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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 476
February Session, 2026
AN ACT CONCERNING VISITATION POLICIES OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTION AND THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS HELD IN TRUST
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION TO PERSONS WHO WERE
FORMERLY INCARCERATED.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 18 -81oo of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
(a) The Commissioner of Correction shall [not use the provision of 3
voice communication service or any other communication service to 4
persons who are in the custody of the commissioner and confined in a 5
correctional facility to supplant in-person contact visits any such person 6
may be eligible to receive ] permit any person who is confined in a 7
correctional facility and housed with the general population of such 8
facility to have not less than three in-person visits per week. 9
(b) (1) [On and after July 1, 2022, the] The commissioner shall provide 10
voice communication service to persons who are in the custody of the 11
commissioner and confined in a correctional facility. The commissioner 12
may supplement such voice communication service with any other 13
communication service, including, but not limited to, video 14
communication and electronic mail services. Any such communication 15
service shall be provided free of charge to such persons and any 16
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communication, whether initiated or received through any such service, 17
shall be free of charge to the person initiating or receiving the 18
communication. 19
(2) Each person in the custody of the commissioner and confined in a 20
correctional facility shall be eligible to use the voice communication 21
service described in subdivision (1) of this subsection for at least ninety 22
minutes on each day of such person's confinement, provided the 23
provisions of this subdivision shall not be interpreted to interfere with 24
the standard operations of the facility in which such person is confined. 25
(c) [On and after July 1, 2022, the] The state shall not receive revenue 26
for the provision of any communication service to any person in the 27
custody of the commissioner and confined in a correctional facility. 28
(d) The Commissioner of Correction shall not use the provision of 29
voice communication service or any other communication service to a 30
person who is in the custody of the commissioner and confined in a 31
correctional facility to supplant in -person visits authorized under this 32
section, including any in -person contact visit that such person may be 33
eligible to receive. 34
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) Upon the release of any person 35
from a correctional facility, the Department of Correction shall disburse 36
to such person the remaining balance in such person's Inmate Trust 37
Fund account. The department may make such disbursement to the 38
formerly incarcerated person in the form of cash, a check, or a prepaid 39
device, provided the department may not disburse funds by means of a 40
prepaid device unless the department also provides the formerly 41
incarcerated person with at least one alternative option of receiving the 42
disbursed funds by cash or check. 43
(b) In any situation where the department is unable to make such 44
disbursement upon release of such person because the department was 45
not informed of the person's release date at least two weeks in advance 46
of such date, the department shall obtain a mailing address from such 47
person prior to, or at the time of, such person's release, and mail such 48
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disbursement to such person. In any such situation, not later than two 49
weeks after such person is released, the department shall mail the 50
disbursement by United States mail to the mailing address provided by 51
the formerly incarcerated person. 52
(c) If the department disburses funds by means of a prepaid device 53
pursuant to this section , neither the department nor the issuer of the 54
prepaid device may impose, or cause to be imposed, any fee payable by 55
the formerly incarcerated person. As used in this section, "prepaid 56
device" means a card, code or other means of access to a consumer's 57
account held by a financial institution or other financial service 58
provider. 59
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2026 18-81oo
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 New section
JUD Joint Favorable Subst.
APP Joint Favorable