Connecticut 2025 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01309 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 04/29/2025

                     
 
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General Assembly  Substitute Bill No. 1309  
January Session, 2025 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING FINES FOR CERTAIN DISCIPLINARY 
ACTIONS IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND THE DEPOSIT OF 
SUCH FINES INTO A FUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL PERSONS 
WHO ARE INCARCERATED.  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2025) (a) The warden of each 1 
correctional facility may impose, as part of any disciplinary action 2 
against an incarcerated person, a fine upon any such person found to 3 
have committed any of the following actions while incarcerated: (1) 4 
Arson; (2) assault against another person, including against an 5 
employee of the Department of Correction; (3) taking a person hostage, 6 
including an employee of the Department of Correction; (4) inciting or 7 
participating in a riot; (5) tampering with locking, security or safety 8 
devices; (6) unauthorized or fraudulent use of a monitored incarcerated 9 
person communication procedure or device; or (7) any other action that 10 
would constitute a felony under the general statutes. 11 
(b) The warden may assess any fine under subsection (a) of this 12 
section in an amount not less than fifteen dollars or more than fifty 13 
dollars. Any assessment of such fine shall be in addition to any other 14 
penalty assessed for the commission of any action described in 15 
subdivisions (1) to (7), inclusive, of subsection (a) of this section. 16  Substitute Bill No. 1309 
 
 
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(c) The Commissioner of Correction shall deposit any fine collected 17 
pursuant to this section into an account known as the Correctional 18 
General Welfare Fund for purposes provided for under section 4-57a of 19 
the general statutes, as amended by this act. 20 
Sec. 2. Section 4-57a of the general statutes is repealed and the 21 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 22 
(a) As used in this section, "activity fund" means any fund operated 23 
by the Commissioner of Correction for the benefit of [the inmates] 24 
persons who are incarcerated, the revenue of which is derived from any 25 
legal source compatible with the good government of any institution. 26 
(b) The Commissioner of Correction may, with the approval of the 27 
Comptroller and in accordance with procedures prescribed by the 28 
Comptroller, establish one or more activity funds. The Governor may 29 
allot from the funds appropriated to the Department of Correction any 30 
amount needed in [his] the Governor's judgment for the establishment 31 
of any such activity fund, and the Comptroller shall provide in such 32 
procedures for the reimbursement of such appropriation. The use of 33 
such state facilities as space, fixtures, heat and light to obtain revenue 34 
from the sources designated in subsection (a) of this section, is 35 
authorized. At the end of each quarter any cash balance in such fund not 36 
needed for the maintenance and continuance of its activities may, with 37 
the approval of the Comptroller, be transferred to the "Correctional 38 
General Welfare Fund" if such a fund has been established and, if not, 39 
shall remain in such activity fund. 40 
(c) The management of such funds shall be under the supervision of 41 
the Commissioner of Correction. The person acting as treasurer of any 42 
such fund shall be bonded in an amount determined by the State 43 
Insurance and Risk Management Board. 44 
(d) Unless otherwise provided by the donor, all gifts, donations or 45 
bequests made to [the inmates of] persons who are incarcerated in any 46 
correctional institution, unclaimed funds accumulated from money 47 
deposited for the use of [inmates] persons who are incarcerated in any 48  Substitute Bill No. 1309 
 
 
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institution, fines assessed pursuant to section 1 of this act and the 49 
interest on any such [money] moneys, shall be placed in a separate fund 50 
which may be known as the "Correctional General Welfare Fund" and 51 
shall be used in accordance with procedures prescribed by the 52 
Comptroller, for the benefit of [the inmates of] persons who are 53 
incarcerated in any institution in any manner which the Commissioner 54 
of Correction deems suitable. 55 
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following 
sections: 
 
Section 1 October 1, 2025 New section 
Sec. 2 October 1, 2025 4-57a 
 
JUD Joint Favorable Subst.