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Connecticut Law and Legislation

GENERAL LEGAL RESOURCES:

ABA LAWLINK: Links to federal, state, and international legal sources as well as information on legal education and employment.

HEIN ONLINE: Comprehensive historical collection of legal and law-related material, including many North American legal journals. [Available only at the State Library building.]

HG.org: Worldwide legal directories, specializing in international law, with legal links to 230 countries.

LAW LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: Guides and links to international, multinational, US federal and state legal information.

LEGAL INFORMATION INSTITUTE: Comprehensive site providing access to core legal materials by jurisdiction or topic. Includes links to international legal publications.

LEGALTRAC: Index for all major law reviews, legal newspapers, law specialty publications and bar association journals. [Available only at the State Library building.]

WASHLAW LEGAL RESEARCH ON THE WEB: US State and federal legal materials, with links to forms, discussion groups, and other legal topics.

WESTLAW: Online legal research service providing access to a comprehensive collection of current and historical state and federal statutes, case law materials, periodicals, law reviews, and other legal resources. [Available only at the State Library building.]

ZIMMERMAN'S RESEARCH GUIDE: Comprehensive encyclopedia of legal information and web links, arranged by topic.

RESOURCES BY TOPIC:

Administrative Code
The full set of Connecticut state agency regulations (sometimes called the administrative code) is not available on the Web. Some Connecticut state agencies have mounted selected regulations on their individual Web sites. A complete set of regulations in loose-leaf format (18 binders) or individual titles may be purchased from the Commission on Official Legal Publications.

Adoption Records
There are 14 categories of non-identifying information that must be given to adult adopted persons by the child-placing agency upon request. They are specified in Connecticut General Statute section 45a-746. For the release of information that identifies or tends to identify biological relatives, an adult adoptee must apply in person or in writing to the child-placing agency, under CGS 45a-751. Ordinarily, the relatives must give their consent before the agency may release the information. Access to birth certificates of adopted persons is governed by CGS 7-53.

A law passed in 2006 (PA 06-71, Senate Bill 4) would have required the Department of Public Health to give adopted adults copies of their sealed original birth certificates on request, and would have allowed biological parents to indicate whether they want to be contacted by their adopted children. This law would have applied to adoptions completed on and after October 1, 2006, but was vetoed by the Governor, and the General Assembly failed to override the veto, so the law did not take effect.
See also Judicial Branch Law Libraries pathfinder on Adoption in Connecticut.

Building Code
The building codes adopted by Connecticut and how to obtain copies. Also a history of the state building code in Connecticut, prepared by the Office of the State Building Inspector.

Capital Punishment
Information about Capital Punishment in Connecticut including state statutes, recent case law, the final report of the Death Penalty Commission and a selected chronology of the Michael Ross case.

Cemeteries
The Connecticut laws relating to removing headstones from, or defacing headstones in, Connecticut cemeteries are found in the Connecticut General Statutes at:
CGS 19a-315a Use of ancient burial place
CGS 19a-315b Protection of grave markers
CGS 53a-218 Interference with a cemetery or burial ground: Class C Felony
CGS 53a-219 Unlawful possession or sale of gravestones: Class D Felony
and information on the WPA project to record information from headstones in Connecticut cemeteries during the 1930's (Hale Collection.)

Child Support Guidelines
The current edition of the Connecticut Child Support Guidelines, effective August 1, 2005.

Common Law Marriage
A guide to resources on marriage law in Connecticut, prepared by the Judicial Branch law libraries. Section 6 covers common law marriage.

Condominium Law
Links to the Condominium Act (Chapter 825)and the Common Interest Ownership Act (Chapter 828, for condominium associations formed after January 1, 1984) chapters of the Connecticut General Statutes.
See also the Web site of the Connecticut chapter of the Community Associations Institute for FAQ's and information on Rights and Responsibilities of community homeowners and association managers.

Constitutional History
Information and history on Connecticut's four state constitutions.

Consumer Issues
Links to: the Connecticut Dept. of Consumer Protection Web page; Fact Sheets for Connecticut consumers; Consumer complaints; Connecticut state consumer protection laws; Connecticut Attorney General's Office consumer issues page; Connecticut Attorney General's Office Top Ten consumer myths; consumer information from the federal government, including the Consumer Action Website; and the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut.

Contracts - Right of Rescission
Office of Legislative Research report #99-R-0262 lists Connecticut state laws that allow a three-day right of rescission for particular types of consumer contracts: Home Solicitation Sales Act (CGS 42-135a); Home Improvement Act (CGS 20-429); buying club agreements (CGS 42-310); dating service agreements (CGS 42-321); diet program agreements (CGS 42-282); home food service plans (CGS 21a-401); health club membership agreements (CGS 21a-217); and time share purchase agreements (CGS 42-103y). Also, the federal Regulation Z allows a three-day right of rescission in some refinancing situations.

Court Cases
Where to find Connecticut Supreme and Appellate Court cases or Superior Court cases on the web.

Courts
Connecticut Judicial Department, a comprehensive history and bibliography.
Information and history on Connecticut's courts.
Listing of Superior Court docket books (court calendars) arranged by county, mostly from the second half of the nineteenth century.

Crimes - Fines and Penalties
A table showing the fines and penalties for different classifications of crimes in Connecticut.

Current Legislative Information
Is available on the Connecticut General Assembly's Homepage.

Drunk Driving
A summary of Connecticut's drunk driving laws and penalties, compiled by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Includes information on administrative sanctions and criminal penalties .

Eminent Domain
A resource page for eminent domain issues in Connecticut and the U.S.

Executive Orders
Governor Meskill's Executive Orders Number Three and Seventeen , regarding equal opportunity in state contracts, the Guidelines and Rules implementing E.O. #3, as well as Governor Rowland's Executive Order Number Sixteen about violence in the workplace, and Governor Rell’s Executive Order Number 7B concerning the State Contracting Standards Board. Copies of Executive Orders from all Gubernatorial administrations are available at the Connecticut State Library. Call 860-757-6570 for more information.

Fire Safety Code and Regulations
Codes and regulations adopted by Connecticut with regard to fire safety. Also a history of the Connecticut Fire Safety Code.

Fireworks
All fireworks except for sparklers and fountains are illegal in Connecticut. Violators are subject to a fine of up to $100 or up to 90 days in jail or both. Only persons sixteen years of age or older can buy, sell, use or possess sparklers or fountains. See Connecticut General Statutes section CGS 29-357. Anyone conducting or sponsoring a supervised display of fireworks must get a permit from the State Fire Marshal.

Frequently Asked Questions on Legal Topics
FAQ's from CT state agencies on legal and consumer issues.

General Assembly Members
A database of Connecticut legislators from 1776 to the present, searchable by name or town, and a history of the Connecticut legislature called “An Orderly and Decent Government,” from the Connecticut Humanities Council.
Find Your Legislator ("Who Represents You")

Gift Certificates and Gift Cards
The new Connecticut law (CGS 3-56a, CGS 3-65b, and CGS 42-460 ) about gift cards and gift certificates; a 2007 summary of the law prepared by the Office of Legislative Research; links to the Dept. of Consumer Protection Web page on gift cards; and the Treasurer's page with a Consumer Advisory about particular mall gift cards. Questions regarding gift card transactions in Connecticut may be addressed to the Department of Consumer Protection, (860) 713-6050.

Historical Documents

How a Bill Becomes a Law in Connecticut
The basic civics lesson (from the CT General Assembly's site), plus a tutorial prepared by Connecticut State Library Bill Room staff.

Intellectual Property
This Connecticut State Library Research Guide leads you to key information resources on the Web and in our Library relating to intellectual property. See also the State Library's Intellectual Property Policy.

Judges
Biographical information about Connecticut judges, reproduced from memorials printed in volumes of the Connecticut Reports.

Legislators
A database of Connecticut legislators from 1776 to the present, searchable by name or town, and a history of the Connecticut legislature called “An Orderly and Decent Government,” from the Connecticut Humanities Council.
Find Your Legislator ("Who Represents You")

Legislative History
How to obtain legislative history for Connecticut acts, the proper citation format, and a guide to looking at legislative history online, prepared by the CT Judicial Branch.

Legislative History Process tutorial, prepared by Connecticut State Library Bill Room staff.

Lemon Law
Information from the Department of Consumer Protection on Connecticut's lemon law for new cars; the state law chapter; a report on the Lemon Law Surcharge and Filing Fee from the Office of Legislative Research; the state law chapter on the lemon law for used cars and a report from the Office of Legislative Research on the used car lemon law in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York.

Native Americans
Legal resources on Native Americans at the State Library.

New Laws
Summaries of some of the most significant, far-reaching, and publicly debated acts adopted by the General Assembly in its 2007 regular session.

Nurse Practice Act
The text of the Nurse Practice Act, within the current Connecticut General Statutes.

Open Space Law
The text of Public Act 490 from 1963, Connecticut's law on taxation of open space lands, within the current Connecticut General Statutes. (CGS 12-107e).

Public and Special Acts
Links to sources of legislative information, and an index to acts passed from 1996 to 2007. Acts from 1988 to the present are available through the Connecticut General Assembly's Web site. Copies of these and earlier public and special acts may also be requested from the State Library's Law Unit at 860-757-6590. There may be a fee for this service.

Regulations
The full set of Connecticut state agency regulations (sometimes called the administrative code) is not currently freely available on the Web. Some Connecticut state agencies have mounted selected regulations on their individual Web sites. A complete set of regulations in loose-leaf format (18 binders) or individual titles may be purchased from the Commission on Official Legal Publications.

Seat Belts and Child Restraint Systems
Link to Connecticut General Statutes section CGS 14-100a requiring the use of front-seat seat belts, and child restraint systems for children.
It (1) requires a child restraint system for all children under age seven or who weigh less than 60 pounds, regardless of age;
(2) requires any child under age one or weighing less than 20 pounds to be transported in a rear-facing position in his child restraint system; and (3) requires children restrained in booster seats to be anchored by a seat belt that includes a shoulder belt.
See also: Connecticut Department of Transportation Web page on child safety seats

Security Deposit Interest Rate
Information on rental security deposits, including the required interest rate.

Smoking ban
Information on Connecticut's new statewide smoking ban, and the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS 31-40q, CGS 31-40s, and CGS 19a-342) which enacted it.

Statutes
Links to the 2007 Connecticut General Statutes, Public and Special Acts Indexes, conversion tables, and more.

Vital Records
Links to Connecticut's vital records access law, within the current Connecticut General Statutes:

· CGS 7-51

· CGS 7-51a

Information on where to write for Connecticut vital records (births, marriages, and deaths.)

Wine
A report by the Office of Legislative Research on direct shipment of wine to consumers, following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Granholm v. Heald.

Compiled and updated by Law/Legislative Reference Unit. Last revised April 2008.

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