Substitute House Bill No. 7255 establishes an Office of Information Privacy within the Judicial Branch, effective January 1, 2026, to protect the personal information of "protected individuals," including judges and their families, from public disclosure. The bill defines "personal information" to encompass sensitive data such as home addresses and Social Security numbers, while excluding information relevant to public discourse. It also amends section 17a-28 of the general statutes by repealing subsection (g) and introducing new provisions that clarify the conditions under which records can be disclosed without consent, ensuring protections for public agency employees acting in good faith regarding personal information.

The bill further enhances the legal framework surrounding child welfare by allowing various entities, including law enforcement and state agencies, to access records related to child abuse and neglect under specific circumstances, while emphasizing the confidentiality of biological parents' identities. It streamlines judicial processes by modifying the returnability of civil actions based on residency and incident location, and it introduces new provisions for remote acknowledgments in legal contexts. Additionally, the bill establishes a task force to address coerced debt related to domestic violence and amends existing laws regarding debt collection and probation periods. Overall, the bill aims to improve the efficiency of the judicial system while safeguarding sensitive information and enhancing victim rights.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 51-50c, 51-50k, 51-197f, 51-344, 51-345, 52-434, 54-1k, 54-230, 51-85a, 52-350f, 52-278f, 52-46a
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute: 51-50c, 51-50k, 51-197f, 51-344, 51-345, 52-434, 54-1k, 54-230, 51-85a, 52-350f, 52-278f, 52-46a
File No. 773: 51-50c, 51-50k, 51-197f, 51-344, 51-345, 52-434, 54-1k, 54-230, 51-85a, 52-350f, 52-278f, 52-46a
APP Joint Favorable: 51-50c, 51-50k, 51-197f, 51-344, 51-345, 52-434, 54-1k, 54-230, 51-85a, 52-350f, 52-278f, 52-46a
File No. 951: 51-50c, 51-50k, 51-197f, 51-344, 51-345, 52-434, 54-1k, 54-230, 51-85a, 52-350f, 52-278f, 52-46a, 51-9
Public Act No. 25-91: 51-50c, 51-50k, 51-197f, 51-344, 51-345, 52-434, 54-1k, 54-230, 51-85a, 52-350f, 52-278f, 52-46a, 51-9