by State Representative Joseph Gresko
Connecticut House District 121
Dear Neighbor,
Next week, several new laws in Connecticut will go into effect on October 1st. These laws are a result of the hard work of my colleagues and I during the 2021 session.
Below is a selection of some of the laws that will go into effect on Friday, October 1st:
Breastfeeding in the Workplace
Public Act No. 21-27 – Requires employers to provide a private room or location with an electrical outlet for women to express milk. Employers must also provide a refrigerated space to store the breastmilk.
The law also protects breastfeeding employees from workplace discrimination.
Marijuana and Smoking Restrictions
On October 1st, a portion of Public Act No. 21-1 will go into effect.
Medical marijuana patients who are 18 years of age or older can start growing mature and immature plants at home.
Smoking of any kind (tobacco, vaping, marijuana) will be prohibited within 25 feet of the any door, window, or vent intake of any building open to the public.
Pedestrian Safety
PA 21-28 clarifies the rules for pedestrians in crosswalks.
Starting October 1sr, drivers must slow down or stop if a pedestrian is in the crosswalk or indicated that they are going to cross.
Addressing Gender Discrimination
PA 21-30 – Requires employers to offer equal pay for “comparable” work regardless of gender.
Also requires employers to offer prospective applicants and employees with a scale of pay among those with similar tasks.
“Bottle Bill”
PA 21-58 -Starting October 1st, certain retailers will be required to have at least two reverse vending machines on their premises.
It also increases the handling fee paid by the distributors to redemption centers from 2.5 cents per beverage container to 3.5 cents.
For the complete list of laws that will go into effect on October 1st please go to:
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/content/aeauto.asp
