The proposed bill, General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 6747, aims to amend section 51-279 of the general statutes to exclude veterans' federal service-connected disability benefits from the financial assessment used to determine a criminal defendant's eligibility for public defender assistance based on indigency. Specifically, the bill stipulates that when a defendant requests representation by a public defender, any evaluation of their financial capability to secure legal representation will not take into account the service-connected disability benefits provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

This legislative change is intended to ensure that veterans do not face barriers to legal representation due to their disability benefits, which could otherwise be considered as income in the eligibility determination process. By excluding these benefits, the bill seeks to support veterans in accessing necessary legal assistance without penalizing them for their service-connected disabilities.