Connecticut 2013 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06665 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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11 General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6665
22 January Session, 2013 LCO No. 4692
33 *04692_______JUD*
44 Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY
55 Introduced by:
66 (JUD)
77
88 General Assembly
99
1010 Raised Bill No. 6665
1111
1212 January Session, 2013
1313
1414 LCO No. 4692
1515
1616 *04692_______JUD*
1717
1818 Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY
1919
2020 Introduced by:
2121
2222 (JUD)
2323
2424 AN ACT CONCERNING REVIEW OF TRAFFIC STOP COMPLAINTS AND THE COLLECTION OF TRAFFIC STOP INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO IMMIGRATION STATUS.
2525
2626 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
2727
2828 Section 1. Section 54-1m of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2013):
2929
3030 (a) (1) Each municipal police department and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall adopt a written policy that prohibits the stopping, detention or search of any person when such action is solely motivated by considerations of race, color, ethnicity, age, gender or sexual orientation, and such action would constitute a violation of the civil rights of the person.
3131
3232 (2) When stopping, detaining or searching any person with respect to a traffic stop, no police officer may (A) request from the operator of the motor vehicle identification or documentation other than an operator's license, certificate of motor vehicle registration or automobile insurance identification card, or inquire as to the immigration status of the operator, or (B) request from any passenger of the motor vehicle identification or documentation or inquire as to the immigration status of the passenger unless the police officer has a reasonable suspicion, based on actions observed by the police officer or another person, that a criminal offense has been committed by such passenger.
3333
3434 (b) Not later than July 1, 2013, the Office of Policy and Management, in consultation with the Racial Profiling Prohibition Project Advisory Board established in section 54-1s, and the Criminal Justice Information System Governing Board shall, within available resources, develop and implement a standardized method:
3535
3636 (1) To be used by police officers of municipal police departments and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to record traffic stop information. The standardized method and any form developed and implemented pursuant to such standardized method shall allow the following information to be recorded: (A) Date and time of the stop; (B) location of the stop; (C) name and badge number of the police officer making the stop; (D) race, color, ethnicity, age and gender of the operator of the motor vehicle that is stopped, provided the identification of such characteristics shall be based on the observation and perception of the police officer responsible for reporting the stop; (E) the nature of the alleged traffic violation or other violation that caused the stop to be made and the statutory citation for such violation; (F) the disposition of the stop including whether a warning, citation or summons was issued, whether a search was conducted and whether a custodial arrest was made; and (G) any other information deemed appropriate. The method shall also provide for (i) such form to be completed in duplicate with a copy provided to the person stopped, (ii) notice to be given to the person stopped that if such person believes that such person has been stopped, detained or subjected to a search solely because of race, color, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion or membership in any other protected class, such person may file a complaint with the appropriate law enforcement agency or with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and [(ii)] (iii) instructions to be given to the person stopped on how to file any such complaint;
3737
3838 (2) To be used to report complaints pursuant to this section by any person who believes such person has been subjected to a motor vehicle stop by a police officer solely on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation or religion; and
3939
4040 (3) To be used by each municipal police department and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to report data to the Office of Policy and Management pursuant to subsection (h) of this section.
4141
4242 (c) Not later than July 1, 2013, the Office of Policy and Management, in consultation with the Racial Profiling Prohibition Project Advisory Board, shall develop and implement guidelines to be used by each municipal police department and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection in (1) training police officers of such agency in the completion of the form developed and implemented pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section, and (2) evaluating the information collected by police officers of such municipal police department and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection pursuant to subsection (e) of this section for use in the counseling and training of such police officers.
4343
4444 (d) (1) Prior to the date a standardized method and form have been developed and implemented pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section, each municipal police department and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall, using the form developed and promulgated pursuant to the provisions of subsection (h) in effect on January 1, 2012, record and retain the following information: (A) The number of persons stopped for traffic violations; (B) characteristics of race, color, ethnicity, gender and age of such persons, provided the identification of such characteristics shall be based on the observation and perception of the police officer responsible for reporting the stop and the information shall not be required to be provided by the person stopped; (C) the nature of the alleged traffic violation that resulted in the stop; (D) whether a warning or citation was issued, an arrest made or a search conducted as a result of the stop; and (E) any additional information that such municipal police department or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, as the case may be, deems appropriate, provided such information shall not include any other identifying information about any person stopped for a traffic violation such as the person's operator's license number, name or address.
4545
4646 (2) On and after the date a standardized method and form have been developed and implemented pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section, each municipal police department and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall record and retain the information required to be recorded pursuant to such standardized method and any additional information that such municipal police department or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, as the case may be, deems appropriate, provided such information shall not include any other identifying information about any person stopped for a traffic violation such as the person's operator's license number, name or address.
4747
4848 (e) Each municipal police department and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall provide to the Chief State's Attorney, [and] the Office of Policy and Management and the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (1) a copy of each complaint received pursuant to this section, and (2) written notification of the review and disposition of such complaint. No copy of such complaint shall include any other identifying information about the complainant such as the complainant's operator's license number, name or address.
4949
5050 (f) Any police officer who in good faith records traffic stop information pursuant to the requirements of this section shall not be held civilly liable for the act of recording such information unless the officer's conduct was unreasonable or reckless.
5151
5252 (g) If a municipal police department or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection fails to comply with the provisions of this section, or fails to implement corrective procedures prescribed by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities pursuant to section 2 of this act, the Office of Policy and Management shall recommend and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management may order an appropriate penalty in the form of the withholding of state funds from such municipal police department or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
5353
5454 (h) Not later than October 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, each municipal police department and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall provide to the Office of Policy and Management a summary report of the information recorded pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.
5555
5656 (i) The Office of Policy and Management shall, within available resources, review the prevalence and disposition of traffic stops and complaints reported pursuant to this section. Not later than January 1, 2014, and annually thereafter, the office shall report the results of any such review, including any recommendations, to the Governor, the General Assembly and any other entity deemed appropriate.
5757
5858 (j) Not later than January 1, 2013, the Office of Policy and Management shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary on the office's progress in developing a standardized method and guidelines pursuant to this section. Such report may include recommendations for amendments to this section.
5959
6060 Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2013) The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities shall review complaints received by the commission pursuant to section 54-1m of the general statutes, as amended by this act, with respect to traffic stops and determine whether any municipality or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection may be in substantial noncompliance with the requirements of said section. If, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the commission determines that a municipality or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection has been in substantial noncompliance with the requirements of said section, the commission shall prescribe corrective procedures for the municipality or department, as the case may be, and shall provide written notice of such finding and corrective procedures to such municipality or department and the Office of Policy and Management. Not later than one hundred eighty calendar days after receiving such notice, the municipality or department, as the case may be, shall submit a written report to the commission and the Office of Policy and Management detailing its efforts and progress in implementing such corrective procedures.
6161
6262 Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 46a-56 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2013):
6363
6464 (a) The commission shall:
6565
6666 (1) Investigate the possibilities of affording equal opportunity of profitable employment to all persons, with particular reference to job training and placement;
6767
6868 (2) Compile facts concerning discrimination in employment, violations of civil liberties and other related matters;
6969
7070 (3) Investigate and proceed in all cases of discriminatory practices as provided in this chapter and noncompliance with the provisions of section 4a-60 or 4a-60a, [or] sections 46a-68c to 46a-68f, inclusive, and section 54-1m, as amended by this act;
7171
7272 (4) From time to time, but not less than once a year, report to the Governor as provided in section 4-60, making recommendations for the removal of such injustices as it may find to exist and such other recommendations as it deems advisable and describing the investigations, proceedings and hearings it has conducted and their outcome, the decisions it has rendered and the other work it has performed;
7373
7474 (5) Monitor state contracts to determine whether they are in compliance with sections 4a-60 and 4a-60a, and those provisions of the general statutes which prohibit discrimination; [and]
7575
7676 (6) Compile data concerning state contracts with female and minority business enterprises and submit a report annually to the General Assembly concerning the employment of such business enterprises as contractors and subcontractors; and
7777
7878 (7) Review complaints with respect to traffic stops, make findings and prescribe corrective procedures pursuant to section 2 of this act.
7979
8080
8181
8282
8383 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
8484 Section 1 October 1, 2013 54-1m
8585 Sec. 2 October 1, 2013 New section
8686 Sec. 3 October 1, 2013 46a-56(a)
8787
8888 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
8989
9090 Section 1
9191
9292 October 1, 2013
9393
9494 54-1m
9595
9696 Sec. 2
9797
9898 October 1, 2013
9999
100100 New section
101101
102102 Sec. 3
103103
104104 October 1, 2013
105105
106106 46a-56(a)
107107
108108 Statement of Purpose:
109109
110110 To: (1) Limit the authority of police officers to inquire into the immigration status of persons pursuant to a traffic stop, and (2) establish a procedure for review of traffic stop complaints and implementation of corrective procedures with respect to such complaints.
111111
112112 [Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]