OLR Bill Analysis

sSB 849

AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE LAWS.

SUMMARY:

This bill narrows the circumstances under which a municipality gets half the revenue from fines collected for certain occupational violations. It also codifies a local building official's authority to notify the consumer protection commissioner of anyone working at a building construction site without the requisite permit or license.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2009

FINES AND PENALTIES

By law, the consumer protection commissioner or appropriate occupational examining board may levy civil penalties on people who violate occupational licensing laws by working without the requisite license or certificate. Under current law, the commissioner must remit to municipalities one-half of the amount he collects from penalties for violations initially reported by a municipal official. The bill limits municipal remittances to fines collected in cases (1) reported by building officials, rather than all municipal officials, and (2) involving violations of chapter 393 at a building construction site. Under current law, remittances also apply to violations of chapters 394 and 482 (see BACKGROUND).

BACKGROUND

Occupational Licensing and Examining Boards

The law establishes examining boards to (1) determine who is qualified to take a licensing examination, (2) create or select the appropriate licensing examination, (3) determine who is qualified for a license, (4) rule on disciplinary matters, and (5) recommend regulations to the consumer protection commissioner. The occupations the boards oversee are shown on Table 1.

Table 1: Occupations Overseen by Examining Boards

COMMITTEE ACTION

Public Safety and Security Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference

General Law Committee

Joint Favorable