The proposed bill, Substitute Bill No. 1505, aims to amend Section 54-56l of the general statutes to allow courts the discretion to incorporate a family violence component into the pretrial supervised diversionary program for individuals with psychiatric disabilities or veterans accused of non-serious crimes. The bill specifies that individuals who are ineligible for the pretrial program due to prior participation may still be allowed to join the diversionary program if they qualify for the pretrial family violence education program. Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions that require the Court Support Services Division to assess whether individuals accused of family violence crimes can participate in domestic violence treatment alongside or after mental health treatment, and to potentially add a domestic violence component to their treatment plan.

Key insertions in the bill include the requirement for the Court Support Services Division to evaluate the capacity of individuals accused of family violence to engage in domestic violence treatment and to develop tailored treatment plans that address both mental health and domestic violence issues. The bill also mandates that the division maintain a database of individuals in the program, which will be accessible to law enforcement for incident response. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, and aims to enhance the support and treatment options available to individuals with psychiatric disabilities or veterans involved in the criminal justice system, particularly those with a history of family violence.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 54-56l
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute: 54-56l
File No. 761: 54-56l
APP Joint Favorable: 54-56l