House Bill No. 7121 seeks to amend Section 51-297 of the general statutes regarding eligibility for public defender services by specifically excluding federal service-connected disability benefits from the financial assessment used to determine if an individual qualifies as an "indigent defendant." This means that when evaluating a person's financial status for public defender assistance, these disability benefits will not be counted as income. The bill establishes that individuals whose income, excluding these benefits, is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level may qualify for public defender services.

In addition to the exclusion of veterans' disability benefits, the bill includes provisions for investigating a defendant's financial status and outlines the consequences of providing false information to obtain public defender services. It also details the process for appealing a determination of ineligibility. The fiscal impact of the bill is significant, with estimated costs of approximately $361,800 in FY 26 and $356,800 in FY 27 for the Division of Public Defender Services, along with additional fringe benefit costs. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and has received unanimous support from the Veterans' and Military Affairs Committee.