Chief State’s Attorney’s Meeting
Minutes of the Meeting of September 19, 2016
Office of the Chief State’s Attorney
Rocky Hill, Connecticut
Chief State's Attorney Kevin T. Kane called the meeting to order at 12:46 p.m.
In attendance were: Deputy Chief State's Attorneys Leonard C. Boyle and John J. Russotto; State's Attorneys Richard J. Colangelo, Jr. (Stamford/Norwalk), Matthew C. Gedansky (Tolland), Gail P. Hardy (Hartford), Kevin D. Lawlor (Ansonia/Milford), Anne F. Mahoney (Windham); Peter A. McShane (Middlesex), Maureen Platt (Waterbury), Brian Preleski (New Britain), Michael L. Regan (New London); Stephen J. Sedensky, III (Danbury), David Shepack (Litchfield) and John C. Smriga (Fairfield).
Also present: Executive Assistant State's Attorneys Brian Austin, Jr., and Michael A. Gailor, legislative liaison Wilfred Blanchette and Communications and Legislative Specialist Mark A. Dupuis.
State's Attorney Sedensky made a motion to accept the minutes of the August 29, 2016, meeting. Deputy Chief State's Attorney Boyle seconded the motion and it passed without opposition.
Deputy Chief State's Attorney Russotto reported on individual meetings with the State's Attorneys on the budget. The Division will soon present additional information in an effort to ameliorate the $1.7 million in holdbacks ordered for fiscal year 2016-17. The State's Attorneys are asked to share input for further discussions with the Office of Policy and Management. The Supervisory Assistant State's Attorneys will be briefed on the budget situation at their training session on September 22, 2016.
Chief State's Attorney Kane asked that the State's Attorneys consider recommending Supervisory Assistant State's Attorneys assigned to Geographical Area (G.A.) courts to serve on the State's Attorneys' legislative committee.
Executive Assistant State's Attorney Austin reported on the draft revision of Division of Criminal Justice Policy No. 220, Professional Development, to conform to the mandatory continuing legal education requirements adopted by the Judges of the Superior Court. State's Attorney Sedensky made a motion to approve the revised policy pending negotiation with the Connecticut Association of Prosecutors. State's Attorney Mahoney seconded the motion and it passed without opposition.
State's Attorney Lawlor reported on his discussions with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) concerning the testimony of independent forensic psychiatrists at Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB) recommitment hearings. DMHAS will apparently require a subpoena to facilitate testimony.
State's Attorney Sedensky reported that he will distribute proposed revisions being drafted by the Governor's Task Force on Justice for Abused Children to the standards for multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs). The State's Attorneys should review the proposal and offer their thoughts. The October "Finding Words" training program has been canceled; programs are planned for the spring and fall of 2017.
There being no further business, State's Attorney Sedensky made a motion to adjourn. State's Attorney McShane seconded the motion and it passed without opposition. The meeting was adjourned at 1:55 p.m.