Substitute House Bill No. 6852 proposes to waive various fees associated with criminal history record checks for indigent individuals seeking a pardon. The bill amends Section 29-11 of the general statutes to empower the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection to waive fees for criminal history record information searches when applicants demonstrate their indigency using a designated form. It also prohibits independent contractors processing fingerprints from charging convenience fees to individuals who apply for a waiver due to indigency, provided the waiver is approved by the commissioner. The bill eliminates fees for fingerprinting (up to $30), processing or distribution of criminal history reports, and preregistration with the Connecticut criminal history request system, extending the existing waiver of a $75 fee for state criminal history reports to include these additional costs.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that the commissioner make the fee waiver forms available online and at municipal police departments to streamline the application process for pardons. The implementation of these changes is expected to incur costs for the state starting in FY 26, with the financial impact dependent on the number of waivers granted. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and includes various insertions and deletions to current law to facilitate these provisions.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 29-11
PS Joint Favorable Substitute: 29-11
File No. 454: 29-11