House Bill No. 5418, Public Act No. 24-129, is an act concerning eligibility for participation in a pretrial family violence education program. The bill amends subsection (h) of section 46b-38c of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes, effective October 1, 2024. The pretrial family violence education program is designed for individuals charged with family violence crimes and aims to educate participants about family violence law and the penalties involved. The court may allow a defendant to participate in the program if certain conditions are met, including that the defendant has not been previously convicted of a family violence crime since October 1, 1986, has not had a case assigned to the family violence education program before, and has not previously accepted accelerated rehabilitation for a family violence crime since that date. The bill specifies that defendants charged with a class A or B felony, a class C felony (with exceptions), an unclassified felony with imprisonment of more than ten years, or certain other offenses are not eligible, unless good cause is shown.

The bill also outlines the process for a defendant's participation in the program, including referral to the family violence intervention unit, case continuance pending a report, and notification and opportunity for the victim(s) to be heard. Defendants must agree to toll any statute of limitations and waive their right to a speedy trial. They will be released to the custody of the family violence intervention unit for up to two years under court-ordered conditions. If a defendant completes the program and complies with the conditions, they may apply for dismissal of the charges, which the court may grant upon finding satisfactory compliance. Following dismissal, all records of the charges shall be erased according to section 54-142a. The bill was approved on June 5, 2024.