With the start of the fiscal year on July 1st, a number of new laws take effect in Connecticut. One is the so-called captive audience bill, advocated for by Danbury state Senator Julie Kushner. It prohibits an employer from coercing any employee into attending or participating in a meeting sponsored by the employer concerning the employer's views on political or religious matters. It prohibits employers from penalizing workers, or threatening to do so, for failing to attend. There will be exceptions to let employers give workers information on the law and rules on what they may need to do to perform their jobs.