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HB 5548

AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT CONCERNING EMPLOYEE RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES AND CERTAIN HIGHER EDUCATION RECORDS.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Nick Gauthier and 2 co-sponsors

Connecticut bill exempts employee residential addresses and select higher education records from public FOIA disclosure to enhance privacy and safety protections.

FILE NO. 553
#address #complaint #disclosure #fines(penalties) #freedomofinformationcommission #freedomofinformation #institutionsofhighereducation #municipalemployees #publicofficials #stateemployees #studentrecords #violations #records
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Bill Summary · HB 5548

Legislative bill overview

HB 5548 proposes amendments to Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to create exemptions preventing public disclosure of employee residential addresses and certain higher education records. The bill aims to protect personal privacy for state employees and students while maintaining public access to other government information.

Why is this important

FOIA laws balance government transparency with individual privacy rights. This bill addresses growing concerns about employee safety and stalking in an era of easy information aggregation, while also protecting student privacy in higher education contexts. The changes could significantly limit what residential information citizens can access about public sector workers.

Potential points of contention

  • Employee privacy vs. transparency: Critics may argue that shielding employee addresses reduces accountability and prevents citizens from knowing where their government workers live, while supporters contend this protects against harassment and safety threats
  • Scope ambiguity: The bill's reference to "certain higher education records" lacks specificity—unclear which records qualify, potentially creating inconsistent application across institutions
  • Precedent concerns: Expanding FOIA exemptions could establish a pattern encouraging additional privacy carve-outs, gradually eroding public access to government information

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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