Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced that new amendments to the state's automatic renewal law took effect July 1, 2026. The law requires covered businesses to provide annual renewal reminders, offer easy cancellation options (including online or by email), and promptly process cancellation requests without obstruction. Non-compliance may be considered an unfair trade practice subject to investigation by the AG's office and the Department of Consumer Protection.
Businesses must comply with new requirements: send annual renewal reminders, provide easy cancellation options (online or by email if the business has an online platform, or a phone number if not), and promptly process cancellation requests within one business day if a voicemail provides sufficient information. Non-compliance may lead to investigation and enforcement under CUTPA.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor and customer agreements that involve automatic renewals or subscriptions. Key clauses to examine include: (1) automatic renewal terms and notice periods, (2) cancellation procedures and whether they require in-person or mail cancellation (now prohibited in Connecticut), (3) annual reminder obligations, and (4) processing timelines for cancellation requests. For customer-facing contracts, ensure that cancellation is as easy as sign-up and that no dark patterns obstruct cancellation. For vendor agreements, verify that service providers comply with Connecticut's new requirements if they offer auto-renewing services to Connecticut consumers. Additionally, review any indemnification clauses related to non-compliance with consumer protection laws.
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State of Connecticut
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Other"updates to Connecticut’s automatic renewal law took effect July 1"
"Connecticut’s automatic renewal law"
"new 'click to cancel' rights"
"Businesses that fail to comply may be engaged in unfair trade practice"
"not being able to easily cancel a subscription"
"Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-234"
$625K
Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.
$2.6M
Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.
Connecticut joined a coalition of state attorneys general filing a notice in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy proceedings, raising concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and the sensitive information it holds. The states seek protections for children and consumers if the company’s business or assets are sold or transferred; the filing does not impose a fine or other remedy.
Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Counsel Claire Coleman petitioned PURA to review how Connecticut public utilities use artificial intelligence, citing potential data privacy and cybersecurity risks, algorithmic errors, and misleading outputs. The petition asks PURA to examine utility AI systems, safeguards, vendors, and data security practices; it does not report a finding of violation or an imposed penalty.
$2.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a settlement with RZ Smoke, Inc. over allegations that it distributed and sold high-potency cannabis products without a state license. The stipulated judgment is $2 million, with $375,000 payable to the State and $1.6 million suspended to ensure compliance; the company is barred from specified cannabis activities in Connecticut unless licensed.
$13.7M
Connecticut joined a coalition of states and the federal government in settling allegations that Takeda paid healthcare providers speaker honoraria and provided meals to induce prescriptions of Trintellix, leading to allegedly false claims to government healthcare programs. Takeda agreed to pay $13,670,921 plus accrued interest, with portions allocated to federal and state programs.