Substitute House Bill No. 5448 (sHB5448 File No. 627) seeks to amend Section 1-217 of the general statutes to protect the privacy of municipal clerks, registrars of voters, deputy registrars of voters, and certain election officials by allowing them to request that their residential addresses not be disclosed by public agencies under the Freedom of Information Act. This protection is temporary, spanning from 90 days before to 90 days after an election, provided they submit a written request and provide a business address or the address of the town or city hall or municipal building where the office of the registrars of voters is located. The bill also stipulates that no public agency or official will be penalized for violating these provisions unless the violation is willful and knowing, with complaints to be made to the Freedom of Information Commission. Insertions and deletions in the bill update the language and renumber subsections as necessary.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new definition for "election worker" and "personal identifying information," and it criminalizes the act of influencing or attempting to influence an election worker through force, threat, harassment, or by publicly disclosing their personal identifying information, with the latter being a class A misdemeanor and the former a class C felony. Election workers are also given a civil cause of action against individuals who violate these provisions. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2024, and amends sections 1-217 and 9-364a of the general statutes. The fiscal impact statement notes potential minimal costs and revenue gains, and the bill has been through various committee reviews, with certain provisions related to firearms near election sites being removed in the substitute reported by the Judiciary Committee.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 1-217, 9-364a
GAE Joint Favorable Substitute: 1-217, 9-364a
File No. 414: 1-217, 9-364a
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute: 1-217, 9-364a
File No. 627: 1-217, 9-364a