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HB 5248 - Establishing a Sentencing Commission - Connecticut Key Vote

Minnie Gonzalez Did Not Vote on this Legislation.

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Title: Establishing a Sentencing Commission

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to override a veto of a bill that establishes the Connecticut Sentencing Commission within the Office of Policy and Management.

Highlights:

-Specifies that the mission of the commission shall be to review the existing criminal sentencing structure and any proposed changes, and to make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly and appropriate criminal justice agencies (Sec. 1). -Requires one member of the committee be appointed for a 4 year term by each of the following individuals (Sec. 1):

-The Governor; -The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; -The president pro tempore of the Senate; -The speaker of the House of Representatives; -The majority leader of the Senate; -The majority leader of the House of Representatives; -The minority leader of the Senate; and -The minority leader of the House of Representatives.-Specifies that other members of the committee include: two judges, one representative of the Court Support Services Division, the Commissioner of Correction, the Chief State's Attorney, the Chief Public Defender, one state attorney, one member of the criminal defense bar, the Victim Advocate, the chairperson of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Commissioner of Public Safety, a municipal police chief, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the undersecretary of the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division and an active or retired judge (Sec. 1). -Requires the commission to perform, but not be limited to, the following tasks (Sec. 1):

-Facilitate the development and maintenance of a statewide sentencing database; -Evaluate existing sentencing statutes; -Provide training regarding sentencing issues; -Preserve judicial discretion and provide for individualized sentencing; and -Identify potential areas of sentencing disparity related to racial, ethnic, gender and socioeconomic status.-Authorizes the commission to have access to confidential information received by sentencing courts and the Board of Pardons and Paroles (Sec. 1). -Specifies that the commission shall meet at least once during each calendar quarter and at such other times as deemed necessary by the chairperson (Sec. 1). -Requires the commission to submit an annual report to the Governor, the General Assembly and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Sec. 1).