The House voted 91 to 51 Wednesday night to clarify the qualifications to run for attorney general, an issue last year that reached the Connecticut Supreme Court.

New standard: One must be an attorney admitted to the bar for at least 10 years continuously.

Old standard: One must be an attorney with 10 years of “active practice,” a phrase that was the subject of much litigation, to the detriment of Susan Bysiewicz’ political hopes.

The court concluded that “active practice” meant litigation experience, which ruled out Bysiewicz and, incidentally, some folks who have served on the Supreme Court.

The bill now goes to the Senate.

Mark is the Capitol Bureau Chief and a co-founder of CT Mirror. He is a frequent contributor to WNPR, a former state politics writer for The Hartford Courant and Journal Inquirer, and contributor for The New York Times.

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