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Panel hears support for excluding VA disability payments from public-defender income calculations
Summary
Advocates and veterans' legal groups told the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee that Connecticut should exclude federal service‑connected disability compensation when determining eligibility for public defender services, saying the change would correct inconsistent local practice and support rehabilitation.
State lawmakers heard unanimous support for House Bill 7121, which would exclude veterans' federal service‑connected disability compensation from calculations used to determine eligibility for public defender representation.
Supporters told the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee that treating disability compensation as income penalizes veterans for service‑connected injuries and produces inconsistent outcomes across judicial divisions. "Veterans receiving service connected disability are receiving it for a reason," said Emily Trudeau, chair of the Veterans and Military…
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