Members of the Connecticut House of Representatives were back in Hartford on Thursday in special session to vote on Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy’s controversial criminal justice reform bill.
This follows an agreement between Malloy and Democratic caucus leaders to drop a provision from the bill, which would have raised the age for which defendants could be tried as juveniles from 18 to 20.
Malloy is pushing lawmakers to support the compromised bill. Speaking at a manufacturing training center for ex-offenders in Waterbury, the governor said the bill is now focused on reforms such as the elimination of bail for non-violent misdemeanors. He said that would save Connecticut taxpayers almost $15 million.
“There was someone being held in a women’s correctional facility on $90. It cost us $168 a night to keep that person there.”
He said that on a typical day there are 350 prisoners in Connecticut’s jails charged with non-violent misdemeanors. Malloy said passage of the bill could result in enough savings to close another state prison.
“Good criminal justice policy and systemic change in budget policy go hand-in-hand.”
Some members of the state’s majority House Democrats have been reluctant to support the bill. They are concerned that while running for reelection this November, they will be accused of being soft on crime by their opponents. The Senate is evenly split on the bill and would need a vote by Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman to break the tie.
