Lawmakers unlikely to take action on public disclosure, victim privacy bills

HARTFORD, Conn. – Lawmakers appear unlikely to act in the remaining two weeks of the session on two pieces of legislation aimed at balancing the privacy of crime victims with Connecticut’s public disclosure law.

The legislature put the issue on its agenda last year when it created a task force as part of a bill restricting access to some law enforcement records. The bill was a last-minute action passed without a public hearing to prevent the disclosure of images from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

After months of contentious meetings, the task force made recommendations to lawmakers, which two legislative panels used as the basis for separate proposals. One bill called for greater protections for crime victims, the other more access to public documents. But neither seems destined for the governor’s desk this year.

“It’s the kind of thing we just might not have time for this session. With so many different varied opinions, it may be that we can’t get everyone on the same page or even a similar page to get something through,” Sen. Anthony Musto, co-chairman of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, said Monday.
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