An Act Waiving Any Fee Associated With Conducting A State Criminal History Records Check For Veterans.
Summary
HB 6664 would amend Connecticut General Statutes section 29-17a to require the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection to waive any fee charged for a state criminal history records check when the request is made by a veteran. The bill is narrowly focused on one administrative fee and does not change the underlying process for conducting the records check itself.
In practical terms, the measure would make state criminal background checks free for veterans, which could reduce out-of-pocket costs for veterans seeking employment, licensing, housing, volunteering, or other purposes that require a records check. The bill applies only to the state-level criminal history records check fee and does not appear to affect federal background check fees or other related charges.
Impact
The bill would amend section 29-17a of the general statutes by adding a fee waiver for veterans, requiring the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to forgo any fee associated with a state criminal history records check for that group. This would create a statutory exemption from an existing fee and shift the cost burden away from veterans and onto the state, at least for the state-administered portion of the records check process.
Sentiment
There is no recorded committee transcript or vote history in the provided materials, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears supportive of veterans and framed as a modest fee relief proposal, suggesting likely favorable sentiment toward assisting veterans with administrative costs.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. Potential issues, if raised in committee, would likely concern the fiscal impact of waiving fees, whether the waiver should apply to all veterans regardless of discharge status or need, and whether similar fee exemptions should be extended to other groups. However, none of those concerns are reflected in the provided transcripts or votes.