August 19, 2009

PROBATE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION
TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON THURSDAY

State Representative Bob Godfrey (D-Danbury), chairman of the General Assembly's Probate Redistricting Commission, announced that the group will hold a public hearing on Thursday, August 20 at 1:00 p.m. to hear suggestions concerning plans for redistricting of the state's probate courts.

Under a state law approved by the General Assembly earlier this year, the commission is required to draw up a new probate district map that will reduce the number of probate courts in Connecticut from 117 down to a number between 44 and 50. The group is required to present their redistricting plan to the legislature by September 15.

"Members of the public are invited to testify in front of the commission and share their thoughts concerning how the state can most effectively redesign the state's probate districts," said Godfrey, who stressed that the hearing is about a plan of redistricting only, not on any other probate topic.

He explained, "The commission is designing a map based on population, location and workload with the goal of making the probate system more efficient and self-sustaining."

The commission is made up of 13 members who were appointed by various state leaders of both political parties. A special session of the General Assembly will be held later this year to consider the commission's final plans for redistricting.

The Connecticut Probate Assembly, composed of all the state's probate judges, previously submitted their own proposed map to the Probate Redistricting Commission for their consideration.

The public hearing will be held in Room 1A of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

Additional information on the Probate Redistricting Commission can be found at www.jud.ct.gov/probate/Redistrict/