Text of CT HB 5555 (2026)

LCO No. 3142 1 of 13 General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5555 February Session, 2026 LCO No. 3142 Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS Introduced by: (GAE) AN ACT EXPANDING THE ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM OF THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Section 54-240 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2 As used in this chapter and section 7 of this act: 3 (1) "Address confidentiality program" or "program" means the 4 program established pursuant to this chapter; 5 (2) "Agency" has the same meaning as "public agency" or "agency", as 6 provided in section 1-200; 7 (3) "Application assistant" means a person authorized by the 8 Secretary of the State to assist applicants in the completion of 9 applications for program participation; 10 (4) "Authorized personnel" means an employee in the office of the 11 Secretary of the State who has been designated by the Secretary of the 12 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 2 of 13 State, or an employee of an agency who has been designated by the chief 13 executive officer of such agency, to process and have access to records 14 pertaining to a program participant, including, but not limited to, voter 15 registration applications, voting records and marriage records; 16 (5) "Certification card" means a card issued by the Secretary of the 17 State pursuant to section 54-240d; 18 (6) "Confidential address" means a program participant's address or 19 addresses as listed on such participant's application for program 20 participation that are not to be disclosed, including such participant's 21 residential address in this state and work and school addresses in this 22 state, if any; 23 (7) "Family violence" has the same meaning as provided in section 24 46b-38a; 25 (8) "Financial institution" has the same meaning as provided in 26 section 36a-2; 27 (9) "Gender-affirming health care services" has the same meaning as 28 provided in section 52-571m; 29 [(8)] (10) "Injury or risk of injury to a child" means any act or conduct 30 that constitutes a violation of section 53-21; 31 [(9)] (11) "Kidnapping" means any act that constitutes a violation of 32 section 53a-92, 53a-92a, 53a-94 or 53a-94a; 33 [(10)] (12) "Law enforcement agency" means the office of the Attorney 34 General, the office of the Chief State's Attorney, the Division of State 35 Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public 36 Protection or any municipal police department; 37 [(11)] (13) "Marriage records" means an application for a marriage 38 license, an issued marriage license, a license certificate or other 39 documents related thereto; 40 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 3 of 13 [(12)] (14) "Program address" means the post office box number and 41 fictitious street address assigned to a program participant by the 42 Secretary of the State; 43 [(13)] (15) "Program participant" or "participant" means any person 44 certified by the Secretary of the State to participate in the address 45 confidentiality program; 46 (16) "Real property address confidentiality program notice" means a 47 completed form, prescribed by the Secretary of the State pursuant to 48 section 7 of this act; 49 (17) "Real property record" means any record or data maintained by 50 a town clerk as part of the municipal land records or by a tax assessor 51 as part of the municipal tax records; 52 [(14)] (18) "Record" has the same meaning as "public records or files" 53 as provided in section 1-200; 54 (19) "Reproductive health care services has the same meaning as 55 provided in section 52-571m; 56 [(15)] (20) "Sexual assault" means any act that constitutes a violation 57 of section 53a-70b of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to 58 January 1, 2019, or section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 59 53a-73a; 60 (21) "Shield" or "shielding" means to remove a real property record 61 from public inspection to a separate secure area to which persons who 62 do not have a legitimate reason for access are denied access; 63 [(16)] (22) "Stalking" means any act that constitutes a violation of 64 section 53a-181c, 53a-181d or 53a-181e; and 65 [(17)] (23) "Trafficking in persons" means any act that constitutes a 66 violation of section 53a-192a. 67 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 4 of 13 Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 54-240a of the general statutes is 68 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 69 1, 2026): 70 (a) There shall be an address confidentiality program established in 71 the office of the Secretary of the State to provide a substitute mailing 72 address for any person who wishes to keep such person's residential 73 address confidential because of safety concerns and: 74 (1) [has] Has been a victim of (A) family violence, (B) injury or risk of 75 injury to a child, (C) kidnapping, (D) sexual assault, (E) stalking, (F) 76 trafficking in persons, or (G) child abuse or neglect, where such abuse 77 or neglect was substantiated by the Department of Children and 78 Families and was the basis for the issuance of a restraining order under 79 section 46b-15 or civil protection order under section 46b-16a; [, or] 80 (2) [a termination of parental rights was granted] The safety concerns 81 relate to another person whose parental rights were terminated in a 82 proceeding pursuant to section 45a-717 or 46b-129; or 83 (3) Is a person engaged in the provision, facilitation or promotion of 84 reproductive health care services or gender-affirming care services. 85 Sec. 3. Section 54-240b of the general statutes is repealed and the 86 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 87 (a) An adult person, a guardian or conservator of the person acting 88 on behalf of an adult person, or a parent or guardian acting on behalf of 89 a minor may apply to the Secretary of the State for participation in the 90 address confidentiality program and to have the Secretary of the State 91 designate a program address to serve as the address of the adult person 92 or of the minor. Each application for program participation, other than 93 the application of a person engaged in the provision, facilitation or 94 promotion of reproductive health care services or gender-affirming 95 health care services, shall be completed with the assistance of an 96 application assistant. 97 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 5 of 13 (b) The Secretary of the State shall make available a list of entities that 98 employ application assistants to assist applicants in applying for 99 participation in the address confidentiality program, provided no entity 100 shall be included on such list unless the entity has received sufficient 101 funds from federal or state sources as reimbursement for the reasonable 102 costs of implementing the provisions of this chapter. 103 Sec. 4. Section 54-240c of the general statutes is repealed and the 104 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 105 The Secretary of the State shall certify an applicant or the person on 106 whose behalf an application is made as a program participant if the 107 application is filed in the manner and on the application form prescribed 108 by the Secretary of the State and includes: 109 (1) A statement made under penalty of false statement, as provided 110 in section 53a-157b, that (A) the applicant or the person on whose behalf 111 the application is made [(A)] is a victim of (i) family violence, (ii) injury 112 or risk of injury to a minor, (iii) kidnapping, (iv) sexual assault, (v) 113 stalking, (vi) trafficking in persons, or (vii) child abuse or neglect, where 114 such abuse or neglect was substantiated by the Department of Children 115 and Families and was the basis for the issuance of a restraining order 116 under section 46b-15 or civil protection order under section 46b-16a, [or 117 (B) a termination of parental rights was granted] (B) the applicant or the 118 person on whose behalf the application is made has safety concerns that 119 relate to another person whose parental rights were terminated in a 120 proceeding pursuant to section 45a-717 or 46b-129, [and (C) the 121 applicant fears for the safety of the applicant, children living in the 122 applicant's home, person on whose behalf the application is made or 123 children living in the home of the person on whose behalf the 124 application is made] or (C) the applicant (i) is a person engaged in the 125 provision, facilitation or promotion of reproductive health care services 126 or gender-affirming health care services that are permitted under the 127 laws of this state, and (ii) is employed or volunteers for a reproductive 128 health care services entity or gender-affirming health care entity that has 129 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 6 of 13 been the target of threats, harassment or acts of violence within one year 130 preceding the date of the application; 131 (2) A statement made under penalty of false statement, as provided 132 in section 53a-157b, that (A) for an applicant described in subparagraph 133 (A) or (B) of subdivision (1) of this section, the applicant fears for the 134 safety of the applicant, children living in the applicant's home, person 135 on whose behalf the application is made or children living in the home 136 of the person on whose behalf the application is made, or (B) for an 137 applicant described in subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of this 138 section, the applicant fears for the safety of the applicant or children 139 living in the home of the applicant; 140 [(2)] (3) Documentation supporting the [statement] statements made 141 pursuant to [subdivision (1)] subdivisions (1) and (2) of this section; 142 [(3)] (4) A designation of the Secretary of the State as the agent of the 143 applicant or, if applicable, of the person on whose behalf the application 144 is made, for service of process and for receipt of first class mail; 145 [(4)] (5) The residential address in this state, the work and school 146 addresses in this state, if any, and the phone number or numbers, if 147 available, that are to remain confidential, but which may be used by the 148 Secretary of the State or authorized personnel to contact the applicant 149 or, if applicable, the person on whose behalf the application is made; 150 and 151 [(5)] (6) The application preparation date, the applicant's signature 152 and, if applicable, the signature of the application assistant who assisted 153 the applicant in completing the application. 154 Sec. 5. Section 54-240h of the general statutes is repealed and the 155 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 156 (a) A program participant may request, on a form prescribed by the 157 Secretary of the State, that an agency or a person use the program 158 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 7 of 13 address as the participant's residential, work or school address for all 159 purposes for which the agency or person requires or requests such 160 residential, work or school address. A program participant shall present 161 the participant's certification card to any agency official [creating a new 162 record pertaining to the participant] or person and request the use [in 163 such record] of the program address appearing on the certification card. 164 The agency official or person may make a photocopy of the certification 165 card for the records of the agency or person and thereafter shall 166 immediately return the certification card to the program participant. 167 (b) If a program participant requests that an agency or person use the 168 program address pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the agency 169 or person shall accept and use the program address as the program 170 participant's residential, work or school address, in lieu of the 171 participant's confidential address, unless the agency receives an 172 exemption from such use granted by the Secretary of the State pursuant 173 to section 54-240i. An agency or person shall not require a program 174 participant to provide a confidential address either as a substitute or in 175 addition to the program address, or as a condition of receiving a service 176 or benefit, unless the service or benefit would be impossible to provide 177 without having knowledge of the program participant's physical 178 location. 179 (c) Any agency or person that is in receipt of a written request using 180 the form prescribed by the Secretary of the State under subsection (a) of 181 this section shall not knowingly disclose the program participant's name 182 or confidential address. 183 (d) A bank, credit union or any other depository institution or 184 financial institution may require a program participant to make any 185 request under this section in writing and to use the form prescribed by 186 the Secretary of the State under subsection (a) of this section. 187 (e) A program participant who acquires an ownership interest in real 188 property while participating in the program may request the real 189 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 8 of 13 property records to be shielded in accordance with the provisions of 190 section 7 of this act. 191 Sec. 6. Subsection (d) of section 54-240k of the general statutes is 192 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 193 1, 2026): 194 (d) (1) The Secretary of the State shall notify in writing the authorized 195 personnel of the appropriate agency when a participant's certification in 196 the program has been cancelled. After receipt of such notice, the agency 197 shall not be responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the record 198 or address of a program participant whose certification has been 199 cancelled. 200 (2) If the marriage records of a program participant whose 201 certification has been cancelled were kept confidential pursuant to 202 section 54-240f, the Secretary of the State shall notify in writing the 203 authorized personnel of the appropriate office of the registrar of vital 204 statistics of the cancellation. 205 (3) If the participant whose certification has been cancelled was listed 206 on a voter registry list without the participant's street and house number 207 pursuant to section 54-240g, the Secretary of the State shall notify in 208 writing the authorized personnel of the appropriate office of the 209 registrar of voters of the cancellation. 210 (4) If the real property records of a program participant whose 211 certification has been cancelled were kept confidential pursuant to 212 section 7 of this act, the Secretary of the State shall notify in writing the 213 town clerk of the municipality in which the real property that is the 214 subject of such records is located of the cancellation. 215 Sec. 7. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) A program participant 216 who acquires an ownership interest in real property while participating 217 in the address confidentiality program established pursuant to section 218 54-240a of the general statutes, as amended by this act, may request the 219 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 9 of 13 shielding of real property records concerning the property in 220 accordance with the provisions of this section. 221 (b) (1) To request the shielding of real property records, a program 222 participant, or any agent of a program participant, shall submit to the 223 town clerk of the municipality where the real property is located (A) a 224 real property address confidentiality program notice, and (B) the deed 225 or other instrument to be recorded. Upon receipt of such request, such 226 town clerk shall keep the participant's real property records confidential 227 and shall not make available for inspection or copying the name and 228 address of a program participant, except if (i) the program participant 229 consents to the disclosure for a specific purpose identified in writing 230 and signed by the program participant, which includes the participant's 231 certification code as stated on the real property address confidentiality 232 program notice, (ii) requested by a law enforcement agency, to the law 233 enforcement agency, (iii) directed by a court order, to a person identified 234 in such order, or (iv) the Secretary of the State authorizes disclosure in 235 accordance with the provisions of subsection (i) of this section. 236 (2) The town clerk shall also share such notice with authorized 237 personnel of the tax assessor or any other department that would have 238 access to and disclose real property records, and such authorized 239 personnel shall also be subject to such prohibition on disclosure. 240 (3) The prohibition on disclosure shall continue until (A) the program 241 participant consents to the termination of the real property address 242 confidentiality program notice in writing and signed by the program 243 participant, (B) the real property address confidentiality program notice 244 is terminated in accordance with a court order, (C) the program 245 participant no longer holds an ownership interest in the property 246 identified in the real property address confidentiality program notice, 247 or (D) the Secretary of the State notifies the town clerk that the program 248 participant's certification has been cancelled. 249 (c) The real property address confidentiality program notice shall be 250 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 10 of 13 on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State and shall include (1) 251 the full legal name of the program participant, including middle name, 252 (2) the program participant's certification code as stated on the 253 certification card issued pursuant to section 54-240d of the general 254 statutes, (3) the program address designated by the Secretary of the State 255 pursuant to section 54-240e of the general statutes, (4) a description of 256 the property, including the physical address, and (5) the signature of the 257 program participant. 258 (d) The program participant shall submit to the Secretary of the State 259 a copy of any real property address confidentiality program notice 260 submitted under subsection (b) of this section. 261 (e) A real property address confidentiality program notice applies to 262 (1) the instrument submitted for recordation at the same time as the real 263 property address confidentiality program notice, including the proof of 264 tax payment, and (2) any other instrument concerning the property 265 identified in the real property address confidentiality program notice 266 that is subsequently presented for recordation during the period of time 267 that the program participant holds a record interest in the property and 268 is a program participant. 269 (f) A program participant shall use a separate real property address 270 confidentiality program notice for each property in which the program 271 participant acquires an ownership interest. 272 (g) A real property address confidentiality program notice is not a 273 public record, as defined in section 1-200 of the general statutes. 274 (h) (1) Town clerks shall establish procedures for recording deeds and 275 other instruments to comply with the provisions of this section. The 276 procedures shall, at a minimum, include provisions for (A) shielding 277 recorded instruments that contain a program participant's physical 278 address or identifying information, (B) notifying other municipal 279 authorized personnel, and (C) providing notice to the public of the 280 existence of a shielded instrument and instructions for requesting access 281 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 11 of 13 to the shielded instrument in accordance with the provisions of 282 subsection (i) of this section. 283 (2) Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting a town 284 clerk from returning an original deed or any other instrument to the 285 person who submitted the instrument for recordation. 286 (3) All state and local agencies involved in real property assessments 287 and taxation shall establish procedures for maintaining records, 288 including tax, utility and zoning records, in accordance with the 289 provisions of this section. 290 (i) (1) Upon request, the Secretary of the State may authorize the 291 disclosure of real property records that have been shielded under this 292 section for the purposes of performing a bona fide title examination. 293 Any request made under this section shall include (A) the name, title, 294 address and affiliated organization, if applicable, of the individual 295 requesting the disclosure, (B) the individual's purpose for requesting the 296 disclosure, (C) the individual's relationship, if any, to the program 297 participant, (D) a legal description of the property subject to the title 298 examination, (E) a statement that any information disclosed to the 299 individual shall be treated as confidential and shall be used and 300 disclosed only for the purpose identified in the request, (F) the 301 individual's signature, and (G) any other information required by the 302 Secretary of the State to respond to the request. 303 (2) Within two business days after receiving a request under this 304 subsection, the Secretary of the State shall provide a written response 305 approving or denying the request. The Secretary of the State shall 306 approve the request only if the request meets the requirements of 307 subdivision (1) of this subsection and the Secretary of the State confirms 308 the property subject to the title examination is the property identified in 309 the real property address confidentiality program notice of a current 310 program participant. If the property belongs to an individual who is no 311 longer a program participant, (A) the Secretary of the State shall give 312 Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 12 of 13 written notice to the town clerk of the municipality in which the real 313 property is located and inform the individual who made the request 314 under this subsection that such records are no longer shielded, and (B) 315 the town clerk shall cease shielding all real property records relating to 316 the property and shall notify all authorized personnel of the 317 municipality to cease shielding all real property records relating to the 318 property. 319 (j) If a program participant intends to request the shielding of real 320 property records under this section, the program participant may not 321 submit any instrument for recordation electronically. 322 Sec. 8. Subdivision (21) of subsection (b) of section 1-210 of the 2026 323 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is 324 substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 325 (21) The residential, work or school address of any participant in the 326 address confidentiality program established pursuant to sections 54-240 327 to 54-240o, inclusive, as amended by this act, or any real property record 328 being shielded under section 7 of this act; 329 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 October 1, 2026 54-240 Sec. 2 October 1, 2026 54-240a(a) Sec. 3 October 1, 2026 54-240b Sec. 4 October 1, 2026 54-240c Sec. 5 October 1, 2026 54-240h Sec. 6 October 1, 2026 54-240k(d) Sec. 7 October 1, 2026 New section Sec. 8 October 1, 2026 1-210(b)(21) Statement of Purpose: To expand the address confidentiality program to include applicants who are engaged in the provision, facilitation or promotion of reproductive health care services and gender-affirming health care services and have safety concerns, to expand such program to require Raised Bill No. 5555 LCO No. 3142 13 of 13 persons as well as state agencies to use a program address and to create a process for the shielding of real property records of program participants. [Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]