House Republican Press Release

July 1, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

REP. FREY INFORMS CONSTITUENTS REGARDING NEW STATE LAWS EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST

As the new fiscal year begins, I am urging constituents to become familiar with new state laws that became effective July 1st.

“Every bill passed by the General Assembly affects someone - perhaps you - so it makes sense for Connecticut residents to become familiar with those new laws as they take effect,” said Rep. Frey, adding that the General Assembly’s nonpartisan Office Of Legislative Research describes these new laws in its OLR Major Acts report.

            Some of the laws effective as of July 1st include: 

• An Act Concerning Criminal Justice Reform which creates a new crime of home invasion; requires someone convicted of second degree burglary or home invasion to serve at least 85 percent of his or her sentence; alters the makeup of the state Board of Pardons and Parole; limits parole relief by administrative review; requires global positioning system (GPS) monitoring of 300 more parolees.

• An Act Concerning Making Permanent The Unemployment Benefits For Military Spouses stop spouses who leave their jobs to accompany their military spouses who are reassigned to out-of-state bases from losing their eligibility for unemployment compensation, which was set to expire on June 30^th.

• An Act Concerning Persistent Dangerous Felony Offenders And Providing Additional Resources To The Criminal Justice System, provides for those with one of the required prior convictions, it changes the penalty from up to 40 years in prison to a range between twice the minimum penalty for the crime the person stands convicted of, including twice any mandatory minimum sentence that applies, to a maximum of 40 years or twice the maximum penalty for the crime the person stands convicted of, whichever is longer. 2. For those with two of the required prior convictions, it changes the penalty from up to life in prison (statutorily defined as up to 60 years) to a range between three times the minimum penalty for the crime the person stands convicted of, including three times any mandatory minimum sentence that applies, and life in prison (60 years).

• An Act Concerning The Interstate Compact On Educational Opportunity For Military Children And Graduate Degrees For Members Of The Connecticut National Guard enacts and commits Connecticut to the terms of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children and creates an Interstate Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children to administer and enforce the compact. It also expands the National Guard tuition waiver program at UConn and in the Connecticut State University (CSU) system to include graduate programs.

• An Act Concerning The Protection Of Family Violence Victims In Family Relations Matters And The Notification Of A Family Or Household Member After A Motor Vehicle Fatality authorizes the Superior Court, in any family relations matter, to order that the testimony of a party or a child who is a subject of the proceeding be taken outside the physical presence of any other party under certain circumstances.

• An Act Concerning Tuition Waiver Benefit For Children And Surviving Spouses Of Armed Forces Members Killed In Action requires UConn, the Connecticut State University (CSU) system, and the regional community-technical colleges (CTC) to waive tuition for any Connecticut resident who is a dependent child or surviving spouse of a state resident killed in action while performing active military duty in the U. S. Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001

•  An Act Concerning Recognition Of Veterans extends eligibility to resident armed forces members and former members entitled to retirement pay under a specified federal law. It also extends eligibility for burial in the state veterans' cemeteries to these members and former members. The bill removes the ban on the Connecticut National Guard's adjutant general and veterans' affairs commissioner awarding ribbons and medals posthumously to resident wartime veterans, specifically allowing posthumous awards after June 30, 2005.

Other laws effective July 1^st are: An Act Concerning The State-Funded Home Care Program For The Disabled, and An Act Concerning A Pilot Program For Small House Nursing Homes And Additional Exceptions To The Nursing Home Bed Moratorium allowing more patients to receive home care.

An Act Concerning The Face Of Connecticut Steering Committee, The Preservation Of Farmland, A Municipal Grant Program For Development Projects, Loans For Brownfield Purchasers And Tax Exemptions For Open Space Land Held By Or For Certain Corporations establishes new programs and policies for preserving different types of land and cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated land (i. e. , brownfields).

An Act Concerning Responsible Lending And Economic Security that provides mediation and financial assistance to individuals and families and overhauls the regulation of mortgage brokers and lenders.

If you have thoughts on the new laws, other issues before the legislature, have a local issue of concern or just don’t know where to turn, please call me (toll free Hartford number is 800 – 842-1423 or at my home 431-6799), or write Legislative Office Building, Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106 or email John.Frey@housegop.ct.gov.