Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

Version 2 - September 21, 2004

Visitors should be aware that the State of Connecticut could be required to disclose personal information in response to valid legal process, such as a search warrant, subpoena, or court order, pursuant to the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act. All record keepers face the possibility that disclosure of their records may be compelled in some civil, criminal, or administrative matters. Disclosures may also be necessary to protect the State's legal rights or during emergencies if physical safety is believed to be at risk. We think that these events are unlikely, but they are possible.

The Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) policy is to respect and protect the privacy of our website users, consistent with the applicable laws of the United States and the State of Connecticut, including the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act and the Connecticut Personal Data Act. We do not collect, use or disclose any information about our users without their knowledge and approval. We do not share user information with third parties unless we have informed users about the disclosures or when we have prior consent.

Policy Revision and Notification of Changes

The CGA will update this policy as new services and features are added. We will tell our users about policy changes through notices on this page, which will always contain a version number and date. Any information collected under the current policy will remain subject to these terms. Information collected after any changes take effect will be subject to the revised privacy policy.

What Information About Users Does the CGA website Collect?

A. Automatic Information

The following information is collected and stored automatically from all users accessing the CGA website to browse or download information:

• The Internet domain and Internet Protocol address from which you access our site;
• The type of browser and operating system used to access our site;
• The date and time you access our site;
• The pages you visit; and
• If you linked to the CGA website from another website, the address of that website.

This information is used to create summary statistics, which are used for purposes such as assessing what information is of most interest to users, determining technical design specifications, and identifying system performance or problem areas.

This information is not reported or used in any manner that would reveal personally identifiable information, and will not be released to any outside (third) parties unless legally required.

B. Personal Information You Provide to Us

The CGA does not retain personally identifiable information about you when you visit our website unless you choose to provide such information to us (i.e. sending an email, participating in a survey, responding to a feedback or "contact us"; form, etc.)

We consider any information that could reasonably be used to identify you as "personally identifying information." This includes, but is not limited to:

• Your name
• Your address
• Your email address
• Your Social Security number
• Your password
• Bank account information
• Credit card information
• Any combination of data that could be used to identify you such as your birth date, your zip code and your gender.

If personal information is requested on the CGA website or volunteered by the user, state law and the United States Privacy Act of 1974 may protect it. However, this information is a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not protected by federal or state law.

Email Communications and Web Forms

If you send us an electronic mail message with a question or comment that contains personally identifying information, or fill out a form that emails us information, we will only use this personally identifying information to respond to your request. We may redirect your message to another government agency or person who is in a better position to answer your question.

All email messages collected by the CGA contain the email addresses of persons who voluntarily communicated with or requested information from us. Email addresses are not sold, leased or shared with any governmental or commercial entities without the user's consent. When a user has given us their email address for purposes of communicating with or requesting information from the CGA, that communication becomes part of the public record and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not protected by federal or state law.

Does the CGA website Use Cookies to Collect Information About a User?

We do use cookies to retain information on the CGA site. A cookie is a text file, not a program, which is sent to your computer when you access a site. Cookies do not disclose your name or email address to a website. They can only tell a website if you have visited before and can pass short bits of information from the website back to itself the next time you visit.  The CGA internet website cookie contains only information on which bills you are monitoring with the MY BILLS function.

Does the CGA Share the Information it Receives with Anyone?

Except as provided by applicable state and federal laws, we do not collect, use or disclose user information without the user’s knowledge and approval. We do not share user information with third parties unless we have informed users about the disclosures or have prior consent.

In addition, all State of Connecticut contractors must comply with this policy.

Can I Access and Correct My Personal Information?

Persons concerned about information contained in their personal records should contact the custodian of the record, which typically is the state agency or other governmental entity that collects and maintains the information.

The CGA does not collect any personally identifiable information other than what you provide in your email correspondence. The automatic data recorded is not matched with any of that personally identifiable information. Therefore, information cannot be provided about your visit.

Do I Have a Choice About Whether or Not My Personal Information is Provided to Others?

The CGA does not obtain personally identifiable information about you when you visit our website unless you choose to provide such information to us (i.e. sending an email, participating in a survey, responding to a feedback or "contact us" form, etc.). We do not disclose, sell, lease or provide any personal information about our users to any other government or commercial entity for any purpose.

However, it is important to understand that under applicable state and federal law, various forms of correspondence and other communications may be subject to public disclosure.

Commitment to Security

Information Technology Services (ITS), which manages the computers that support the CGA, has put into place appropriate safeguards to ensure that any personal information is secure from destruction, corruption, unauthorized access and breach of confidentiality. This effort includes an ongoing review of safety measures, implementation of changes, and regular training for their personnel.

Disclaimer/Links to Other Sites

The CGA website contains links to other websites. These may include links to websites operated by other government agencies, non-profit organizations and private businesses. When you link to another site, you are no longer on the CGA website and this privacy notice does not apply. When you link to another website, you are subject to the privacy policy of that website.

For Further Information:

For questions or comments about this policy, please contact:

Connecticut General Assembly
Information Technology Services
210 Capitol Avenue, Room 014
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: (860) 240-0000
Email: Webmaster