Legislation aimed at making it a little easier for the formerly incarcerated to integrate into society is one of two bills championed by the ACLU of Connecticut this year.
The first bill would prevent state residents with criminal records from being discriminated against in housing, employment, education and credit. Democratic Representative Robin Porter of New Haven, co-chair of the Labor Committee, supports the bill. She said it’s personal for her because her son was incarcerated and has lived with her for the past three years.
“For us to expect perfection from people because they’ve been criminalized by this system, and many of them due to poverty, I don’t think it is fair. So I stand here in full support of this bill and some other bills to come.”
The second bill would make the records of criminal cases taken or turned down by prosecutors readily available to the public. Democratic State Senator Gary Winfield of New Haven, co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, supports both bills.
“It’s also about my humanity and being able to look at people who have made mistakes the way all of us have and say humans do that, and then they move on.”
Winfield said disclosing the records would help in establishing discriminatory practices by prosecutors.
The lawmakers were speaking at a news conference organized by the ACLU Smart Justice Connecticut campaign. Proponents of the bills say 74 percent of Connecticut voters would support a law that would prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people.
