Connecticut Senate Bill SB00163

Connecticut 2010 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/16/10
• Refer: 2/16/10

Caption

An Act Restoring Funding For Human Rights Referees.

Impact

The passing of SB00163 is expected to have a significant impact on the state's human rights enforcement framework. With the restoration of funding, the Commission will be able to enhance its operations, addressing the backlog of human rights cases and improving the overall efficiency of the judicial process relating to human rights claims. This is a necessary step in reinforcing the state's commitment to human rights protections, particularly at a time when resources have been limited.

Summary

SB00163 is a legislative proposal aimed at restoring funding for human rights referees which were eliminated in the previous budget cuts. This bill proposes to appropriate sufficient funds to the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011. The intent of the bill is to enable the commission to fill the vacant human rights referee positions that were lost due to budgetary constraints in 2009. The reinstatement of these positions is critical for maintaining robust human rights advocacy and oversight within the state.

Contention

While the bill is largely seen as a positive step towards ensuring adequate human rights protections, there may be potential contention surrounding the allocation of funds within the state budget. Some stakeholders might argue about the priorities for funding, especially in the context of competing needs across various sectors such as education and public safety. This could prompt discussions on the implications of funding restoration and how it affects the budgetary balance in other areas.