Substitute House Bill No. 7259, also known as Public Act No. 25-29, introduces several revisions to Connecticut's criminal justice statutes, effective October 1, 2025. Key changes include the handling of DNA samples by the Division of Scientific Services, which will now analyze samples based on available resources and confirm matches only when satisfactory. The bill allows for the disclosure of a person's DNA profile in the database if law enforcement has reasonable suspicion of their involvement in a crime and mandates that nonqualifying sample information be shared with the conviction integrity unit for exculpatory evidence before being purged. Additionally, the bill establishes new protocols for collecting sexual assault evidence, requiring health care facilities to obtain victim consent for evidence designation and mandating timely transfer and analysis of evidence by law enforcement and the Division of Scientific Services.

The bill also addresses civil immigration detainers, defining key terms and restricting law enforcement from detaining individuals based solely on these detainers unless accompanied by a judicial warrant or if the individual has been convicted of serious offenses. It expands the definition of "law enforcement officer" and deletes previous language that allowed broader cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Furthermore, the bill introduces amendments regarding presentence confinement, allowing individuals to earn sentence reductions for time spent in confinement due to bail issues, and clarifies the responsibilities of the Division of Criminal Justice in investigating police conduct. It also establishes new penalties for violations related to online gaming and sports wagering, with specific classifications for offenses involving minors. Overall, the bill aims to enhance accountability within the criminal justice system while protecting individual rights.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 51-247, 54-56l, 30-113, 14-223
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute: 54-56l, 30-113
File No. 808: 54-56l, 30-113
File No. 953: 54-192h, 30-113
Public Act No. 25-29: 54-192h, 30-113