(a) A person is guilty of interfering with the legislative process when he:
(1) Alone or in concert with others, either by force, physical interference, fraud, intimidation or by means of any unlawful act, with intent to do so, prevents or attempts to prevent the General Assembly, either house thereof, or any committee of the General Assembly or either house thereof, from meeting;
(2) Alone or in concert with others, with intent to do so, disturbs, disrupts or interferes with, or attempts to disturb, disrupt or interfere with, any session, meeting or proceeding of the General Assembly or either house thereof or any committee of the General Assembly or either house thereof, whether within or outside the presence of said General Assembly, either house thereof or any such committee by (A) engaging in violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior; or (B) using abusive or obscene language or making an obscene gesture; or (C) making unreasonable noise; or (D) refusing to comply with a lawful order of the police or a member of the Office of State Capitol Police to disperse; or (E) performing any other act which disturbs, disrupts or interferes with any such session, meeting or proceeding;
(3) Alone or in concert with others, without legal authority takes, obtains, withholds, destroys, defaces or alters any official document or record of the General Assembly, either house thereof or any committee of the General Assembly, or either house thereof, which disrupts or interferes with the functioning of said General Assembly or committee or either house thereof;
(4) Alone or in concert with others, and without legal authority, takes, obtains, withholds, destroys or defaces any real or personal property owned or used by the General Assembly, either house thereof or any committee or agency of the General Assembly or either house thereof;
(5) Alone or in concert with others, and without legal authority or proper authorization, refuses to leave any part of the chamber, galleries or offices of the General Assembly or either house thereof, or the building in which such chamber, galleries or any such office is located, or within or upon any office or residence of any member of the General Assembly, or within or upon any room or building in which a legislative hearing or meeting is being conducted, upon a lawful order of the police or a member of the Office of State Capitol Police to disperse, leave or move to an area he designates;
(6) Alone or in concert with others, pickets inside any building in which the chamber, galleries or offices of the General Assembly or either house thereof is located, or in which the office or residence of any member of the General Assembly is located, or in which a legislative hearing or meeting is being conducted.
(b) Interference with the legislative process under the provisions of this section is a class A misdemeanor.
(P.A. 73-516, S. 1; P.A. 83-13, S. 1; P.A. 96-219, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 83-13 changed references to security officers to members of the office of state capitol security throughout the section; P.A. 96-219 amended Subsecs. (a)(2) and (a)(5) by changing the name of the “Office of State Capitol Security” to the “Office of State Capitol Police”.
Cited. 228 C. 907; 232 C. 345; 242 C. 211.
Subsec. (a):
Subdiv. (2)(E): Section held constitutional; judgment of Appellate Court in 32 CA 656 reversed in part pertaining to section. 232 C. 345.
Subdiv (2)(E): Section void for overbreadth; overbreadth and vagueness discussed. 32 CA 656; judgment reversed in part, see 232 C. 345. Subdiv. (2)(C): Does not involve protected speech; overbreadth and vagueness discussed. Id.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 2 - General Assembly and Legislative Agencies
Section 2-1. - Regular sessions; organization.
Section 2-1a. - Adoption of rules and regulations.
Section 2-1b. - Unlawful interference with the General Assembly; injunctive relief.
Section 2-1c. - Contempt of the General Assembly; penalty.
Section 2-1d. - Interference with the General Assembly; misdemeanor.
Section 2-1f. - Office of State Capitol Police.
Section 2-1g. - Indemnification of legislative personnel.
Section 2-1h. - Compensatory time for permanent full-time employees.
Section 2-1i. - Compensatory time for permanent full-time employees.
Section 2-2. - Election by illegal practices.
Section 2-3. - Allowance to contestants.
Section 2-3b. - Members not eligible for unemployment compensation during regular session.
Section 2-4. - Joint convention to elect state officers.
Section 2-5. - Holding of office by members of the General Assembly.
Section 2-6. - Convening of sessions by action of members.
Section 2-7. - Notice of special and reconvened sessions.
Section 2-8. - Compensation and expenses of members and officers of the General Assembly.
Section 2-8a. - Compensation for interim committees and study commissions.
Section 2-8b to 2-8p. - General Assembly pension system.
Section 2-9. - Salary and transportation allowance for General Assembly officers and employees.
Section 2-9a. - Compensation Commission for elected state officers and General Assembly members.
Section 2-9b. - Compensation increases to be approved by Federal Pay Board.
Section 2-9c. - Adjustment to compensation of members of the General Assembly.
Section 2-10. - Clerks' office; assistants; records; duties.
Section 2-11. - Stenographers for General Assembly committees.
Section 2-12a. - Temporary legislative employees, reduction of salary for absence.
Section 2-13. - Records of legislative proceedings. Legislative record index.
Section 2-14. - Initiation of local legislation in General Assembly.
Section 2-14a. - Legislation affecting municipal retirement systems.
Section 2-15. - Transportation allowance for General Assembly members and members-elect.
Section 2-15a. - Annual informational mailing by General Assembly members.
Section 2-15b. - Transportation allowance for member of task force prohibited.
Section 2-16. - Members as attorneys before the General Assembly.
Section 2-16a. - Restriction on former members becoming lobbyists.
Section 2-17. - Presession introduction of bills.
Section 2-19. - Preliminary printing and franchise fees for special charters. Engrossing fees.
Section 2-20. - Certain charters granted only on petition.
Section 2-20a. - Bills seeking incorporation and franchise for water companies.
Section 2-21. - Notice of claims against the state.
Section 2-22. - Numbering of bills and joint resolutions.
Section 2-23a. - Alkaline paper for legislative documents.
Section 2-24a. - Fiscal note and ratepayer impact statement required for action upon bill.
Section 2-24b. - Racial and ethnic impact statement required for certain bills and amendments.
Section 2-25. - Printing to be done at one establishment.
Section 2-26. - Printing and electronic availability of bills prior to passage.
Section 2-27. - Printing and distribution of file bills.
Section 2-27a. - Fiscal review of bills.
Section 2-27b. - Review of bond acts.
Section 2-30. - Engrossing bills after adjournment. Vetoed bills.
Section 2-30b. - Construction of multiple amendments.
Section 2-31. - Numbering of public and special acts.
Section 2-32. - Effective date of public and special acts.
Section 2-32a. - Effective date of public acts imposing state mandate.
Section 2-33. - Specific appropriations. Recurring appropriations.
Section 2-33b. - Performance-informed budget review.
Section 2-33c. - Limitation of General Fund and Special Transportation Fund appropriations.
Section 2-34. - Title of appropriation bills.
Section 2-35a. - Government organization and reorganization.
Section 2-36. - Deficiency bills.
Section 2-36c. - Consensus revenue estimates.
Section 2-37. - Contingent expenses of General Assembly.
Section 2-38. - Bill re person's service as teacher or public employee.
Section 2-39. - Time within which Senate shall act on nominations.
Section 2-40. - Nomination of judges. Action by the judiciary committee.
Section 2-40a. - Disclosure of performance evaluations of judges and judge trial referees.
Section 2-41. - Nomination of judges of municipal courts.
Section 2-42. - Appointment of judges.
Section 2-43. - When further nomination required.
Section 2-44. - Withdrawal of nomination by Governor.
Section 2-45. - Legislative appearances.
Section 2-46. - Investigations by the General Assembly; powers; procedure. Witness' rights.
Section 2-47. - Witness not privileged.
Section 2-48. - Prosecution of witness.
Section 2-49. - Preparation, printing and distribution of assembly journals.
Section 2-50. - Legislative identification plates.
Section 2-50a. - Motor vehicle number plates for legislators.
Section 2-51. - Admittance to floor of House and Senate.
Section 2-52. - Display of United States and state flags at sessions of the General Assembly.
Section 2-53. - Faith and credit of acts passed by General Assembly.
Section 2-53a to 2-53c. - Legislative Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.
Section 2-53k. - Energy management program compliance review; report and recommendations.
Section 2-53l. - Electronic databases showing state and quasi-public agency expenditures.
Section 2-53m. - Annual report card on policies and programs affecting children.
Section 2-53n. - Quarterly report on overtime granted by state agencies.