Liam EneaSourceCC BY-SA 2.0Resized and converted to PNG with a plain margin.
John A. Kissel is a Republican member of the Connecticut State Senate representing the 7th district, which includes Enfield and surrounding towns. He has served in the Senate since 1993 and is the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee.
We have documented 1 statement by John Kissel, in 1 case. Each statement below gives the quotation, its original source and a link to the full case.
Case updates
Connecticut's prison-fee debt law: want updates?
We'll send an email if lawmakers take up repeal or changes to the law, if Lamont's office offers administrative relief, or if state officials answer critics.
Important updates only. Free. Confirm your email to start. Unsubscribe anytime. How we handle your email.
Role at the time: Connecticut state senator (R-Enfield); co-sponsor of the 1995 law
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Kissel, a co-sponsor of the 1995 law who remains the top Senate Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said taxpayers covered the cost of a person's incarceration and that requiring repayment on a reasonable schedule is a reasonable policy.
“The taxpayers footed the bill. They didn’t do anything wrong. And knowing that one has to pay the state back a reasonable sum on a regular basis is not a bad policy”
Connecticut charges incarcerated people up to $347 a day and can collect the debt for 20 years after release, including from settlements and inheritances. A 2026 investigation found the state collected about $21 million this way since 2020.
