(a) There shall be a State-Wide Hate Crimes Advisory Council within the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, for administrative purposes only. Members of the council shall include (1) the following, or their designees: The Chief State’s Attorney; the Chief Public Defender; the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection; the president of the Connecticut Bar Association; the president of the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association; the president of the South Asian Bar Association of Connecticut; the president of the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association; the president of the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association; and the president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association; and (2) no more than thirty appointed by the Governor who are representatives of organizations committed to decreasing hate crimes, improving diversity awareness or representing the interests of groups within the state protected by sections 53a-181j to 53a-181l, inclusive.

(b) The Governor shall appoint two chairpersons of such council from among the members of the council.

(c) The council shall meet at least semiannually to encourage and coordinate programs to increase community awareness and reporting of hate crimes and to combat such crimes and make recommendations for any legislation concerning such crimes, including, but not limited to, recommendations concerning restitution for victims of such crimes, community service designed to remedy damage caused by any such crime or that is related to the commission of any such crime and additional alternative sentencing programs for first time offenders and juvenile offenders.

(d) Not later than October 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, the council shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, its recommendations to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary and public safety.

(P.A. 17-111, S. 8.)