Legislation

In April, the ACLU testified in support of comprehensive election reform legislation. This perennial legislation proposed a number of critical amendments to current election practices, including expanding the number of provisional ballots counted and the procedures for recounts.

Following years of inaction, the Senate in May passed legislation addressing the problem of prison-based gerrymandering.

In February, the ACLU testified before the House and Senate Judiciary committees in support of legislation restricting the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, by law enforcement.

In the last days of the legislative session, the General Assembly authorized the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue specialty “Choose Life” license plates.

The Senate took a big leap backward this year when it passed a bill requiring the inclusion in the state Health Insurance Exchange of plans that do not cover abortion services.

Turning back impassioned objections from Rep. Maria Cimini, Grace Diaz and others in the closing hours of the session, the General Assembly passed legislation drastically raising the criminal penalties for graffiti offenders, going so far as to turn graffiti into a felony at the third offense.

In May, the Senate Judiciary committee approved legislation expanding law enforcement authority to seize and forfeit any money or property they believed was derived from the proceeds of prostitution.

At the request of the Attorney General’s office, the Senate approved legislation imposing additional and mandatory penalties on individuals determined to be part of a “criminal street gang,” up to one extra year in jail for a misdemeanor and up to ten extra years in jail for any felony.

The General Assembly again considered a number of bills dealing with the required installation of ignition interlock devices in the cars of individuals convicted of DUI and other offenses.