Gaston Shares Personal Testimony as Strengthened Trust Act Heads to Governor’s Desk

Today, state Senator Herron Keyon Gaston (D-Bridgeport) shared a personal story about his father ahead of updates made to Connecticut’s Trust Act.

House Bill 7259, ‘An Act Concerning Revisions To Various Statutes Concerning Criminal Justice,’ now heads to Governor Lamont for consideration.

Senator Gaston, son of an immigrant, said his father worked hard to put food on the table for their family. And “that immigrant helped his son to Yale University and I am proud of that story.”

“The updates made today to the Trust Act strengthen our commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of every resident, regardless of background. By allowing individuals to seek injunctive and declaratory relief when their rights are violated, we send a clear message that Connecticut will not tolerate the misuse of authority or discrimination at the hands of public institutions,” said Sen. Gaston.

Gaston said Connecticut has positioned itself as a leader in immigration rights and this bill will promote a compassionate and legal framework that other states should emulate.

This bill will:

1. Create a cause of action against towns that violate the Trust Act, which could be due to actions of police or school security officers. People can seek an injunction and declaratory relief, but not monetary damages.
2. Expand the list of convictions that are exempt from the Trust Act. Currently, state employees can coordinate with ICE if the person of interest has been convicted of a class A or B felony or is on the federal Terrorist Screening Database, and always if there is a Judicial Warrant for arrest. Today’s bill adds over a dozen additional crimes, mostly C felonies of a sexual assault nature.