Press Releases

ACLU of Connecticut lawyers and advocates are leading experts on civil rights, civil liberties, and constitutional freedoms. They are regularly sought out by leading media to provide a voice to the most important issues facing Connecticut. If you are a member of the press and wish to speak with a representative of the ACLU of Connecticut, please contact us at media@acluct.org. If you are a member of the media and wish to receive ACLU of Connecticut press releases, please send your name, the outlet for which you work, your email address, and phone number to media@acluct.org with the subject line “Press Release Distribution.”

Aug 24, 2021

ACLU of Connecticut Sues Waterbury Police Employees over the Arrest of Man Filming on a Sidewalk

The ACLU-CT sued Waterbury police employees Matthew Benoit and Frank Laone for illegally detaining and arresting Wallingford resident Keith Massimino as he filmed the exterior of the city’s police station from a sidewalk on busy East Main Street.
Issue Areas: Free Speech, Policing
Aug 10, 2021

Statement in Response to Republican Press Event on Youth-Involved Car Thefts

Let’s be clear, not wanting to lock up kids for their first offense is the bare minimum we should expect from our state's leaders.
Jul 08, 2021

ACLU-CT & CTJA: The Solution to Youth Offenders is Not More Time

Concerning the discussion of bringing Connecticut’s legislature back into session to debate the state’s juvenile court system, the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut (ACLU-CT) and the Connecticut Justice Alliance (CTJA) issue the following joint statement.
Issue Areas: Policing, Racial Justice, Youth and Student Rights
Jul 01, 2021

ACLU-CT statement regarding Gov. Lamont’s veto of the protect act

Once again, Governor Lamont has shown he does not value the lives of the incarcerated people in our state, especially the disproportionate number of Black and Brown residents impacted by Connecticut's system of mass incarceration.
Jun 10, 2021

ACLU CT Reaction to Gov. Lamont signing of the Clean Slate Bill

With the passage of S.B. 1019, some people living with a record of conviction now get the chance at an automatically erased record if they go for a defined period of time without a new conviction.
Jun 03, 2021

Reaction to Legislative Passage of Absentee Voting Resolution, H.J. 58

The Connecticut Senate tonight voted 27-9 to approve H.J. 58, a legislative resolution, to allow all voters vote by no excuse absentee ballot access under the state constitution.
May 27, 2021

Reaction to Legislative Passage of Clean Slate Legislation, S.B. 1019

The Connecticut House of Representatives today voted to approve a Clean Slate bill, S.B. 1019, which would allow some people living with a record of conviction to earn the chance at an automatically erased record if they go for a defined period of time without a new conviction.
May 27, 2021

Reaction to Legislative Passage of Early Voting Resolution, H.J. 59

The Connecticut Senate today voted to approve H.J. 59, a resolution which would put to voters the question of whether to amend Connecticut’s Constitution to allow early voting in the state. With today’s action in the Senate, the question of early voting will be on the 2022 general electi
Issue Areas: Voting Rights
May 27, 2021

Reaction to Senate Passage of Policing Legislation, S.B. 1093

The Senate last night voted to approve a bill that would ban no-knock raids by police, create limitations on when police can issue an order to people, roll back protections against stop and frisk passed into law in 2020, and exclude some people from Clean Slate protections in another bill.
Issue Areas: Policing, Criminal Legal System