Substitute House Bill No. 6699 - Summary

• Establishes a pretrial drug education and community service program for persons charged with drug violations (sections 21a-267, 21a-279, or 21a-279a), replacing the prior drug intervention program structure.

• Requires program participants to complete a fifteen-week drug education program, a fifteen-session drug intervention program, substance abuse treatment of not less than fifteen sessions, and community service (5 days for first-time, 15 days for second-time, 30 days for third-time participants).

• Limits program eligibility to persons who have not previously participated twice in the program or related diversionary programs; allows court discretion for a third participation upon good cause shown.

• Sets program fees at $600 for drug education program participation and $100 for substance abuse treatment, with provisions for fee waivers based on indigency; fees are credited to the pretrial account.

• Modifies the community service labor program to apply only to persons convicted of first violations of drug statutes who have not been previously convicted, with a fixed participation period of thirty days.