felony penalties for threats at worship sites
Beginning October 1, 2026, the law moves worship-site threat penalties out of existing location-based rules into separate offenses. Covered threats intended to force evacuation of a house of worship or religiously affiliated community center are class C felonies. Covered threats against someone at either location are class D felonies. These rules cover buildings and grounds during operating hours, services, or facility-sponsored activities. The existing class C evacuation-threat and class D threat provisions continue to cover preschools, schools, colleges, and day care centers during covered hours and activities.
Hate-crime probation can require anti-bias programs
Beginning October 1, 2026, courts can add anti-bias or diversity-awareness programs to probation or conditional discharge for more hate-crime convictions. Courts can instead require community service that repairs harm from the crime or otherwise relates to the violation. These conditions depend on the court’s decision; they are not automatic for every conviction.
Discrimination laws drop specified misdemeanor penalties
Beginning October 1, 2026, violating Connecticut’s general fair-housing statute no longer carries its specified class D misdemeanor penalty. The law also removes that penalty from housing and public-accommodation laws covering sexual orientation or civil union status. This reduces criminal exposure for violators and removes these criminal enforcement tools for discrimination cases. These repeals remove the listed criminal penalties, not the underlying discrimination bans.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR PURSUANT TO JOINT RULE 9
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
Bob Godfrey
Democratic • House
Geoff Luxenberg
Democratic • House
Patricia Billie Miller
Democratic • Senate
Paul Cicarella
Republican • Senate
Steven J. Stafstrom
Democratic • House
Tom Delnicki
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/23/2026
House Roll Call Vote 234 AS AMENDED
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/23/2026
Senate Roll Call Vote 163
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/23/2026
Senate Roll Call Vote 162
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/23/2026
JUD Vote Tally Sheet-A (Joint Favorable Substitute)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/23/2026
JUD Vote Tally Sheet (Joint Favorable Substitute)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Signed by the Governor
5/26/2026legislatureTransmitted by Secretary of the State to Governor
5/22/2026legislatureTransmitted to the Secretary of State
5/22/2026legislaturePublic Act 26-77
5/19/2026legislatureIn Concurrence
5/5/2026legislatureHouse Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A
5/5/2026HouseHouse Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A
5/5/2026HouseHouse Calendar Number 515
4/28/2026HouseFavorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
4/28/2026HouseRules Suspended, Transmitted to the House
4/28/2026HouseSenate Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A
4/28/2026SenateSenate Rejected Senate Amendment Schedule B 4502
4/28/2026SenateSenate Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A 4538
4/28/2026SenateFile Number 558
4/9/2026legislatureSenate Calendar Number 324
4/9/2026SenateFavorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
4/9/2026SenateReported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
4/9/2026legislatureReferred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/08/26 5:00 PM
4/2/2026legislatureFiled with Legislative Commissioners' Office
3/24/2026legislatureJoint Favorable Substitute
3/23/2026legislaturePublic Hearing 02/27
2/23/2026legislatureReferred to Joint Committee on Judiciary
2/5/2026legislature
Bill Text
Public Act No. 26-77
4/28/2026
File No. 558
4/9/2026
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute
3/23/2026
Governor's Bill
2/5/2026
Bill Analysis For File Copy 558
Bill Analysis for SB-90, as amended by Senate "A"
Fiscal Note For File Copy 558
Fiscal Note for Amendment LCO 4502 (Eliminates Fiscal Impact in Bill)
Fiscal Note for Amendment LCO 4538 (No Fiscal Impact)
Fiscal Note for SB-90, As Amended by Senate "A" (LCO 4538)
House Roll Call Vote 234 AS AMENDED
JUD Joint Fav. Rpt
JUD Vote Tally Sheet (Joint Favorable Substitute)
JUD Vote Tally Sheet-A (Joint Favorable Substitute)
Senate Roll Call Vote 162
Senate Roll Call Vote 163
Senate Schedule A LCO# 4538 (D)
Senate Schedule B LCO# 4502 (R)
Summary for Public Act No. 26-77
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