Bill > H3439

This bill establishes a special commission to study and investigate programs aimed at reuniting incarcerated individuals with their families both before and after their release from prison. The commission will be composed of legislative members, designees from the Department of Correction, Department of Children and Families, and the Commissioner of Probation, along with five members appointed by the governor, including a representative from Aid to Incarcerated Mothers, Inc., and an expert in reentry and family unification programs. The commission's work will involve reviewing existing programs, including those in other states, that connect incarcerated parents with their children and educate them on parental responsibilities, and it will also make recommendations for new programs, potentially administered by the state or non-profits, that could qualify for federal funding under the Second Chance Act of 2007.