Substitute House Bill No. 5262, Public Act No. 24-118, is a legislative measure that addresses child sexual abuse by amending existing statutes. The bill mandates that starting July 1, 2026, the Connecticut School Health Survey must include a sexual abuse and assault awareness prevention survey for administrators, with results submitted to the Department of Public Health. It also updates legal terminology, replacing "child pornography" with "child sexual abuse material" throughout the legal text, affecting sections that define and penalize the possession and distribution of such materials. The bill specifies that possessing child sexual abuse material is a felony, with mandatory minimum sentences based on the quantity and nature of the material.

The bill further establishes a task force to study and improve the responsiveness of state agencies and the Judicial Branch to child sexual abuse issues. The task force, comprising various appointed members, including those from the General Assembly, must submit a report with recommendations by July 1, 2025. The bill also requires the Office of the Child Advocate to review and report on state agency practices related to the care and protection of minors in Probate Court guardianship proceedings by January 1, 2025. The report will analyze statutory requirements, court rules, and other relevant practices, and will be submitted to the General Assembly's committees on children and the judiciary. The bill was approved on June 5, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
KID Joint Favorable Substitute: 10-217h
File No. 46: 10-217h
ED Joint Favorable Substitute: 10-217h
File No. 439: 10-217h
File No. 604: 10-217h, 54-86m
Public Act No. 24-118: 10-217h, 54-86m