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SB 506CONNECTICUTSession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

Connecticut Expands Criminal Mischief Laws to Target Damage to Critical Infrastructure and Public Utilities

Original title: AN ACT CONCERNING CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR INTENTIONAL DAMAGE TO CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

Last action · April 14, 2026: File Number 619Sponsors: Travis Simms and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Senate Bill 506 expands the definitions of first- and second-degree starting October 1, 2026, to include intentionally damaging tangible property belonging to others that results in actual or risked disruptions to public utilities, transportation, power, communications, and emergency services.

Why it matters

Expands criminal liability and potential felony or misdemeanor charges for individuals who damage property connected to essential public systems, impacting state incarceration rates and court dockets.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Department of Correction

May experience minimal cost impacts due to potential increases in incarcerations resulting from expanded criminal mischief offenses.

Directly affected

Judicial Department

May incur minimal probation supervision costs and court docket changes associated with prosecuting expanded offenses.

Directly affected

Public utility and transportation providers

Receive expanded legal protections against intentional property tampering and service disruptions.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Senate Bill 506 change about criminal mischief laws?
It broadens the definitions for first- and second-degree to explicitly include instances where an individual intends to damage someone else's tangible property and damages or tampers with critical public infrastructure, utility, transportation, or communication property, resulting in or risking service interruptions.
What are the penalties for violating these expanded laws?
First-degree is a punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine up to $5,000. Second-degree criminal mischief is a punishable by up to 364 days in prison and a fine up to $2,000.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · on the Senate floor.

Procedural history

9 actions
  1. Apr 14, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    File Number 619
  2. Apr 14, 2026Senate
    Senate Calendar Number 397
  3. Apr 14, 2026Senate
    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
  4. Apr 14, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
  5. Apr 8, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/13/26 5:00 PM
  6. Mar 30, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
Show 3 earlier actions
  1. Mar 30, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Joint Favorable
  2. Mar 13, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Public Hearing 03/18
  3. Mar 12, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyCommittee
    Referred to Joint Committee on Judiciary

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Travis SimmsHouse · District 140DemocraticCosponsor
Paul CicarellaSenate · District 34RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Broadening Infrastructure Protections

The legislation broadens existing property damage statutes by explicitly connecting general property damage intent to public service and utility infrastructure impairments.

General AssemblyJudiciary Committee

Connected Entities

State Police, Winfield, Judicial Department and 5 more
OrganizationState Police“Operates telecommunication systems protected under the law”Map →
PersonWinfield“Senate Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee”Map →
OrganizationJudicial Department“State agency managing probation impacts”Map →
PersonTravis Simms“Representative and cosponsor”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Correction“State agency facing potential incarceration cost impacts”Map →
OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Legislative body passing the bill”Map →
PersonPaul Cicarella“Senator and cosponsor”Map →
OrganizationJudiciary Committee“Committee that reported the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

cga.ct.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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