Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-256 (2026)

(a) Any court, the Commissioner of Correction or the Psychiatric Security Review Board, prior to releasing into the community any person convicted or found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect of a criminal offense against a victim who is a minor, a nonviolent sexual offense, a sexually violent offense or a felony found by the sentencing court to have been committed for a sexual purpose, except a person being released unconditionally at the conclusion of such person's sentence or commitment, shall require as a condition of such release that such person complete the registration procedure established by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection under sections 54-251, 54-252 and 54-254. The court, the Commissioner of Correction or the Psychiatric Security Review Board, as the case may be, shall provide the person with a written summary of the person's obligations under sections 54-102g and 54-250 to 54-258a, inclusive, and transmit the completed registration package to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection who shall enter the information into the registry established under section 54-257. If a court transmits the completed registration package to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection with respect to a person released by the court, such package need not include identifying factors for such person. In the case of a person being released unconditionally who declines to complete the registration package through the court or the releasing agency, the court or agency shall: (1) Except with respect to information that is not available to the public pursuant to court order, rule of court or any provision of the general statutes, provide to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection the person's name, date of release into the community, anticipated residence address, if known, and criminal history record, any known treatment history of such person, any electronic mail address, instant message address or other similar Internet communication identifier for such person, if known, and any other relevant information; (2) inform the person that such person has an obligation to register within three days with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection for a period of ten years following the date of such person's release or for life, as the case may be, that if such person changes such person's address such person shall within five days register the new address in writing with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection and, if the new address is in another state or if such person is employed in another state, carries on a vocation in another state or is a student in another state, such person shall also register with an appropriate agency in that state, provided that state has a registration requirement for such offenders, and that if such person establishes or changes an electronic mail address, instant message address or other similar Internet communication identifier such person shall, within five days, register such identifier with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection; (3) provide the person with a written summary of the person's obligations under sections 54-102g and 54-250 to 54-258a, inclusive, as explained to the person under subdivision (2) of this subsection; and (4) make a specific notation on the record maintained by that agency with respect to such person that the registration requirements were explained to such person and that such person was provided with a written summary of such person's obligations under sections 54-102g and 54-250 to 54-258a, inclusive.

(b) Whenever a person is convicted or found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect of an offense that will require such person to register under section 54-251, 54-252 or 54-254, the court shall provide to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection a written summary of the offense that includes the age and sex of any victim of the offense and a specific description of the offense. Such summary shall be added to the registry information made available to the public through the Internet.

(P.A. 98-111, S. 7; P.A. 99-183, S. 7, 13; P.A. 02-89, S. 88; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 83; P.A. 06-187, S. 28; 06-196, S. 291; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 95; P.A. 11-51, S. 134.)

History: P.A. 99-183 deleted the Board of Parole from requirements of section, made provisions applicable to a person “found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect” of the specified offenses, added “a nonviolent sexual offense” to specified offenses, replaced “sexual purposes” with “a sexual purpose”, required the court or specified agencies to “provide the person with a written summary of the person's obligations under sections 54-102g and 54-250 to 54-259, inclusive,”, added provision that if a court transmits the completed registration package to the Commissioner of Public Safety with respect to a person released by the court, the package need not include identifying factors for the person, required the court or agency to inform the person that the obligation to register is for 10 years “or for life” rather than “or until released from such obligation in accordance with section 54-255”, revised provision re changing address to and registering in another state, added provision requiring the court or agency to inform a person that if such person regularly travels into or within another state or temporarily resides in another state such person shall register with an appropriate agency in that other state if that state has a registration requirement and made technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 02-89 replaced references to Sec. 54-259 with Sec. 54-258a, reflecting repeal of Sec. 54-259 by the same public act; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 amended Subdiv. (2) to require the court or agency to inform the person of requirement to register with an appropriate agency in another state if such person “is employed in another state, carries on a vocation in another state or is a student in another state” rather than if such person “regularly travels into or within another state or temporarily resides in another state for purposes including, but not limited to employment or schooling”, effective August 15, 2002; P.A. 06-187 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) requiring that court provide Department of Public Safety with written summary of offense and that summary be added to registry information available to the public through the Internet, effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 06-196 changed effective date of P.A. 06-187, S. 28 from July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2007, effective June 7, 2006; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to require court or agency to provide commissioner with “any electronic mail address, instant message address or other similar Internet communication identifier for such person, if known,” and make technical changes and amended Subsec. (a)(2) to require court or agency to inform person that if such person establishes or changes such an identifier such person shall, within 5 days, register such identifier with commissioner; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Commissioner of Public Safety” and “Department of Public Safety” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection” and “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011.

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