Bill > SB00259

This bill establishes the crime of female genital mutilation, defining it as knowingly circumcising, excising, or infibulating any part of the female genitalia of a person under eighteen years of age, unless it is a medically necessary surgical operation performed by a licensed physician or nurse-midwife for the health of the person or related to labor or birth, and not based on custom or ritual; this offense is a class D felony. The bill also allows victims twelve years old or younger to testify outside of the courtroom via closed-circuit television or recording, and prevents children who are victims of female genital mutilation from being automatically deemed incompetent to testify due to their age, with the weight of their testimony left to the court's discretion. Furthermore, it authorizes victims to bring civil lawsuits for damages, removes the legal immunity that typically exists between a parent and child in such cases if the child is suing their parent, and allows these civil actions to be filed up to thirty years after the victim turns eighteen.

Justice

Judiciary Committee (Joint)

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB00259&which_year=2026