H.B. 5499, An Act Concerning the Criminal Justice Commission and the Division of Criminal Justice

House Bill 5499 would critically strengthen the oversight and independence of the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) by expanding its disciplinary powers to include the chief state’s attorney in addition to the deputy chief state’s attoneys and state’s attorneys. The bill would further insulate our chief state’s attorney, deputy chief state’s attorneys, and state's attorneys from political influence by prohibiting them from contemporaneously holding elected office.

If House Bill 5499 is enacted, prosecution will change in important but realistic ways that can serve as a model for other states. Accountability for state’s attorneys is a necessary for ending mass incarceration and House Bill 5499 is a step towards that endeavor. The ACLU-CT enthusaistically supports House Bill 5499 and urges this Committee to do the same