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sHB5555 / File No. 556 1
General Assembly File No. 556
February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No. 5555
House of Representatives, April 9, 2026
The Committee on Government Administration and Elections
reported through REP. BLUMENTHAL of the 147th Dist.,
Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the
substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT EXPANDING THE ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM
OF THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 54 -240 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
As used in this chapter: 3
(1) "Address confidentiality program" or "program" means the 4
program established pursuant to this chapter; 5
(2) "Agency" has the same meaning as "public agency" or "agency", as 6
provided in section 1-200; 7
(3) "Application assistant" means a person authorized by the 8
Secretary of the State to assist applicants in the completion of 9
applications for program participation; 10
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(4) "Authorized personnel" means an employee in the office of the 11
Secretary of the State who has been designated by the Secretary of the 12
State, or an employee of an agency who has been designated by the chief 13
executive officer of such agency, to process and have access to records 14
pertaining to a program participant, including, but not limited to, voter 15
registration applications, voting records and marriage records; 16
(5) "Certification card" means a card issued by the Secretary of the 17
State pursuant to section 54-240d; 18
(6) "Confidential address" means a program participant's address or 19
addresses as listed on such participant's application for program 20
participation that are not to be disclosed, including such participant's 21
residential address in this state and work and school addresses in this 22
state, if any; 23
(7) "Family violence" has the same meaning as provided in section 24
46b-38a; 25
(8) "Gender-affirming health care services" has the same meaning as 26
provided in section 52-571m; 27
[(8)] (9) "Injury or risk of injury to a child" means any act or conduct 28
that constitutes a violation of section 53-21; 29
[(9)] (10) "Kidnapping" means any act that constitutes a violation of 30
section 53a-92, 53a-92a, 53a-94 or 53a-94a; 31
[(10)] (11) "Law enforcement agency" means the office of the Attorney 32
General, the office of the Chief State's Attorney, the Division of State 33
Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public 34
Protection or any municipal police department; 35
[(11)] (12) "Marriage records" means an application for a marriage 36
license, an issued marriage license, a license certificate or other 37
documents related thereto; 38
[(12)] (13) "Program address" means the post office box number and 39
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fictitious street address assigned to a program participant by the 40
Secretary of the State; 41
[(13)] (14) "Program participant" or "participant" means any person 42
certified by the Secretary of the State to participate in the address 43
confidentiality program; 44
[(14)] (15) "Record" has the same meaning as "public records or files" 45
as provided in section 1-200; 46
(16) "Reproductive health care services" has the same meaning as 47
provided in section 52-571m; 48
[(15)] (17) "Sexual assault" means any act that constitutes a violation 49
of section 53a -70b of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to 50
January 1, 2019, or section 53a -70, 53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 51
53a-73a; 52
[(16)] (18) "Stalking" means any act that constitutes a violation of 53
section 53a-181c, 53a-181d or 53a-181e; and 54
[(17)] (19) "Trafficking in persons" means any act that constitutes a 55
violation of section 53a-192a. 56
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 54 -240a of the general statutes is 57
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 58
1, 2026): 59
(a) There shall be an address confidentiality program established in 60
the office of the Secretary of the State to provide a substitute mailing 61
address for any person who wishes to keep such person's residential 62
address confidential because of safety concerns and: 63
(1) [has] Has been a victim of (A) family violence, (B) injury or risk of 64
injury to a child, (C) kidnapping, (D) sexual assault, (E) stalking, (F) 65
trafficking in persons, or (G) child abuse or neglect, where such abuse 66
or neglect was substantiated by the Department of Children and 67
Families and was the basis for the issuance of a restraining order under 68
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section 46b-15 or civil protection order under section 46b-16a; [, or] 69
(2) [a termination of parental rights was granted] The safety concerns 70
relate to another person whose parental rights were terminated in a 71
proceeding pursuant to section 45a-717 or 46b-129; or 72
(3) Is a person engaged in the provision, facilitation or promotion of 73
reproductive health care services or gender -affirming health care 74
services. 75
Sec. 3. Section 54 -240b of the general statutes is repealed and the 76
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 77
(a) An adult person, a guardian or conservator of the person acting 78
on behalf of an adult person, or a parent or guardian acting on behalf of 79
a minor may apply to the Secretary of the State for participation in the 80
address confidentiality program and to have the Secretary of the State 81
designate a program address to serve as the address of the adult person 82
or of the minor. Each application for program participation , other than 83
the application of a person engaged in the provision, facilitation or 84
promotion of reproductive health care services or gender -affirming 85
health care services, shall be completed with the assistance of an 86
application assistant. 87
(b) The Secretary of the State shall make available a list of entities that 88
employ application assistants to assist applicants in applying for 89
participation in the address confidentiality program, provided no entity 90
shall be included on such list unless the entity has received sufficient 91
funds from federal or state sources as reimbursement for the reasonable 92
costs of implementing the provisions of this chapter. 93
Sec. 4. Section 54 -240c of the general statutes is repealed and the 94
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 95
The Secretary of the State shall certify an applicant or the person on 96
whose behalf an application is made as a program participant if the 97
application is filed in the manner and on the application form prescribed 98
by the Secretary of the State and includes: 99
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(1) A statement made under penalty of false statement, as provided 100
in section 53a-157b, that (A) the applicant or the person on whose behalf 101
the application is made [(A)] is a victim of (i) family violence, (ii) injury 102
or risk of injury to a minor, (iii) kidnapping, (iv) sexual assault, (v) 103
stalking, (vi) trafficking in persons, or (vii) child abuse or neglect, where 104
such abuse or neglect was substantiated by the Department of Children 105
and Families and was the basis for the issuance of a restraining order 106
under section 46b-15 or civil protection order under section 46b-16a, [or 107
(B) a termination of parental rights was granted] (B) the applicant or the 108
person on whose behalf the application is made has safety concerns that 109
relate to another person whose parental rights were terminated in a 110
proceeding pursuant to section 45a -717 or 46b -129, [and (C) the 111
applicant fears for the safety of the applicant, children living in the 112
applicant's home, person on whose behalf the application is made or 113
children living in the home of the person on whose behalf the 114
application is made] or (C) the applicant (i) is a person engaged in the 115
provision, facilitation or promotion of reproductive health care services 116
or gender -affirming health care services that are permitted under the 117
laws of this state, and (ii) is employed or volunteers for a reproductive 118
health care services entity or gender-affirming health care entity that has 119
been the target of threats, harassment or acts of violence within one year 120
preceding the date of the application; 121
(2) A statement made under penalty of false statement, as provided 122
in section 53a-157b, that (A) for an applicant described in subparagraph 123
(A) or (B) of subdivision (1) of this section, the applicant fears for the 124
safety of the applicant, any children living in the applicant's home, any 125
person on whose behalf the application is made or any children living 126
in the home of the person on whose behalf the application is made, or 127
(B) for an applicant described in subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of 128
this section, the applicant fears for the safety of the applicant or any 129
children living in the home of the applicant; 130
[(2)] (3) Documentation supporting the [statement] statements made 131
pursuant to [subdivision (1)] subdivisions (1) and (2) of this section; 132
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[(3)] (4) A designation of the Secretary of the State as the agent of the 133
applicant or, if applicable, of the person on whose behalf the application 134
is made, for service of process and for receipt of first class mail; 135
[(4)] (5) The residential address in this state, the work and school 136
addresses in this state, if any, and the phone number or numbers, if 137
available, that are to remain confidential, but which may be used by the 138
Secretary of the State or authorized personnel to contact the applicant 139
or, if applicable, the person on whose behalf the application is made; 140
and 141
[(5)] (6) The application preparation date, the applicant's signature 142
and, if applicable, the signature of the application assistant who assisted 143
the applicant in completing the application. 144
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2026 54-240
Sec. 2 October 1, 2026 54-240a(a)
Sec. 3 October 1, 2026 54-240b
Sec. 4 October 1, 2026 54-240c
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 2(a)(3), " gender-affirming care " was changed to " gender-
affirming health care" for consistency with the defined term.
GAE Joint Favorable Subst.
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The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill expands the Secretary of the State (SOTS) address
confidentiality program to include individuals who provide
reproductive or gender-affirming health services, resulting in no fiscal
impact to the state or municipalities, as SOTS has sufficient resources to
handle the increase in workload.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5555
AN ACT EXPANDING THE ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY
PROGRAM OF THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE.
SUMMARY
This bill expands the secretary of the state’s (SOTS) address
confidentiality program to include individuals who have safety
concerns and are involved in providing:
1. reproductive health care services (medical, surgical, counseling,
or referral services related to the human reproductive system) or
2. gender-affirming health care services (supplies, care , and
services of a medical, behavioral health, mental health, surgical,
psychiatric, therapeutic, diagnostic, preventative, rehabilitative,
or supportive nature , including medication relating to the
treatment of gender dysphoria and gender incongruence).
The bill makes changes to include the se individuals in the program
and makes other technical changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM EXPANSION
Newly Covered Applicant Groups
The bill expands who may apply for the address confidentiality
program (see BACKGROUND) to include a person who has safety
concerns and is engaged in providing, facilitating, or promoting
reproductive health care services or gender -affirming health care
services.
The bill also clarifies that current law’s provision for address
confidentiality related to the termination of parental rights applies when
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someone has safety concerns related to another person whose parental
rights were terminated and makes conforming changes to application
requirements.
Under existing law, unchanged by the bill, the program is also
available to a victim of family violence, injury or risk of injury to a child,
kidnapping, sexual assault, stalking, trafficking in persons, or child
abuse or neglect.
Application Assistant
During the application process for the program, current law requires
an application assistant, authorized by SOTS, to assist with completing
the application. The bill does not require a person engaged in providing,
facilitating, or promoting reproductive health care services or gender -
affirming health care to complete the application with an application
assistant.
Certification Process
To certify a program application, applicants must make a statement
under penalty of false statement. The bill requires a statement made
under penalty of false statement from the newly covered applicants
stating the applicant (1) engages in providing, facilitating, or promoting
reproductive health care services or gender -affirming health care
permitted under state law, and (2) is employed or volunteers for a
reproductive health care services entity o r a gender -affirming health
care entity that has been the target of threats, harassment, or violent acts
within one year before the application date. The bill also requires that
the statement include that the applicant fears for the safety of the
applicant or children living in the applicant’s home.
BACKGROUND
Address Confidentiality Program
An e ligible individual can apply to SOTS’ address confidentiality
program to receive a program mailing address to keep his or her
residential address confidential due to safety concerns.
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Once an applicant to the program is certified by SOTS, he or she
receives the program address and a certification card. SOTS receives any
mail and service of process sent to the program address and forwards it
to the participant’s confidential address free of charge.
Participants may generally have (1) their street addresses omitted
from voter registries, (2) correspondence from state agencies sent to the
substitute address, and (3) their marriage records kept confidential.
Participants may renew their certification ev ery four years. SOTS may
cancel a participant’s certification under certain circumstances, but a
canceled participant may reapply at any time.
Related Bills
sSB 295, favorably reported by the Judiciary Committee, among other
things, expands the address confidentiality program eligibility to people
engaged in the provision, facilitation, o r promotion of a legally
protected health care activity (which includes reproductive and gender-
affirming health care services).
sSB 485, favorably reported by the Government Administration and
Elections Committee, expands who must comply with the SOTS address
confidentiality program and creates the real property address
confidentiality program notice to shield program participants’ re al
property records from public inspection, with exceptions.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Government Administration and Elections Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 13 Nay 5 (03/20/2026)