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This week, the Judiciary Committee voted to advance legislation that would expand restrictions on where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents can operate in Connecticut. The bills would prohibit ICE from entering places of worship and hospitals, ensuring that our residents are not afraid to seek medical care or practice their faith. Connecticut is already one of the safest states for immigrants in the country, and we do not need the federal government's heavy-handed enforcement tactics to keep our communities safe. Attorney General William Tong has voiced his support for these measures, noting that immigrants and their families have a right to be protected from violence and intimidation.
Earlier this month, the Committee also held a public hearing on several bills aimed at increasing state oversight of federal law enforcement officers, including SB 91 and SB 397, which would expand the definition of "peace officer" under state law to cover all federal law enforcement agents — not just those dealing with narcotics. Connecticut Inspector General Eliot Prescott testified that the state has a broad sovereign interest in ensuring that all officers, including federal agents, comply with Connecticut law. While these proposals continue to be refined, the Committee is committed to ensuring Connecticut has the tools it needs to hold everyone accountable under the law.
Bipartisan Compromise on License Plate Reader Privacy
In a significant bipartisan achievement, the Judiciary Committee approved a compromise bill that would prevent license plate reader data from being shared with federal immigration authorities. This legislation was the product of a broad collaboration among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the ACLU of Connecticut, the state Judicial Branch, and the Department of Transportation.
Under the bill, license plate data retention would be limited to a maximum of 30 days, and after seven days, police would be required to obtain a judicial warrant to access the information. The legislation strikes a careful balance: it preserves the ability of law enforcement to use this technology to solve crimes and protect our communities, while ensuring that residents' civil liberties are not compromised and that the data is not misused for immigration enforcement, reproductive health care investigations, or other purposes unrelated to public safety.
As Senator John Kissel, the ranking Republican on the Committee, noted, the warrant requirement after seven days is a crucial safeguard against "open-season fishing expeditions". The bill now heads to the House for a floor vote. Local law enforcement agencies are already updating their policies to align with these new standards.
Advancing Gun Safety Legislation
Public safety remains a top priority for the Judiciary Committee. This week, the Committee voted 24-12 to advance Governor Lamont's bill banning "convertible pistols" — firearms that can be easily converted into automatic machine guns using a small device known as a "Glock switch". These switches have been linked to mass shootings across the country, and Hartford police alone seized 51 of them between 2023 and 2024. House Bill 5043, the Governor's bill, would outlaw the future sale, manufacture, purchase, and importation of convertible pistols in Connecticut. The goal is to push manufacturers to redesign firearms so they cannot be so easily converted — a change that has already been made in European models. Machine guns are already illegal in the state of Connecticut, and guns that can essentially fire like machine guns should be treated no differently.
The Committee also heard testimony on additional gun-related measures, including a bill that would reclassify firearm components such as barrels and slides as firearms, requiring background checks for their purchase, and a third bill that would extend the waiting period before police can destroy confiscated firearms. Connecticut has long been a national leader on gun safety, and this Committee will continue to update our laws to keep pace with evolving technology and emerging threats.
Criminal Justice Reform: Expanding Early Parole Eligibility
The Judiciary Committee held a significant public hearing on SB 503, a bill that would expand early parole eligibility for individuals who committed crimes when they were under the age of 26. Over 200 people, including incarcerated individuals and their families, submitted testimony in support of the proposal. The bill is grounded in well-established neuroscience showing that the brain does not fully develop until around age 25, particularly in areas governing impulse control and long-term decision-making.
Under the proposed legislation, a person who committed a crime before turning 26 would become eligible for parole after serving 60% of a sentence of less than 50 years, or 30 years of a sentence of more than 50 years. Importantly, the bill does not mean automatic release — the Board of Pardons and Paroles would still make individual determinations about whether a person has been rehabilitated. Advocates and researchers have pointed to Connecticut's own data showing that only about 1 in 10 individuals released under similar earlier laws have returned to prison, compared to a general recidivism rate of 40% to 49%. This is about being smart on justice — acknowledging that people can grow beyond the worst mistakes of their youth while still respecting the needs of victims and communities.
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