Connecticut made history as the first state in the country whose legislature voted to make prison phone calls free, with the passage of SB 972. Common Cause in Connecticut urges Governor Lamont to sign the legislation without delay.

The Connecticut Senate has approved HJ 59, a constitutional amendment to allow early in-person voting. It will now be placed on the 2022 General Election ballot. If a majority of voters approve the amendment, Connecticut will allow early voting.

While some state legislatures are trying to limit voter participation, our General Assembly is working to reduce barriers and improve voting access. The bill passed today is an important part of that effort, and we urge the House to approve it quickly.

The shameful 230-year-old practice called “prison gerrymandering” has meant that power has been redistributed unfairly. Communities where prisons are built have gotten an outsize say in Connecticut elections at the expense of other areas.

Tonight’s verdicts were a step toward police accountability. But they don’t change the fact of George Floyd’s death. They don’t change the horrifying circumstances of his death.