Bill > SB00521

This bill aims to comprehensively address child sex trafficking in Connecticut by making several key legal and policy changes. The proposed legislation updates criminal statutes to more effectively prosecute sex trafficking crimes against minors, including expanding laws to cover buyer conduct. It requires child welfare and juvenile justice agencies to conduct trauma-informed screenings to identify children at risk of sex trafficking and provide specialized services for victims. The bill would enable commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) victims to obtain protective orders against their exploiters and allow all CSEC victims, regardless of age, to testify using alternative methods that protect their safety. Additionally, the bill mandates the assignment of a specialized caseworker for CSEC victims, with privileged communications to ensure victim confidentiality, and requires statewide training for child welfare and juvenile justice agencies to improve identification and response to child sex trafficking. The legislation also aims to develop policy guidance for addressing trafficking of foreign national child victims, ultimately seeking to create a more comprehensive and supportive legal and support framework for protecting children from sexual exploitation.

Justice

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB00521&which_year=2025