Sen. Flexer and CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence Discuss Strategies for Combatting High ‘Dual Arrest’ Rates in State
State Senator Mae Flexer (D-Danielson) was joined today by leadership from the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV), law enforcement and the judicial system for a roundtable discussion on Connecticut’s domestic violence dual arrest rates and possible solutions.
“For far too long, we have been living under a set of rules that hinders a domestic violence victim’s ability to seek help or get justice. No victim should have to fear or endure the shame and humiliation of being arrested simply for seeking help in a dangerous—and even deadly—situation,” said Sen. Flexer. “And while we’ve made changes to improve law enforcement’s response to these crimes, it is clear we still need to explore changes to this practice which levies an added burden onto a victim of domestic violence at a time when the stakes are already so high.”
Connecticut has a domestic violence mandatory arrest law coupled with a self-defense exception. When a “dual arrest” occurs, both parties are arrested because the responding officer found probable cause that both individuals committed a family violence offense while not finding evidence that one of the individuals was acting in self-defense. In 2015, there were 17,634 domestic violence arrests in Connecticut, of which approximately 14 percent were dual arrests involving intimate partners—the national average for dual arrests in these relationship categories is between 2-7 percent. Those arrests generally occurred for misdemeanor offenses, such as breach of peace or disorderly conduct.
“We remain concerned about Connecticut’s significant dual arrest rate related to intimate partner violence,” said Karen Jarmoc, chief executive officer of Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “CCADV has worked diligently since 2013 training over 1,500 police officers on dual arrest and self-defense both independently and collaboratively with our partners at CT State Police and the Police Officer Standards & Training Council (POSTC). We look forward to continue working closely with state and municipal law enforcement to provide training and other tools that assist officers in making informed decisions related to domestic violence arrests.”
A comprehensive examination of dual arrest data and contributing factors to ensure that the specific circumstances surrounding dual arrest in Connecticut are fully understood prior to making policy or statutory changes
Targeted and mandatory dual arrest/self-defense training for all officers, both state and municipal, responsible for providing training on Connecticut’s family violence laws through both recruit and in-service training
Statutory changes, including consideration of a Primary Aggressor law which typically directs law enforcement to consider a number of factors to properly identify the “primary aggressor” in a domestic violence incident, including prior history of domestic violence, comparative injuries suffered by each party, use of threats, etc.
Changes to Connecticut’s Statewide Model Policy for the Police Response to Crimes of Family Violence, which is a policy overseen by the Connecticut General Assembly that provides uniformity for the statewide application of Connecticut family violence laws
Osten Lauds Passage of Bill to Help Homeowners With Crumbling Foundations
State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today joined by a bipartisan group of state legislators to celebrate the committee passage of a bill designed to help homeowners struggling with crumbling concrete foundations.
Senate Bill 806, “An Act Establishing The Crumbling Foundation Assistance Program And Assisting Homeowners With Crumbling Foundations,” was passed by the Public Safety and Security Committee on Wednesday.
The bill requires insurance companies to collect an annual $12 surcharge on homeowners’ and other property-related insurance policies beginning in July 2018 and continuing through October, 2025. The monies would be deposited into a new Crumbling Foundation Assistance Fund along with any other funding made available from state and federal sources. Under the bill, homeowners would be eligible for grants of up to $150,000, or 75 percent of the total cost to repair the foundation.
Sen. Osten said any state aid for homeowners should be coupled with a larger infusion of federal aid.
“This crumbling foundations situation has now risen to the point where we have the framework for a legislative solution—but we need federal dollars to make this a complete solution, and our congressional delegation supports seeking those federal dollars,” Sen. Osten said. “We need to take advantage of the federal lines of credit that we have available to us as a state so we can secure more money to fix these crumbling foundations. I am thrilled that we have gotten this far this soon in the legislative session, but we have continue working for those homeowners who are counting on us for a solution. Personally, I can’t wait for the day I get to visit a home whose foundation has been repaired.”
The bill now heads to the Senate floor for consideration.
Sen. Larson and Bipartisan Coalition of Lawmakers Announce Committee Passage of Bill to Assist Homeowners with Crumbling Concrete Foundations
State Senator Tim Larson (D-East Hartford) was joined today by a bipartisan coalition of state legislators to applaud the committee passage of a bill designed to help homeowners struggling with crumbling concrete foundations.
Senate Bill 806, “An Act Establishing The Crumbling Foundation Assistance Program And Assisting Homeowners With Crumbling Foundations,” was passed out of the Public Safety and Security Committee on March 15, 2017 and will advance to the Senate for further consideration.
“After hearing the concerns and testimony of the people who have been impacted by this crisis, our committee worked with residents, town managers, banks, insurance companies and others to develop the what we believe is a solution to mitigate the financial impact on those who have been impacted by crumbling concrete,” said Sen. Larson, co-chair the Public Safety and Security Committee. “This is not about politics, this is about people whose homes are quite literally collapsing beneath them, and it is incumbent upon us to help our residents grappling with this unimaginable situation.”
The bill would require insurance companies who provide homeowners’ and other property-related policies to collect a surcharge of $12 on each policy on or after July 1, 2018. That funding would be deposited into the Crumbling Foundation Assistance Fund along with any available funding from the state and federal governments, with the exception of Federal Emergency Management Agency funding.
“I want to praise the members of the Public Safety and Security Committee for working together to produce a bipartisan plan,” said Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). “The anguish and uncertainty caused by these faulty foundations has impacted untold numbers of families in eastern Connecticut.”
State Representative Tim Ackert (R-Coventry) said he is committed to working toward a bipartisan solution for homeowners this session.
“This is a first step in a solution to fixing those homes that have been affected by defective concrete in their foundations,” Rep. Ackert said. “I will continue to work on behalf of those residents to get this bill passed and signed by the governor. I will not leave this session without providing these residents with some piece of legislation that helps fix this situation.”
State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) also spoke in support of Senate Bill 806, noting that any state aid for homeowners should be coupled with a larger infusion of federal aid.
“This crumbling foundations situation has now risen to the point where we have the framework for a legislative solution—but we need federal dollars to make this a complete solution, and our congressional delegation supports seeking those federal dollars,” Sen. Osten said. “We need to take advantage of the federal lines of credit that we have available to us as a state so we can secure more money to fix these crumbling foundations. I am thrilled that we have gotten this far this soon in the legislative session, but we have continue working for those homeowners who are counting on us for a solution. Personally, I can’t wait for the day I get to visit a home whose foundation has been repaired.”
“No one should have to pay for their home twice over. This legislation allows towns to move forward with plans to provide tangible relief to families with crumbling concrete foundations,” Rep. Jeff Currey (D-East Hartford) said. “I will continue to work with Senator Larson and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to build upon the legislation passed out of committee this week.”
Administered by the Capital Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), the fund would be used to provide grants to eligible homeowners to repair or replace the cost of concrete foundations that have deteriorated or failed.
Under the legislation, homeowners would be eligible for grants of up to $150,000, or 75 percent of the total cost to repair the foundation.
Additionally, the CRCOG would have the authority to enter into a contract with the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority or another lending institution to develop and implement a long-term, low-interest loan program to assist homeowners with financing the remainder of the cost of the repair or replacement.
Bye Endorses Connecticut Democratic Proposal to Create Strongest Hate Crimes Laws in the Nation
State Senator Beth Bye (D-West Hartford) today joined Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven), advocates for tolerance and the Democratic leaders of the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee to introduce a comprehensive proposal to strengthen Connecticut’s hate crime laws, making them the strongest in the nation.
In recent months, incidents of hate including murders, assaults, bomb threats and vandalism have been directed against African-Americans, Hindu-Americans, Hispanics, Jews, Muslims, Sikh-Americans, transgender women and others in West Hartford, in Connecticut and across America.
“The Jewish Community Center in West Hartford has been the subject of a bomb threat, as has the Hebrew High School of New England across the street. Gravestones have been destroyed at the Zion Hill Cemetery in Hartford. ‘Make America White Again’ fliers have been scattered in Norwalk. All of this happened in the past 10 weeks. And I still recall years ago, during Connecticut’s debate about civil unions and marriage equality, when I received hate mail at my home and at my Capitol office that contained threats which the police had to investigate,” Sen. Bye said. “What we’re trying to do today with this legislation is to say not only are we as a community and a state not going to tolerate this type of abusive and criminal behavior, we are going to crack down on it and we are going to punish it severely.”
“The recent, alarming surge in hate crimes must be met with a strong and clear response,” said Senate President Looney. “Our hate crimes proposal will make Connecticut the national leader in the fight against these despicable acts, and it will serve as a model for other states looking to combat hate crimes based on bigotry and bias.”
Among other provisions, Connecticut’s proposal would:
Increase penalties, making it a felony (instead of a misdemeanor) for committing a hate crime against a group of persons (instead of a specific individual.)
Increase the penalty to a Class C felony (from a Class D felony) for making a bomb threat or other threat of violence against a house of worship, religious community center or other religious institution—or any daycare facility—if the threat is made with the intent to terrorize another person or to cause the evacuation of the building or grounds. This puts the penalty for such bomb threats on par with threats made against schools.
Increase the penalty for desecrating any house of worship or any religious cemetery from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony if there is more than $10,000 in damage, or a Class D felony if there is less than $10,000 in damage.
Establish a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 for individuals convicted of hate crimes, and require such fines to be deposited into a fund for anti-hate crime education initiatives.
“Hate crimes have a unique nature and impact on victims, communities and society as a whole. All states can and should do more to address bias-motivated violence, and that is exactly what Connecticut will accomplish with this legislation,” said Steve Ginsberg, Director of the Anti-Defamation League for the Connecticut Region. “This bill will help increase reporting, ensure enforcement, and take steps to deter hate crimes from occurring. At a time where fear of bias-motivated crimes is on the rise, if passed into law, this bill will send a powerful message to all residents that hate crimes will be taken seriously and will not be tolerated.”
“Threats, intimidation and harassment made on the basis of one’s race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity and expression are unacceptable, and it’s imperative to add sex and gender to hate crime protections,” said Catherine Bailey, Deputy Director of the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund. “Women experience an alarming rate of harassment and violence each day—often motivated by bias—resulting in devastating consequences to victims. It’s time to take steps to curb such hateful acts and to protect the citizens of Connecticut.”
“As the number of hate crimes against Muslims, Jews and other religious minorities rise, there is a critical need to appropriately classify such crimes as felonies,” said Farhan Memon, Chairperson of The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) of Connecticut. “We are a multi-religious society, so an attack against one of our houses of worship is an attack against us all. Ensuring that our laws reflect this principle is essential.”
2015 Hate Crime Statistics in Connecticut (FBI UCR data):
94 hate-related incidents reported by law enforcement agencies
66 percent were based on the race, ethnicity, or ancestry of the victim(s)
20 percent were based on the religion of the victim(s)
10 percent were based on the sexual orientation of the victim(s)
2015 Hate Crime Statistics in America (FBI UCR data):
5,850 hate-related incidents reported by law enforcement agencies
56 percent were based on the race, ethnicity, or ancestry of the victim(s)
21 percent were based on the religion of the victim(s)
19 percent were based on the gender identity of the victim(s)
18 percent were based on the sexual orientation of the victim(s)
Statement from Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff on Norwalk School Construction Compromise
Norwalk, CT—Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today released the following statement regarding an agreement on a five-year capital school construction plan:
“Our children deserve a first class education which is why I fought so hard for this compromise,” said Senator Duff. “Working together, we have been able to put forward a realistic plan that will result in Norwalk’s children being educated in an environment that is safe and conducive to learning. Building new schools, while ignoring the majority of our existing schools, was never the proper course. The revised plan addresses years of neglect and deferred maintenance. I want to thank all of the parents, teachers, staff, students and residents of Norwalk who reached out to me in support of fixing our current schools. Thanks to you, we are on a path to see real improvement.”
Democrats Propose Strongest Hate Crimes Laws in the Nation
Lawmakers seek to combat surge in hate crimes since the 2016 election
Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and the Democratic leaders of the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee—Senator Paul Doyle (D-Wethersfield) and Representative William Tong (D-Stamford)—today introduced a comprehensive proposal to strengthen Connecticut’s hate crime laws, making them the strongest in the nation.
In recent months, incidents of hate including murders, assaults, bomb threats and vandalism have been directed against African-Americans, Hindu-Americans, Hispanics, Jews, Muslims, Sikh- Americans, transgender women and others in Connecticut and across America.
“This recent, alarming surge in hate crimes must be met with a strong and clear response,” said Sen. Looney. “We will have zero tolerance and punish these crimes to their fullest extent. When a bomb threat is made against a religious community center, a religious cemetery is desecrated, a mosque is vandalized, or women and the LGBT community are specifically targeted, these are crimes that affect not just the members of the building and the cemetery that is threatened or vandalized, but which affect all members of protected groups in our society. Our hate crimes proposal will make Connecticut the national leader in the fight against these despicable acts, and it will serve as a model for other states looking to combat hate crimes based on bigotry and bias.”
“It is extremely important that we act quickly to send a strong message and renounce hate in all its forms,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “Connecticut will stand united against these acts of violence, intimidation and other cowardly tactics. We must not allow a culture that fosters fear and persecution to develop in Connecticut.”
“We’ve been seeing a disturbing increase in hate crimes and related incidents, and this can and must be stopped,” said Rep. Tong. “Strengthening our laws and toughening the penalties for these despicable behaviors is something we can do immediately. In the long term, we may also want to consider new programs for educating the public. When someone becomes the target of a crime because of their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability, the very fabric of our democracy is torn. This cannot be tolerated.”
“In the current climate of increased religious hate crimes around the country, it is critical that we respond legislatively to this unacceptable increase in hate crimes,” said Sen. Doyle. “It’s crucial that we strengthen our hate crime laws to adequately punish those individuals who commit these horrific crimes, and that we send a message to others who are contemplating committing such cowardly acts.”
“ADL commends Senator Looney and his co-sponsors for their leadership on this issue, and we welcome the timely introduction of this bill,” said Steve Ginsberg , Director of the Anti-Defamation League for the Connecticut Region. “Hate crimes have a unique nature and impact on victims, communities and society as a whole. All states can and should do more to address bias-motivated violence, and that is exactly what Connecticut will accomplish with this legislation. This bill will help increase reporting, ensure enforcement, and take steps to deter hate crimes from occurring. At a time where fear of bias-motivated crimes is on the rise, if passed into law, this bill will send a powerful message to all residents that hate crimes will be taken seriously and will not be tolerated.”
“The Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund applauds lawmakers for advancing legislation to strengthen and modernize Connecticut’s hate crimes laws,” said Catherine Bailey, Deputy Director, Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund. “Threats, intimidation and harassment made on the basis of one’s race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity and expression are unacceptable, and it’s imperative to add sex and gender to hate crime protections. Women experience an alarming rate of harassment and violence each day—often motivated by bias—resulting in devastating consequences to victims. It’s time to take steps to curb such hateful acts and to protect the citizens of Connecticut.”
“For centuries, our communities have been targeted because of their skin color, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, immigration status or religious beliefs. And the harsh reality is that our current political climate has amplified many racist and xenophobic sentiments and the occurrence of hate crimes in our country, and that has created fear for many in our communities,” said Sandra Trevino, Executive Director of Junta for Progressive Action. “Now more than ever, we need our elected officials to stand up, to distinctly denounce these crimes, and to actively work to prevent them.”
“As the number of hate crimes against Muslims, Jews and other religious minorities rise, there is a critical need to appropriately classify such crimes as felonies,” said Farhan Memon, Chairperson of The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) of Connecticut. “We are a multi-religious society, so an attack against one of our houses of worship is an attack against us all. Ensuring that our laws reflect this principle is essential.”
Connecticut’s proposal:
Strengthens hate crime laws by increasing penalties, making it a felony (instead of a misdemeanor) for committing a hate crime against a group of persons (instead of a specific individual.)
Strengthens and modernizes Connecticut’s hate crime laws to include hate crimes based on gender (sex). Current law protects only “gender identity or expression,” not gender.
Strengthens hate crime laws by increasing the penalty to a Class C felony (from a Class D felony) for making a bomb threat or other threat of violence against a house of worship, religious community center or other religious institution—or any daycare facility—if the threat is made with the intent to terrorize another person or to cause the evacuation of the building or grounds. This puts the penalty for such bomb threats on par with threats made against schools.
Strengthens hate crime laws by increasing the penalty for desecrating any house of worship or any religious cemetery from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony if there is more than $10,000 in damage, or a Class D felony if there is less than $10,000 in damage.
Strengthens hate crime laws by expanding the threshold for a 1st-degree hate crime from its current requirement of causing “serious physical injury” to instead causing “physical injury.”
Strengthens hate crime laws by punishing attempts to commit them, by including in the 2nd-degree hate crime statute attempts to damage, destroy or deface property.
Establishes a court’s power to order extensive, relevant community service and/or restitution, in addition to any other penalties imposed for hate crime convictions.
Establishes a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 for individuals convicted of hate crimes, and requires such fines to be deposited into a fund for anti-hate crime education initiatives.
Creates a state-wide Hate Crimes Advisory Council.
Creates and publicizes a hate crimes hot line and a text line for reporting incidents of harassment or intimidation of minority groups in the state.
Allows an employee to take up to 16 hours of job-protected leave in one year if the employee has to leave work due to an evacuation of his or her child’s school or day care facility.
2015 Hate Crime Statistics in Connecticut (FBI UCR data)
94 hate-related incidents reported by law enforcement agencies
66 percent were based on the race, ethnicity, or ancestry of the victim(s)
20 percent were based on the religion of the victim(s)
10 percent were based on the sexual orientation of the victim(s)
4 percent were based on the disability of the victim(s)
2015 Hate Crime Statistics in America (FBI UCR data)
5,850 hate-related incidents (covering 6,885 offenses) reported by law enforcement agencies
56 percent were based on the race, ethnicity, or ancestry of the victim(s)
21 percent were based on the religion of the victim(s)
19 percent were based on the gender identity of the victim(s)
18 percent were based on the sexual orientation of the victim(s)
12 percent were based on the disability of the victim(s)
0.4 percent were based on the “gender” (male or female) of the victim(s)
Figures exceed 100 percent because some incidents involved crimes against a victim in more than one protected class.
Democrats Propose Strongest Hate Crimes Laws in the Nation
Lawmakers seek to combat surge in hate crimes since the 2016 election
Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and the Democratic leaders of the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee—Senator Paul Doyle (D-Wethersfield) and Representative William Tong (D-Stamford)—today introduced a comprehensive proposal to strengthen Connecticut’s hate crime laws, making them the strongest in the nation.
In recent months, incidents of hate including murders, assaults, bomb threats and vandalism have been directed against African-Americans, Hindu-Americans, Hispanics, Jews, Muslims, Sikh- Americans, transgender women and others in Connecticut and across America.
“This recent, alarming surge in hate crimes must be met with a strong and clear response,” said Sen. Looney. “We will have zero tolerance and punish these crimes to their fullest extent. When a bomb threat is made against a religious community center, a religious cemetery is desecrated, a mosque is vandalized, or women and the LGBT community are specifically targeted, these are crimes that affect not just the members of the building and the cemetery that is threatened or vandalized, but which affect all members of protected groups in our society. Our hate crimes proposal will make Connecticut the national leader in the fight against these despicable acts, and it will serve as a model for other states looking to combat hate crimes based on bigotry and bias.”
“It is extremely important that we act quickly to send a strong message and renounce hate in all its forms,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “Connecticut will stand united against these acts of violence, intimidation and other cowardly tactics. We must not allow a culture that fosters fear and persecution to develop in Connecticut.”
“We’ve been seeing a disturbing increase in hate crimes and related incidents, and this can and must be stopped,” said Rep. Tong. “Strengthening our laws and toughening the penalties for these despicable behaviors is something we can do immediately. In the long term, we may also want to consider new programs for educating the public. When someone becomes the target of a crime because of their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability, the very fabric of our democracy is torn. This cannot be tolerated.”
“In the current climate of increased religious hate crimes around the country, it is critical that we respond legislatively to this unacceptable increase in hate crimes,” said Sen. Doyle. “It’s crucial that we strengthen our hate crime laws to adequately punish those individuals who commit these horrific crimes, and that we send a message to others who are contemplating committing such cowardly acts.”
“ADL commends Senator Looney and his co-sponsors for their leadership on this issue, and we welcome the timely introduction of this bill,” said Steve Ginsberg , Director of the Anti-Defamation League for the Connecticut Region. “Hate crimes have a unique nature and impact on victims, communities and society as a whole. All states can and should do more to address bias-motivated violence, and that is exactly what Connecticut will accomplish with this legislation. This bill will help increase reporting, ensure enforcement, and take steps to deter hate crimes from occurring. At a time where fear of bias-motivated crimes is on the rise, if passed into law, this bill will send a powerful message to all residents that hate crimes will be taken seriously and will not be tolerated.”
“The Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund applauds lawmakers for advancing legislation to strengthen and modernize Connecticut’s hate crimes laws,” said Catherine Bailey, Deputy Director, Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund. “Threats, intimidation and harassment made on the basis of one’s race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity and expression are unacceptable, and it’s imperative to add sex and gender to hate crime protections. Women experience an alarming rate of harassment and violence each day—often motivated by bias—resulting in devastating consequences to victims. It’s time to take steps to curb such hateful acts and to protect the citizens of Connecticut.”
“For centuries, our communities have been targeted because of their skin color, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, immigration status or religious beliefs. And the harsh reality is that our current political climate has amplified many racist and xenophobic sentiments and the occurrence of hate crimes in our country, and that has created fear for many in our communities,” said Sandra Trevino, Executive Director of Junta for Progressive Action. “Now more than ever, we need our elected officials to stand up, to distinctly denounce these crimes, and to actively work to prevent them.”
“As the number of hate crimes against Muslims, Jews and other religious minorities rise, there is a critical need to appropriately classify such crimes as felonies,” said Farhan Memon, Chairperson of The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) of Connecticut. “We are a multi-religious society, so an attack against one of our houses of worship is an attack against us all. Ensuring that our laws reflect this principle is essential.”
Connecticut’s proposal:
Strengthens hate crime laws by increasing penalties, making it a felony (instead of a misdemeanor) for committing a hate crime against a group of persons (instead of a specific individual.)
Strengthens and modernizes Connecticut’s hate crime laws to include hate crimes based on gender (sex). Current law protects only “gender identity or expression,” not gender.
Strengthens hate crime laws by increasing the penalty to a Class C felony (from a Class D felony) for making a bomb threat or other threat of violence against a house of worship, religious community center or other religious institution—or any daycare facility—if the threat is made with the intent to terrorize another person or to cause the evacuation of the building or grounds. This puts the penalty for such bomb threats on par with threats made against schools.
Strengthens hate crime laws by increasing the penalty for desecrating any house of worship or any religious cemetery from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony if there is more than $10,000 in damage, or a Class D felony if there is less than $10,000 in damage.
Strengthens hate crime laws by expanding the threshold for a 1st-degree hate crime from its current requirement of causing “serious physical injury” to instead causing “physical injury.”
Strengthens hate crime laws by punishing attempts to commit them, by including in the 2nd-degree hate crime statute attempts to damage, destroy or deface property.
Establishes a court’s power to order extensive, relevant community service and/or restitution, in addition to any other penalties imposed for hate crime convictions.
Establishes a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 for individuals convicted of hate crimes, and requires such fines to be deposited into a fund for anti-hate crime education initiatives.
Creates a state-wide Hate Crimes Advisory Council.
Creates and publicizes a hate crimes hot line and a text line for reporting incidents of harassment or intimidation of minority groups in the state.
Allows an employee to take up to 16 hours of job-protected leave in one year if the employee has to leave work due to an evacuation of his or her child’s school or day care facility.
2015 Hate Crime Statistics in Connecticut (FBI UCR data)
94 hate-related incidents reported by law enforcement agencies
66 percent were based on the race, ethnicity, or ancestry of the victim(s)
20 percent were based on the religion of the victim(s)
10 percent were based on the sexual orientation of the victim(s)
4 percent were based on the disability of the victim(s)
2015 Hate Crime Statistics in America (FBI UCR data)
5,850 hate-related incidents (covering 6,885 offenses) reported by law enforcement agencies
56 percent were based on the race, ethnicity, or ancestry of the victim(s)
21 percent were based on the religion of the victim(s)
19 percent were based on the gender identity of the victim(s)
18 percent were based on the sexual orientation of the victim(s)
12 percent were based on the disability of the victim(s)
0.4 percent were based on the “gender” (male or female) of the victim(s)
Figures exceed 100 percent because some incidents involved crimes against a victim in more than one protected class.
