HB 5365 Summary

• Establishes an Office of Victim Services within the Judicial Department with powers to direct hospitals and law enforcement to inform crime victims of compensation and assistance programs, manage victim notification systems, and provide training to court and law enforcement personnel.

• Creates a Centralized Infractions Bureau to handle payments and pleas for traffic infractions and violations, allowing defendants to pay established fines or plead not guilty without court appearance.

• Modifies victim compensation provisions to remove the $100 deductible, expand eligibility to include sexual assault and domestic violence victims, and allow victims to recover two-thirds of compensation awards from settlements or other sources.

• Reforms bail and release procedures by establishing intake, assessment and referral specialist positions as alternatives to bail commissioners and requiring specific procedures for family violence cases, including electronic monitoring options.

• Reorganizes Connecticut Supreme Court structure from requiring five-justice panels to allowing five, six, or seven-judge panels and permits semi-retired judges to participate in deliberations under specified circumstances.