Raised Bill No. 926, introduced in the January Session of 2023, proposes amendments to Section 17a-593 of the general statutes, which governs the discharge of individuals committed to the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board. The bill outlines the process for recommending or applying for the discharge of an acquittee from custody, including the frequency of applications, the content of recommendations or applications, and the procedures for state's attorneys to petition for continued commitment of an acquittee. It specifies that an acquittee may apply for discharge no more than once every six months and not sooner than six months after the initial board hearing. The bill also includes language changes, such as replacing "thereon" with "on such recommendations or applications" and updating gender-specific pronouns to be more inclusive, referring to "the acquittee" instead of "his."

The bill further details the process for the state's attorney to apply for the commitment of an acquittee to a hospital for psychiatric disabilities if the acquittee is deemed a danger to themselves or others or is gravely disabled. It sets deadlines for the board to file reports with the court and for the state's attorney or counsel for the acquittee to file notice of intent to perform a separate examination. The bill also modifies the language to ensure timeliness, replacing "within" with "not later than" in several sections. Additionally, it removes the section regarding petitions for continued commitment, placing the burden of proof on the acquittee to show they should be discharged. The bill is effective October 1, 2023, and aims to protect society while considering the safety and well-being of the acquittee.

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