It's too little, too late, for Susan Bysiewicz, but a new bill in the Connecticut General Assembly could allow more attorneys to qualify for attorney general.
The state House of Representatives passed the bill that scraps a longtime requirement of having 10 years of active practice as a lawyer.
The legislation stems from last year's State Supreme Court decision to disqualify then-Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz from seeking the attorney general's office.
The current law dates back to 1897.
Under the new proposal, candidates for attorney general must be admitted to the Connecticut Bar Association as an attorney for a continuous period of at least 10 years immediately before taking office.
Rep. Gerald Fox III, D-Stamford, said the bill will increase the pool of qualified candidates and reduce potential court challenges.
But Republican House members said they believe the law sets the bar too low for someone who has to supervise 200 attorneys, issue legal opinions and represent the people of Connecticut.
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"The fact that a lawyer is a lawyer on paper is not enough," Rep. John Hetherington, R-New Canaan, said. "The attorney must have some experience actually representing clients because you're going to have four million of them as attorney general."
The bill now moves to the Senate for final legislative approval.
