Substitute Senate Bill No. 444 aims to amend the criminal justice system in relation to cannabis-related offenses. It introduces provisions for the reduction, discharge, or conditional discharge of sentences for individuals incarcerated or on probation for cannabis offenses, particularly those offenses that are no longer chargeable after July 1, 2021. The bill requires courts to hold hearings within three months for defendants in diversionary programs for cannabis offenses to potentially dismiss charges, and for those sentenced before the effective date of this section, to consider discharging them or placing them on probation or conditional discharge. The bill also mandates that any modifications to sentences be communicated to relevant authorities and allows victims to provide input during hearings. It excludes mandatory minimum sentences from these provisions and requires a written explanation for any denial of sentence modification.

Financially, the bill is expected to cost the Judicial Department approximately $2 million in FY 25 and $1,953,000 in FY 26, with additional costs for fringe benefits. It requires the hiring of temporary clerks to manually review current probation supervision clients. The Department of Correction is not expected to incur costs, as few individuals are incarcerated solely for cannabis offenses. The bill also sets forth the process for defendants to seek hearings for sentence modifications for decriminalized offenses, with state attorney permission, and outlines the requirement for a written explanation if a modification is denied. The bill is effective upon passage and amends Section 53a-39 of the general statutes.