Protecting Our Veterans’ Memorials
May 5, 2012
State Sen. Jason Welch addresses the crowd at last year’s Harwinton Memorial Day Parade. Welch voted in favor of a bill which beefs up state laws to discourage vandals and thieves from defacing or stealing veterans’ memorials in Connecticut.
I was proud to join with Democrats and Republicans in voting for a bill which beefs up state laws to discourage vandals and thieves from defacing or stealing veterans’ memorials in Connecticut.
The legislation, which is heading to the governor’s desk for his signature, stems from a rise in thefts across the state. Thieves often try to sell off the metal they remove from the monuments in order to make a quick buck. These thefts not only hurt veterans and their families, but they also hurt our communities.
The time has come to send a strong message to would-be criminals. If you get caught, the penalty will be stiff.
Under the bill:
- A person faces a Class D felony for intentionally defacing, mutilating, destroying or removing any part of a memorial or monument, or for possessing or trying to sell it.
- The penalty is up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both.
I am pleased we have passed this bill protecting our veterans’ memorials, and I will continue to fight for Connecticut veterans at the State Capitol.
For those who are interested in travelling around the state to visit Connecticut’s war monuments and learning more about memorials right here in our surrounding towns, I recommend visiting an excellent website at www.ctmonuments.net. There you will find firsthand accounts, detailed background stories and photos of many of our state’s veterans’ memorials.
Feel free to contact me at [email protected] or at 800 842 1421.
Sen. Welch (www.senatorwelch.com) represents Bristol, Plainville, Plymouth and Harwinton.
