State Senator Dennis Bradley on Tuesday joined his legislative colleagues to roll out what they call “A Just Connecticut,” the first of four legislative agendas for the 2019 session of the General Assembly, focused on the state’s criminal justice system, strengthening gun safety protections and expanding ballot access.
News release from Bradley:
“Our justice system has failed many people of color in our society,” said Sen. Bradley. “We have the opportunity to right some of the wrongs with how our justice system works and focus on reform. We also have the opportunity to keep our residents safe from the epidemic of gun violence gripping our nation and expand voting rights so everyone’s voice can be heard. I’m excited to get to work on this important legislation.”
The legislative proposals in the “A Just Connecticut” agenda include:
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Senate Bill 654: An Act Concerning A Right to Counsel for Immigrant Children
To ensure children of immigrants are represented in issues regarding their well-being.— In FY 2018, there were 971 filings initiated in Connecticut for juvenile deportation proceedings. Largest represented countries of origin were Guatemala (309), Honduras (152), and Brazil (152). 716 of those individuals, or 78%, were not represented by counsel.
— California; Washington; and Denver, Colorado have allocated funding for legal representation of immigrants.
— New Jersey recently allocated $2.1 million for legal representation of immigrants.
— The bill would establish a new program to provide legal counsel to undocumented minors. Roughly $800,000 a year would be needed.
Senate Bill 689: An Act Concerning Tolling Temporary Restraining Orders (SB 689)
To continue a temporary restraining order after the person alleged to be a threat is released from jail or custody.— It is possible that a restraining order is issued when the alleged abuser is in jail, or that the alleged abuser is arrested and in jail during the days prior to the hearing. If there is no hearing, which can be complicated by the alleged abuser’s arrest, then the restraining order can expire.
— The bill would toll (delay) the time between issuing the restraining order and the hearing by one day for each day that the alleged abuser is in custody of law enforcement.
Senate Bill 653: An Act Concerning Open File Disclosure in Criminal Cases
To require prosecuting officials to automatically disclose certain pieces of evidence in criminal cases.— Adoption of automatic discovery, so that overworked defense attorneys do not need to make requests for the most common document requests. State Attorneys will be required to disclose certain materials.Senate Bill 691: An Act Concerning Expungement of Criminal Records
To create a system of expungement of criminal records for offenders that have remained crime-free for a significant period following the end of his or her sentence.— There is a strong correlation between housing and employment and the likelihood that a convicted person will reoffend. The sad truth is that a person’s criminal record makes it unfairly more difficult to acquire housing and employment.
— The bill would automatically expunge (destroy) or erase (seal and prohibit public access to) certain criminal records if an offender does not re-offend within a designated number of years from release
VOTING RIGHTS
Senate Joint Resolution 14: A Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the State Constitution to Allow for Early Voting
To amend the Constitution of the State of Connecticut to allow for in person voting for a period prior to election day.Senate Bill 266: An Act Concerning Ballot Access for Students on College and University Campuses
To provide polling locations on college and university campuses for students to make it easier for students to vote.GUN SAFETY
Senate Bill 655: An Act Concerning Ghost Guns
To ensure the sale of firearms adhere to serial number requirements and to close loopholes contributing to the illegal possession of firearms.— Without a serial number, law enforcement cannot run a search on a gun, making it impossible to determine chain of custody.
— Bill would close loopholes by banning guns that do not have serial numbers and prohibit the sale of any materials or services that permit the construction of guns outside the regulated marketplace.
Senator Bradley,one of your constituents was killed/murdered last night. What are you going to do about it TODAY? How about having a chat with Police Superintendent Perez about what what will Perez do about protecting your constituents?
Dennis Bradley missed ANOTHER meeting of the school board last night.
I have been compiling the attendance record of every school board member and will be posting it soon.
So far, Dennis Bradley has the worst attendance record closely followed by Chris Taylor with Jessica Martinez in third place.
Joseph Sokolovic has the best attendance record with myself in second place.
There have been calls for the resignation for State Senator Dennis Bradley and Chris Taylor from the BOE due to their absences/possible future absences. We heard from a reliable source here on OIB that Bradley would be leaving the BOE “soon.” I’ve been thinking especially in light of the quorum incident that happened recently. I am “wondering” if Bradley/ Taylor will not leave the BOE and then the “powers to be” could control the BOE through quorum manipulation.
I grew up on William St. a couple of blocks away from Washington Park.
How tragic.
Wasn’t it Mayor Ganim who used the shootings and murders against Mayor Finch on the campaign trail in 2015?
I know several people lold him it was highly inappropriate, but he did it anyway.
Now we are 39 days into 2019 and already have four murders and numerous shootings.
Talking about State Senators……Hi Lennie. I read somewhere that State Senator/BPT mayoral candidate put out a statement about the Ricci affairs. I don’t know if it was a press release. Any chance of coverage on OIB??? Thank you.
Ok… Some statements from State Senator/Mayoral Candidate Marilyn Moore in a CT POST article which gave an overview of “Scrapgate.”
https://m.ctpost.com/local/article/FBI-visits-Bridgeport-Department-of-Finance-13590688.php?fbclid=IwAR1CWx5wHUy2SSIxFT4GHdLUtXvOSYEp6vtS0352GIi5-o_NuFcZlzQUsQQ
***State Senator/Mayoral candidate Marilyn Moore.
We are planning a meeting with the chief of police Our public Safety and Transportation committee.
My phone hasn’t stop ringing. we are seeing to many innocent people being Killed. Young people are carrying guns and acting like this is the wild wild west. This is so sad we have no way of taking these guns out of the hands of people who should not have them. Everyone talk about ME making a suggestion about Stop and Frisk. Good men and women boys and girl can’t walk to the store or look out their windows or even stand in front of their homes not knowing and worrying if it safe! Maybe we should all bare arms so we can feel Safe in our City. GOD Help Us ALL>
Ernie,
Thanks for the quick response.
I just spoke with Our Council President and other members of the city council setting up a meeting. This has to stop. Just read two people shot in New Haven last night. The bad guys should not be winning. We better wake up, your love one could be next.
Ernie, thirty one states in America are “open carry” states, that’s 31 states so why not Connecticut? Where is “stop and frisk” working?
RON, Just let innocent people keep getting killed on our streets. Maybe when enough people die and God forbids someone in your family is killed for no reason at all. Maybe you will see the light. This is not the wild wild west if it is maybe we should all carry guns with a permit to do so. Ron the people shooting up our streets dont give a damm about life or anyone else. If i didn’t know better Ron i would began to think as long as its no one in my family being killed. Who cares. But i know you don’t feel like that. We will just be prisoners in our own homes its bad enough we can’t walk to a store now we can’t look out our windows GOD HELP US ALL!
Brother Mackey Connecticut is an open carry state.
Doesn’t the Bridgeport delegation meet with the Mayor and agree on the legislative agenda that is best for Bridgeport and then agree to work together on it?
Dennis Bradley has his own agenda?
If that were the case Tom, we never would have gotten the massage parlors closed. I’m sure they meet about money, but my experience is they either their own agenda they promote and get support for, or they support their fellow elected officials legislation.
To put a face on this tragedy,please look at the previous post on OIB.
Dennis Bradley is motivated by narcissism, just as Donald Trump is.
Christopher Taylor’s mother was a victim of domestic violence over the weekend and was murdered. Question is why isn’t Chris Taylor acknowledging this and why is he doing everything in his power to keep his name and face out of the press. Does he know the Feds are looking into his actions as well. OIB do we allow outsiders into elected positions.
If Chris Taylor had a violent fatality in his family,my condolences to Chris Taylor and his family.
That wasn’t Chris Taylor mom his mother is still alive!
I’m confused and there should be absolutely no confusion about such statement. There was an incident in Fairfield over the weekend. The surname is the same but NOTHING should be assumed.
https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Fairfield-murder-suspect-recalled-as-bully-13592248.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ctpost_dailynewsletter#photo-16872439
Ernie, why are you still extolling the virtue of Stop and Frisk which would unfairly impact the 99.9% of the young people that aren’t killing or shooting people. It is a fact the 92% of black’s kill other black’s and 87% of white people kill other white people.
These are indisputable facts and as long as any fool can buy a gun there will be innocent lives taken because of said guns. Do you want to do something constructive, convince our people that snitching isn’t telling the police when we see a crime committed, that merely being a community advocate. Snitching is if you and I rob a bank and I get caught and I tell the police you were with me, that’s snitching. This shit will never stop until we take responsibility for our communities by understanding that if we see something, say something. This will never stop until we as a people stand up for our community and our people like we love them.
By the way you challenged Ron about if his opinion would be different if he experienced a love one being killed by gun violence, well I have when my sister was gunned down by a punk ass kid trying to shoot another punk ass kid. My opinion hasn’t changed since this incident tore my family apart and it never will.
Don, Ernie needs to check with New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani and asked him how did stop and frisk worked. Snitching is a super big issue because more than likely someone in the areas of must inner city shootings knows something about the shooting but they aren’t going to come forward because they still have to live there and they don’t want anyone coming after them and their family for speaking to the police. EVERYONE wants to find a way to stop these shooting, EVERYONE. So what do you do, arrest everybody where the shooting happen? Ban all rifles and handguns, guns can still be purchase a illegally. Hey, 31 states has “open and carry gun laws so let people carry their own gun to stop someone who has shot somebody but that doesn’t prevent a shooting. The city council will have a feel good meeting where everyone wants something done but they have no answers but it will look good.
I already did and i spoke President Trump Both told me Murder rate is down because of Stop and Frisk!
Ernie, C’Mon Man, you know that’s not true.
Don im through because no matter what you say its bad enough we kill one another but innocent people are dying. I hate to say this but its the truth if a police kills a black person we want to rally protest burn up cities. It hurt me to my heart when a 12 year child was killed not a fuckin soul said a damm thing. God forgive for using that kind of language. I am sick and tired of listening to people who can talk bullshit on OIB but won’t get their asses out on the streets to talk to their loved ones who are shooting up our streets.If my children my nephew etc. were carrying guns i’ll turn them in myself. We have got to stop acting like we don’t know who’s killing one another and innocent people. So let’s sit back and do nothing until someone else is killed. I remember went your sister was killed innocent person. Dr. King said it well For Evil to prevail is for Good men to do nothing!
Ernie, I fully understand your pain and the pain of losing innocent people to the violence of the street, that find its way into the lives of innocent people who pay with their lives. Brother that’s why I said to you, ” This shit will never stop until we take responsibility for our communities by understanding that if we see something, say something. This will never stop until we as a people stand up for our community and our people like we love them.” If this is affecting our neighborhood then WE bear a certain amount of responsibility for correcting the behavior that destroys our community.
We can’t not allow a crime to be committed, that destroys someone’s life and not say anything. I understand that like Ron said that people are scared of the consequences, but people are dying anyway, whether they talk or not. Easy for me to say because I live in Ansonia, right?
When my sister was killed the police knew the who, what, when and where within 15 minutes because a lot of Black people stood up and I saw this and this is who did it. Even though he arrested within hours and he went to prison for this heinous act it offered no closure to me or my family because my sister was gone anyway, but it did give us a modicum of satisfaction.
If any future meeting isn’t about people fighting to save their communities, By Any Means Necessary, then don’t have another pity party at the expense of another person’s pain. IT TAKE A VILLAGE MY BROTHER.
It is my understanding that the person who did the shooting has been arrested after a traffic accident on North Ave.