Some Connecticut Democrats have pledged to support the legislative priorities of a multi-religious group called Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut (CONECT).
The members from about 200 different religious congregations from across the state, have endorsed a 2023 agenda that includes fixes to fully implement the state’s new clean slate law, which they championed two years ago.
Better mental health crisis response and fairer state funding for education are also on their agenda.
“Education, housing, mental health, all those things are really important. The clean slate is something that since we passed the law already it’s a minor expense to make sure we can implement that law,” said state Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff.
He and other top Democratic lawmakers committed to support the CONECT agenda at a meeting with the group in Bridgeport on Sunday.
Lawmakers are to take up revisions to state education funding this week, with a public hearing scheduled for Friday.
Duff commented about the police beating death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, following the CONECT assembly. It indicates that Connecticut was right to have passed a police accountability law two years ago, he said.
“We have to make sure we are weeding out bad cops because that’s what puts a stain on policing across this country,” said Duff. “My mother called me when she watched those videos, as a mother, and she said, crying, she was so proud that Connecticut has police accountability.”
Prior to voting on a new state police contract last week, Republican minority lawmakers called for changes to Connecticut’s police accountability law.
They had claimed that the law is making it harder to recruit new officers.
