Return to normal, criminal justice reform among top priorities for Rep. Howard in spring session | Daily-news-alerts

STONINGTON — If there’s one goal for the spring session, state Rep. Greg Howard said it has to be getting life back to normal for students and children across the state who have seen their education and lives disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our kids have suffered immensely through this, both academically and emotionally, and it is time to get them back in the classroom, back interacting with their fellow peers and back doing the things they need to be able to do in order to learn and grow,” Howard said in an interview earlier this month. “It is important that we get them back to some sense of normal again.”

No longer a newcomer to politics — Howard, a Stonington police detective, had not sought any elected office prior to running in 2020 and defeating incumbent Democrat Kate Rotella — the 43rd District representative said he plans to use his experience from his first year in office and expertise to fight for a return to normal in state schools, as well as addressing criminal justice reform on many fronts including overall in the juvenile system and officer liabilities he says are handcuffing police in Connecticut.

The first couple weeks of the session, which began Feb. 9, have only further exposed the need to address such issues, Howard said, and he is looking forward to working with fellow Republicans and reaching across the aisle to make positive changes.

When the session first started, one of Howard’s top priorities was to see local children have the opportunity to take off their masks, interact with friends and get back to having a normal, everyday childhood experience. Many kids have lost two years of “normal” already, which he said has resulted in a rise of behavioral issues, learning issues and mental health concerns among youth.

Factor in the time lost when students were forced to learn from home for nearly a year, and Howard said there have been more than 200,000 in-person learning days lost in Connecticut since the pandemic began in March 2020.

“There have been many changes, and there is no longer a reason to keep our kids masked and separated all day,” Howard said. “I can’t express how negative the impact of having to use these precautions has been on social and emotional growth.”

At the start of the session, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced that he would recommend loosening restrictions and allow school districts to make their own decision regarding mask use and other COVID-19 safety protocols effective Feb. 28. The announcement led to an emotional meeting at Stonington High School that was well attended, with multiple parents pleading for mask choice.

The meeting ultimately led to the Stonington Board of Education approving a measure that would make masks optional by student choice, and would strongly work to promote kindness and unity among all students and staff, regardless of whether an individual chooses to wear a mask. Howard has applauded the measure, but said there are still many other students statewide who do not have the same opportunity.

Howard said his work at the capitol this session isn’t solely limited to pandemic-related issues either. As a veteran detective, Howard intends to use his experience to aid in the reform of juvenile justice and police oversight laws in the state as well.

Prior to the session, Howard has joined fellow Republican Rep. Craig Fishbein, of Wallingford, and others in calling for implementation of a six-point plan that aims to curb juvenile crime.

On a website designed to push the effort, StopCarThefts.com, proponents identify initiatives, including the following: calling for mandatory fingerprinting of juveniles convicted of any felony or Class A misdemeanors; enhancing law enforcement access to juvenile records for post-arrest detention purposes; creating an exception to the six-hour time limit for an arresting officer who has sought an order to detain in good faith but has not received a response; amending existing laws to better provide oversight of repeat juvenile offenders; and providing expedited arraignment for juveniles in felony or Class A misdemeanor cases to prevent early release and commission of additional crimes.

“For many homeowners and property owners, these crimes are personal, with many feeling like their voices aren’t being heard,” Howard said. “Law enforcement officers have testified that they feel like their hands are tied, and juveniles are being released as quickly as they’re apprehended. Something must be done. Silence and denial are not the answer.”

Howard said it isn’t just juvenile crime that is a problem, however, and he blamed the police accountability bill for adding to the problem. In many Connecticut towns, he said concerns over lawsuits and other issues have left police feeling unable to respond, and has led to noticeable and unsafe changes in trends.

Over the past year, Howard said the number of roadway deaths is on the rise while the number of traffic stops have declined considerably. It is impossible not to consider the two correlated, he said, and the problem will get worse while officers are afraid they will lose everything even if they do their jobs to the best of their abilities with the best intentions.

“There needs to be responsibility and accountability, but it needs to be implemented in a way that makes sense and doesn’t leave officers, departments and towns open to frivolous and unnecessary lawsuits,” he said.

Howard said among changes that are needed is the state clarifying language surrounding aspects of the police accountability bill similar to how it was done in a 2019 law passed in California. He said the law there provides far more clarity and less ambiguity surrounding topics such as use of force, improves the circumstances and ability of police to conduct motor vehicle searches based on reliable probable cause, enhancing a broken qualified immunity system that threatens the livelihood of even good officers based on a single complaint, and improves police protections and treatment for mental health.

Howard said he knows it won’t be an easy task, but it will be important for the state both short  and long term to find bipartisan support and craft bills that will address these priorities sooner than later.

“We need to get our officers back to work, and we need to get them to work in a manner that strikes a fair balance between accountability, transparency and fairness,” he said.

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