Senator Tony Hwang applauded the State Senate’s May 1 passage of Senate Bill 466 – An Act Concerning Dual Arrests and the Training Required of Law Enforcement Personnel with Respect to Domestic Violence.

The bill would add a dominant aggressor provision to the law in an effort to reduce Connecticut’s intimate partner violence dual arrest rate, which currently stands at more than twice the national average.

Under the bill, a dominant aggressor is the person who poses the most serious ongoing threat in a situation involving a suspected family violence crime.

The bill calls for changing Connecticut’s family violence arrest law to clarify that when receiving complaints from two or more opposing parties, law enforcement must determine which part is the dominant aggressor – similar laws exists in 27 other states.

Debra Greenwood, CEO/ President of Bridgeport-based Center for Family Justice​, said, “As a Victim Advocacy and Family Justice Center, we understand how critical SB 466 is to clients in our state that are victims of domestic violence.  For someone to call for help and seek assistance can be life changing.  For a victim not to call for 911 support because they fear arrest can put themselves and their children in an extremely dangerous position.  On behalf of our clients at The Center for Family Justice and those in Eastern Fairfield County, we applaud Senator Tony Hwang’s leadership and commitment to pass this lifesaving bill.”

Sen. Hwang said, “I voted in favor of this measure and co-sponsored it because it will better protect domestic violence victims in our state.  As the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence has noted, imagine what it would be like to finally summon up the courage to reach out for help or to call the police during an incident when you feel your life is in danger, only to end up being arrested yourself.  What are the chances this victim will ever reach out for help again? Under this legislation, police would instead be called upon to practice more discretion whenever two people accuse each other of domestic violence. This change aims to prevent abusers from exploiting relationships when they know a partner is reluctant or unwilling to call police.  We want to create a system which makes victims feel safe.”

Angela C. Schlingheyde, director of Civil Legal & Court Advocacy Services for the Center for Family Justice, added,  “Connecticut has long been a leader in advancing policy and practice that protects victims of domestic violence and holds offenders accountable. However, for more than 30 years, Connecticut has struggled with one of the country’s highest dual arrest rates. In Connecticut, approximately 20% of the time, both the victim and the abuser are arrested at the scene of an intimate partner violence incident. This is more than twice the national average of 7%. This practice is detrimental to victims, their families, and Connecticut’s criminal justice system. We know that Connecticut can do better, and Senate Bill 466 will help us! We thank Sen. Hwang for his support and look forward to this bill becoming law.”

The bill also has the support of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the state Division of Criminal Justice.

Sen. Hwang represents Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Weston and Westport. He can be reached at Tony.Hwang@cga.ct.gov and at 800-842-1421.

On the web:  SenatorHwang.com and www.centerforfamilyjustice.org

Please watch and share my latest State Capitol video update and send me your comments at Tony.Hwang@cga.ct.gov.

Please call your lawmakers today and tell them how you feel – thank you!

Please listen to and share Chaz & AJ’s comments below…then tell your CT lawmakers to “Say ‘NO’ to Tolls!”

The CT House of Representatives votes on tolls on Wednesday!

https://audioboom.com/posts/6836222-what-the-ct-tolls-will-charge

Please watch and share my remarks on the State Senate floor in favor of legislation to require Holocaust and genocide education in Connecticut high schools starting in the 2018-2019 school year. The bill passed unanimously and now awaits a vote in the House of Representatives.

Please watch and share my latest Capitol update and send me your comments at Tony.Hwang@cga.ct.gov – thank you!

Sen. Hwang: Legislation will protect CT seniors and homeowners

Sen. Tony Hwang applauded the state senate’s Apr. 24 unanimous passage of an important proposal to protect and inform Connecticut seniors and homeowners on Reverse Mortgages.

Senate Bill 150  – An Act Providing for Protections for Consumers Applying for Reverse Mortgages – prevents Connecticut banks from originating a reverse mortgage unless the bank has:

• informed the applicant of the HUD counseling requirement
• the applicant has attended the counseling session
• the counseling session was conducted in person.

“Many of us have heard horror stories about people – friends, neighbors – thrown out of their house due to a reverse mortgage,” Sen. Hwang said. “I sponsored this bill in order to better protect Connecticut homeowners and vulnerable residents that may be persuaded by sophisticated sales and marketing of complicated mortgage finance contracts, and this bill should do just that. I was also encouraged to see that the banking and credit union industry has advised on this legislation.  We will help protect people in our state on financial decisions impacting their homes.”
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives.

*Sen. Hwang, who is Co-Chair of the state legislature’s Housing Committee and Vice-Chair of the Aging Committee, represents Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Weston and Westport. On the web: www.SenatorHwang.com.  He can be reached at Tony.Hwang@cga.ct.gov and at 800-842-1421.

Read the Republicans’ Proposed Budget Here:

http://ctsenaterepublicans.com/2018/04/republican-lawmakers-propose-state-budget-3/#.Wt341oKotjo