An Act Concerning The Waiver Of Certain Criminal History Records Check Fees For An Indigent Person Seeking A Pardon.
Summary
HB 6852 would reduce or eliminate certain criminal history records check fees for people who are indigent and are seeking a pardon under Connecticut law. The bill amends the statutes governing the State Police Bureau of Identification to authorize the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection to waive the $75 criminal history record information search fee for a pardon applicant who submits a department-prescribed indigency form. It also bars independent fingerprinting contractors from charging the usual convenience fee in that same pardon-related, indigent circumstance, with the state paying the contractor instead if the waiver is approved.
The bill further exempts indigent pardon applicants from processing or distribution fees for criminal history reports and from fees tied to electronic preregistration in the Connecticut criminal history request system. It requires the department to make the relevant waiver forms available online and at municipal police fingerprinting locations, along with other pardon application materials. The effective date is July 1, 2025, and the bill amends Section 29-11 of the general statutes.
Impact
The bill changes state law by creating targeted fee waivers within Connecticut’s criminal history records check system for pardon applicants who can demonstrate indigency. It affects the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the State Police Bureau of Identification, independent fingerprinting contractors, and applicants seeking pardons under section 54-124a. In practical terms, it lowers the upfront cost of applying for a pardon for low-income individuals and shifts certain costs from applicants to the state when waivers are approved.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong and unanimous support for the bill. It received a 29-0 joint favorable substitute vote in the Public Safety Committee and later passed the House 145-0. The absence of recorded opposition suggests broad agreement that the fee waivers serve a limited, equitable purpose for indigent pardon applicants.
Contention
No major controversy is evident in the provided materials. The main policy issue is whether the state should absorb fees that would otherwise be paid by applicants or contractors, but the unanimous votes indicate that any concerns about administrative cost or fee revenue did not generate visible opposition. The bill also preserves the fee structure for most other users, limiting the waiver to a narrow class of pardon applicants who prove indigency.