Connecticut § 18-81jj - Correction Advisory Committee.

§ 18-81jj. Correction Advisory Committee.

Sec. 18-81jj. Correction Advisory Committee. (a) There is established the Correction Advisory Committee that shall consist of eleven members. Such members shall be appointed as follows:

(1) One who is directly impacted, appointed by the Senate chairperson of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the Department of Correction;

(2) One who has expertise in law, specifically the rights of incarcerated persons, appointed by the House chairperson of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the Department of Correction;

(3) One who has a demonstrated interest in advancing the rights and welfare of incarcerated persons, appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;

(4) One who has a demonstrated interest in advancing the rights and welfare of incarcerated persons, appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) One who has expertise in the provision of mental health care to incarcerated persons or formerly incarcerated persons, appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;

(6) One who has expertise in the provision of medical care to incarcerated persons or formerly incarcerated persons, appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;

(7) One of whom is a victim of a violent crime, a person who advocates for victims' rights or an attorney who has represented a victim of a violent crime, appointed by the House ranking member of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the Department of Correction;

(8) One who has an expertise in corrections, appointed by the Senate ranking member of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the Department of Correction; and

(9) Three who are appointed by the Governor, one of whom has expertise in corrections, one of whom has expertise in medication in a correctional setting and one of whom is directly impacted.

(b) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, “directly impacted” means (1) a person who was previously incarcerated within a facility operated by the department and is no longer under probation or any supervision by the department, or (2) a family member of a person described in subdivision (1) of this subsection or of a person who is in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction.

(c) All appointments to the committee, including vacancy appointments which shall be filled by the appointing authority having the power to make the original appointment, shall be made as follows:

(1) Not later than thirty days after May 10, 2022, or after any vacancy, each appointing authority or any such authority filling a vacancy shall submit a letter designating such authority's appointment or appointments to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the Department of Correction. Such joint standing committee shall post such letters on its Internet web site. The Senate and House chairpersons of such joint standing committee shall schedule a public hearing of such proposed appointments to be conducted not later than forty days after May 10, 2022, or ten days after the submission of a letter in the case of a vacancy.

(2) After such hearing, each appointing authority shall confirm or withdraw such authority's appointment or appointments. Any appointing authority who withdraws an appointment shall, not later than ten days after such withdrawal, submit a new letter to such joint standing committee of the General Assembly designating a different appointment or appointments, which shall initiate the hearing and approval or withdrawal process pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection and this subdivision for such appointment or appointments.

(d) The chairpersons of the Correction Advisory Committee shall be the members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of said committee, which shall be held not later than sixty days after May 10, 2022.

(e) Each committee member shall serve a four-year term, except that each initial term shall run for four years from February 1, 2023. Each committee member may serve up to two terms. In the event of a vacancy appointment, the member appointed to fill the vacancy shall serve the remainder of the original member's four-year term and may be reappointed for up to two more terms.

(f) Each member shall serve without compensation but shall, within available appropriations, be reimbursed for necessary expenses that such member may incur through service on the Correction Advisory Committee.

(g) Each member shall, not later than ten days after the first meeting of the Correction Advisory Committee in which such member participates, take an oath of office to diligently and honestly administer the affairs of said committee. The oath shall be administered by a chairperson of said committee.

(h) A majority of the members appointed to the Correction Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum, which shall be necessary for the committee to conduct business. A majority vote of the members present shall be required for action of the committee.

(i) Any committee member shall be indemnified and represented by the Attorney General pursuant to section 5-141d.

(j) The Correction Advisory Committee shall perform the following functions:

(1) Submit a list of candidates for Correction Ombuds for the Governor's consideration, pursuant to subsection (k) of this section;

(2) Review the actions of the Correction Ombuds pursuant to section 18-81qq;

(3) Meet not less than quarterly to bring matters to the Correction Ombuds' attention and to consult on the Correction Ombuds' services, findings and recommendations; and

(4) Convene semiannual public hearings to discuss the Correction Ombuds' services, findings and recommendations.

(k) Not later than eighty days after May 10, 2022, or not later than sixty days after any vacancy in the position of Correction Ombuds, the Correction Advisory Committee shall solicit applications for such position and meet to consider and interview the most qualified candidates who are residents of this state for such position. Said committee shall select not fewer than three and not more than five of the most outstanding candidates, publish the names of such selected candidates on said committee's Internet web site and hold a public hearing allowing testimony from members of the public concerning the selected candidates. Said committee shall submit to the Governor a list of selected candidates. Such list shall rank the candidates in the order of committee preference.

(l) Not later than thirty days after receiving the list submitted under subsection (k) of this section, the Governor, with the approval of the General Assembly, shall appoint a person qualified by training and experience as the Correction Ombuds. If at any time any of the candidates withdraw from consideration prior to confirmation by the General Assembly, the designation shall be made from the remaining candidates on the list submitted to the Governor. If, not later than thirty days after receiving the list, the Governor fails to designate a candidate from the list, the candidate ranked first shall receive the designation and be referred to the General Assembly for confirmation. If the General Assembly is not in session, the designated candidate shall serve as acting Correction Ombuds and be entitled to the compensation, privileges and powers of the Correction Ombuds until the General Assembly meets to take action on said appointment.

(m) The person appointed as Correction Ombuds shall serve for an initial term of two years and may serve until a successor is appointed and confirmed in accordance with this section. Such person may be reappointed for succeeding terms.

(n) Upon any vacancy in the position of Correction Ombuds and until such time as a candidate has been confirmed by the General Assembly or, if the General Assembly is not in session, has been designated by the Governor, the Associate Correction Ombuds, as designated by the Correction Advisory Committee, shall serve as the acting Correction Ombuds and be entitled to the compensation, privileges and powers of the Correction Ombuds until the General Assembly meets to take action on said appointment.

(P.A. 19-117, S. 68; P.A. 22-18, S. 1; 22-114, S. 6.)

History: P.A. 19-117 effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 22-18 substantially revised section by replacing existing language re ombudsman services with new language re the Correction Advisory Committee, effective May 10, 2022; P.A. 22-114 amended Subsec. (a) to increase membership from 9 to 11, add new Subdiv. (7) re a victim of violent crime, add Subdiv. (8) re one who has expertise in corrections and redesignate existing Subsec. (7) as Subsec. (9), effective May 27, 2022.