CHAPTER 532
AMUSEMENTS AND EXHIBITIONS

      Sec. 29-129. Licensing of public amusement parks. The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, upon application in writing of any person engaged in the conduct of any place of amusement, entertainment, diversion or recreation to which an admission fee is charged and so located in any area which, with other places of amusement, entertainment, diversion or recreation, constitutes a public amusement park, stating the name and address of the applicant and the location and character of the amusement, entertainment, diversion or recreation proposed to be conducted by such person, upon being satisfied that the same is not inconsistent with the public welfare, morals and safety, shall, upon payment to said commissioner of the license fee as prescribed by section 29-130 and provision of proof of financial responsibility as required by section 29-139, authorize such applicant to conduct the place named in such application at such time and reasonable hours daily as the commissioner limits and prescribes.

      (1949 Rev., S. 3714; P.A. 76-30, S. 1, 6; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 11-51, S. 176.)

      History: P.A. 76-30 specified license fee as that prescribed "by section 29-130" and required that proof of financial responsibility be provided; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 11-51 replaced "Commissioner of Public Safety" with "Commissioner of Consumer Protection" and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 29-130. Amusement park licenses: Issuance, suspension or revocation; fee. The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall prescribe a form of application to be signed by each applicant and may require such information respecting the business in which the applicant proposes to engage as said commissioner finds necessary to safeguard the public from all forms of lascivious conduct, immoral practices, vice or violations of the law. Said commissioner or any employee of the Department of Consumer Protection authorized by said commissioner for said purpose may enter into any place so licensed or upon the premises where such business is being conducted for the purpose of observing the conduct of the same. Said commissioner shall issue to each applicant so licensed a certificate to be designated "amusement park license", and each certificate shall state the name of the applicant, the location of the place where such amusement, entertainment, diversion or recreation may be conducted and the hours each day during which the same may be conducted. Each certificate shall be displayed conspicuously for public view by the licensee at the place where the business so licensed is conducted. Any such license may be suspended or revoked by said commissioner whenever it appears that any of the conditions required to be stated in such license have been violated. Such applications and license certificates shall be printed at the expense of the state. The annual license fee shall be one hundred dollars to be paid by the applicant to the Commissioner of Consumer Protection with each application for such license. Such licenses shall not be transferable and, if any licensee voluntarily discontinues operations thereunder, all rights secured thereby shall terminate. On and after January 1, 1986, the license year shall be from January first until December thirty-first following, inclusive. Each such license shall be for a period of one license year.

      (1949 Rev., S. 3715; 1959, P.A. 373, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 41, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 80-52; P.A. 85-5; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 59, 117; P.A. 96-5; 96-180, S. 153, 166; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-1, S. 142; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 310; P.A. 11-51, S. 177.)

      History: 1959 act increased license fees from $15 to $25 with minimum to be paid fee for any period of $15 rather than 50% of full amount; 1969 act changed license year from May first until April thirtieth to June first until May thirty-first and extended validity of those which would expire April 30, 1969, for one month; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-52 restored original license year, deleted obsolete provision re licenses expiring April 30, 1969, and deleted provision allowing charge of proportionate amount for license period of less than one year; P.A. 85-5 changed term of license year (formerly from May first until April thirtieth) to January first until December thirty-first and added provision re receipt of credit by licensees holding a license expiring April 30, 1986; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6 increased the annual license fee from $25 to $35 and deleted obsolete language; P.A. 96-5 authorized any Department of Public Safety employee to enter amusement park and observe conduct in lieu of state policeman; P.A. 96-180 substituted "The Commissioner of Public Safety" for "Said commissioner", effective June 3, 1996; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-1 increased fee for licensure from $35 to $50, effective July 1, 2007; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 increased annual license fee from $50 to $100; P.A. 11-51 replaced references to Commissioner and Department of Public Safety with references to Commissioner and Department of Consumer Protection and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 29-132. Inspection and certification of amusement rides and devices. All amusement rides and devices in the state shall be inspected at least once in each calendar year, and as often as the Commissioner of Consumer Protection directs. The commissioner shall approve one or more qualified inspectors or civil engineers familiar with the construction and use of gravity and other amusement rides and devices to conduct such inspections. Such inspectors shall be certified to perform such inspections by a nationally recognized professional or trade association of amusement ride safety officials approved by the commissioner. A reasonable fee for such inspection, to be determined by the commissioner, shall be paid to such inspector or engineer by the owner, lessee or operator of such ride or device. No amusement ride or device used for the carrying of passengers shall be operated in the state unless the same has been inspected by such an inspector or engineer and the inspector or engineer has certified to the commissioner that, in such inspector's or engineer's judgment, the same is reasonably safe for public use. Any person aggrieved by the refusal of such inspector or engineer to grant such certificate of safety shall have the right of appeal to the commissioner, who may, after due hearing, if he is of the opinion that such ride or device is safe for public use, issue a license therefor. Upon receipt of such certificate, if the applicant has complied with the provisions of sections 29-129 to 29-143a, inclusive, a license shall be issued by the commissioner, and the commissioner may issue temporary licenses to operate such rides or devices pending inspection or final hearing upon the application when, in the commissioner's judgment, fairness and equity require it.

      (1949 Rev., S. 3717; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 83-30; P.A. 04-110, S. 1; P.A. 11-51, S. 178.)

      History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 83-30 applied provisions to all amusement rides and devices in the state, where previously only those in West Haven were affected; P.A. 04-110 required commissioner to approve one or more qualified inspectors to conduct inspections of amusement rides and devices and such inspectors to be certified to perform inspections by a nationally recognized professional or trade association of amusement ride safety officials approved by the commissioner; P.A. 11-51 replaced "Commissioner of Public Safety" with "Commissioner of Consumer Protection" and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 29-143a. Fire protection at places of public amusement or exhibition. When fire protection is necessary or required at any place of public amusement, sport contest, or any other exhibition or contest, which is being held or is to be held in any municipality, the amount of such protection shall be determined by the fire marshal of such municipality and shall be furnished by the chief of the fire department, who may utilize paid or volunteer firemen or both paid and volunteer firemen for such purposes, and such protection shall be paid for by the person or persons operating, conducting or promoting such game, exhibition or contest. Nothing in this section shall affect the jurisdiction of the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection as may be applicable with respect to such game, exhibition or contest or the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles as may be applicable pursuant to the provisions of section 14-164a.

      (1971, P.A. 375; P.A. 73-59; P.A. 75-395; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 11-51, S. 179.)

      History: P.A. 73-59 allowed use of paid firemen and/or volunteer firemen to provide fire protection at amusements, exhibitions, etc.; P.A. 75-395 added references to abandoned vehicles and to claims and liens for towing; P.A. 77-614 made state police department a division within the department of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 11-51 replaced "Department of Public Safety" with "Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection", effective July 1, 2011.