Legislation

Prosecutors hold people’s lives in their hands. Despite the enormous power that prosecutors wield, Connecticut residents have very little information about what they do. We support S.B. 880 to bring transparency to this part of the justice system.

Mass incarceration, combined with disenfranchisement laws, subverts participatory democracy, particularly for communities of color. Restoring the right to vote for people who are incarcerated is a key step in dismantling these harmful and discriminatory laws.

By passing this bill, Connecticut would join Florida, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and ten other states plus the District of Columbia in affording people on parole their rights to vote.

The ACLU-CT strongly encourages the legislature to support House Bill 5563 and to expand it to include training about all people in the criminal justice system living with mental health and PTSD issues.

Reducing or setting limits to the risk reduction credit program (“program”) is poor public policy, as it will make Connecticut less safe, contribute to costly prison overcrowding, make Connecticut's prisons more dangerous, and expose the state to civil rights lawsuits.

H.B. 6921 is the opportunity for Connecticut to prevent discrimination against someone based solely on their criminal record in employment, housing, public education and accommodations, insurance, credit transactions, government programs and services, and economic development programs.

The right to vote is a fundamental part of America’s democracy. Restoring the right to vote for people who have been disenfranchised because of their involvement in the justice system strengthens our democracy and helps formerly incarcerated people to reintegrate into society.

Connecticut residents who have been convicted of a felony are faced with discrimination when attempting to purchase life insurance policies. We therefore strongly encourage the legislature to support House Bill 5517, which would stop this form of discrimination.

The ACLU-CT supports the rights of all people, including formerly incarcerated people who are on parole. We support this bill, which we believe would allow the Board of Pardons and Parole to ensure that special parole is only used for as long as is necessary.