Connecticut lawmakers consider a bill to protect transit workers from violent customers

WSHU | By Michael Lyle Jr.

Published April 5, 2022 at 5:42 PM EDT

On Monday, the Connecticut Judiciary Committee held a hearing on a bill that would protect state transit workers from being assaulted by violent customers.

Under the new rule, violators could be charged with aggravated assault and face up to five years in prison.

State Representative Steve Stafstrom said the bill is needed mainly to keep workers safe.

“They are in the unenviable position of having to get folks who are not willing to comply with the mask requirements, the federal mask requirements, to wear the masks,” said Stafstrom. “There’s been an increase in shoving of transit employees, yelling at them, spitting at them.”

The bill is one of several up for consideration during this legislative session.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

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