The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5535, aims to modify the responsibilities of the Office of the Claims Commissioner and the process for reviewing wrongful incarceration awards by the General Assembly. Key changes include the repeal of Section 4-142 and its replacement with new provisions that allow the Claims Commissioner to hear claims against the state for money damages not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars, even if such claims were improperly filed in the Office of the Claims Commissioner instead of the Superior Court. Additionally, the bill stipulates that any appeals from the Claims Commissioner's decisions must be filed with the Appellate Court within twenty days of the decision.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 54-102uu(d)(1) to extend the review period for wrongful incarceration compensation awards by the General Assembly from forty-five days to sixty days. It also establishes that if the Claims Commissioner awards compensation exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars or if the claimant requests a review, the award must be submitted to the General Assembly for review. If the General Assembly does not act on the award within the specified timeframe, the Claims Commissioner's determination will be automatically confirmed. These changes are set to take effect on October 1, 2026, and July 1, 2026, for the respective sections.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 4-142