The ACLU of Connecticut spoke out for justice, equality, and liberty during the 2017 legislative session--and so did our supporters. On June 7, 2017, the Connecticut General Assembly finished its regular legislative session. By that time, ten bills to advance justice, equality, and liberty had passed out of the legislature, including bills that would: reform civil asset forfeiture; continue funding availability for policy body cameras; protect LGBT youth from conversion therapy; take steps toward reforming solitary confinement; institute bail reform; require police departments to report to a central council whenever an officer is fired for misconduct or resigns or retires while under investigation for misconduct; prevent SLAPP lawsuits; increase cellphone privacy by requiring police to obtain court permission before using "stingrays" to track people's locations or access private communications; and create more equal opportunities for formerly incarcerated people by preventing state barber and hairdresser licensure boards from discriminating against people with criminal records. Governor Malloy has signed all of these into law.

Legislative wrap-up for ACLU-CT 2017 Connecticut General Assembly legislative session. New laws include: civil asset forfeiture policy body camera LGBT conversion therapy solitary confinement bail reform SLAPP cellphone privacy barber hairdresser license

Related Content

Press Release
Jun 08, 2017
Placeholder image
  • Criminal Legal System|
  • +1 Issue

ACLU of Connecticut Commends Passage of Solitary Confinement Reform Legislation

"We welcome this bill’s passage, commend legislators from throughout the political spectrum for taking a stand to protect vulnerable people from solitary confinement, and will continue to work toward stopping solitary confinement once and for all in our state.”
Press Release
Jun 08, 2017
Placeholder image
  • Criminal Legal System|
  • +1 Issue

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Passes Connecticut Legislature

Press Release
Jun 07, 2017
Placeholder image
  • Criminal Legal System|
  • +1 Issue

ACLU of Connecticut Applauds Passage of Bail Reform Legislation

News & Commentary
Mar 09, 2017
Video image still from ACLU of Connecticut civil asset forfeiture reform guide

Stopping Civil Asset Forfeiture

Civil asset forfeiture allows the government to take and sell someone’s property without ever charging them with a crime. Taking innocent people’s assets is unacceptable and unconstitutional, but it is happening in Connecticut. From 2009 to 2013, there were more than 3,700 civil asset forfeiture cases in our state. In 2017, we successfully advocated for legislation to fix civil asset forfeiture in our state. Under a proposal signed into law by Governor Malloy, the state will only be allowed to confiscate property that was related to a criminal conviction.