Senate Bill No. 1233 aims to enhance the confidentiality of individuals involved in reporting incidents of bigotry or bias by exempting their names and addresses from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Specifically, the bill introduces a new provision in subsection (b) of section 1-210 of the general statutes, which states that the names and addresses of both the individual reporting the incident and the alleged offender will not be disclosed when reports are made to law enforcement agencies or any databases established for tracking such allegations. This exemption applies to incidents based on actual or perceived characteristics such as race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

The bill also specifies that the exemption covers reports involving violations of certain laws related to hate crimes, including deprivation of rights and intimidation based on bigotry or bias. The effective date for this legislation is set for October 1, 2025. Overall, the bill is designed to encourage reporting of hate crimes by protecting the identities of those involved, thereby potentially increasing the reporting of such incidents without fear of retaliation or exposure.