Under this award, the connecticut judicial branch requests funds for the development of an automated court computer process that will align nics cancellations with the bipartisan safer communities act…

Under this $1,012,000 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics (CFDA 16.554 National Criminal History Improvement Program - NCHIP), the Connecticut Judicial Branch will develop an automated court computer system to align NICS cancellations with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act reporting codes. This system will enable local courts and state court administrators to electronically access and archive all documents related to Emergency Risk Protection Order (ERPO) cases. The automated electronic court case management component will accommodate all underlying court forms for ERPO applications, including affidavits, firearms search warrants, and court orders. This is anticipated to improve information sharing, data accuracy, and timeliness in reporting ERPO-related records to NICS for state and national background check purposes. The award period is from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026.

Under this award, the connecticut judicial branch requests funds for the development of an automated court computer process that will align nics cancellations with the bipartisan safer communities act annual reporting codes and enable local courts and state court administrators to electronically access and archive all documents that are used in emergency risk protection order (erpo) cases (sometimes referred to as red flag orders) when a person is found to pose an imminent risk of physical danger to himself, herself, or other persons. An automated electronic court case management component will be put in place which will accommodate all of the underlying court forms that must accompany the erpo application including; affidavits, firearms search warrants, and the actual court orders. This is anticipated to deliver efficiencies to mental health agencies, law enforcement, and the local courts and result in critical information related to erpos being delivered electronically and in a more accurate, complete, and timelier manner to state court administrators for validation and entry into nics; enable state court administrators to have erpo related documents readily available to maintain and validate the nics records; and, enable local court staff and state court administrators to provide assistance to the criminal justice and mental health communities throughout the nation with any related background checks or mental health services.