HB 6391, An Act Increasing Penalties for the Violation of Municipal Ordinances

The ACLU-CT is dedicated to ending mass incarceration. That effort includes examining all aspects of the criminal and civil legal systems, including fees and fines. The General Assembly must continue to make progress towards reducing the number of people who have contact with the criminal legal system and reducing the financial burdens that we place on people. Exponentially increasing the maximum fine that municipalities can charge for ordinance violations is likely to further entrench people, especially families of color, into cycles of poverty. What results is a two-tiered criminal legal system, where income level determines the outcome.