(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed legislation into law that will improve the ability of police and prosecutors to charge criminals with hate crimes and seek their associated enhanced penalties.
“Connecticut proudly led the nation in the adoption of hate crimes laws, but after three decades of expanded statutes, we needed to streamline our laws in order for them to be effective for police and prosecutors,” Governor Lamont said. “Our decision to consolidate our existing hate crime statutes into one law reflects feedback we received many criminal justice and legal experts. Hate crimes are on the rise nationwide, and many communities feel that the federal government is emboldening hate speech and discrimination against them. I feel it’s critical that our state take every step we can to protect these communities from acts of hate, and that means ensuring the laws on our books have teeth.”
The legislation was proposed by Governor Lamont at the recommendation of the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council, which was established by the governor in 2021 to make recommendations for legislation concerning hate crimes, including recommendations on restitution for victims, community service designed to remedy damage caused by any such crime, and additional alternative sentencing programs for first-time offenders and juvenile offenders. As a resource to everyone throughout Connecticut, the council works to increase community awareness and the reporting of hate crimes to prevent and fight hate crimes, making Connecticut safer and more inclusive.
“The council celebrates the enactment of this historic legislation that cleanly consolidates Connecticut’s historically scattered bias statutes into a single, cohesive chapter of the penal code,” Amy Lin Meyerson, Esq., co-chairperson of the council, said. “We are grateful for the support of the University of Connecticut School of Law, Professors Sachin Pandya and Richard Wilson, and institutional stakeholders, including the Office of Chief State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin, the Office of Attorney General William Tong, the Office of the Chief Public Defender, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and the Connecticut Bar Association, who helped foster this collaborative achievement that exemplifies the finest traditions of legal academy in service to the public good, directly contributing to a safer, more inclusive, and more just Connecticut.”
Over a multi-year legislative process, the council heard from police and prosecutors regarding the complexity of Connecticut’s existing hate crimes laws, which as written have been scattered in numerous sections throughout the Connecticut General Statutes, while also containing terminology that in some instances has not been consistent. This is likely because in 1990 Connecticut was one of the first states in the U.S. to enact a hate crimes law, and over time as the need for these laws has grown, numerous additional hate crimes have been added to the statutes one-by-one over a period of several decades.
“Across the nation we are witnessing a disturbing rise in hate crimes and incidents that target individuals and communities because of who they are, what they look like, and what they believe in. A stronger hate crimes law means we can do a better job,” Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins said. “Many states focus primarily on investigating hate crimes after they occur. In Connecticut we are investing in prevention, education, transparency, and community trust—before incidents take place.”
The legislation Governor Lamont signed takes all the state’s existing hate crimes laws and consolidates them into a new chapter of the statutes dedicated solely to hate crimes, making them much easier to find and analyze for the purposes of prosecuting offenders of these crimes. Additionally, the legislation modifies some of the terminology to ensure that the wording of each of these laws is consistent.
Connecticut’s existing hate crimes laws include:
- Hate Crime Causing Physical Injury
- Hate Crime Causing Physical Contact
- Hate Crime Affecting Property
- Hate Crime Affecting Religious Property
- Hate Crime by Threat of Physical Contact
- Hate Crime by Threat to Property
- Hate Crime by Threatening in the First Degree with Respect to House of Religious Worship or Religiously-Affiliated Community Center
- Hate Crime by Threatening in the Second Degree with Respect to House of Religious Worship or Religiously-Affiliated Community Center
- Hate Crime by Advocacy or Urging
- Hate Crime by Deprivation of Civil Rights
- Hate Crime by Burning Cross
- Hate Crime by Noose
- Hate Crime by Commercial Advertisement
- Hate Crime by Public Accommodations Practice
- Hate Crime by Housing Practice
- Hate Crime by False Report
- Hate Crime by False Report to Law Enforcement
- Hate Crime by False Report Resulting in Serious Physical Injury or Death
- Hate Crime by Stalking
- Hate Crime by Misuse of Emergency 9-1-1 System
The legislation is Public Act 26-77. It takes effect October 1, 2026.