Rep. Hovey Appointed to Two Task Forces

Rep. Hovey Appointed to Two Task Forces

Veteran legislator will serve as member of the Freedom of Information and Victim Privacy Task Force and the Task Force to Study Child Custody Legal Disputes

HARTFORD – Veteran State Representative DebraLee Hovey (R-112) has recently been appointed to serve on two legislative task forces- The Freedom of Information and Victim Privacy Task Force and the Task Force to Study Child Custody Legal Disputes- by House Republican Leader Lawrence F. Cafero, Jr.

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting the General Assembly passed new legislation preventing the release of “any record created by a law enforcement agency or other federal, state, or municipal governmental agency consisting of a photograph, film, video or digital or other visual image depicting the victim of a homicide, to the extent that such record could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of the victim or the victim's surviving family members.”

The Freedom of Information and Victim Privacy Task Force was then created to weigh the public’s right to know and access crime scene information through the state’s Freedom of Information Commission while also protecting the privacy of crime victims.

“Balancing the rights of the media and the public and the privacy of crime victims is not an easy task, but one I feel very strongly about,” Rep. Hovey said. "I am honored Minority Leader Cafero put his trust in my ability to do this work and to serve on these incredibly important task forces.”

The Task Force to Study Child Custody Legal Disputes studies the role of a guardian ad litem and the attorney for a minor child in any action involving parenting responsibilities and the custody and care of a child.  It also studies the extent of noncompliance with the provisions of the general statutes and whether the state should adopt a presumption that shared custody is in the best interest of a minor child in any action involving the custody, care and upbringing of a child. Such study shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of state statutes applicable to an action involving the custody, care and upbringing of a child, and the costs associated with contested divorce actions, including, but not limited to, expert witness fees and attorneys' fees including the fees of guardians ad litem and attorneys for the minor children.

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Rep. Hovey represents the 112th District covering Monroe and part of Newtown.