Bill > HB05422

This bill aims to address hate and bias crimes in Connecticut. The key provisions are: 1. It requires any person convicted of a hate or bias crime to participate in an anti-bias or diversity awareness program or a program of community service designed to remedy the damage caused by the crime or related to the defendant's violation. 2. It adjusts the membership of the State-Wide Hate Crimes Advisory Council and requires the council to examine and recommend legislative changes to the intent elements of hate crime statutes, including whether the current language creates an overly high evidentiary threshold or should be more closely aligned with federal hate and bias crime statutes. 3. It increases the penalties for certain hate and bias-related offenses, such as desecrating a house of religious worship, and requires the court to order the offender to participate in an anti-bias or diversity awareness program or community service. The bill seeks to strengthen the state's response to hate and bias crimes by mandating rehabilitation and community-focused measures for offenders, as well as reviewing the legal framework to ensure it effectively addresses these types of crimes.

Justice

Judiciary Committee (Joint)

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HB05422&which_year=2024