Bill Text: CT HB05207 | 2010 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Criminal Background Checks For Prospective State Employees.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-1)
Status: (Vetoed) 2010-06-21 - In Concurrence [HB05207 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2010-HB05207-Chaptered.html
Substitute House Bill No. 5207
AN ACT CONCERNING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR PROSPECTIVE STATE EMPLOYEES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 46a-80 of the 2010 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2010):
(a) Except as provided in subsection [(b)] (c) of this section, subsection (b) of section 46a-81 and section 36a-489, and notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, a person shall not be disqualified from employment by the state [of Connecticut] or any of its agencies, nor shall a person be disqualified to practice, pursue or engage in any occupation, trade, vocation, profession or business for which a license, permit, certificate or registration is required to be issued by the state [of Connecticut] or any of its agencies solely because of a prior conviction of a crime.
(b) Except for a position for which any provision of the general statutes specifically disqualifies a person from employment by the state or any of its agencies because of a prior conviction of a crime, no employer, as defined in section 5-270, shall inquire about a prospective employee's past convictions until such prospective employee has been deemed otherwise qualified for the position.
[(b)] (c) A person may be denied employment by the state or any of its agencies, or a person may be denied a license, permit, certificate or registration to pursue, practice or engage in an occupation, trade, vocation, profession or business by reason of the prior conviction of a crime if after considering (1) the nature of the crime and its relationship to the job for which the person has applied; (2) information pertaining to the degree of rehabilitation of the convicted person; and (3) the time elapsed since the conviction or release, the state, or any of its agencies determines that the applicant is not suitable for the position of employment sought or the specific occupation, trade, vocation, profession or business for which the license, permit, certificate or registration is sought.
[(c)] (d) If a conviction of a crime is used as a basis for rejection of an applicant, such rejection shall be in writing and specifically state the evidence presented and reasons for rejection. A copy of such rejection shall be sent by registered mail to the applicant.
[(d)] (e) In no case may records of arrest, which are not followed by a conviction, or records of convictions, which have been erased, be used, distributed or disseminated by the state or any of its agencies in connection with an application for employment or for a permit, license, certificate or registration.
Vetoed June 8, 2010