AN ACT CONCERNING USE OF DEADLY FORCE.

HB 5177 changes the legal standard for when peace officers, Department of Correction staff, and Board of Pardons and Paroles officials may use deadly force. It replaces the requirement that force be "objectively reasonable" with a standard based on whether "a reasonable officer or official would use such force given the facts and circumstances known at the time." This shifts evaluation from an external, objective standard to a subjective one focused on the officer's own perception during the incident. The bill directly affects law enforcement and correctional personnel who use deadly force in the line of duty. The stated purpose is to ensure officers are properly evaluated under this revised standard.