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The death penalty, cyberbullying, restoring "good time" for convicted felons, allowing inmates access to public records, considering inmates residents of their home towns instead of the towns in which they are imprisoned, and giving corporations tax credits for gifts to parochial schools - these are among the issues on which ACLU-CT spokespeople have testified during the current legislative session.
Tax credits: Raised bill No. 6627 would give corporations tax credits for their donations to scholarship funds, including those at parochial schools. A violation of the First Amendment's insistence on separation of church and state, Legal Director Sandra Staub testified.
Testimony on RB 6627 Corporate Tax Credits
Inmate records: Senate Bill No. 1183 would require a judge trial referee to review every inmate-submitted request under Freedom of Information laws. An unjust hurdle for inmates seeking information available to the public, Staff Attorney David McGuire testified, an a burden on an already-overtaxed judicial system.
Testimony on SB 1183 Inmates & Public Records
Town of residence of inmates: Raised bills 1193 and 6606 would consider prison inmates as residents of their homes towns rather than the towns in which they are housed, which affects political districting and allocation of funds. Other states, Staff Attorney David McGuire testified, have already begun "to deal with this problem of prison gerrymandering."
Testimony on RB 1193 & 6606 inmate Residence
Transgender Discrimination: In 2004 the General Assembly gave transgender people protection under hate crime laws. Now it should assure them protection under sex discrimination laws, Staff Attorney David McGuire testified.
Gender discrimination bill draws ACLU support
Prison "Earned Time": Until 1994, prisoners good shorten their sentences by participating in educational, vocational and rehabilitation programs. It's time to restore that system, Staff Attorney David McGuire testified.
Restore prison 'good time', ACLU urges
Cyberbullying: Schools should not be made into "internet police," judging and punishing what students say or post when at home, Legal Director Sandra Staub testified. (The Education Committee has voted to approve the bill and send it to the floor.)
ACLU advice on cyberbullying law disregarded
Death Penalty: ACLU-CT has long urged abolition; now it urges members to help lobby.
Death Penalty -- Contact your state senator
Traffic Light Cameras: The ACLU-CT has long opposed sending tickets to people whose vehicles were photographed by automatic cameras as running red lights. Raised Bills 706, 822, 6178 and 6179 would be "turning the basic presumption of "innocent until proven guilty" on its head," Executive Director Andrew Schneider testified.
Red-Light Traffic Cameras Opposed
More ACLU-CT Testimony on proposed state laws
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