In the wake of the Cheshire home invasion, lawmakers are looking to pass legislation that would reform Connecticut's criminal justice system.

Among the bills being considered is legislation introduced by the chairmen of the General Assembly's Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Andrew J. McDonald, D-Stamford, and Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, D-East Haven, say they have met with state and local criminal justice officials and with a number of people affected by the July home invasion that resulted in the deaths of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, Hayley and Michaela. The legislators announced their bill Monday and said they hope to have a bill passed and signed into law before the beginning of the next session of the General Assembly on Feb. 6.

"This is not simple," Lawlor said. "It's complicated."

The Judicial Committee chairmen's bill would toughen the state's existing three-strikes law, making it easier for judges to impose life sentences for a third conviction of serious violent crimes, or doubled sentences on other types of repeat criminals.

The bill also calls for a criminal justice electronic information system, for the online listing of parol-ees and probationers and for the expanded use of Global Positioning Satellite surveillance. It also includes a provision that would require construction of a 1,000-bed medium-security prison and a 1,200-bed medical and mental health prison. The legislation specifies that the state bond $110 million for the medium-security prison and $150 million for the medical and mental health facility.

"If you don't put the money there, you are really fooling people," Lawlor said, adding that it is dangerous to have packed prisons.

Sen. Leonard A. Fasano, R-North Haven, the Senate's minority leader pro tempore, said he does not necessarily agree with the amount of money the bill asks for, but said he is pleased overall with the legislation.

"It's actually pretty good," he said. "I think it gets to the essence of what we're trying to do."

The McDonald-Lawlor bill and 13 other bills that deal with the criminal justice system will be addressed at a public hearing Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. Comments will be heard by the Judiciary Committee in Room 2E of the Legislative Office Building.

The bills are not very different, Lawlor said. The lawmakers agree on many things, but just need to work on the details, he said.

The goal is to create actual systemic change, Lawlor said. Lawmakers need to decide how many resources the state can provide, and must determine how quickly the resources can get into the hands of the people who need it, he said.

Change in the criminal justice system is definitely needed, said Sen. Sam. S. Caligiuri, R-Waterbury.

"In my perfect world, it would have been done already," he said.

But Caligiuri, who has been outspoken about the need for a tougher three-strikes law, said he understands that he does not have control over the timetable, and said he is ultimately focused on achieving the overall goal, whether in December or January.

"We need to do everything possible to protect the public," Caligiuri said.

House Majority Leader Christopher G. Donovan, D-Meriden, said he was pleased to hear that the Judiciary Committee will move forward with a hearing on the various criminal justice system bills.

"The Judiciary Committee is really working hard to come up with a solution," he said.

Donovan said lawmakers would have some details to work out before a final bill is passed, but said the state should be able to reform its criminal justice system by the start of the 2008 legislative session.

Fasano agreed.

"We should be able to do it before 2008," he said.

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