House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) testified today before a joint public hearing of the Judiciary Committee and Human Services Committee in support of the recommendations of the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence.
The two bills (HB 5497 and HB 5246) include a variety of changes that implement employment protections for family violence victims, require electronic monitoring for the highest risk domestic violence offenders, expand staffing at domestic violence shelters to allow them to remain open 24 hours a day, improve the enforcement of protective orders, enhance information sharing in family violence cases among appropriate state agencies, ensure that funding from the state’s marriage license surcharge is being adequately distributed to domestic violence shelters in a timely manner, and promote the development of dedicated domestic violence court dockets.
“On average Connecticut sees 20-25 murders related to domestic violence each year—I think we can all agree that’s 20-25 deaths that should never occur,” Speaker Donovan said in his testimony.
Speaker Donovan continued, “The legislation proposed by the task force will lead to meaningful changes aimed at preventing and addressing family and teen dating violence and empowering educators, service providers, law enforcement, state agencies, and survivors with new tools. Some of these solutions are new and some are recommendations you have heard before, but I cannot think of a better time to implement changes that will move our state forward in addressing these crimes.”
Rep. Mae Flexer, Chair of the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence, said, “It was important that we develop this legislation by meeting directly with survivors, domestic violence advocacy groups, law enforcement, and state prosecutors -- people who deal directly with these issues and put these practices into use. We've been looking at this from a broad, comprehensive perspective, including the judicial system, social services, public health, and the education system. It is imperative that the services assisting domestic violence survivors and the ones that work to prevent this type of crime function in cohesion with each other -- whether that be inside of a courtroom, in a safe residence, or in the classroom.”
“I am pleased that this legislation drew widespread support at the public hearing,” said Rep. Gerald Fox III, who is vice-Chair of the Judiciary Committee and chaired a task force on domestic violence in immigrant communities in 2008. “About 30 percent of criminal court dockets involve domestic violence, but many more of these crimes go unreported. The task force’s proposals will improve the ability of support programs, law enforcement and the Judicial Branch to respond to these cases.”
Additional information about the task force, including its full report of recommendations, can be found on its web site at http://www.housedems.ct.gov/DV.
