3-D Bail Bonds New Haven Shares Local CT Law Updates for July 1st

New Haven CT

30 June, 2021

4:56 PM

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New Connecticut Laws will Go into Effect in the Upcoming Months, Some on July 1st, 2021. As the most recent Connecticut legislative session adjourned, new bills officials have strived to pass will soon go into effect under state law. Lawmakers have been working to finalize these bills in their recent months in office at the Connecticut Senate and House of Representatives. Connecticut State officials along with Governor Lamont have passed numerous bills this last session that will be going into effect in July and the months following.  If you or someone you know has ever been involved in the Connecticut legal system in some way, here are three new Connecticut laws regarding protection from domestic violence, erasure of some criminal records, and the new law that legalizes the use of recreational marijuana in Connecticut as of July 1st. Jennifer’s Law The name was inspired by two Connecticut women who police say they were killed by their spouses. New Canaan mother, Jennifer Dulos, who went missing on May 24th, 2019, and Jennifer Magnano, who was killed by her ex-husband in 2007. Jennifer’s Law expands the definition of domestic violence in Connecticut. Passed by the Connecticut Senate and House of Representatives, the bill now has been signed by Governor Lamont into law. The expanded definition of domestic violence under Jennifer’s Law would include coercive control, meaning that threatening, humiliating, and intimidating acts that can harm a person and deprive them of their freedom can now be charged as domestic violence crimes. Senate Bill 1091 will provide new programs and services for the legal representation of domestic violence victims who file restraining orders as well. To protect victims of domestic violence, the new bill also makes the process of applying and being confirmed for a restraining order more accessible for many people. It also includes the option of emailing State Marshalls with the needed forms to apply rather than bringing them to the Marshall's office in person. Along with this, domestic violence victims can now testify in private and remote settings during court proceedings for matters relating to restraining, protective, and criminal protective orders. The bill will also require that victims of domestic violence are provided a safe place in all court locations, with the process of constructing these safe places beginning after July 1st, 2021. Marijuana legal in Connecticut as of July 1st After years of marijuana legislation being rejected, on Thursday, June 17th, the Connecticut Senate passed a bill that legalizes the recreational use of marijuana with a 16-11 vote. The bill now has been signed into law by Governor Lamont, making marijuana legal in CT. On June 22, 2021, Gov. Edward “Ned” Lamont signed S.B. 1201 — “An Act Concerning the Equitable and Responsible Regulation of Cannabis” — into law, concluding a multi-year effort to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis in the Constitution State. Earlier in June, the House and Senate passed S.B. 1201 in special session on 76-62 and 16-11 votes, respectively. The Clean-Slate Law that Erases Some Criminal Records The Clean-Slate Bill is a new law that will work to erase certain criminal records after several years, depending on the charges and arrests in a defendant’s history. Approved by the Connecticut Senate and House of Representatives last month, Governor Lamont signed Senate Bill 1019 into law at the beginning of June. Its goal is to help formerly incarcerated people find new opportunities in employment by clearing their records, helping them become successful in the future. The Clean-Slate Bill will not apply to Class A, B, or C felonies, certain unclassified felonies, domestic violence crimes, or crimes requiring sex offender registration. The bill will focus on formerly incarcerated people who have misdemeanors and Class D or F felonies on their record. Misdemeanors become eligible for erasure after seven years, while Class D and F felonies and unclassified felonies with prison time of five or fewer years can be wiped after 10 years. For offenses that occurred on or after January 1st, 2000, records will be automatically erased. Records that occurred before the date can be erased when the person of interest files a petition to the court. Although the Clean-Slate Bill won’t go into effect until January 1st, 2023, it is an important bill to take note of for formerly incarcerated persons. This post was contributed by Morgan Kicks at 3-D Bail Bonds, New Haven. We understand that facing criminal charges after a sudden arrest can affect someone’s life for years to come, contact a team of experts in jail release, and fight the case on equal grounds. Reasonable bail works, it offers affordability and accountability. To learn more about us, visit our website or call (203) 562-6666.