Sec. 29-1zz. (Formerly Sec. 29-1a). Terms "State Police Commissioner" or
"Commissioner of State Police" deemed to mean Commissioner of Public Safety;
"State Police Department" deemed to mean Division of State Police. (a) Whenever
the term "State Police Commissioner" or "Commissioner of State Police" is used or
referred to in the general statutes relating to the duties and responsibilities of said commissioner, it shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Commissioner of Public Safety.
(b) Whenever the term "State Police Department" is used or referred to in the general
statutes relating to the duties and responsibilities of said department, it shall be deemed
to mean or refer to the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety.
(P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610.)
History: Sec. 29-1a transferred to Sec. 29-1zz in 1983.
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Sec. 29-2. Powers of commissioner. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall
have general jurisdiction of the affairs of the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety and shall have all the powers and privileges conferred by statute
upon a state policeman. He shall submit to the Governor an annual report, as provided
in section 4-60, setting forth in detail the work of said division. Said commissioner shall
prescribe rules for the government of the division and, in any investigation made by
him relating to the personnel of the division, may administer oaths and summon witnesses and compel their attendance as provided by law for the attendance of witnesses
at court.
(1949 Rev., S. 3641; June, 1955, S. 1985d; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 13; P.A. 74-106, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-614, S. 486,
587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 96-180, S. 152, 166.)
History: P.A. 74-106 deleted provision requiring that general office of the state police department be located in Hartford;
P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced state police commissioner and department with commissioner of public safety and
division of state police within the department of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 96-180 substituted "The
Commissioner of Public Safety" for "Said commissioner", effective June 3, 1996.
See Sec. 7-285 for disposition of articles found or stolen articles recovered.
See Sec. 29-291 re commissioner's duty to serve as State Fire Marshal.
Cited. 161 C. 324.
Cited. 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 163.
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Sec. 29-2a. Legal review of police policies and practices of Division of State
Police. The Chief State's Attorney and the Attorney General, or their designees who
shall be attorneys in their respective offices, shall annually conduct a legal review of
the police policies and practices of the Division of State Police within the Department
of Public Safety, including the policies and procedures relative to the protection of
civil liberties. They shall examine all police practices and procedures followed by the
Division of State Police and shall select the practices and procedures to be reviewed.
Such review may include, but not be limited to: An evaluation of the Division of State
Police policies and practices to ensure that they comply with state and federal law;
recommendations for changes in those policies or practices to avoid violations of federal
and state constitutional, statutory or regulatory provisions; and a summary of recent
changes in statutory or case law which may impact on those state police policies and
practices. The Chief State's Attorney and the Attorney General shall enter into a cooperative agreement which shall define the staffing requirements for the review and the specific process for the completion of the duties required by the provisions of this section.
On January 1, 1991, and annually thereafter, the Chief State's Attorney and the Attorney
General shall submit the review to the Governor, the Commissioner of Public Safety,
the Auditors of Public Accounts, the joint standing committee of the General Assembly
having cognizance of matters relating to the Department of Public Safety, the joint
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to
appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, and the legislative program review
and investigations committee.
(P.A. 90-120, S. 1, 3.)
See Sec. 7-294m re instruction concerning new legal developments for police officers with managerial duties.
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Sec. 29-2b. Imposition of traffic ticket quotas prohibited. The Department of
Public Safety shall not impose any quota with respect to the issuance of summonses for
motor vehicle violations upon any policeman in said department. Nothing in this section
shall prohibit said department from using data concerning the issuance of summonses
in the evaluation of an individual's work performance provided such data is not the
exclusive means of evaluating such performance. As used in this section, "quota" means
a specified number of summonses for motor vehicle violations to be issued within a
specified period of time.
(P.A. 91-222, S. 1, 3.)
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Sec. 29-3. "State policeman" defined. "State policeman" or "state policemen",
wherever used in the general statutes, shall, unless otherwise indicated by the context,
include a state policewoman or state policewomen.
(1949 Rev., S. 3642.)
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Sec. 29-3a. Educational qualifications. After graduation from the State Police
Training Academy, and before becoming a sworn member of the Division of State Police
within the Department of Public Safety, all state police trainees shall have received a
high school diploma or an equivalent approved by the state Department of Education.
Nothing in this section shall prohibit prospective state police applicants from being
admitted to the State Police Training Academy without having received either the high
school diploma or equivalent.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-12, S. 48, 55.)
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Sec. 29-3b. Report on personnel projections for state police force. On or before
January 15, 1994, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Public Safety shall
submit a report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, and the
Department of Public Safety relative to personnel projections for the state police force
and shall inform such committees of the need to authorize a class for trooper trainees.
(P.A. 93-348, S. 7, 8.)
History: P.A. 93-348 effective July 1, 1993.
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Sec. 29-4. State police force. Criminal Intelligence Division and state-wide organized crime investigative task force. Motor patrol. On and after January 1, 2006,
the Commissioner of Public Safety shall appoint and maintain a minimum of one thousand two hundred forty-eight sworn state police personnel to efficiently maintain the
operation of the division. On or after June 6, 1990, the commissioner shall appoint
from among such personnel not more than three lieutenant colonels who shall be in
the unclassified service as provided in section 5-198. Any permanent employee in the
classified service who accepts appointment to the position of lieutenant colonel in the
unclassified service may return to the classified service at such employee's former rank.
The position of major in the classified service shall be abolished on July 1, 1999, but
any existing position of major in the classified service may continue until termination
of service. The commissioner shall appoint not more than seven majors who shall be in
the unclassified service as provided in section 5-198. Any permanent employee in the
classified service who accepts appointment to the position of major in the unclassified
service may return to the classified service at such permanent employee's former rank.
The commissioner, subject to the provisions of chapter 67, shall appoint such numbers
of captains, lieutenants, sergeants, detectives and corporals as the commissioner deems
necessary to officer efficiently the state police force. The commissioner may appoint a
Deputy State Fire Marshal who shall be in the unclassified service as provided in section
5-198. Any permanent employee in the classified service who accepts appointment to
the position of Deputy State Fire Marshal in the unclassified service may return to the
classified service at such employee's former rank, class or grade, whichever is applicable. The commissioner shall establish such divisions as the commissioner deems necessary for effective operation of the state police force and consistent with budgetary allotments, a Criminal Intelligence Division and a state-wide organized crime investigative
task force to be engaged throughout the state for the purpose of preventing and detecting
any violation of the criminal law. The head of the Criminal Intelligence Division shall
be of the rank of sergeant or above. The head of the state-wide organized crime investigative task force shall be a police officer. Salaries of the members of the Division of State
Police within the Department of Public Safety shall be fixed by the Commissioner of
Administrative Services as provided in section 4-40. Subsistence shall be maintained
for state police personnel at the expense of the state, and said police personnel shall be
reimbursed for all expenses incurred in the performance of official duty. Said police
personnel may be promoted, demoted, suspended or removed by the commissioner, but
no final dismissal from the service shall be ordered until a hearing has been had before
said commissioner on charges preferred against such officer. Each state police officer
shall, before entering upon such officer's duties, be sworn to the faithful performance
of such duties. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall designate an adequate patrol
force for motor patrol work exclusively.
(1949 Rev., S. 3643; 1953, June, 1955, S. 1986d; 1957, P.A. 431, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 565, S. 1; 1963, P.A. 633, S. 2;
February, 1965, P.A. 250; 290, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 127, S. 1; 440; 527; 1969, P.A. 587, S. 1; 1972, S.A. 53, S. 13; P.A. 73-374, S. 1, 2; 73-592, S. 1, 15; P.A. 77-614, S. 67, 486, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 82-201, S. 1, 4; P.A. 90-337, S. 2, 8; P.A. 92-130, S. 3, 10; P.A. 98-151; P.A. 99-163, S. 1, 9; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 174; P.A. 06-151, S. 4.)
History: 1961 act provided for appointment of additional major in accordance with Sec. 29-58; 1963 act increased
number of state policemen to be appointed from four hundred fifty to five hundred; 1965 acts authorized appointment of
additional major from the detective division and increased number of policemen to be appointed to five hundred ninety;
1967 acts authorized creation of criminal intelligence division, required that lieutenant colonel be appointed as executive
officer, authorized appointment of corporals, increased number of policemen to be appointed to six hundred sixty-five and
specified that a captain will head the criminal intelligence division; 1969 act increased number of policemen to be appointed
to seven hundred sixty-five; 1972 act increased number of policemen to be appointed to eight hundred and ten men; P.A.
73-374 replaced specific number of appointees with requirement that an adequate number be appointed to efficiently
maintain department's operation, similarly replaced listing of required divisions and required numbers of police for motor
patrol work with more general statements, deleted references to appointment of "detective sergeants", to specific majors,
i.e. one appointed in accordance with Sec. 29-58 and one from detective division, and to motion picture inspectors and
replaced references to policemen and policewomen with references to police personnel and officers; P.A. 73-592 reestablished criminal intelligence division, established state-wide organized crime investigative task force and specified who is
qualified to head the division and task force; P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced personnel policy board with commissioner of administrative services and, effective January 1, 1979, made state police department a division within the department of public safety and replaced state police commissioner with commissioner of public safety; P.A. 82-201 removed
reference to appointment of task force head in accordance with Sec. 29-165, that section having been repealed by the same
act; P.A. 90-337 required commissioner to appoint not more than two lieutenant colonels in unclassified service; permitted
such lieutenant colonels to return to former rank in classified service; abolished position of lieutenant colonel in classified
service on April 1, 1991, and required head of state-wide organized crime investigative task force to be police officer; P.A.
92-130 authorized commissioner to appoint a deputy state fire marshal in unclassified service and permitted such official
to return to classified service at his former rank, class or grade, deleting provision authorizing commissioner to detail an
officer as deputy fire marshal; P.A. 98-151 required the commissioner to appoint and maintain a minimum of one thousand
two hundred forty eight sworn state police personnel by July 1, 2001; P.A. 99-163 deleted obsolete provision re abolition
of position of lieutenant colonel, abolished the position of major in the classified service, and required the commissioner
to appoint eight majors, who shall be in the unclassified service, effective July 1, 1999; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced
"By July 1, 2001" with "On and after January 1, 2006" re minimum number of sworn personnel, effective August 20,
2003; P.A. 06-151 increased the number of permitted appointed lieutenant colonels from two to three and decreased the
number of permitted appointed majors from eight to seven.
See Sec. 5-246 re state police workweek.
See Sec. 27-107 re state police on duty at Veterans' Home.
See Sec. 29-291 re delegation of powers to state police in matters pertaining to fire hazards, fire prevention and fire safety.
Cited. 166 C. 81.
Cited. 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 163.
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Sec. 29-4a. Death or disability from hypertension or heart disease. Compensation. Any condition of impairment of health caused by hypertension or heart disease
resulting in total or partial disability or death to a member of the Division of State Police
within the Department of Public Safety who successfully passed a physical examination
on entry into such service, which examination failed to reveal any evidence of such
condition, shall be presumed to have been suffered in the performance of his duty and
shall be compensable in accordance with the provisions of section 5-142 for a period
of three months. If, at the end of that period, the administrator of the state's workers'
compensation claims wishes to contest whether the disability occurred in the actual
performance of police duty as defined in subsection (a) of section 5-142, he shall notify
the member of his decision. The member or the employee organization may then bring
the matter before the workers' compensation commissioner of the appropriate district
to determine if the disability is compensable under chapter 568 or subsection (a) of
section 5-142. A member who has suffered such total or partial disability shall have the
right to elect to receive either (1) the compensation indicated in section 5-142, or (2)
the benefits produced under chapter 568 and the state employees retirement system, but
not both. The provisions of subsection (a) of section 5-142 shall apply with regard to
the timing of such election.
(1959, P.A. 246, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 85-510, S. 1, 35.)
History: P.A. 77-614 made state police department a division within the department of public safety, effective January
1, 1979; P.A. 85-510 added provisions re compensation for disability and deleted provision that nothing in this section
shall be construed to affect the provisions of chapter 568.
State police trooper employed by Department of Public Safety does not have an election of remedies as between Secs.
5-145a and 29-4a; rather, trooper must proceed under Sec. 29-4a. 70 CA 321.
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Sec. 29-5. Resident state policemen for towns without police force. The Commissioner of Public Safety may, within available appropriations, appoint suitable persons from the regular state police force as resident state policemen in addition to the
regular state police force to be employed and empowered as state policemen in any town
or two or more adjoining towns lacking an organized police force, and such officers
may be detailed by said commissioner as resident state policemen for regular assignment
to such towns, provided each town shall pay sixty per cent of the cost of compensation,
maintenance and other expenses of the state policemen detailed to such town, and on
and after July 1, 1992, each town shall pay seventy per cent of such cost and other
expenses. Such town or towns and the Commissioner of Public Safety are authorized
to enter into agreements and contracts for such police services, with the approval of the
Attorney General, for periods not exceeding two years. The Commissioner of Public
Safety shall exercise such supervision and direction over any resident policeman so
appointed as he deems necessary, and each appointee shall be required to conform to
the requirements of chapter 67. Each resident state policeman shall have the same powers
as officers of the regular state police force and be entitled to the same rights and subject
to the same rules and regulations as the Division of State Police within the Department
of Public Safety.
(1949 Rev., S. 3647; 1951, 1955, S. 1987d; 1957, P.A. 60; 1959, P.A. 361; 1961, P.A. 606; February, 1965, P.A. 290,
S. 2; 1967, P.A. 544, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 602; P.A. 73-6, S. 1, 2; 73-416; P.A. 77-513; 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 85-202; June
Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-12, S. 49, 55; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-12, S. 8, 10; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-14, S. 10, 11.)
History: 1959 act increased number of resident police to thirty; 1961 act to thirty-six; 1965 act increased maximum
number of resident state policemen appointed from thirty-six to forty-six; 1967 act increased maximum number to fifty-five; 1969 act increased maximum number to sixty; P.A. 73-6 authorized contracting for police services "for periods not
exceeding two years" where previously such contracts were specified as two-year periods without exception or allowance
for lesser periods of time; P.A. 73-416 increased maximum number of resident state police to sixty-eight; P.A. 77-513
specified that town pay sixty per cent of resident state policemen's salaries rather than "an equitable share"; P.A. 77-614
made state police department a division within the department of public safety and replaced commissioner of state police
with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 85-202 deleted language limiting the maximum number
of resident state policemen to sixty-eight and provided that appointments be made within available appropriations; June
Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-12 increased town payments for resident state troopers from sixty per cent to seventy per cent of the
state's cost beginning July 1, 1992; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-12 increased town's share of costs and other expenses of resident
state policemen from seventy to seventy-five per cent; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-14 decreased town's share of costs and other
expenses of resident state policemen from seventy-five to seventy per cent.
Cited. 196 C. 623.
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Secs. 29-5a to 29-5e. Reserved for future use.
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Sec. 29-5f. Temporary promotions for commissioner's aide and Governor's
chauffeur-bodyguard. Validation of previous promotions. Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 67, the Commissioner of Public Safety, consistent with budgetary
allotments, may (1) promote two state policemen to the rank of sergeant to serve in the
position of commissioner's aide, and (2) upon the request of the Governor, promote two
state policemen to the rank of sergeant to serve in the position of Governor's chauffeur-bodyguard. Such policemen appointed to the position of commissioner's aide shall retain
the rank of sergeant after the commissioner's term of office expires or upon the commissioner's removal, resignation or failure to complete his term of office until such policemen have the opportunity to qualify at the examination given for the position of sergeant
following the conclusion of such assignment. Such policemen appointed to the position
of Governor's chauffeur-bodyguard shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor and shall
retain the rank of sergeant upon conclusion of such assignment until such policemen
have the opportunity to qualify at the examination given for the position of sergeant
following the conclusion of such assignment. In the event any such policeman does not
qualify for promotion to the rank of sergeant he shall return to his permanent civil service
rank. Any such promotion of any state policeman by the Commissioner of Public Safety
or by the Commissioner of State Police prior to November 1, 1990, is validated and
such policeman shall retain the rank held during such assignment.
(P.A. 83-46, S. 1, 2; P.A. 90-337, S. 5, 8; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2, S. 1, 2.)
History: P.A. 90-337 amended (1) Subdiv. (1) to increase from one to two the number of state policemen promoted to
sergeant to serve as commissioner's aide, and (2) provision re validation to change date from May 4, 1983, to November
1, 1990; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2 amended section to provide that any state policeman serving as commissioner's aide or
governor's chauffeur-bodyguard who is promoted to sergeant in connection with such service shall retain the rank of
sergeant after the commissioner ceases to hold office or after his assignment as governor's chauffeur-bodyguard concludes
until he has an opportunity to qualify at the next sergeant's examination and if he fails to qualify for promotion to sergeant
he shall return to his permanent civil service rank, effective December 13, 1994.
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Sec. 29-6. Uniforms and equipment. The entire state police force shall be uniformed and equipped with arms and motor vehicles in a manner prescribed by the commissioner; but it shall be within his discretion to dispense with the uniform in the performance of special duty.
(1949 Rev., S. 3649.)
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Sec. 29-6a. Use of official hat and insignia of state police. (a) The Commissioner
of Public Safety shall cause to be filed with the Secretary of the State a drawing or
photograph and a worded description of the official hat and insignia to be worn by state
policemen while on duty.
(b) Thereafter no policeman shall wear or use in public such official hat or insignia,
or any imitation, reproduction or facsimile thereof, except a duly appointed member of
the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety authorized by the
Commissioner of Public Safety to wear such hat or insignia.
(c) Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be fined not more
than two hundred and fifty dollars.
(1967, P.A. 594; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610.)
History: P.A. 77-614 made state police department a division within the department of public safety and replaced
commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979.
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Sec. 29-6b. Fire suppression systems for patrol cars. Not later than January 1,
2007, each vehicle purchased for use primarily as a patrol car by a state police officer
shall be equipped with a manufacturer-installed fire suppression system. For purposes
of this section, "fire suppression system" means a system that is integrated into the
structure and electrical architecture of a vehicle and (1) uses sensors to measure post-impact vehicle movement to determine the optimal time to deploy chemicals designed
to suppress the spread of fire or extinguish a fire resulting from a high-speed rear-end
collision, and (2) may be activated both manually and automatically.
(P.A. 04-133, S. 1; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 49.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 required each vehicle purchased for use primarily as a patrol car by a state police
officer to be equipped with a fire suppression system not later than January 1, 2007, deleting reference to former date "on
or after January 1, 2006", effective July 1, 2005.
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Sec. 29-7. Powers and duties of force. Barracks. The Division of State Police
within the Department of Public Safety, upon its initiative, or when requested by any
person, shall, whenever practical, assist in or assume the investigation, detection and
prosecution of any criminal matter or alleged violation of law. All state policemen shall
have, in any part of the state, the same powers with respect to criminal matters and the
enforcement of the law relating thereto as policemen or constables have in their respective jurisdictions. Said commissioner shall devise and make effective a system of police
patrols throughout the state, exclusive of cities and boroughs, for the purpose of preventing or detecting any violation of the criminal law or any law relating to motor
vehicles and shall establish and maintain such barracks or substations as may prove
necessary to accomplish such purpose.
(1949 Rev., S. 3650; 1961, P.A. 517, S. 66; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 00-99, S. 73, 154.)
History: 1961 act deleted reference to municipal courts; P.A. 77-614 made state police department a division within
the department of public safety and replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective
January 1, 1979; P.A. 00-99 deleted reference to sheriffs, effective December 1, 2000.
See Sec. 7-282b re installation and connection of automatic calling devices.
See Sec. 54-1f re authority of state police to make arrests without warrants.
Cited. 196 C. 623. Cited. 197 C. 507. Cited. 202 C. 158. Cited. 227 C. 363.
Presumption exists that commissioner used reasonable discretion in selecting particular radar unit. 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 163.
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Sec. 29-7a. Establishment of sex crimes analysis unit. Section 29-7a is repealed,
effective July 1, 1993.
(P.A. 75-553, S. 1, 3; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 85-613, S. 67, 154; P.A. 93-340, S.
18, 19.)
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Sec. 29-7b. Division of Scientific Services. (a) There shall be within the Department of Public Safety a Division of Scientific Services. The Commissioner of Public
Safety shall serve as administrative head of such division, and may delegate jurisdiction
over the affairs of such division to a deputy commissioner.
(b) The Division of Scientific Services shall provide technical assistance to law
enforcement agencies in the various areas of scientific investigation. The division shall
maintain facilities and services for the examination and analysis of evidentiary materials
in areas including, but not limited to, chemistry, arson, firearms, questioned documents,
microscopy, serology, toxicology, trace evidence, latent fingerprints, impressions and
other similar technology. The facilities, services and personnel of the division shall be
available, without charge, to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and all duly
constituted prosecuting, police and investigating agencies of the state.
(c) The Division of Scientific Services: (1) May investigate any physical evidence
or evidentiary material related to a crime upon the request of any federal, state or local
agency, (2) may conduct or assist in the scientific field investigation at the scene of a
crime and provide other technical assistance and training in the various fields of scientific
criminal investigation upon request, (3) shall assure the safe custody of evidence during
examination, (4) shall forward a written report of the results of an examination of evidence to the agency submitting such evidence, (5) shall render expert court testimony
when requested, and (6) shall conduct ongoing research in the areas of the forensic
sciences. The Commissioner of Public Safety or a deputy commissioner designated by
the commissioner shall be in charge of the Division of Scientific Services operations and
shall establish and maintain a system of case priorities and a procedure for submission of
evidence and evidentiary security.
(d) In accordance with the provisions of sections 4-38d, 4-38e and 4-39, all powers
and duties of the Department of Public Health under the provisions of sections 14-227a,
14-227c, 15-140u and 21a-283 shall be transferred to the Division of Scientific Services
within the Department of Public Safety.
(P.A. 83-66, S. 1, 2; P.A. 99-218, S. 1, 16.)
History: P.A. 99-218 replaced former Subsec. (a) which had created the Forensic Science Laboratory with new provisions creating the Division of Scientific Services, made remaining part of former Subsec. (a) a new Subsec. (b), specified
in Subsec. (b) that the division would be available without charge to certain agencies, redesignated former Subsec. (b) as
Subsec. (c), provided in Subsec. (c) for the commissioner or a deputy commissioner to head the division, and added Subsec.
(d) which specified the transfer of certain Department of Public Health powers and duties to the division, effective July
1, 1999.
See Sec. 29-7h re duties concerning firearms evidence databank.
See Secs. 54-102g to 54-102l, inclusive, re duties concerning DNA analysis and establishment and maintenance of
DNA databank.
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Sec. 29-7c. Legalized gambling investigative unit. There is established a unit in
the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety to be known as the
legalized gambling investigative unit. The unit, in conjunction with the special policemen in the Division of Special Revenue, shall be responsible for (1) the criminal enforcement of the provisions of chapters 226 and 226b, and (2) the investigation, detection of
and assistance in the prosecution of any criminal matter or alleged violation of criminal
law with respect to legalized gambling, provided the legalized gambling investigative
unit shall be the primary criminal enforcement agency. Nothing in this section shall
limit the powers granted to persons appointed to act as special policemen in accordance
with the provisions of section 29-18c.
(P.A. 86-419, S. 23.)
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Secs. 29-7d to 29-7g. Reserved for future use.
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Sec. 29-7h. Firearms evidence databank. (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Firearms evidence databank" means a computer-based system that scans a test
fire and stores an image of such test fire in a manner suitable for retrieval and comparison
to other test fires and to other evidence in a case;
(2) "Handgun" means any firearm capable of firing rim-fire or center-fire ammunition and designed or built to be fired with one hand;
(3) "Laboratory" means the Division of Scientific Services forensic science laboratory within the Department of Public Safety;
(4) "Police department" means the Division of State Police within the Department
of Public Safety or an organized local police department;
(5) "Test fire" means discharged ammunition consisting of a cartridge case or a
bullet or a fragment thereof, collected after a handgun is fired and containing sufficient
microscopical characteristics to compare to other discharged ammunition or to determine the handgun from which the ammunition was fired.
(b) (1) The Division of Scientific Services shall establish a firearms evidence databank. Test fire evidence submitted to the laboratory or collected from handguns submitted to the laboratory shall be entered into such databank in accordance with specific
procedures adopted by the Commissioner of Public Safety, in the regulations adopted
pursuant to subsection (f) of this section.
(2) The firearms evidence databank may be used by laboratory personnel to (A)
compare two or more cartridge cases, bullets or other projectiles submitted to the laboratory or produced at the laboratory from a handgun, or (B) upon the request of a police
department as part of a criminal case investigation, verify by microscopic examination
any resulting match, and shall produce a report stating the results of such a search.
(3) Any image of a cartridge case, bullet or fragment thereof that is not matched by
a search of the databank shall be stored in the databank for future searches.
(4) The Division of Scientific Services may permit a firearms section of a police
department that complies with all laboratory guidelines and regulations adopted by the
commissioner pursuant to subsection (f) of this section regarding the operation of the
firearms evidence databank to (A) collect test fires from handguns that come into the
custody of the police department, (B) set up a remote terminal to enter test fire images
directly into the databank, and (C) search the databank.
(c) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section and
subsection (d) of this section, a police department shall submit to the laboratory any
handgun that comes into police custody as the result of a criminal investigation, as found
property, or for destruction, prior to the return or the destruction of the handgun.
(2) The laboratory shall collect a test fire from each submitted handgun within sixty
days of submission. The laboratory shall label the test fire with the handgun manufacturer, type of weapon, serial number, date of the test fire and name of the person collecting
the test fire.
(d) (1) A police department shall collect a test fire from every handgun issued by
that department to an employee not later than six months after October 1, 2001. On and
after October 1, 2001, a police department shall collect a test fire from every handgun
to be issued by that department before the handgun is so issued. Any police department
may request the assistance of the Division of State Police or the laboratory to collect a
test fire.
(2) The police department shall seal the test fire in a tamper-evident manner and
label the package with the handgun manufacturer, handgun type, serial number and the
name of the person collecting the test fire. The police department shall submit the test
fire and two intact cartridges of the same type of ammunition used for the test fire to
the laboratory.
(e) The laboratory may share the information in the firearms evidence databank with
other law enforcement agencies, both within and outside the state, and may participate in
a national firearms evidence databank program.
(f) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of
chapter 54, to carry out the purposes of this section.
(P.A. 01-130, S. 10.)
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Secs. 29-7i to 29-7l. Reserved for future use.
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Sec. 29-7m. Record and classification of crimes motivated by bigotry or bias.
(a) On and after July 1, 1988, the Division of State Police within the Department of
Public Safety shall monitor, record and classify all crimes committed in the state which
are motivated by bigotry or bias.
(b) The police department, resident state trooper or constable who performs law
enforcement duties for each town shall monitor, record and classify all crimes committed
within such town which are violations of section 53a-181j, 53a-181k or 53a-181l and
report such information to the Division of State Police within the Department of Public
Safety.
(P.A. 87-279, S. 1, 3; P.A. 97-18; P.A. 00-72, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 97-18 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), amended said Subsec. (a) to make a technical change
and added Subsec. (b) to require local law enforcement agencies to monitor, record and classify all violations of Sec. 53a-181b and report such information to the Division of State Police; P.A. 00-72 amended Subsec. (b) to replace reference to
"section 53a-181b" with reference to "section 53a-181j, 53a-181k or 53a-181l".
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Sec. 29-7n. Record and classification of gang-related crimes. (a) For the purposes of sections 7-294l and 7-294x, subsection (a) of section 10-16b, subsection (b)
of this section and sections 3 and 8 of public act 93-416*, "gang" means a group of
juveniles or youths who, acting in concert with each other, or with adults, engage in
illegal activities.
(b) On and after July 1, 1994, the Division of State Police within the Department
of Public Safety shall monitor, record and classify all crimes committed in the state
which are gang-related in accordance with the provisions of section 29-1c.
(P.A. 93-416, S. 1, 2, 10; P.A. 06-196, S. 158.)
*Note: Sections 3 and 8 of public act 93-416 are special in nature and therefore have not been codified but remain in
full force and effect according to their terms.
History: P.A. 93-416 effective June 29, 1993; P.A. 06-196 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective June 7, 2006.
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Sec. 29-8. Riots. Immunities. In case of riot or civil commotion in any part of the
state, the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety, on order of
the Governor, shall use its best efforts to suppress the same. In the event of such participation by the Division of State Police in the suppression of any riot or similar disorder,
the same immunities and privileges as apply to the organized militia shall apply to the
members of said division.
(1949 Rev., S. 3651; 1971, P.A. 871, S. 108; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136.)
History: 1971 act deleted requirement that "preliminary warning as prescribed in section 53-169" be given to persons
"assembled against the peace" before police suppress riot or civil commotion; P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 made state
police department a division within the department of public safety, effective January 1, 1979.
See Sec. 27-60 re limited liability and immunity from arrest of militia.
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Sec. 29-8a. Indemnification of state police, State Capitol police and certain
special police in civil rights actions. Fees and costs. (a) The state shall protect and
save harmless any state policeman from financial loss and expense, including legal fees
and costs, if any, arising out of any claim, demand, suit or judgment by reason of the
alleged deprivation by such state policeman of any person's civil rights, which deprivation was not wanton, reckless or malicious, provided such state policeman, at the time
of the acts resulting in such alleged deprivation, was acting in the discharge of his duties
or within the scope of his employment or under the direction of a superior officer.
(b) Legal fees and costs incurred as a result of the retention, by any state policeman,
of an attorney to represent his interests in any action referred to in subsection (a) of this
section shall be borne by the state only in those cases in which (1) such state policeman
is ultimately found not to have acted in a wanton, reckless or malicious manner or (2)
no punitive damages are ultimately assessed against such state policeman.
(c) As used in this section, state policeman includes a member of the Office of State
Capitol Police or any person appointed under section 29-18 as a special policeman for
the State Capitol building and grounds, the Legislative Office Building and parking
garage and related structures and facilities, and other areas under the supervision and
control of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management.
(P.A. 73-617, S. 1; P.A. 80-33, S. 1, 3; P.A. 81-450, S. 1; P.A. 84-48, S. 15, 17; P.A. 89-82, S. 9, 11; P.A. 96-219, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 80-33 added Subsec. (c) to specify that provisions are applicable to capitol security officers and special
policemen for state capitol building and grounds; P.A. 81-450 deleted provision in Subsec. (b) allowing state's payment
of policeman's legal fees and costs when attorney general has recommended that policeman obtain attorney's services in
cases where attorney general is of the opinion that state's interests differ from those of policeman and added provision
whereby state pays for legal costs if no punitive damages are assessed against policeman; P.A. 84-48 inserted reference
to special policemen for other areas under the supervision and control of the joint committee on legislative management;
P.A. 89-82 expanded reference in Subsec. (c) to state capitol building and grounds to include legislative office building
and parking garage and related structures and facilities; P.A. 96-219 amended Subsec. (c) by changing the name of the
"Office of Capitol Security" to the "Office of State Capitol Police".
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Sec. 29-9. Acceptance or offering of gifts or rewards by or to state or local
police. (a) Any state police officer appointed as provided in section 29-4, any police
officer of any city, town or borough and any person having the power of arrest who,
directly or indirectly, receives a reward, gift or gratuity for the purpose of influencing
his behavior in office, or any person who gives, offers or promises to a police officer
or any person having the power of arrest any reward, gift or gratuity with the intent to
influence his behavior in office, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars or
imprisoned not more than six months or both, and the police officer shall be dishonorably
discharged from the Division of State Police or from the police department.
(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to rewards, gifts
or gratuities which are approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety, or the police
chief or board of police commissioners, as the case may be, and are given to the police
officer on account of his official services.
(1949 Rev., S. 3648; 1967, P.A. 409, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 05-288, S. 127.)
History: 1967 act extended applicability of provisions to include police officers of cities, towns or boroughs and to all
persons having power to make arrests and to persons who offer, give or promise rewards, gifts or gratuities with intent to
influence an officer's behavior, moved commissioner's power to approve rewards, gifts or gratuities to new Subsec. (b)
and extended that power to police chiefs and boards of police commissioners; P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 made state police
department a division within the department of public safety and replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of
public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 05-288 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective July 13, 2005.
Cited. 172 C. 458. Offense of offering a gratuity requires element of proof, specific intent, which is not needed to prove
greater offense of bribery. Id. This section not a lesser included offense to Sec. 53a-147, and acceptance of guilty plea to
this section was a nullity. Id., 608. Offense under this section is not a lesser included offense within Sec. 53a-148. 201 C.
379. Cited. 208 C. 411. Cited. 229 C. 479.
Statute is not a lesser included offense of Sec. 53a-148. 5 CA 125.
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Sec. 29-10. Commissioner may delegate authority. Any person may, and any
policeman, with the consent of the authority to which he is subject, shall, go to any part
of the state when required by the Commissioner of Public Safety, and, while so acting
under the authority of the commissioner, shall have all the powers conferred on state
policemen and shall be paid such sum as is fixed by said commissioner.
(1949 Rev., S. 3652; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 00-99, S. 74, 154.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced state police commissioner with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979;
P.A. 00-99 deleted reference to deputy sheriff, effective December 1, 2000.
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Sec. 29-10a. Use of state police rifle ranges by civilian rifle clubs. Civilian rifle
clubs affiliated with the National Rifle Association of the United States and members
of organized police departments may be permitted to use the outdoor and indoor rifle
and pistol ranges belonging to, or under the control of, the Division of State Police
within the Department of Public Safety for practice with small arms in accordance with
such regulations as the Commissioner of Public Safety may prescribe, provided such
use of any rifle or pistol range shall at no time interfere with the instruction or practice
of members of the Division of State Police.
(1967, P.A. 443; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 made state police department a division within the department of public safety
and replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979.
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Sec. 29-10b. Fees for searches and copies. The Commissioner of Public Safety
shall charge the following fees for the item or service indicated:
(1) Each search of the record files made pursuant to a request for a copy of an
accident or investigative report which results in no document being produced, six dollars,
and on and after July 1, 1993, eight dollars.
(2) Each copy of an accident or investigative report, six dollars, and on and after
July 1, 1993, eight dollars.
(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 56, 117.)
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Sec. 29-10c. Accident records of state police. Any memorandum, sketch, chart,
written statement, report or photograph obtained, prepared or created by the Division
of State Police within the Department of Public Safety in the investigation of any accident
wherein any person has been injured or property damaged shall be preserved and retained
for a period of at least ten years from the date of such accident. Subsequent to the final
disposition of any criminal action arising out of an accident, the records hereinbefore
specified and the information contained therein shall be open to public inspection, except
that such records shall be available to any person involved in the accident subsequent
to the issuance of a warrant or summons in such action.
(P.A. 97-12.)
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Sec. 29-11. State Police Bureau of Identification. Fees. (a) The bureau in the
Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety known as the State
Police Bureau of Identification shall be maintained for the purposes (1) of providing an
authentic record of each person sixteen years of age or over who is charged with the
commission of any crime involving moral turpitude, (2) of providing definite information relative to the identity of each person so arrested, (3) of providing a record of the
final judgment of the court resulting from such arrest, unless such record has been erased
pursuant to section 54-142a, and (4) for maintaining a central repository of complete
criminal history record disposition information. The Commissioner of Public Safety is
directed to maintain the State Police Bureau of Identification, which bureau shall receive,
classify and file in an orderly manner all fingerprints, pictures and descriptions, including previous criminal records as far as known of all persons so arrested, and shall classify
and file in a like manner all identification material and records received from the government of the United States and from the various state governments and subdivisions
thereof, and shall cooperate with such governmental units in the exchange of information
relative to criminals. The State Police Bureau of Identification shall accept fingerprints
of applicants for admission to the bar of the state and, to the extent permitted by federal
law, shall exchange state, multistate and federal criminal history records with the State
Bar Examining Committee for purposes of investigation of the qualifications of any
applicant for admission as an attorney under section 51-80. The record of all arrests
reported to the bureau after March 16, 1976, shall contain information of any disposition
within ninety days after the disposition has occurred.
(b) Any cost incurred by the State Police Bureau of Identification in conducting
any name search and fingerprinting of applicants for admission to the bar of the state
shall be paid from fees collected by the State Bar Examining Committee.
(c) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall charge the following fees for the service indicated: (1) Name search, eighteen dollars; (2) fingerprint search, twenty-five
dollars; (3) personal record search, twenty-five dollars; (4) letters of good conduct
search, twenty-five dollars; (5) bar association search, twenty-five dollars; (6) fingerprinting, five dollars; (7) criminal history record information search, twenty-five dollars.
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the provisions of this subsection
shall not apply to any federal, state or municipal agency.
(1949 Rev., S. 3653; P.A. 76-333, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 78-200, S. 3; P.A. 90-151, S. 1, 3; May Sp. Sess.
P.A. 92-6, S. 55, 117; P.A. 94-117, S. 3; P.A. 98-170.)
History: P.A. 76-333 added word "police" in references to "state police bureau of identification"; P.A. 77-614 made
state police department a division within the department of public safety and replaced commissioner of state police with
commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-200 set off purposes for maintaining identification bureau
with Subdiv. indicators, substituted "sixteen years of age or over" for "over sixteen years of age" in Subdiv. (1), added
reference to erasure of records in Subdiv. (3), added new Subdiv. (4) re central repository of criminal history record
disposition information and required that arrest records contain disposition information within ninety days of disposition
after March 16, 1976; P.A. 90-151 added provisions re acceptance of fingerprints of applicants for admission to the bar
and exchange of criminal history records with the bar examining committee; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6 added new Subsec.
(c) to establish fees for name search, fingerprint search, personal record search, letters of good conduct, bar association
search and fingerprinting; P.A. 94-117 amended Subsec. (c) by adding fee of fifteen dollars for criminal history record
search and ten dollars for each copy of a search; P.A. 98-170 amended Subsec. (c) by increasing the fee for a name search
to eighteen dollars and the fees for a fingerprint search, personal record search, letters of good conduct search, bar association
search or criminal history record information search to twenty-five dollars and by deleting fee for copies of searches.
Cited. 196 C. 430.
Cited. 40 CA 705; judgment reversed, see 240 C. 590.
Subsec. (c):
Since request for digital copy of information for every adult in data base of Department of Correction not a request for
criminal history information under statute, fee for information established under Sec. 1-211(a). 261 C. 86.
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Sec. 29-11a. State police to report arrests to Bureau of Identification. Any state
police officer who makes an arrest of a person shall, without delay, report the record of
such arrest to the State Police Bureau of Identification. For the purposes of this section,
"record of such arrest" means the name and address of the person arrested, the date,
time and place of the arrest and the offense for which the person was arrested.
(P.A. 83-272, S. 2.)
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Sec. 29-12. Fingerprints, photograph and physical description of arrested
persons. Regulations. (a) All persons arrested for crime as described in section 29-11
shall submit to the taking of their fingerprints, photograph and physical description and
all constables and chiefs of police of organized police departments and the commanding
officers of state police stations shall immediately furnish to the State Police Bureau of
Identification two copies of a standard identification card on which shall be imprinted
fingerprints of each person so arrested, together with the physical description of, and
such information as said bureau may require with respect to, such arrested person. In the
event fingerprint or photographic images of arrested persons are captured by electronic
means, the captured electronic images shall be immediately transmitted to said bureau.
Any electronic imaging equipment used to capture such fingerprint or photographic
images shall be approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety or said commissioner's
designee.
(b) All wardens of correctional institutions and the Community Correctional Center
Administrator shall furnish to the State Police Bureau of Identification such information
with respect to prisoners as said bureau requires.
(c) The Commissioner of Public Safety may adopt regulations, in accordance with
chapter 54, for the submission to and the taking of fingerprints as required under this
section which will promote efficiency and be consistent with advances in automation
and technology.
(1949 Rev., S. 3654; 1969, P.A. 297; P.A. 76-333, S. 2; P.A. 78-200, S. 4; 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 87-282, S. 18; P.A.
00-99, S. 75, 154; P.A. 05-52, S. 1; P.A. 06-111, S. 1.)
History: 1969 act replaced jails with community correctional centers; P.A. 76-333 added word "police" in reference
to "state police bureau of identification"; P.A. 78-200 authorized state police commissioner to adopt regulations re fingerprinting; P.A. 78-303 allowed substitution of commissioner of public safety for commissioner of state police in keeping
with changes enacted by P.A. 77-614; P.A. 87-282 deleted reference to "superintendents of correctional institutions"; P.A.
00-99 deleted reference to sheriffs, effective December 1, 2000; P.A. 05-52 divided section into Subsecs. (a) to (c), inserting
in Subsec. (a) requirement that arrested persons submit to taking of photograph and provisions re fingerprint or photographic
images of arrested persons captured by electronic means and re approval of electronic imaging equipment used therefor,
and in Subsec. (c) requirement that regulations be adopted in accordance with chapter 54; P.A. 06-111 deleted photograph
requirement for identification cards in Subsec. (a), effective June 2, 2006.
Cited. 196 C. 430.
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Sec. 29-12a. Maintenance of fingerprints in electronic format. Destruction of
paper copy. (a) The State Police Bureau of Identification may maintain the fingerprints
of arrested persons received pursuant to section 29-12 and of persons who have submitted fingerprints in connection with a criminal history records check pursuant to section
29-17a in an electronic format in lieu of a paper format.
(b) Whenever the bureau converts fingerprints contained in its files from a paper
format to an electronic format, it may destroy the paper copy of such fingerprints.
(P.A. 06-111, S. 2; 06-187, S. 43.)
History: P.A. 06-111 and 06-187 both contained identical provisions, effective July 1, 2006.
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Sec. 29-13. Notice of judgments. When the criminal charge against a person who
has been arrested and fingerprinted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter is
disposed of in any court, the clerk of such court shall, within three days, notify the State
Police Bureau of Identification of the judgment of the court on printed forms provided
by said bureau.
(1949 Rev., S. 3655; 1959, P.A. 28, S. 62; P.A. 76-333, S. 3.)
History: 1959 act removed references to trial justices; P.A. 76-333 added word "police" in reference to "state police
bureau of identification".
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Sec. 29-14. Duties of bureau. Said bureau shall, on the receipt of any such identification card, immediately cause the files to be examined and shall promptly return to the
police department or peace officer submitting such identification card a true transcript
of the record of previous crimes committed by the person described on each such identification card, and said bureau shall assist police and prosecuting officials in the preparation
and distribution of circulars relative to fugitives when so requested. When an arrest is
made by an officer of a police department or other peace officer who is not equipped
with necessary paraphernalia or skilled in the art of taking fingerprints and proper descriptions of criminals, he may call on the State Police Bureau of Identification or on
the nearest state police station for assistance and any officer or officers so called shall
render such assistance immediately.
(1949 Rev., S. 3656; P.A. 76-333, S. 4.)
History: P.A. 76-333 added word "police" in reference to "state police bureau of identification".
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Sec. 29-15. Return or destruction of fingerprints, photograph and physical
description. (a)(1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, whenever
any person, having no record of prior criminal conviction, whose fingerprints, photograph and physical description are so filed has been found not guilty of the offense
charged, or has had such charge dismissed or nolled, such person's fingerprints, photograph and physical description and other identification data and all copies and duplicates
thereof, shall, be returned to such person not later than sixty days after the finding of
not guilty or after such dismissal or in the case of a nolle within sixty days after thirteen
months of such nolle.
(2) Whenever any person, having no record of prior criminal conviction, whose
fingerprints, photograph and physical description and other identification data has been
filed and stored in an electronic format, has been found not guilty of the offense charged,
or has had such charge dismissed or nolled, such electronically stored images and data
shall be permanently deleted and any paper copy of such fingerprints, photograph and
physical description and other identification data, and all copies and duplicates thereof,
shall be destroyed not later than sixty days after the finding of not guilty or after such
dismissal or in the case of a nolle within sixty days after thirteen months of such nolle.
(b) Any person having no record of prior criminal conviction whose fingerprints
and pictures are so filed, who has been found not guilty of the offense charged or has
had such charge dismissed or nolled prior to October 1, 1974, may, upon application to
the person charged with the retention and control of such identification data at the State
Police Bureau of Identification, have his fingerprints, pictures and description and other
identification data and all copies and duplicates thereof, returned to him not later than
sixty days after the filing of such application provided in the case of a nolle, such nolle
shall have occurred thirteen months prior to filing of such application.
(1949 Rev., S. 3657; 1949, S. 1988d; P.A. 74-163, S. 4; P.A. 75-567, S. 72, 80; P.A. 78-200, S. 5; P.A. 06-111, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 74-163 rephrased previous provisions for clarity, adding reference to dismissed charges and added Subsec.
(b); P.A. 75-567 made technical change, adding "when" after date in Subsec. (a); P.A. 78-200 substituted persons "charged
with retention and control of such identification data" at bureau of identification for clerk of the court; P.A. 06-111 amended
Subsec. (a) to designate existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and replace "pictures" with "photograph", add references to
"physical description" and make technical changes therein, and to add new provision re electronic storage as Subdiv. (2),
effective July 1, 2006.
Fingerprints, pictures and descriptions and other identification data regulated by this statute are not among records
whose disclosure is governed by Sec. 54-142a. 192 C. 488. Cited. 237 C. 501.
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Sec. 29-16. Use of information. Conviction information, as defined in subsection
(c) of section 54-142g, contained in the files of the State Police Bureau of Identification,
shall be available to the public in accordance with the provisions of section 54-142k.
All information contained in the files of the State Police Bureau of Identification relative
to criminal records and personal history of persons convicted of crime shall be available
at all times to all peace officers engaged in the detection of crime, to all prosecuting
officials and probation officers for the purpose of furthering the ends of public justice and
to the State Bar Examining Committee for the purpose of ensuring that those individuals
admitted to the practice of law are of the highest quality.
(1949 Rev., S. 3658; P.A. 76-333, S. 5; P.A. 85-121; P.A. 94-117, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 76-333 added word "police" in references to "state police bureau of identification"; P.A. 85-121 made
criminal record history information available to state bar examining committee; P.A. 94-117 amended section by deleting
"Information" and substituting "Conviction information, as defined in subsection (c) of section 54-142g," removing provision re privileged information available only through court order and inserted provision that conviction information shall
be available to public in accordance with Sec. 54-142k.
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Sec. 29-17. Penalty. Any person who neglects or refuses to comply with the requirements of sections 29-11 to 29-16, inclusive, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.
(1949 Rev., S. 3659.)
Cited. 196 C. 430.
Cited. 1 CA 697.
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Sec. 29-17a. Criminal history records checks. Procedure. Fees. (a) If a criminal
history records check is required pursuant to any provision of the general statutes, such
check shall be requested from the State Police Bureau of Identification and shall be
applicable to the individual identified in the request. The requesting party shall arrange
for the fingerprinting of the individual or for conducting any other method of positive
identification required by the State Police Bureau of Identification and, if a national
criminal history records check is requested, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The
fingerprints or other positive identifying information shall be forwarded to the State
Police Bureau of Identification which shall conduct a state criminal history records
check. If a national criminal history records check is requested, the State Police Bureau
of Identification shall submit the fingerprints or other positive identifying information
to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history records check,
unless the Federal Bureau of Investigation permits direct submission of the fingerprints
or other positive identifying information by the requesting party.
(b) The Commissioner of Public Safety may charge fees for conducting criminal
history background checks as follows:
(1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, for a person requesting
(A) a state criminal history records check, the fee charged by the Department of Public
Safety for performing such check, and (B) a national criminal history records check,
the fee charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for performing such check.
(2) For a state agency requesting a national criminal history records check of a
person, the fee charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for performing such
check. The state agency shall reimburse the Department of Public Safety for such cost.
Unless otherwise provided by the provision of the general statutes requiring the criminal
history records check, the state agency may charge the person a fee equal to the amount
paid by the state agency under this subdivision.
(c) The Commissioner of Public Safety may provide an expedited service for persons requesting criminal history records checks in accordance with this section. Such
expedited service shall include making the results of such records checks available to
the requesting party through the Internet. The commissioner may enter into a contract
with any person, firm or corporation to establish and administer such expedited service.
The commissioner shall charge, in addition to the fees charged pursuant to subsection
(b) of this section, a fee of twenty-five dollars for each expedited criminal history record
check provided. The fee charged pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and the expedited service fee charged pursuant to this subsection shall be paid by the requesting
party in such manner as may be required by the commissioner.
(P.A. 01-175, S. 31, 32; P.A. 05-267, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 01-175 effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 05-267 added Subsec. (c) re expedited service.
See Secs. 10-221d, 12-559, 12-578, 12-586f, 12-586g, 12-815a, 14-44, 17a-151, 17b-749k, 17b-750, 18-81l, 19a-80,
19a-87b, 19a-491b, 21-40, 21-100, 22a-6m, 29-29, 29-36g, 29-145, 29-152f, 29-155, 29-156a, 29-349, and 38a-660 re
using criminal history records checks in accordance with Sec. 29-17a.
See Sec. 17a-6a re criminal history records checks for applicants for positions with the Department of Children and
Families.
See Sec. 17a-114 re criminal history records checks for persons sixteen years of age or older living in household of
child placement applicant.
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Sec. 29-17b. Criminal history records checks of coaches in police-sponsored
athletic activities. Department of Public Safety shall perform state and national criminal
history records checks at the request of any sworn police officer with respect to any
coach involved in a police-sponsored athletic activity where such coach will be in direct
contact with children under eighteen years of age. The Department of Public Safety
shall charge the sponsoring organization fees for conducting such criminal history records checks as provided in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 29-17a.
(P.A. 03-203, S. 4.)
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Sec. 29-18. Special policemen for state property. The Commissioner of Public
Safety may appoint one or more persons nominated by the administrative authority of
any state buildings or lands including, but not limited to, state owned and managed
housing facilities, to act as special policemen in such buildings and upon such lands.
Each such special policeman shall be sworn and may arrest and present before a competent authority any person for any offense committed within his precinct.
(1949 Rev., S. 3660; 1969, P.A. 468; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610.)
History: 1969 act specifically included state-owned and managed housing facilities as eligible to be served by special
policemen; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January
1, 1979.
See Sec. 4b-13(a) re enforcement of regulations concerning state-owned parking areas by special policemen.
See Sec. 29-8a re indemnification of state policemen and State Capitol police in civil rights actions.
See Sec. 53-39a re indemnification of state police and State Capitol police in cases where criminal charge is dismissed.
University police have all the powers of state policemen and are entitled to all the protections afforded such policemen.
166 C. 81.
Determination of whether special policeman under this section is considered a "policeman" for purposes of Sec. 31-275(1)(A) depends on facts in case. 60 CA 707.
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Sec. 29-18a. Special policemen for investigating public assistance fraud. Appointment, powers and duties. The Commissioner of Public Safety may appoint one
or more persons to act as special policemen in the Department of Public Safety, for the
purpose of investigating public assistance fraud relating to the beneficiaries of public
assistance in this state. Such appointees, having been sworn, shall serve at the pleasure
of the Commissioner of Public Safety and, during such tenure, shall have all the powers
conferred on state policemen. They shall, in addition to their duties concerning public
assistance cases, be subject to the call of the Commissioner of Public Safety for such
emergency service as he may prescribe.
(1971, P.A. 6, S. 1; P.A. 76-334, S. 11, 12; P.A. 77-614, S. 129, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 125, 136; P.A. 00-99, S. 76, 154.)
History: P.A. 76-334 specified that special policemen in division of central collections, department of finance and
control have powers of sheriffs and their deputies; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner and department of finance and
control with commissioner and department of administrative services, deleting reference to central collections division
of the defunct department; P.A. 78-303 deleted references to commissioner and department of administrative services,
substituted commissioner of public safety for commissioner of state police pursuant to changes enacted in P.A. 77-614,
specified that remaining reference to "department" refers to department of public safety and specified duties of special
policemen; P.A. 00-99 deleted reference to sheriffs and their deputies, effective December 1, 2000.
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Sec. 29-18b. Special policemen for Department of Revenue Services. The Commissioner of Public Safety may appoint persons nominated by the Commissioner of
Revenue Services to act as special policemen in the special investigation section of the
Department of Revenue Services. Such appointees shall serve at the pleasure of the
Commissioner of Public Safety and, during such tenure, shall have all the powers conferred on state policemen. They shall, in addition to their duties with said special investigation section, be subject to call by the Commissioner of Public Safety for such emergency service as said commissioner may prescribe.
(P.A. 75-581, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 139, 486, 610.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced tax commissioner and department with commissioner and department of revenue services,
and replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979.
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Sec. 29-18c. Special policemen for Division of Special Revenue. The Commissioner of Public Safety may appoint not more than four persons employed as investigators in the security unit of the Division of Special Revenue, upon the nomination of the
executive director of the Division of Special Revenue, to act as special policemen in
said unit. Such appointees shall serve at the pleasure of the Commissioner of Public
Safety. During such tenure, they shall have all the powers conferred on state policemen
while investigating or making arrests for any offense arising from the operation of any
off-track betting system or the conduct of any lottery game. Such special policemen
shall be certified under the provisions of sections 7-294a to 7-294e, inclusive.
(P.A. 84-457, S. 1, 3.)
See Sec. 12-564a re reporting of investigations and arrest data.
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Sec. 29-19. Special policemen for utility and transportation companies. (a) The
Commissioner of Public Safety may, upon the application of any electric, gas, telephone,
telegraph or water company owning, leasing, maintaining, managing or controlling any
property, plant or equipment in this state, commission, during his pleasure, one or more
persons designated by such company who, having been sworn, may act at the expense
of such company as policemen upon the premises used or occupied by such company
in its business, or upon any highway adjacent to such premises, for the proper protection
of such plant or property, and each policeman so appointed may arrest and take before
some proper authority any person in his precinct for any offense committed therein.
Said commissioner may exercise such supervision and direction over any policeman
appointed as herein provided as he deems necessary. When any such commission is
issued or revoked, said commissioner shall notify the clerk of the superior court for each
judicial district in which it is intended that such policeman shall act.
(b) Said commissioner may, upon application of any railroad, express company or
steamboat company, engaged in the business of transportation in this state, or upon the
application of any corporation owning or having control of the roads in any private
residence park, commission, during his pleasure, one or more persons designated by
such company or by such corporation, who, having been sworn, may act, at the expense
of such company or corporation, as policemen upon the premises used by such company
in its business, or upon its cars or vessels, or upon the roads and land owned by or under
the control of such corporation, and each policeman so appointed may arrest and take
before some proper authority any person in his precinct for any offense committed
therein. When any such commission is issued or revoked, said commissioner shall notify
the clerk of the superior court for each judicial district in which it is intended that such
policeman shall act. Each such policeman shall, when on duty, wear in plain view a shield
bearing the words "railroad police", "steamboat police", "express company police" or
"special police", as the case may be, and the name of the company for which he is
commissioned.
(1949 Rev., S. 3661; 1963, P.A. 153; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127; P.A. 85-246, S. 18.)
History: 1963 act authorized appointment of express company police in Subsec. (b); P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner
of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-280 substituted "judicial district"
for "county"; P.A. 85-246 deleted reference to street railway companies and street railway police in Subsec. (b).
See Sec. 25-44 re appointment of special police for protection of water supplies.
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Sec. 29-20. Special policemen for armored cars. The Commissioner of Public
Safety may, upon the application of any person, firm or corporation operating an armored
car service within this state, commission during his pleasure one or more suitable persons, designated by such armored car operator, who regularly transport securities across
state lines and who, having been sworn, may act at the expense of such armored car
operator as policemen upon the premises used or occupied by such armored car operator
in its business or in or upon armored car vehicles or upon any highway adjacent to such
premises for the proper protection of such property and such armored car vehicles and
their contents.
(1949 Rev., S. 3662; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January
1, 1979.
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Sec. 29-21. Special policemen for war industry premises. Upon the application
of any person, firm or corporation engaged in the production of war materials owning,
leasing, maintaining, managing or controlling any property, plant or equipment in this
state, the Commissioner of Public Safety may, during his pleasure and for such period
as is declared by the Governor to be a war emergency or an emergency that affects
the interests of state and national defense, commission one or more suitable persons
designated by such person, firm or corporation, who, having been sworn, may act at the
expense of such person, firm or corporation as special policemen upon the premises
used or occupied by such person, firm or corporation in its business, or with the approval
of the chief executive officer of the police department of the municipality in which such
premises are located, upon any highway adjacent to such premises, for the protection
of such plant or property. Each special policeman so appointed may be armed while on
duty upon such premises and may arrest and take before some proper authority any
person in his precinct for any offense committed therein. Said commissioner may exercise such supervision and direction over any policeman so appointed as he deems necessary, and he may, for such purpose, enter upon the premises used or occupied by such
person, firm or corporation in its business. When any such commission is issued or
revoked, said commissioner shall notify the clerk of the superior court for each judicial
district in which such policeman acts. Each such policeman shall, when on duty, wear
in plain view a shield bearing the words "special police" and the name of the person,
firm or corporation for which he is commissioned.
(1951, S. 1992d; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1,
1979; P.A. 78-280 substituted "judicial district" for "county".
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Sec. 29-22. Volunteer auxiliary force. The Commissioner of Public Safety is authorized to recruit, train and organize a volunteer police auxiliary force for the purpose
of providing emergency services throughout the state for peacetime or wartime emergencies or threatened emergencies and for augmenting the state police force in such manner
as the Commissioner of Public Safety may deem appropriate. Such volunteer police
auxiliary force shall at all times be under the direction of said commissioner and subject
to the rules and regulations of the Division of State Police within the Department of
Public Safety. The total membership of the auxiliary force shall not exceed in number
twice the authorized strength prescribed in section 29-4 for the state police, and such
auxiliary force may be equipped with uniforms prescribed by the commissioner and
delegated special police powers for specific emergency police duties. The commissioner
may, within available appropriations, provide subsistence and maintenance to the volunteer police auxiliary force when called to duty. In the event of participation in emergency
services, the members of the volunteer police auxiliary force shall have the same immunities and privileges as apply to the organized militia and to the regular members of the
Division of State Police. All members of the volunteer police auxiliary force shall be
compensated for death, disability or injury incurred while in training for or on auxiliary
state police duty under the provisions of this section as follows: (1) Employees of the
state, municipalities or political subdivisions of the state who are members of the volunteer police auxiliary force and for whom such compensation is provided by any provision
of existing law shall be construed to be acting within the scope of their employment
while in training for or engaged in auxiliary state police duty and shall be compensated
in accordance with the provisions of chapter 568 and sections 5-142 and 5-144. (2) Any
persons who are engaged in regular employment apart and separate from their duties
as members of the volunteer police auxiliary force and for whom such compensation is
not so provided shall, while in training for or engaged in duties under the provisions of
this section, be construed to be employees of the state for the purpose of chapter 568
and sections 5-142 and 5-144, and shall be compensated by the state in accordance with
the provisions of said chapter and sections.
(1951, S. 1990d; 1963, P.A. 618; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 96-230, S. 1, 3.)
History: 1963 act clarified provisions, authorized use of auxiliary force for "peace time or war time emergencies or
threatened emergencies and for augmenting the state police force ..." where previously its use was for "disasters caused
by fires, explosions or floods and for such threatened disasters" and added references to compensation under Secs. 5-142
and 5-144; P.A. 77-614 made state police department a division within the department of public safety and replaced
commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 96-230 made technical
change, specifying that aid to volunteer police auxiliary forces be "within available appropriations", effective July 1, 1996.
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Sec. 29-23. Emergency service and equipment. The Commissioner of Public
Safety is authorized to provide and maintain appropriate emergency equipment and
emergency services to protect life and property endangered by fire, explosions, floods
and other causes, except in municipalities having established police and fire departments, provided municipalities having established police and fire departments may request the aid and assistance of such state police emergency services in the protection
of life and property endangered by fires, explosions, floods and other disaster causes.
(1951, S. 1989d; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January
1, 1979.
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Sec. 29-23a. Establishment of rotational system for summoning wreckers. Exemptions. Regulations. (a) The Division of State Police within the Department of Public
Safety may establish within its patrol jurisdiction, a rotational system for summoning
licensed wrecker operators for the purpose of towing or transporting motor vehicles
which are disabled, inoperative or wrecked in the event the owners or operators of such
vehicles are incapacitated, unavailable or leave the procurement of wrecker service to
the officer at the scene of an accident or the location of a disabled vehicle. Any such
licensee may participate in such system, provided (1) his operators fulfill certain qualifications, including certification by the Towing and Recovery Association of America
or a certification program approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety, and his
equipment meets safety and mechanical standards established by the Commissioner of
Public Safety and the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, and (2) his business is located
so as to provide prompt and efficient service.
(b) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall grant variations or exemptions from,
or approve equivalent or alternate compliance with, the provisions of this section where
strict compliance with such provisions would entail practical difficulty or unnecessary
hardship or is otherwise adjudged unwarranted, provided any such variation, exemption,
approved equivalent or alternate compliance shall, in the opinion of said commissioner,
secure the public safety.
(c) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall adopt regulations in accordance with
the provisions of chapter 54 concerning the operation of such rotational system and the
removal from the system of wrecker services which fail to comply with the requirements
specified in such regulations or any provision of the general statutes or a regulation
concerning the operation of a motor vehicle repair, towing or storage facility or the
operation of a motor vehicle.
(P.A. 83-166; P.A. 98-138.)
History: P.A. 98-138 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), adding provision requiring certification of wrecker
operators and including Commissioner of Public Safety as standard-setting authority and deleting provision allowing the
commissioner to adopt regulations and added Subsec. (b) authorizing commissioner to grant variations from strict compliance with the section and new Subsec. (c) re adoption of regulations.
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Sec. 29-24. Disposition of money recovered in case of theft from the person or
robbery. Section 29-24 is repealed.
(1949 Rev., S. 3663; P.A. 75-530, S. 24, 35.)
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Sec. 29-25. Laundry and dry cleaning identification marks. Each person, firm
or corporation conducting a laundry or dry cleaning establishment, or offering as an
independent contractor the services of such an establishment, shall report to the Commissioner of Public Safety, on forms supplied by the commissioner, the type and style of
laundry or dry cleaning identification marks which are attached to or stamped or written
upon garments processed by such establishment when returned to the customer. Such
report shall be accompanied by actual samples of the identification markings used. Each
such person, firm or corporation shall make such report immediately upon entering the
business of laundry or dry cleaning. Any change in identification marking systems,
either by eliminating such marking or changing the system of identification marking
used, shall be reported to the commissioner immediately. Each such laundry, dry cleaning establishment or independent contractor shall retain customer records for a period
of not less than ninety days from the time the garments are delivered to the customer.
Any person, firm or corporation which violates any provision of this section shall be
fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than three months or
be both fined and imprisoned.
(1951, S. 1991d; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January
1, 1979.
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Sec. 29-26. Training of municipal police at State Police Training School. Any
municipality or other political subdivision of the state may enter into an agreement with
the Commissioner of Public Safety to secure the services of the State Police Training
School in the instruction and training of applicants to and members of police departments
in the municipality seeking such services. The agreement shall provide for the subject
matter, duration, personnel, time, place and technical services to be devoted to the course
of study and for the reimbursement of the state for the actual costs of the services,
materials and overhead.
(1957, P.A. 81; P.A. 77-614, S. 19, 486, 610; P.A. 88-1, S. 12, 13.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with secretary of the office of policy and management
and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety; P.A. 88-1
repealed provision that the actual cost of services, materials and overhead shall be determined by the secretary of the office
of policy and management.
See Sec. 7-294e re recertification and training of police officers.
See Sec. 7-294f re requirement that police basic training programs include course on rape crisis intervention.
See Sec. 7-294g re requirement that police basic or review training programs provide training on the subject of domestic
violence.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370.
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Sec. 29-27. "Pistol" and "revolver" defined. The term "pistol" and the term "revolver", as used in sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, mean any firearm having a barrel
less than twelve inches in length.
(1949 Rev., S. 4157; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 14.)
History: July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 made no substantive change.
Cited. 173 C. 254. Cited. 205 C. 370. Cited. 211 C. 258. Cited. 242 C. 318.
Cited. 3 CA 289. Cited. 7 CA 367. Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370; Id., 330. Cited. 11 CA 621.
Cited. 24 CA 737. Cited. 25 CA 433; Id., 578. Cited. 30 CA 68. Cited. 36 CA 805. Cited. 43 CA 252.
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Sec. 29-28. Permit for sale at retail of pistol or revolver. Permit to carry pistol
or revolver. Confidentiality of name and address of permit holder. Permits for out-of-state residents. (a) No person who sells ten or more pistols or revolvers in a calendar
year or is a federally-licensed firearm dealer shall advertise, sell, deliver, or offer or
expose for sale or delivery, or have in such person's possession with intent to sell or
deliver, any pistol or revolver at retail without having a permit therefor issued as provided
in this subsection. The chief of police or, where there is no chief of police, the warden
of the borough or the first selectman of the town, as the case may be, may, upon the
application of any person, issue a permit in such form as may be prescribed by the
Commissioner of Public Safety for the sale at retail of pistols and revolvers within the
jurisdiction of the authority issuing such permit. No permit for the sale at retail of any
pistol or revolver shall be issued unless the applicant holds a valid eligibility certificate
for a pistol or revolver issued pursuant to section 29-36f or a valid state permit to carry
a pistol or revolver issued pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and the applicant
submits documentation sufficient to establish that local zoning requirements have been
met for the location where the sale is to take place except that any person selling or
exchanging a pistol or revolver for the enhancement of a personal collection or for a
hobby or who sells all or part of such person's personal collection of pistols or revolvers
shall not be required to submit such documentation for the location where the sale or
exchange is to take place.
(b) Upon the application of any person having a bona fide residence or place of
business within the jurisdiction of any such authority, such chief of police, warden or
selectman may issue a temporary state permit to such person to carry a pistol or revolver
within the state, provided such authority shall find that such applicant intends to make
no use of any pistol or revolver which such applicant may be permitted to carry under
such permit other than a lawful use and that such person is a suitable person to receive
such permit. No state or temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver shall be
issued under this subsection if the applicant (1) has failed to successfully complete a
course approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety in the safety and use of pistols
and revolvers including, but not limited to, a safety or training course in the use of pistols
and revolvers available to the public offered by a law enforcement agency, a private or
public educational institution or a firearms training school, utilizing instructors certified
by the National Rifle Association or the Department of Environmental Protection and
a safety or training course in the use of pistols or revolvers conducted by an instructor
certified by the state or the National Rifle Association, (2) has been convicted of a felony
or of a violation of subsection (c) of section 21a-279, section 53a-58, 53a-61, 53a-61a,
53a-62, 53a-63, 53a-96, 53a-175, 53a-176, 53a-178 or 53a-181d, (3) has been convicted
as delinquent for the commission of a serious juvenile offense, as defined in section
46b-120, (4) has been discharged from custody within the preceding twenty years after
having been found not guilty of a crime by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant
to section 53a-13, (5) has been confined in a hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities, as defined in section 17a-495, within the preceding twelve months by order of a
probate court, (6) is subject to a restraining or protective order issued by a court in a
case involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another
person, (7) is subject to a firearms seizure order issued pursuant to subsection (d) of
section 29-38c after notice and hearing, (8) is prohibited from shipping, transporting,
possessing or receiving a firearm pursuant to 18 USC 922(g)(4), (9) is an alien illegally
or unlawfully in the United States, or (10) is less than twenty-one years of age. Nothing
in this section shall require any person who holds a valid permit to carry a pistol or
revolver on October 1, 1994, to participate in any additional training in the safety and
use of pistols and revolvers. Upon issuance of a temporary state permit to the applicant,
the local authority shall forward the original application to the commissioner. Not later
than sixty days after receiving a temporary state permit, an applicant shall appear at a
location designated by the commissioner to receive the state permit. Said commissioner
may then issue, to any holder of any temporary state permit, a state permit to carry a
pistol or revolver within the state. Upon issuance of the state permit, the commissioner
shall forward a record of such permit to the local authority issuing the temporary state
permit. The commissioner shall retain records of all applications, whether approved or
denied. The copy of the state permit delivered to the permittee shall be laminated and
shall contain a full-face photograph of such permittee. A person holding a state permit
issued pursuant to this subsection shall notify the issuing authority within two business
days of any change of such person's address. The notification shall include the old
address and the new address of such person.
(c) No issuing authority may require any sworn member of the Department of Public
Safety or an organized local police department to furnish such sworn member's residence address in a permit application. The issuing authority shall allow each such sworn
member who has a permit to carry a pistol or revolver issued by such authority, to revise
such member's application to include a business or post office address in lieu of the
residence address. The issuing authority shall notify each such member of the right to
revise such application.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 1-210 and 1-211, the name and address of a person issued a permit to sell at retail pistols and revolvers pursuant to subsection (a) of this section or a state or a temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, or a local permit to carry pistols and revolvers
issued by local authorities prior to October 1, 2001, shall be confidential and shall not
be disclosed, except (1) such information may be disclosed to law enforcement officials
acting in the performance of their duties, (2) the issuing authority may disclose such
information to the extent necessary to comply with a request made pursuant to section
29-33 for verification that such state or temporary state permit is still valid and has not
been suspended or revoked, and the local authority may disclose such information to
the extent necessary to comply with a request made pursuant to section 29-33 for verification that a local permit is still valid and has not been suspended or revoked, and (3)
such information may be disclosed to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction
Services to carry out the provisions of subsection (c) of section 17a-500.
(e) The issuance of any permit to carry a pistol or revolver does not thereby authorize
the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver in any premises where the possession
or carrying of a pistol or revolver is otherwise prohibited by law or is prohibited by the
person who owns or exercises control over such premises.
(f) Any bona fide resident of the United States having no bona fide residence or
place of business within the jurisdiction of any local authority in the state, but who has
a permit or license to carry a pistol or revolver issued by the authority of another state
or subdivision of the United States, may apply directly to the Commissioner of Public
Safety for a permit to carry a pistol or revolver in this state. All provisions of subsections
(b), (c), (d) and (e) of this section shall apply to applications for a permit received by
the commissioner under this subsection.
(1949 Rev., S. 4158, 4159; 1959, P.A. 615, S. 19; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 90-155, S. 1; P.A. 92-130, S. 4, 10;
P.A. 93-172, S. 1; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 4; P.A. 98-129, S. 6; P.A. 99-212, S. 19; P.A. 01-130, S. 4; P.A. 05-283, S. 4.)
History: 1959 act corrected typographical error; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner
of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 90-155 added provision re compliance with local zoning requirements;
P.A. 92-130 divided section into two Subsecs., inserting new language as Subsec. (b) to prohibit issuing authority from
requiring police officers to furnish their residence addresses in permit applications and to require issuing authority to allow
police officers who have a permit to carry a pistol or revolver on May 26, 1992, to revise such applications to include
business or post office address in lieu of residence address; P.A. 93-172 amended Subsec. (a) to require copy of state permit
delivered to permittee to be laminated and contain full-face photograph of permittee; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 amended
Subsec. (a) to require any person "who sells ten or more pistols or revolvers in a calendar year or is a federally-licensed
firearm dealer" to obtain a permit for the sale at retail of pistols and revolvers and to prohibit the issuance of such permit
unless the applicant holds a valid eligibility certificate or valid permit to carry, designated as Subsec. (b) existing provisions
re application for and issuance of permit to carry and amended said Subsec. to replace provision prohibiting the issuance
of such permit to an alien with provision prohibiting the issuance of such permit to any applicant who comes within any of
the six specified circumstances, add provision exempting current permit holders from additional training and add provision
requiring a permit holder to notify the issuing authority of any change of address, redesignated former Subsec. (b) as
Subsec. (c) and added Subsec. (d) re confidentiality of name and address of permit holders; P.A. 98-129 amended Subsec.
(b) to add new Subdiv. (3) prohibiting the issuance of a permit to an applicant who has been convicted as delinquent of a
serious juvenile offense, renumbering the remaining Subdivs. accordingly, and to replace in Subdiv. (5) "hospital for
mental illness" with "hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities", amended Subsec. (d) to add Subdiv. (3) authorizing
the disclosure of such information to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out the provisions
of Sec. 17a-500(c), and added new Subsec. (e) to provide that the issuance of a permit to carry a pistol or revolver does
not thereby authorize the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver where prohibited by law or by the person who owns
or exercises control over the premises; P.A. 99-212 amended Subsec. (b) to add new Subdiv. (7) prohibiting the issuance
of a permit to an applicant who is subject to a firearms seizure order issued pursuant to Sec. 29-38c(d) after notice and hearing,
renumbering remaining Subdiv. accordingly, and to make provisions gender neutral; P.A. 01-130 amended Subsecs. (a),
(b) and (d) to establish state permits for sale at retail and state permits to carry pistols and revolvers in place of local permits
for sale and local permits to carry, added Subsec. (b)(9) prohibiting a state permit to carry from being issued to persons
under age twenty-one, added Subsec. (f) providing for out-of-state residents to obtain state permits to carry, and made
technical and conforming changes throughout; P.A. 05-283 amended Subsec. (b) to add new Subdiv. (8) prohibiting the
issuance of a permit to an applicant who is prohibited from shipping, transporting, possessing or receiving a firearm pursuant
to 18 USC 922 (g)(4), and to redesignate existing Subdivs. (8) and (9) as Subdivs. (9) and (10).
See Sec. 53-202 re penalties for illegal use or possession of machine guns.
See Sec. 53-206 re penalties for carrying or sale of dangerous weapons.
After defendant's loaded revolver was removed from his waistband while he was seated in his car after midnight in a
high crime area, officer justified in seizure and arrest of defendant under the circumstances of speedy information by
informant. 157 C. 114. Search of defendant's car, upon his arrest for breach of the peace, which yielded weapon was
incidental to his arrest and properly made. Id., 222. Cited. 163 C. 176. This section has the effect of placing the burden of
proof on alleged violators constituting a denial of due process and is therefore invalid. 165 C. 577, 597. Cited. 170 C. 81.
State must prove beyond reasonable doubt that proper permit had not been issued, since that is essential element of the
crime. Id., 234. Cited. 172 C. 21; Id., 94. Cited. 174 C. 22; Id., 405. Cited. 178 C. 534. Cited. 179 C. 516. Cited. 193 C. 7.
Cited. 209 C. 322. Cited. 222 C. 621.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370; Id., 330. Cited. 17 CA 556. Cited. 25 CA 433. Cited. 36 CA 576.
Cited. 38 CA 434. Cited. 39 CA 224; Id., 242.
Separate and distinct crime from the carrying of dangerous weapons on the person. 10 CS 272. Cited. 22 CS 173; Id.,
201. Cited. 23 CS 82. Cited. 35 CS 659. Cited. 42 CS 157.
Cited. 5 Conn. Cir. Ct. 119.
Subsec. (b):
Purpose of statutory scheme is to protect the public from individuals whose conduct has shown them to be lacking the
essential character or temperament necessary to be entrusted with a weapon. 46 CS 550.
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Sec. 29-28a. Application for permit. Notice of decision to applicant. (a) Requests for temporary state permits under section 29-28 shall be submitted to the chief
of police, or, where there is no chief of police, to the warden of the borough or the
first selectman of the town, as the case may be, on application forms prescribed by the
Commissioner of Public Safety. Upon written request by any person for a temporary
state permit not on a prescribed application form, or upon request by any person for such
application form, the local authority shall supply such forms. When any such request is
made in person at the office of the local authority, the local authority shall supply such
application form immediately. When any such request is made in any other manner, the
local authority shall supply such application form not later than one week after receiving
such request. If such application form is not supplied within the time limits required by
this section, the request therefor shall constitute a sufficient application. If any local
authority fails to supply an application form upon the request of any person, such person
may request an application form from the Commissioner of Public Safety or any barracks
of the Division of State Police, and the time limits and procedures set forth in this section
for handling requests for such forms shall be applicable.
(b) The local authority shall, not later than eight weeks after a sufficient application
for a temporary state permit has been made, inform the applicant that such applicant's
request for a temporary state permit has been approved or denied. The local authority
shall forward a copy of the application indicating approval or denial of the temporary
state permit to the Commissioner of Public Safety. If the local authority has denied the
application for a temporary state permit, no state permit may be issued. The commissioner shall, not later than eight weeks after receiving an application indicating approval
from the local authority, inform the applicant in writing that the applicant's application
for a state permit has been approved or denied, or that the results of the national criminal
history records check have not been received. If grounds for denial become known
after a temporary state permit has been obtained, the temporary state permit shall be
immediately revoked pursuant to section 29-32.
(1963, P.A. 115; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 81-342, S. 2; P.A. 84-60; P.A. 01-130, S. 5.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1,
1979; P.A. 81-342 amended Subsec. (a) by adding the provision that a person may request an application from the commissioner of public safety or a state police barracks if the issuing authority fails to supply an application upon request; P.A.
84-60 amended Subsec. (b), extending the notification period for the granting or denial of a permit from six to eight weeks;
P.A. 01-130 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to substitute "local" authority for "issuing" authority to reflect change from
local to state permit and make technical and conforming changes, added provisions re chief of police, warden and first
selectman in Subsec. (a) and added provisions re forwarding of copy of application to and notice to applicant from Commissioner of Public Safety in Subsec. (b).
Cited. 193 C. 7.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370. Cited. 25 CA 433.
Cited. 42 CS 157.
Subsec. (b):
Time limit is directory provision not mandatory. 42 CS 157.
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Sec. 29-29. Information concerning criminal records of applicants for permits. (a) No temporary state permit for carrying any pistol or revolver shall be issued
under the provisions of section 29-28 unless the applicant for such permit gives to the
local authority, upon its request, full information concerning the applicant's criminal
record. The local authority shall require the applicant to submit to state and national
criminal history records checks. The local authority shall take a full description of such
applicant and make an investigation concerning the applicant's suitability to carry any
such weapons.
(b) The local authority shall take the fingerprints of such applicant or conduct any
other method of positive identification required by the State Police Bureau of Identification or the Federal Bureau of Investigation, unless the local authority determines that
the fingerprints of such applicant have been previously taken and the applicant's identity
established, and such applicant presents identification that the local authority verifies
as valid. The local authority shall record the date the fingerprints were taken in the
applicant's file and, within five business days of such date, shall forward such fingerprints or other positive identifying information to the State Police Bureau of Identification which shall conduct criminal history records checks in accordance with section
29-17a.
(c) The local authority may, in its discretion, issue a temporary state permit before
a national criminal history records check relative to such applicant's record has been
received. Upon receipt of the results of such national criminal history records check,
the commissioner shall send a copy of the results of such national criminal history
records check to the local authority, which shall inform the applicant and render a decision on the application within one week of the receipt of such results. If such results
have not been received within eight weeks after a sufficient application for a permit has
been made, the local authority shall inform the applicant of such delay, in writing. No
temporary state permit shall be issued if the local authority has reason to believe the
applicant has ever been convicted of a felony, or that any other condition exists for
which the issuance of a permit for possession of a pistol or revolver is prohibited under
state or federal law.
(d) The commissioner may investigate any applicant for a state permit and shall
investigate each applicant for renewal of a state permit to ensure that such applicant is
eligible under state law for such permit or for renewal of such permit.
(e) No state permit may be issued unless either the local authority or the commissioner has received the results of the national criminal history records check.
(1949 Rev., S. 4160; P.A. 92-130, S. 6, 10; P.A. 98-129, S. 5; P.A. 01-130, S. 6; P.A. 01-175, S. 22, 32.)
History: P.A. 92-130 required issuing authority to record date fingerprints were taken, authorized forwarding of fingerprints to FBI for national criminal history records check, authorized issuing authority to issue permit before report from
FBI is received, required issuing authority to inform applicant and render a decision on application within one week of
receipt of report, and, if report has not been received within eight weeks after application is made, to inform applicant of
delay, and prohibited issuance of permit if issuing authority has reason to believe applicant has been convicted of a felony;
P.A. 98-129 relieved the issuing authority of the requirement that it take the fingerprints of the applicant if it determines
that the fingerprints of the applicant have been previously taken and the applicant's identity established and the applicant
presents identification that the issuing authority verifies as valid and made the submission of the fingerprints to the Federal
Bureau of Investigation by the issuing authority mandatory rather than discretionary; P.A. 01-130 substituted "local"
authority for "issuing" authority to reflect change from local permit to state permit, adding new Subsecs., designated as
(d) and (e), re commissioner's investigation of applicants and required receipt of results of national criminal history
records check before state permit issued, and made technical and conforming changes; P.A. 01-175 made technical changes
throughout, designated existing language as Subsecs. (a) to (c), amended Subsec. (a) by adding language re state and
national criminal history records checks, and amended Subsec. (b) by adding language re method of positive identification
and criminal history records checks pursuant to Sec. 29-17a, effective July 1, 2001.
Cited. 193 C. 7. Cited. 200 C. 453. Cited. 209 C. 322.
Cited. 7 CA 457. Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370.
Cited. 39 CS 202. Cited. 42 CS 157.
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Sec. 29-30. Fees for pistol and revolver permits. Expiration and renewal of
permits. (a) The fee for each permit originally issued under the provisions of subsection
(a) of section 29-28 for the sale at retail of pistols and revolvers shall be one hundred
dollars and for each renewal thereof one hundred dollars. The fee for each state permit
originally issued under the provisions of subsection (b) of section 29-28 for the carrying
of pistols and revolvers shall be seventy dollars plus sufficient funds as required to be
transmitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to cover the cost of a national criminal
history records check. The local authority shall forward sufficient funds for the national
criminal history records check to the commissioner no later than five business days after
receipt by the local authority of the application for the temporary state permit. Thirty-five dollars shall be retained by the local authority. Upon approval by the local authority
of the application for a temporary state permit, thirty-five dollars shall be sent to the
commissioner. The fee to renew each state permit originally issued under the provisions
of subsection (b) of section 29-28 shall be thirty-five dollars. Upon deposit of such fees
in the General Fund, ten dollars of each fee shall be credited within thirty days to the
appropriation for the Department of Public Safety to a separate nonlapsing account for
the purposes of the issuance of permits under subsections (a) and (b) of section 29-28.
(b) A local permit originally issued before October 1, 2001, whether for the sale at
retail of pistols and revolvers or for the carrying of pistols and revolvers, shall expire
five years after the date it becomes effective and each renewal thereof shall expire five
years after the expiration date of the permit being renewed. On and after October 1,
2001, no local permit for the carrying of pistols and revolvers shall be renewed.
(c) A state permit originally issued under the provisions of section 29-28 for the
carrying of pistols and revolvers shall expire five years after the date such permit becomes effective and each renewal thereof shall expire five years after the expiration
date of the state permit being renewed and such renewal shall not be contingent on the
renewal or issuance of a local permit. A temporary state permit issued for the carrying
of pistols and revolvers shall expire sixty days after the date it becomes effective, and
may not be renewed.
(d) The renewal fee required pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall apply
for each renewal which is requested not earlier than thirty-one days before, and not later
than thirty-one days after, the expiration date of the state permit being renewed.
(e) No fee or portion thereof paid under the provisions of this section for issuance
or renewal of a state permit shall be refundable except if such permit for which the fee
or portion thereof was paid was not issued or renewed. The portion of the fee expended
on the national criminal history records check for any such permit that was not issued
or renewed shall not be refunded.
(f) The issuing authority shall send a notice of the expiration of a state permit to
carry a pistol or revolver, issued pursuant to section 29-28, to the holder of such permit,
by first class mail, not less than ninety days before such expiration, and shall enclose
with such notice a form for the renewal of said state permit. A state permit to carry a
pistol or revolver, issued pursuant to section 29-28, shall be valid for a period of ninety
days after the expiration date, except this provision shall not apply to any state permit
to carry a pistol or revolver which has been revoked or for which revocation is pending,
pursuant to section 29-32.
(1949 Rev., S. 4161; 1953, S. 2132d; 1959, P.A. 271; P.A. 73-468, S. 1; P.A. 80-297, S. 10, 20; P.A. 81-222, S. 1; P.A.
89-180, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-172, S. 2; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 5; P.A. 98-129, S. 4; P.A. 99-212, S. 11; P.A. 01-130, S. 7.)
History: 1959 act added Subsecs. (b), (c) and (d); P.A. 73-468 increased permit fees in Subsec. (a) from two to six
dollars for originals and from one to five dollars for renewals, increased duration of permits' validity in Subsec. (b) from
one to five years, changed expiration date in Subsec. (c) from thirty-one days after local permit expires to five years and
added Subsec. (e) re refunds of fees paid; P.A. 80-297 raised fee for original and renewal permits to fifteen dollars each
in Subsec. (a); P.A. 81-222 added Subsec. (f) requiring that notice of expiration of a permit to carry a pistol or revolver
be sent at least ninety days before expiration and providing such a permit shall be valid for ninety days after the expiration
date; P.A. 89-180 amended Subsec. (a) to increase fees for original and renewal permits from fifteen to twenty-five dollars;
P.A. 93-172 amended Subsec. (a) to increase fees for original and renewal permits from twenty-five to thirty-five dollars and
to require ten dollars of each fee to be credited to appropriation to department of public safety for purpose of photographing
permittee and laminating state permits for carrying pistols and revolvers; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 amended Subsec. (a) to
increase the fee for a permit for the sale at retail of pistols and revolvers and for the renewal thereof from thirty-five to one
hundred dollars and to require that the ten dollars credited to the appropriation to the department of public safety be credited
"within thirty days" and be credited "to a separate nonlapsing account for the purposes of the issuance of permits under
subsections (a) and (b) of section 29-28" rather than "for the purpose of photographing the permittee and laminating state
permits for the carrying of pistols and revolvers issued under the provisions of subsection (a) of section 29-28"; P.A. 98-129 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provision requiring that ten dollars of each fee be credited to the appropriation to the
Department of Public Safety; P.A. 99-212 amended Subsec. (a) to restore provision requiring that ten dollars of each fee
be credited to the appropriation for the Department of Public Safety for purposes of issuance of permits under Subsecs.
(a) and (b) of Sec. 29-28 and to make provisions gender neutral; P.A. 01-130 amended Subsec. (a) to increase fee for permit
to carry from thirty-five dollars to seventy dollars plus the cost of national criminal history records check and to add
provisions re allocation of funds between local authority and commissioner, amended Subsec. (b) to add provision prohibiting renewal of local permit to carry on and after October 1, 2001, amended Subsec. (c) to add provision re the expiration
of temporary state permits, amended Subsec. (e) to add provision re nonrefund of fee expended on national criminal history
records check and made technical changes throughout to reflect the change from local permits to state permits.
Cited. 193 C. 7, 8, 12.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370.
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Sec. 29-31. Display of permit to sell. Record of sales. No sale of any pistol or
revolver shall be made except in the room, store or place described in the permit for the
sale of pistols and revolvers, and such permit or a copy thereof certified by the authority
issuing the same shall be exposed to view within the room, store or place where pistols
or revolvers are sold or offered or exposed for sale, and no sale or delivery of any pistol
or revolver shall be made unless the purchaser or person to whom the same is to be
delivered is personally known to the vendor of such pistol or revolver or the person
making delivery thereof or unless the person making such purchase or to whom delivery
thereof is to be made provides evidence of his identity. The vendor of any pistol or
revolver shall keep a record of each pistol or revolver sold in a book kept for that purpose,
which record shall be in such form as is prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Safety
and shall include the date of the sale, the caliber, make, model and manufacturer's
number of such pistol or revolver and the name, address and occupation of the purchaser
thereof, and shall be signed by the purchaser and by the person making the sale, each
in the presence of the other, and shall be preserved by the vendor of such pistol or
revolver for at least six years.
(1949 Rev., S. 4162; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January
1, 1979.
Cited. 193 C. 7.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370.
Where offense lay not in failure to keep record of sale, but in failure to keep it in book and form prescribed by state
police commissioner, minimum sentence of two years reduced to one year as too severe. 22 CS 25.
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Sec. 29-32. Revocation of permit. Notification. Confiscation. Penalty for failure to surrender permit. (a) For the purposes of this section, "conviction" means the
entry of a judgment of conviction by any court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) Any state permit or temporary state permit for the carrying of any pistol or
revolver may be revoked by the Commissioner of Public Safety for cause and shall be
revoked by said commissioner upon conviction of the holder of such permit of a felony
or of any misdemeanor specified in subsection (b) of section 29-28 or upon the occurrence of any event which would have disqualified the holder from being issued the state
permit or temporary state permit pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29-28. Upon the
revocation of any state permit or temporary state permit, the person whose state permit
or temporary state permit is revoked shall be notified in writing and such state permit
or temporary state permit shall be forthwith delivered to the commissioner. Any law
enforcement authority shall confiscate and immediately forward to the commissioner
any state permit or temporary state permit that is illegally possessed by any person. The
commissioner may revoke the state permit or temporary state permit based upon the
commissioner's own investigation or upon the request of any law enforcement agency.
Any person who fails to surrender any permit within five days of notification in writing
of revocation thereof shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor.
(c) Any local permit for the carrying of a pistol or revolver issued prior to October
1, 2001, may be revoked by the authority issuing the same for cause, and shall be revoked
by the authority issuing the same upon conviction of the holder of such permit of a
felony or of any misdemeanor specified in subsection (b) of section 29-28 or upon the
occurrence of any event which would have disqualified the holder from being issued
such local permit. Upon the revocation of any local permit, the person whose local
permit is revoked shall be notified in writing and such permit shall be forthwith delivered
to the authority issuing the same. Upon the revocation of any local permit, the authority
issuing the same shall forthwith notify the commissioner. Upon the revocation of any
permit issued by the commissioner, the commissioner shall forthwith notify any local
authority which the records of the commissioner show as having issued a currently valid
local permit to the holder of the permit revoked by the commissioner. Any person who
fails to surrender such permit within five days of notification in writing or revocation
thereof shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor.
(1949 Rev., S. 4163; P.A. 73-468, S. 2; P.A. 77-361; 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 82-464, S. 2; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1,
S. 6; P.A. 01-130, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 73-468 deleted reference to permits issued under Sec. 29-28, specified that revocation must be "for cause",
deleted provision which required that revocation of one permit constitutes automatic revocation of the other and clarified
required notice to local authorities when state permit is revoked; P.A. 77-361 required that person whose permit is revoked
be notified of the revocation and established failure to surrender permit as required as a class C misdemeanor; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 82-464
provided for the mandatory revocation of a permit upon the conviction of the holder of a felony; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1
provided for the mandatory revocation of a permit upon the conviction of the holder of any misdemeanor specified in Sec.
29-28(b) or upon the occurrence of any event which would have disqualified the holder from being issued the permit
pursuant to Sec. 29-28(b); P.A. 01-130 added Subsec. (a) defining "conviction", designated existing provisions as Subsec.
(b) and reflected the change from local permits to state permits by substituting the Commissioner of Public Safety for local
authorities and adding "state permit or temporary state permit", where applicable, and adding provisions re confiscation
of permits illegally possessed and revocation of permits, and added Subsec. (c) re the revocation of local permits.
Cited. 193 C. 7. Revocation of pistol permit is required despite defendant's conviction of an offense prior to effective
date of the public act requiring revocation. 243 C. 250.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370.
Meets requirements of procedural due process without providing for notice and hearing before revocation. 36 CS 108.
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Sec. 29-32a. Appeal from refusal or revocation of permit. Section 29-32a is
repealed.
(1959, P.A. 263, S. 1; 615, S. 24; 1967, P.A. 633, S. 1.)
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Sec. 29-32b. Board of Firearms Permit Examiners. Appeals to board. Hearings. (a) There shall be established a Board of Firearms Permit Examiners, within the
Department of Public Safety for administrative purposes only, hereinafter referred to
as the board, to be comprised of seven members appointed by the Governor to serve
during his term and until their successors are appointed and qualify. With the exception
of public members, the members shall be appointed from nominees of the Commissioner
of Public Safety, the Connecticut State Association of Chiefs of Police, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, The Connecticut State Rifle and Revolver Association, Inc., and Ye Connecticut Gun Guild, Inc., and each of said organizations shall be
entitled to representation on the board. At least one member of the board shall be a
lawyer licensed to practice in this state, who shall act as chairman of the board during
the hearing of appeals brought under this section.
(b) Any person aggrieved by any refusal to issue or renew a permit or certificate
under the provisions of section 29-28 or 29-36f, or by any limitation or revocation of a
permit or certificate issued under any of said sections, or by a refusal or failure of any
issuing authority to furnish an application as provided in section 29-28a, may, within
ninety days after receipt of notice of such refusal, limitation or revocation, or refusal or
failure to supply an application as provided in section 29-28a, and without prejudice to
any other course of action open to such person in law or in equity, appeal to the board.
On such appeal the board shall inquire into and determine the facts, de novo, and unless
it finds that such a refusal, limitation or revocation, or such refusal or failure to supply
an application, as the case may be, would be for just and proper cause, it shall order
such permit or certificate to be issued, renewed or restored, or the limitation removed
or modified, as the case may be. If the refusal was for failure to document compliance
with local zoning requirements, under subsection (a) of section 29-28, the board shall
not issue a permit.
(c) Any person aggrieved by the action of an issuing authority may file with the
board a clear and concise statement of the facts on which he relies for relief, and shall
state the relief sought by the appellant. The receipt by the board of the appellant's statement shall initiate the appeals process, and no appeal may be rejected for mere lack of
formality. The board shall, within ten days next following receipt of the appeal, set a
time and place at which the appeal shall be heard. The board, while such appeal is
pending, may request such additional information from the appellant and from the issuing authority as it deems reasonably necessary to conduct a fair and impartial hearing,
and shall require of the issuing authority from whose decision or action the appeal is
being sought a statement in writing setting forth the reasons for such failure, refusal,
revocation or limitation. Failure or refusal of the issuing authority to furnish such written
statement, or to supply the appellant with an application, at least ten days prior to the
hearing shall be cause for the board to grant the relief sought, forthwith and without
further hearing.
(d) The board shall hold hearings at such times and places as it in its discretion
reasonably determines to be required, but not less than once every ninety days, and shall
give reasonable notice of the time and place of the hearing to the appellant and to the
issuing authority. The board shall have the power to compel attendance at its sessions.
(e) All appeals hearings shall be conducted in an informal manner, but otherwise
according to the rules of evidence, and all witnesses shall be sworn by the chairman.
The board shall cause a verbatim transcript of the hearing to be kept in such manner as
it may determine, and shall furnish such transcript to any party appealing its decision
as hereinafter set forth. The statements of witnesses made under oath shall be privileged.
Decisions of the board shall be by majority vote and shall be communicated in writing
to the appellant and to the issuing authority within twenty days after the rendering of
the decision. If any issuing authority neglects or refuses to comply with a decision of
the board within ten days after notice of the board's decision has been given to such
issuing authority, the board shall apply to the Superior Court for a writ of mandamus
to enforce the board's decision.
(f) Any person aggrieved by the decision of the board may appeal therefrom in
accordance with the provisions of section 4-183.
(g) The board shall serve without compensation, but its members shall be entitled
to reasonable subsistence and travel allowances in the performance of their duties.
(1967, P.A. 633, S. 2; P.A. 76-435, S. 39, 82; 76-436, S. 609, 681; P.A. 77-603, S. 16, 125; 77-614, S. 486, 509, 610;
P.A. 90-155, S. 2; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 11; P.A. 98-129, S. 10; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 120, 121; P.A. 99-212,
S. 13.)
History: P.A. 76-435 replaced director of fisheries and game with commissioner of environmental protection in Subsec.
(a); P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common pleas with superior court and added reference to judicial districts in Subsec.
(f), effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-603 replaced previous detailed appeal provisions in Subsec. (f) with requirement that
appeals be made in accordance with Sec. 4-183; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of
public safety, increased number of board members from five to seven and placed board of firearms permit examiners in
the department of public safety for administrative purposes only, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 90-155 amended Subsec.
(b) by adding provision re refusal for failure to document compliance with local zoning requirements; July Sp. Sess. P.A.
94-1 amended Subsec. (b) to make provisions applicable with respect to the issuance of a certificate under Sec. 29-36f;
P.A. 98-129 amended Subsec. (b) to delete references to Secs. 53-206 and 53-206a; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 repealed Sec.
10 of P.A. 98-129, thereby nullifying the changes in P.A. 98-129, effective June 24, 1998 (Revisor's note: In 1999 the
words "refusal or failure or any issuing authority" in Subsec. (b) were replaced editorially with "refusal or failure of any
issuing authority" to correct a typographical error in P.A. 90-155); P.A. 99-212 amended Subsec. (b) to delete references
to Secs. 53-206 and 53-206a and make provisions gender neutral.
See title 2c re termination under "Sunset Law".
See Sec. 4-9a for definition of "public member".
See Sec. 4-38f for definition of "administrative purposes only".
Cited. 193 C. 7.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370.
Meets requirements of procedural due process. 36 CS 108. Cited. 39 CS 202. Board's determination as to plaintiff's
suitability to possess a permit is subject to great deference. 46 CS 550.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 209 C. 322.
Subsec. (b):
Cited. 209 C. 322.
Cited. 35 CS 28.
Subsec. (c):
Cited. 209 C. 322.
Cited. 14 CA 376.
Cited. 35 CS 28.
Subsec. (d):
Cited. 14 CA 376.
Subsec. (e):
Cited. 14 CA 376.
Cited. 42 CS 157.
Subsec. (f):
Cited. 14 CA 376.
Cited. 35 CS 28. Cited. 42 CS 157.
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Sec. 29-33. Sale, delivery or transfer of pistols and revolvers. Procedure. Penalty. (a) No person, firm or corporation shall sell, deliver or otherwise transfer any pistol
or revolver to any person who is prohibited from possessing a pistol or revolver as
provided in section 53a-217c.
(b) On and after October 1, 1995, no person may purchase or receive any pistol or
revolver unless such person holds a valid permit to carry a pistol or revolver issued
pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29-28, a valid permit to sell at retail a pistol or
revolver issued pursuant to subsection (a) of section 29-28 or a valid eligibility certificate
for a pistol or revolver issued pursuant to section 29-36f or is a federal marshal, parole
officer or peace officer.
(c) No person, firm or corporation shall sell, deliver or otherwise transfer any pistol
or revolver except upon written application on a form prescribed and furnished by the
Commissioner of Public Safety. Such person, firm or corporation shall insure that all
questions on the application are answered properly prior to releasing the pistol or revolver and shall retain the application, which shall be attached to the federal sale or
transfer document, for at least twenty years or until such vendor goes out of business.
Such application shall be available for inspection during normal business hours by law
enforcement officials. No sale, delivery or other transfer of any pistol or revolver shall
be made unless the person making the purchase or to whom the same is delivered or
transferred is personally known to the person selling such pistol or revolver or making
delivery or transfer thereof or provides evidence of his identity in the form of a motor
vehicle operator's license, identity card issued pursuant to section 1-1h or valid passport.
No sale, delivery or other transfer of any pistol or revolver shall be made until the person,
firm or corporation making such transfer obtains an authorization number from the
Commissioner of Public Safety. Said commissioner shall perform the national instant
criminal background check and make a reasonable effort to determine whether there is
any reason that would prohibit such applicant from possessing a pistol or revolver as
provided in section 53a-217c. If the commissioner determines the existence of such a
reason, the commissioner shall deny the sale and no pistol or revolver shall be sold,
delivered or otherwise transferred by such person, firm or corporation to such applicant.
(d) No person, firm or corporation shall sell, deliver or otherwise transfer any pistol
or revolver, other than at wholesale, unless such pistol or revolver is equipped with a
reusable trigger lock, gun lock or gun locking device appropriate for such pistol or
revolver, which lock or device shall be constructed of material sufficiently strong to
prevent it from being easily disabled and have a locking mechanism accessible by key
or by electronic or other mechanical accessory specific to such lock or device to prevent
unauthorized removal. No pistol or revolver shall be loaded or contain therein any gunpowder or other explosive or any bullet, ball or shell when such pistol or revolver is
sold, delivered or otherwise transferred.
(e) Upon the sale, delivery or other transfer of any pistol or revolver, the person
making the purchase or to whom the same is delivered or transferred shall sign a receipt
for such pistol or revolver which shall contain the name and address of such person,
the date of sale, the caliber, make, model and manufacturer's number and a general
description of such pistol or revolver, the identification number of such person's permit
to carry pistols or revolvers, issued pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29-28, permit
to sell at retail pistols or revolvers, issued pursuant to subsection (a) of said section, or
eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver, issued pursuant to section 29-36f, if any,
and the authorization number designated for the transfer by the Department of Public
Safety. The person, firm or corporation selling such pistol or revolver or making delivery
or transfer thereof shall give one copy of the receipt to the person making the purchase
of such pistol or revolver or to whom the same is delivered or transferred, shall retain
one copy of the receipt for at least five years, and shall send, by first class mail, or
electronically transmit, within forty-eight hours of such sale, delivery or other transfer,
one copy of the receipt to the Commissioner of Public Safety and one copy of the receipt
to the chief of police or, where there is no chief of police, the warden of the borough or
the first selectman of the town, as the case may be, of the town in which the transferee
resides.
(f) The provisions of this section shall not apply to antique pistols or revolvers. An
antique pistol or revolver, for the purposes of this section, means any pistol or revolver
which was manufactured in or before 1898 and any replica of such pistol or revolver
provided such replica is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional
centerfire fixed ammunition except rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition
which is no longer manufactured in the United States and not readily available in the
ordinary channel of commercial trade.
(g) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the sale, delivery or transfer of
pistols or revolvers between (1) a federally-licensed firearm manufacturer and a federally-licensed firearm dealer, (2) a federally-licensed firearm importer and a federally-licensed firearm dealer, or (3) federally-licensed firearm dealers.
(h) If the court finds that a violation of this section is not of a serious nature and
that the person charged with such violation (1) will probably not offend in the future,
(2) has not previously been convicted of a violation of this section, and (3) has not
previously had a prosecution under this section suspended pursuant to this subsection, it
may order suspension of prosecution. The court shall not order suspension of prosecution
unless the accused person has acknowledged that he understands the consequences of
the suspension of prosecution. Any person for whom prosecution is suspended shall
agree to the tolling of any statute of limitations with respect to such violation and to a
waiver of his right to a speedy trial. Such person shall appear in court and shall be
released to the custody of the Court Support Services Division for such period, not
exceeding two years, and under such conditions as the court shall order. If the person
refuses to accept, or, having accepted, violates such conditions, the court shall terminate
the suspension of prosecution and the case shall be brought to trial. If such person
satisfactorily completes his period of probation, he may apply for dismissal of the
charges against him and the court, on finding such satisfactory completion, shall dismiss
such charges. If the person does not apply for dismissal of the charges against him after
satisfactorily completing his period of probation, the court, upon receipt of a report
submitted by the Court Support Services Division that the person satisfactorily completed his period of probation, may on its own motion make a finding of such satisfactory
completion and dismiss such charges. Upon dismissal, all records of such charges shall
be erased pursuant to section 54-142a. An order of the court denying a motion to dismiss
the charges against a person who has completed his period of probation or terminating
the participation of a defendant in such program shall be a final judgment for purposes
of appeal.
(i) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a class
D felony, except that any person who sells, delivers or otherwise transfers a pistol or
revolver in violation of the provisions of this section, knowing that such pistol or revolver
is stolen or that the manufacturer's number or other mark of identification on such pistol
or revolver has been altered, removed or obliterated, shall be guilty of a class B felony,
and any pistol or revolver found in the possession of any person in violation of any
provision of this section shall be forfeited.
(1949 Rev., S. 4164; February, 1965, P.A. 36; P.A. 75-42; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 82-113; July Sp. Sess. P.A.
94-1, S. 1; P.A. 98-129, S. 1; P.A. 99-212, S. 15; P.A. 00-99, S. 136, 154; P.A. 02-132, S. 12.)
History: 1965 act made provisions applicable to firms and corporations as well as to persons, required that applications
be in triplicate, specifying persons who are to receive copies, required that no sales or deliveries be made until one week
after copies mailed, replacing requirement that none be made on date of filing, added provision prohibiting sales and
deliveries if applicant has been convicted of a felony, required that purchaser sign receipts in quadruplicate rather than
triplicate with two rather than one to go to state police commissioner and added provisions setting forth exceptions to
provisions for holders of state permits and various law enforcement officers and for antique weapons; P.A. 75-42 increased
period after application during which sales and deliveries are prohibited from one week to two weeks; P.A. 77-614 replaced
commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 82-113 amended the
definition of "antique pistol or revolver"; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 substantially revised section including making provisions
applicable to all sales, deliveries and transfers, not just those "at retail", dividing Sec. into Subsecs., amending Subsec. (a)
to prohibit the sale, delivery or transfer to any person prohibited from possessing a pistol or revolver as provided in Sec.
53a-217c, rather than only to any alien, amending Subsec. (b) to require the transferor to retain the original application for
at least five years, rather than at least six years, prohibit the sale, delivery or transfer unless the transferee is personally
known to the transferor or provides evidence of his identity, require the municipal authority or commissioner to make a
reasonable effort to determine if there is any reason that would prohibit the applicant from possessing a pistol or revolver
and prohibit the sale, delivery or transfer of a pistol or revolver if any such reason exists, rather than only if the applicant
has been convicted of a felony, amending Subsec. (d) to require the receipt to contain the identification number of the
person's permit to carry, permit to sell or eligibility certificate, if any, and the authorization number for the transfer, require
the transferor to retain a copy of the receipt for at least five years, rather than at least six years, require the transferor to
send a copy of the receipt to the chief of police, warden or first selectman of the town where the transfer took place, rather
than to the authority issuing the permit for the sale of such pistol or revolver, require the transferor to send copies within
forty-eight hours, rather than within twenty-four hours, of such sale, delivery or transfer, amending Subsec. (e) to make
the waiting period not apply with respect to the holder of a valid permit to sell or eligibility certificate and require the
transferor to verify the validity of the permit or certificate, adding Subsec. (g) to make section inapplicable to certain
transfers between federally licensed manufacturers, importers or dealers, adding Subsec. (h) to authorize a court to suspend
prosecution in certain cases, and adding Subsec. (i) to place penalty provision, formerly in Sec. 29-37(a), in section and
increase penalty to a class D felony or, if the pistol or revolver is stolen or has an altered identification number, a class B
felony; P.A. 98-129 amended Subsec. (c) to delete provision requiring that when a pistol or revolver is sold, delivered or
transferred it be enclosed in a package with the paper or wrapping securely fastened and to add provision prohibiting the
sale, delivery or other transfer of a pistol or revolver, other than at wholesale, unless such pistol or revolver is equipped
with a reusable trigger lock, gun lock or gun locking device and specifying criteria for the materials and locking mechanism
of such lock or device; P.A. 99-212 added new Subsec. (b) re prohibition on purchase or receipt of pistol or revolver without
having a valid permit or eligibility certificate or being a federal marshal, sheriff, parole officer or peace officer, formerly
Subsec. (a) of Sec. 29-36j, redesignating former Subsecs. (b), (c) and (d) as Subsecs. (c), (d) and (e), respectively, amended
Subsec. (c) to replace provision requiring seller or transferor to send one copy of the application to the police chief, first
selectman or warden in municipality where applicant resides and one copy to the Commissioner of Public Safety and retain
the application for at least five years with provision requiring seller or transferor to attach the application to the federal
sale or transfer document and retain it for at least twenty years or until the vendor goes out of business, to add provision
requiring seller or transferor to insure all questions on the application are answered properly and to make application
available for inspection during normal business hours by law enforcement officials, to replace prohibition on transfer of
pistol or revolver until the expiration of two weeks from the mailing of the copies of the application with prohibition on
transfer until the transferor obtains an authorization number, to delete the role of "the chief of the police department of the
municipality within which the applicant resides or, where there is no chief of police, the first selectman or warden of such
municipality, as the case may be," in determining whether there is a reason that would prohibit the applicant possessing a
pistol or revolver and in notifying the seller or transferor of any such reason, to require the commissioner to perform the
national instant criminal background check and to require the commissioner to deny the sale rather than forthwith notify
the person, firm or corporation to whom such application was made if a reason exists that would prohibit the applicant
possessing the pistol or revolver, amended Subsec. (e) to delete the requirement that the receipt contain the occupation of
the transferee, to authorize the transferor to electronically transmit a copy of the receipt to the commissioner and the police
chief, warden or first selectman and to require one copy of the receipt be sent to the police chief, warden or first selectman
of the town "in which the transferee resides" rather than the town "in which the sale, delivery or other transfer took place"
and deleted former Subsec. (e) re persons to whom the waiting period did not apply; P.A. 00-99 deleted reference to sheriff
in Subsec. (b), effective December 1, 2000; P.A. 02-132 amended Subsec. (h) by replacing "Office of Adult Probation"
with "Court Support Services Division".
Cited. 193 C. 7.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370.
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Sec. 29-34. False statement or information in connection with sale or transfer
of pistol or revolver prohibited. Sale or transfer to person under twenty-one years
of age prohibited. Temporary transfers. Penalties. (a) No person shall make any false
statement or give any false information connected with any purchase, sale, delivery
or other transfer of any pistol or revolver. Any person violating any provision of this
subsection shall be guilty of a class D felony.
(b) No person shall sell, barter, hire, lend, give, deliver or otherwise transfer to any
person under the age of twenty-one years any pistol or revolver, except that a pistol or
revolver may be temporarily transferred to any person only for the use by such person
in target shooting or on a firing or shooting range, provided such use is otherwise permitted by law and is under the immediate supervision of a person eligible to possess a pistol
or revolver. Any person violating any provision of this subsection shall be guilty of a
class D felony for which one year of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or
reduced by the court.
(c) Any pistol or revolver found in the possession of any person in violation of any
provision of this section shall be forfeited.
(1949 Rev., S. 4165; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 2; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2, S. 12; P.A. 99-212, S. 5.)
History: July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 made the provisions of the section applicable to any "other transfer" of a pistol or
revolver and to persons who "otherwise transfer" a pistol or revolver, increased the minimum age of a person to whom a
pistol or revolver may be transferred from eighteen to twenty-one years of age, and added exception re the temporary
transfer of a pistol or revolver to any person for use in target shooting or on a firing or shooting range and under certain
conditions; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2 designated existing provisions re making a false statement or giving false information
as Subsec. (a) and amended said Subsec. to add penalty provisions formerly located in Sec. 29-37(a), designated existing
provisions re prohibiting the sale, delivery or transfer of any pistol or revolver to a person under the age of twenty-one
years as Subsec. (b) and amended said Subsec. to add provision that a violation thereof is a class D felony with a one-year
nonsuspendable sentence and added Subsec. (c) re forfeiture of a pistol or revolver, formerly located in Sec. 29-37(a); P.A.
99-212 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the penalty to a class D felony, replacing penalty of a fine of not more than five
hundred dollars or imprisonment of not more than three years or both.
Cited. 193 C. 7.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370.
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Sec. 29-35. Carrying of pistol or revolver without permit prohibited. Exceptions. (a) No person shall carry any pistol or revolver upon his or her person, except
when such person is within the dwelling house or place of business of such person,
without a permit to carry the same issued as provided in section 29-28. The provisions
of this subsection shall not apply to the carrying of any pistol or revolver by any parole
officer or peace officer of this state, or parole officer or peace officer of any other
state while engaged in the pursuit of official duties, or federal marshal or federal law
enforcement agent, or to any member of the armed forces of the United States, as defined
in section 27-103, or of this state, as defined in section 27-2, when on duty or going to
or from duty, or to any member of any military organization when on parade or when
going to or from any place of assembly, or to the transportation of pistols or revolvers
as merchandise, or to any person transporting any pistol or revolver while contained in
the package in which it was originally wrapped at the time of sale and while transporting
the same from the place of sale to the purchaser's residence or place of business, or to any
person removing such person's household goods or effects from one place to another, or
to any person while transporting any such pistol or revolver from such person's place
of residence or business to a place or individual where or by whom such pistol or revolver
is to be repaired or while returning to such person's place of residence or business after
the same has been repaired, or to any person transporting a pistol or revolver in or
through the state for the purpose of taking part in competitions, taking part in formal
pistol or revolver training, repairing such pistol or revolver or attending any meeting or
exhibition of an organized collectors' group if such person is a bona fide resident of the
United States and is permitted to possess and carry a pistol or revolver in the state or
subdivision of the United States in which such person resides, or to any person transporting a pistol or revolver to and from a testing range at the request of the issuing
authority, or to any person transporting an antique pistol or revolver, as defined in section
29-33. For the purposes of this subsection, "formal pistol or revolver training" means
pistol or revolver training at a locally approved or permitted firing range or training
facility, and "transporting a pistol or revolver" means transporting a pistol or revolver
that is unloaded and, if such pistol or revolver is being transported in a motor vehicle,
is not readily accessible or directly accessible from the passenger compartment of the
vehicle or, if such pistol or revolver is being transported in a motor vehicle that does
not have a compartment separate from the passenger compartment, such pistol or revolver shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or
console. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the carrying of a pistol
or revolver during formal pistol or revolver training or repair.
(b) The holder of a permit issued pursuant to section 29-28 shall carry such permit
upon one's person while carrying such pistol or revolver.
(1949 Rev., S. 4166; 1957, P.A. 163, S. 35; 1959, P.A. 179; 1963, P.A. 437; P.A. 81-45; 81-222, S. 2; P.A. 88-128, S.
1; P.A. 99-212, S. 2; P.A. 00-99, S. 77, 154; P.A. 01-130, S. 9; P.A. 03-19, S. 68.)
History: 1959 act exempted parole officers from provisions of section; 1963 act exempted persons en route to or at
competitions, meetings, exhibitions etc. from provisions of section if persons are U.S. residents and have permits from
other states; P.A. 81-45 clarified exemption for sheriffs, parole officers or peace officers by specifying those of this state,
or of any other state while engaged in the pursuit of official duties, and added exemption for federal marshal or federal
law enforcement agent; P.A. 81-222 provided an exemption for any person carrying a pistol or revolver to and from a
testing range at the request of the issuing authority or carrying an antique pistol or revolver; P.A. 88-128 added Subsec.
(b) to require a permit holder to carry his permit while carrying his pistol or revolver; P.A. 99-212 replaced "carrying"
with "transporting" in list of exceptions other than in exceptions for sheriffs, parole officers, peace officers, federal marshals,
federal law enforcement agents, members of the armed forces and members of any military organization, added exception
for transporting a pistol or revolver in or through the state for the purpose of "taking part in formal pistol or revolver
training" or "repairing such pistol or revolver", revised exception re out-of-state resident by replacing condition that such
person have "a permit or license to carry any firearm issued by the authority of any other state or subdivision of the United
States" with condition that such person "is permitted to possess and carry a pistol or revolver in the state or subdivision
of the United States in which such person resides", added definitions of "formal pistol or revolver training" and "transporting
a pistol or revolver" and made provisions of section gender neutral; P.A. 00-99 deleted references to sheriff in Subsec. (a),
effective December 1, 2000; P.A. 01-130 amended definition of "transporting a pistol or revolver" in Subsec. (a) re providing
for a locked container if motor vehicle does not have compartment separate from passenger compartment; P.A. 03-19
made technical changes in Subsec. (a), effective May 12, 2003.
Seizure of loaded revolver from defendant's person and arrest under this section by police lieutenant on information
by reliable person that defendant was armed is justifiable action. 157 C. 114. Cited. 162 C. 3. Cited. 168 C. 395. State must
introduce evidence that pistol which defendant was carrying was less than twelve inches in length in order to prove that
defendant has violated this section. 173 C. 254. Cited. 179 C. 576. Burden not on state to disprove every listed exception
in statute. 181 C. 388. Cited. 182 C. 262. Cited. 186 C. 261; Id., 654. Cited 189 C. 303. Cited. 190 C. 1. Cited. 192 C. 85.
Cited 193 C. 7. Cited. 195 C. 651. Cited. 196 C. 122; Id., 157. Cited. 207 C. 191. Cited. 208 C. 689. Cited. 209 C. 322.
Cited. 211 C. 258. Cited. 214 C. 540. Cited. 215 C. 739. Cited. 217 C. 73. Cited. 220 C. 385. Cited. 221 C. 315; Id., 915.
Cited. 222 C. 718. Cited. 225 C. 270. Cited. 227 C. 518. Cited. 228 C. 234. Cited. 229 C. 125. Cited. 231 C. 43. Cited.
233 C. 1; Id., 215; Id., 813. Cited. 234 C. 324. Cited. 235 C. 274; Id., 397; Id., 595. Cited. 240 C. 395. Cited. 242 C. 318.
Cited. 3 CA 225; Id., 289. Cited. 6 CA 189; Id., 402. Cited. 7 CA 367. Cited. 8 CA 667. Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment
reversed, see 205 C. 370; Id., 330. Cited. 10 CA 532; Id., 683; Id., 697. Cited. 12 CA 662. Cited. 13 CA 139. Cited. 14
CA 140. Cited. 15 CA 330; Id., 749. Cited. 17 CA 243. Cited. 19 CA 576. Cited. 22 CA 507. Cited. 24 CA 408; Id., 685;
Id., 692; Id., 737. Cited. 25 CA 433; Id., 578; Id., 734. Cited 26 CA 65; Id., 367. Cited. 27 CA 263; Id., 403. Cited. 28 CA
833; judgment reversed, see 227 C. 518. Cited. 30 CA 26; Id., 68. Cited. 31 CA 385; Id., 614. Cited. 32 CA 724. Cited.
34 CA 103; Id., 223. Cited. 35 CA 541. Cited. 36 CA 345; Id., 483; Id., 576; Id., 805; Id., 831. Cited. 37 CA 276. Cited.
38 CA 247. Cited. 39 CA 82; Id., 224; Id., 242; Id., 563. Cited. 40 CA 60; Id., 151; Id., 189. Cited. 41 CA 515; Id., 565;
Id., 831. Cited. 42 CA 41. Cited. 43 CA 252. Cited. 44 CA 790. Cited. 45 CA 261; Id., 282. Cited. 46 CA 640. Evidence
presented at trial was insufficient to support conviction of carrying pistol without a license because state did not prove
beyond a reasonable doubt that gun barrel was less than twelve inches in length. 48 CA 193.
Cited. 27 CS 275. Cited. 35 CS 516.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 224 C. 546. Cited. 237 C. 518. "Place of business" means premises containing a business in which a person has
a proprietary, controlling or possessory interest not a location at which a person is merely employed. 260 C. 219. Place of
business" exception to handgun permit requirement inapplicable to taxicab. 270 C. 198.
Cited. 20 CA 137. Cited. 22 CA 321. Cited. 26 CA 242. Cited. 33 CA 521. Cited. 35 CA 138. Cited. 38 CA 750.
Cited. 42 CA 768. Cited. 45 CA 591. Cited. 46 CA 216. Cumulative evidence established beyond a reasonable doubt that
defendant's firearm had a barrel less than twelve inches long. 69 CA 1. Jury instructions that improperly included an
explanation of the principles of constructive possession did not violate defendant's due process rights where such instructions had no probable effect on the jury. 71 CA 656. Court upheld prior rulings that convictions under both this subsec.
and Sec. 53a-217(a)(1) do not constitute double jeopardy. 83 CA 377.
| (Return to Chapter Table of Contents) | (Return to List of Chapters) | (Return to List of Titles) |
Sec. 29-36. Alteration of firearm identification mark, number or name. (a) No
person shall remove, deface, alter or obliterate the name of any maker or model or any
maker's number or other mark of identification on any firearm as defined in section
53a-3. The possession of any firearm upon which any identifying mark, number or name
has been removed, defaced, altered or obliterated shall be prima facie evidence that
the person owning or in possession of such firearm has removed, defaced, altered or
obliterated the same.
(b) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be fined not more
than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years or both and any firearm
found in the possession of any person in violation of said provision shall be forfeited.
(1949 Rev., S. 4167; P.A. 97-56, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 97-56 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), amended said Subsec. (a) to replace "pistol or revolver" with "firearm" and include defacing an identifying mark, number or name as a prohibited act and added Subsec.
(b) re the penalty for a violation, revising the penalty formerly located in Sec. 29-37(a) to include all firearms.
Cited. 193 C. 7. Cited. 237 C. 348.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370. Cited. 19 CA 51. Cited. 42 CA 768. Possession of weapon on
which the identification mark has been altered or obliterated is "prima facie" evidence that the person in possession of
weapon altered or obliterated the identification number. Further, statute does not, by its language, limit application of the
inference to situations in which accused is in actual possession of a pistol. 70 CA 232.
Subsec. (a):
Provision re possession as prima facie evidence of alteration is permissive inference, not mandatory presumption. 246
C. 339.
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Secs. 29-36a to 29-36e. Reserved for future use.
| (Return to Chapter Table of Contents) | (Return to List of Chapters) | (Return to List of Titles) |
Sec. 29-36f. Eligibility certificate for pistol or revolver. (a) Any person who is
twenty-one years of age or older may apply to the Commissioner of Public Safety for
an eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver.
(b) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall issue an eligibility certificate unless
said commissioner finds that the applicant: (1) Has failed to successfully complete a
course approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety in the safety and use of pistols
and revolvers including, but not limited to, a safety or training course in the use of pistols
and revolvers available to the public offered by a law enforcement agency, a private or
public educational institution or a firearms training school, utilizing instructors certified
by the National Rifle Association or the Department of Environmental Protection and
a safety or training course in the use of pistols or revolvers conducted by an instructor
certified by the state or the National Rifle Association; (2) has been convicted of a felony
or of a violation of subsection (c) of section 21a-279, section 53a-58, 53a-61, 53a-61a,
53a-62, 53a-63, 53a-96, 53a-175, 53a-176, 53a-178 or 53a-181d; (3) has been convicted
as delinquent for the commission of a serious juvenile offense, as defined in section
46b-120; (4) has been discharged from custody within the preceding twenty years after
having been found not guilty of a crime by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant
to section 53a-13; (5) has been confined in a hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities, as defined in section 17a-495, within the preceding twelve months by order of a
probate court; (6) is subject to a restraining or protective order issued by a court in a
case involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another
person; (7) is subject to a firearms seizure order issued pursuant to subsection (d) of
section 29-38c after notice and hearing; (8) is prohibited from shipping, transporting,
possessing or receiving a firearm pursuant to 18 USC 922(g)(4); or (9) is an alien illegally
or unlawfully in the United States.
(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 7; P.A. 98-129, S. 14; P.A. 99-212, S. 20; P.A. 05-283, S. 5.)
History: P.A. 98-129 amended Subsec. (b) to add new Subdiv. (3) prohibiting the issuance of an eligibility certificate
to an applicant who has been convicted as delinquent for the commission of a serious juvenile offense, renumbering the
remaining Subdivs. accordingly, and to replace in Subdiv. (5) "hospital for mental illness" with "hospital for persons with
psychiatric disabilities"; P.A. 99-212 amended Subsec. (b) to add new Subdiv. (7) prohibiting the issuance of an eligibility
certificate to an applicant who is subject to a firearms seizure order issued pursuant to Sec. 29-38c(d) after notice and
hearing, renumbering remaining Subdiv. accordingly, and to make provisions gender neutral; P.A. 05-283 amended Subsec.
(b) to add new Subdiv. (8) prohibiting the issuance of an eligibility certificate to an applicant who is prohibited from
shipping, transporting, possessing or receiving a firearm pursuant to 18 USC 922 (g)(4), and to redesignate existing Subdiv.
(8) as Subdiv. (9).
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Sec. 29-36g. Application for eligibility certificate. Criminal history records
check. Deadline for approval or denial of application. Form of certificate. Change
of address. Confidentiality of name and address of certificate holder. Scope of
certificate. (a) Requests for eligibility certificates under section 29-36f shall be submitted to the Commissioner of Public Safety on application forms prescribed by the commissioner. No eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver shall be issued under the provisions of said section unless the applicant for such certificate gives to the Commissioner
of Public Safety, upon the commissioner's request, full information concerning the
applicant's criminal record and relevant information concerning the applicant's mental
health history. The commissioner shall require each applicant to submit to state and
national criminal history records checks. The commissioner shall take a full description
of such applicant. The commissioner shall take the fingerprints of such applicant or
conduct any other method of positive identification required by the State Police Bureau
of Identification or the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The commissioner shall record
the date the fingerprints were taken in the applicant's file and shall conduct criminal
history records checks in accordance with section 29-17a. The commissioner shall,
within sixty days of receipt of the national criminal history records check from the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, either approve the application and issue the eligibility
certificate or deny the application and notify the applicant of the reason for such denial
in writing.
(b) With respect to any application for an eligibility certificate filed with the Commissioner of Public Safety on or before July 1, 1995, the commissioner shall, not later
than October 1, 1995, (1) approve the application and issue the eligibility certificate,
(2) issue a temporary eligibility certificate or (3) deny the application and notify the
applicant of the reason for such denial in writing. With respect to any application for
an eligibility certificate filed with the Commissioner of Public Safety after July 1, 1995,
the commissioner shall, within ninety days, (1) approve the application and issue the
eligibility certificate, (2) issue a temporary eligibility certificate or (3) deny the application and notify the applicant of the reason for such denial in writing. A temporary certificate issued under this subsection shall be valid until such time as the commissioner
either approves or denies the application.
(c) An eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver shall be of such form and content
as the commissioner may prescribe, shall be signed by the certificate holder and shall
contain an identification number, the name, address, place and date of birth, height,
weight and eye color of the certificate holder and a full-face photograph of the certificate
holder.
(d) A person holding an eligibility certificate issued by the commissioner shall notify the commissioner within two business days of any change of his address. The notification shall include his old address and his new address.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 1-210 and 1-211, the name and address of a person issued an eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver under the provisions of section 29-36f shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed, except (1) such
information may be disclosed to law enforcement officials acting in the performance
of their duties, (2) the Commissioner of Public Safety may disclose such information
to the extent necessary to comply with a request made pursuant to section 29-33 for
verification that such certificate is still valid and has not been suspended or revoked,
and (3) such information may be disclosed to the Commissioner of Mental Health and
Addiction Services to carry out the provisions of subsection (c) of section 17a-500.
(f) An eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver shall not authorize the holder
thereof to carry a pistol or revolver upon his person in circumstances for which a permit
to carry a pistol or revolver issued pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29-28 is required
under section 29-35.
(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 8; P.A. 98-129, S. 7; P.A. 01-175, S. 23, 32.)
History: P.A. 98-129 amended Subsec. (e) to add new Subdiv. (3) authorizing the disclosure of such information to the
Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out the provisions of Sec. 17a-500(c); P.A. 01-175
amended Subsec. (a) by making technical changes and adding provisions re fingerprinting and state and national criminal
history records checks in accordance with Sec. 29-17a, effective July 1, 2001.
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Sec. 29-36h. Fee for eligibility certificate. Expiration and renewal of eligibility
certificate. (a) The fee for each eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver originally
issued under the provisions of section 29-36f shall be thirty-five dollars and for each
renewal thereof thirty-five dollars, which fees shall be paid to the Commissioner of
Public Safety. Upon deposit of such fees in the General Fund, the fees shall be credited
to the appropriation to the Department of Public Safety to a separate nonlapsing account
for the purposes of the issuance of eligibility certificates under said section.
(b) An eligibility certificate originally issued under the provisions of section 29-36f, shall expire five years after the date it becomes effective and each renewal thereof
shall expire five years after the expiration date of the certificate being renewed.
(c) The renewal fee shall apply for each renewal which is requested not earlier than
thirty-one days before, and not later than thirty-one days after, the expiration date of
the certificate being renewed.
(d) No fee or portion thereof paid under the provisions of this section for issuance
or renewal of an eligibility certificate shall be refundable except if the eligibility certificate for which the fee or portion thereof was paid was not issued or renewed.
(e) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall send a notice of the expiration of an
eligibility certificate issued pursuant to section 29-36f, to the holder of such certificate,
by first class mail, at the address of such person as shown by the records of the commissioner, not less than ninety days before such expiration, and shall enclose therein a
form for the renewal of said certificate. An eligibility certificate issued pursuant to said
section, shall be valid for a period of ninety days from the expiration date, except this
provision shall not apply to any certificate which has been revoked or for which revocation is pending, pursuant to section 29-36i.
(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 9.)
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Sec. 29-36i. Revocation of eligibility certificate. (a) Any eligibility certificate for
a pistol or revolver shall be revoked by the Commissioner of Public Safety upon the
occurrence of any event which would have disqualified the holder from being issued
the certificate pursuant to section 29-36f.
(b) Upon the revocation of any eligibility certificate, the person whose eligibility
certificate is revoked shall be notified in writing and such certificate shall be forthwith
delivered to the Commissioner of Public Safety. Any person who fails to surrender such
certificate within five days of notification in writing of revocation thereof shall be guilty
of a class C misdemeanor.
(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 10.)
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Sec. 29-36j. Purchase or receipt of pistol or revolver without permit or eligibility certificate prohibited. Exceptions. Section 29-36j is repealed, effective October
1, 1999.
(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 12; P.A. 99-212, S. 22.)
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Sec. 29-36k. Transfer or surrender of firearms by persons ineligible to possess
same. Penalty. (a) Not later than two business days after the occurrence of any event
that makes a person ineligible to possess a pistol or revolver or other firearm, such person
shall (1) transfer in accordance with section 29-33 all pistols and revolvers which such
person then possesses to any person eligible to possess a pistol or revolver and transfer
in accordance with any applicable state and federal laws all other firearms to any person
eligible to possess such other firearms by obtaining an authorization number for the sale
or transfer of the firearm from the Commissioner of Public Safety, and submit a sale or
transfer of firearms form to said commissioner within two business days, or (2) deliver
or surrender such pistols and revolvers and other firearms to the Commissioner of Public
Safety. The commissioner shall exercise due care in the receipt and holding of such
pistols and revolvers and other firearms.
(b) Such person, or such person's legal representative, may, at any time up to one
year after such delivery or surrender, transfer such pistols and revolvers in accordance
with the provisions of section 29-33 to any person eligible to possess a pistol or revolver
and transfer such other firearms in accordance with any applicable state and federal
laws to any person eligible to possess such other firearms. Upon notification in writing
by the transferee and such person, the Commissioner of Public Safety shall within ten
days deliver such pistols and revolvers or other firearms to the transferee. If, at the end
of such year, such pistols and revolvers or other firearms have not been so transferred,
the commissioner shall cause them to be destroyed.
(c) Any person who fails to transfer or surrender any such pistols and revolvers and
other firearms as provided in this section shall be subject to the penalty provided for in
section 53a-217 or 53a-217c.
(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 13; P.A. 02-120, S. 6.)
History: P.A. 02-120 amended Subsec. (a) to make provisions applicable to a person ineligible to possess a firearm
other than a pistol or revolver, adding in Subdiv. (1) the requirement that such person transfer in accordance with state and
federal laws such other firearms to any person eligible to possess such other firearms by obtaining an authorization number
from the Commissioner of Public Safety and submit a sale or transfer of firearms form to the commissioner within two
business days and including in Subdiv. (2) the delivery or surrender of "other firearms", amended Subsec. (b) to make
provisions applicable to "other firearms", to authorize the transfer of such other firearms in accordance with applicable
state and federal laws to any person eligible to possess such other firearms and to make a technical change for purposes
of gender neutrality and amended Subsec. (c) to make provisions applicable to the failure to transfer or surrender "other
firearms" and to add reference to penalty in Sec. 53a-217, effective June 7, 2002.
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Sec. 29-36l. Verification of eligibility of persons to receive or possess firearms.
State database. Instant criminal background check. Immunity of seller or transferor. Authorization number required. (a) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall
establish a state database within one year of October 1, 1994, that any person, firm or
corporation who sells or otherwise transfers pistols or revolvers may access, by telephone or other electronic means in addition to the telephone, for information to be
supplied immediately, on whether a permit to carry a pistol or revolver, issued pursuant
to subsection (b) of section 29-28, a permit to sell at retail a pistol or revolver, issued
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 29-28, or an eligibility certificate for a pistol or
revolver, issued pursuant to section 29-36f, is valid and has not been revoked or suspended.
(b) Upon establishment of the database, the commissioner shall notify each person,
firm or corporation holding a permit to sell at retail pistols or revolvers issued pursuant
to subsection (a) of section 29-28 of the existence and purpose of the system and the
means to be used to access the database.
(c) The Department of Public Safety shall establish days and hours during which
the telephone number or other electronic means shall be operational for purposes of
responding to inquiries, taking into consideration the normal business hours of retail
firearm businesses.
(d) (1) The Department of Public Safety shall be the point of contact for initiating
a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System
(NICS), established under section 103 of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act,
on individuals purchasing firearms.
(2) The Department of Public Safety, Department of Mental Health and Addiction
Services and Judicial Department shall, in accordance with state and federal law regarding confidentiality, enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Bureau
of Investigation for the purpose of implementing the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in the state. The Department of Public Safety shall report the
name, date of birth and physical description of any person prohibited from possessing
a firearm pursuant to 18 USC 922(g) or (n) to the National Instant Criminal Background
Check System Index, Denied Persons Files.
(e) Any person, firm or corporation that contacts the Department of Public Safety
to access the database established under this section and determine if a person is eligible
to receive or possess a firearm shall not be held civilly liable for the sale or transfer of
a firearm to a person whose receipt or possession of such firearm is unlawful or for
refusing to sell or transfer a firearm to a person who may lawfully receive or possess
such firearm if such person, firm or corporation relied, in good faith, on the information
provided to such person, firm or corporation by said department, unless the conduct of
such person, firm or corporation was unreasonable or reckless.
(f) Any person, firm or corporation that sells, delivers or otherwise transfers any
firearm pursuant to section 29-33 or 29-37a, shall contact the Department of Public
Safety to access the database established under this section and receive an authorization
number for such sale, delivery or transfer. The provisions of this subsection shall not
apply to: (1) Any sale, delivery or transfer of an antique firearm manufactured in or
before 1898, including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap or similar
type of ignition system manufactured in or before 1898; (2) any sale, delivery or transfer
of any replica of any firearm described in subdivision (1) of this subsection if such
replica uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer
manufactured in the United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary
channels of commercial trade; (3) transactions between persons who are licensed as
firearms importers or collectors, manufacturers or dealers pursuant to 18 USC 921 et
seq.; (4) the transfer of firearms to and from gunsmiths for purposes of repair only; and
(5) any sale, delivery or transfer of any firearm to any agency of the United States, the
state of Connecticut or any local government.
(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 16; P.A. 99-212, S. 7; P.A. 05-283, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 99-212 added Subsec. (c) re establishment of days and hours during which the telephone number or other
electronic means shall be operational to respond to inquiries, added Subsec. (d) re designation of the Department of Public
Safety as the point of contact for initiating background checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check
System, added Subsec. (e) re immunity of sellers and transferors who contact the Department of Public Safety to access
the database and rely in good faith on the information provided and added Subsec. (f) re requirement that sellers and
transferors contact the department to access the database and receive an authorization number and re exempt transactions;
P.A. 05-283 amended Subsec. (d) to designate existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and to add Subdiv. (2) re memorandum
of understanding with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purpose of implementing the National Instant Criminal
Background Check System.
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Sec. 29-36m. Regulations. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to carry out the provisions of
sections 18-81i, 29-27, 29-28, subsection (a) of section 29-30, section 29-32, subsection
(b) of section 29-32b, sections 29-33, 29-34, 29-36f to 29-36l, inclusive, subsection (a)
of section 29-37, subsections (a) and (b) of section 53-202d and section 53a-217c.
(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 17.)
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Sec. 29-36n. Protocol concerning transfer or surrender of pistols and revolvers. (a) The Commissioner of Public Safety, in conjunction with the Chief State's Attorney and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, shall develop a protocol to ensure
that persons who become ineligible to possess a pistol or revolver have, in accordance
with section 29-36k, transferred such pistol or revolver to a person eligible to possess
such pistol or revolver or have delivered or surrendered such pistol or revolver to said
commissioner.
(b) The Commissioner of Public Safety, in conjunction with the Chief State's Attorney and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, shall update the protocol developed
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section to reflect the provisions of sections 29-7h, 29-28, 29-28a, 29-29, 29-30, 29-32 and 29-35, subsections (b) and (e) of section 46b-15,
subsections (c) and (d) of section 46b-38c and sections 53-202a, 53-202l, 53-202m and
53a-217 and shall include in such protocol specific instructions for the transfer of pistols
and revolvers when the assistance of more than one law enforcement agency is necessary
to effect the requirements of section 29-36k.
(P.A. 99-212, S. 10; P.A. 01-130, S. 14; P.A. 02-120, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 01-130 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re updating the protocol; P.A.
02-120 amended Subsec. (b) to require protocol to include specific instructions for transfer of pistols and revolvers when
assistance of more than one law enforcement agency is necessary to effect the requirements of Sec. 29-36k.
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Sec. 29-37. Penalties. (a) Any person violating any provision of section 29-28 or
29-31 shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than
three years or both, and any pistol or revolver found in the possession of any person in
violation of any of said provisions shall be forfeited.
(b) Any person violating any provision of subsection (a) of section 29-35 may be
fined not more than one thousand dollars and shall be imprisoned not less than one
year nor more than five years, and, in the absence of any mitigating circumstances as
determined by the court, one year of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or
reduced by the court. The court shall specifically state the mitigating circumstances, or
the absence thereof, in writing for the record. Any pistol or revolver found in the possession of any person in violation of any provision of subsection (a) of section 29-35 shall
be forfeited.
(c) Any person violating any provision of subsection (b) of section 29-35 shall have
committed an infraction and shall be fined thirty-five dollars.
(1949 Rev., S. 4168; P.A. 81-222, S. 3; P.A. 88-128, S. 2; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 15; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2, S.
13; P.A. 97-56, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 81-222 added Subsec. (b) establishing a mandatory one-year prison sentence for any person violating
Sec. 29-35 unless the court finds mitigating circumstances, and requiring the court to state the mitigating circumstances
or absence thereof in writing; P.A. 88-128 added Subsec. (c) to provide a penalty for any person violating Sec. 29-35(b);
July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 amended Subsec. (a) to delete reference to Sec. 29-33 because that same public act added revised
penalty provisions for violations of Sec. 29-33 within that section itself; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2 amended Subsec. (a) to
delete reference to Sec. 29-34 because that same public act added penalty provisions for violations of Sec. 29-34 within
that section itself; P.A. 97-56 amended Subsec. (a) to delete penalty provision for a violation of Sec. 29-36 because that
same public act added penalty provision for violations of that section to Sec. 29-36 itself.
Cited. 179 C. 576. Cited. 186 C. 654. Cited. 193 C. 7. Cited. 209 C. 322.
Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370.
Where offense lay not in failing to keep record of sale of gun but in failing to keep it in book and form prescribed by
state police commissioner, minimum sentence of two years reduced to one year as too severe. 22 CS 25. Cited. 27 CS 275.
Subsec. (b):
Cited. 221 C. 315. Cited. 222 C. 718. Cited. 224 C. 546. Cited. 228 C. 234. Cited. 229 C. 125. Cited. 231 C. 43. Cited.
233 C. 813. Cited. 235 C. 397.
Cited. 6 CA 402. Cited. 20 CA 137. Cited. 22 CA 321; Id., 507. Cited. 24 CA 408; Id., 685; Id., 692. Cited. 25 CA 433.
Cited. 27 CA 263; Id., 403. Cited. 30 CA 26; Id., 68. Cited. 31 CA 614. Cited. 34 CA 223. Cited. 36 CA 805; Id., 831.
Cited. 40 CA 151. Cited. 43 CA 252.
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Sec. 29-37a. Sale or delivery at retail of firearm other than pistol or revolver.
Procedure. (a) No person, firm or corporation may deliver, at retail, any firearm, as
defined in section 53a-3, other than a pistol or revolver, to any person unless such person
makes application on a form prescribed and furnished by the Commissioner of Public
Safety, which shall be attached by the vendor to the federal sale or transfer document
and filed and retained by the vendor for at least twenty years or until such vendor goes
out of business. Such application shall be available for inspection during normal business
hours by law enforcement officials. No sale or delivery of any firearm shall be made
until the expiration of two weeks from the date of the application, and until the person,
firm or corporation making such sale, delivery or transfer has insured that such application has been completed properly and has obtained an authorization number from the
Commissioner of Public Safety for such sale, delivery or transfer. The Department of
Public Safety shall make every effort, including performing the national instant criminal
background check, to determine if the applicant is eligible to receive such firearm. If it
is determined that the applicant is ineligible to receive such firearm, the Commissioner
of Public Safety shall immediately notify the person, firm or corporation to whom such
application was made and no such firearm shall be sold or delivered to such applicant
by such person, firm or corporation. When any firearm is delivered in connection with
the sale or purchase, such firearm shall be enclosed in a package, the paper or wrapping
of which shall be securely fastened, and no such firearm when delivered on any sale or
purchase shall be loaded or contain any gunpowder or other explosive or any bullet,
ball or shell.
(b) Upon the delivery of the firearm, the purchaser shall sign in triplicate a receipt
for such firearm which shall contain the name and address of such purchaser, the date
of sale, caliber, make, model and manufacturer's number and a general description
thereof. Not later than twenty-four hours after such delivery, the vendor shall send by
first class mail or electronically transfer one receipt to the Commissioner of Public
Safety and one receipt to the chief of police or, where there is no chief of police, the
warden of the borough or the first selectman, of the town in which the purchaser resides,
and shall retain one receipt, together with the original application, for at least five years.
The waiting period specified in subsection (a) of this section during which delivery may
not be made and the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any federal marshal,
parole officer or peace officer, or to the delivery at retail of (1) any firearm to a holder
of a valid state permit to carry a pistol or revolver issued under the provisions of section
29-28 or a valid eligibility certificate issued under the provisions of section 29-36f, (2)
any firearm to an active member of the armed forces of the United States or of any
reserve component thereof, (3) any firearm to a holder of a valid hunting license issued
pursuant to chapter 490, or (4) antique firearms. For the purposes of this section, "antique
firearm" means any firearm which was manufactured in or before 1898 and any replica
of such firearm provided such replica is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or
conventional centerfire fixed ammunition except rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed
ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the United States and not readily available in the ordinary channel of commercial trade.
(P.A. 90-340, S. 1; P.A. 99-212, S. 16; P.A. 00-99, S. 78, 154.)
History: P.A. 99-212 inserted Subsec. indicators, amended Subsec. (a) to replace provision requiring that application
be made in triplicate and that one copy be mailed to the police chief of the municipality within which the applicant resides
or, where there is no chief of police, the first selectman or warden of such municipality and that one copy be mailed to the
Commissioner of Public Safety with provision requiring that vendor attach the application to the federal sale or transfer
document and file and retain it for at least twenty years or until such vendor goes out of business, to add requirement that
the application be available for inspection during normal business hours by law enforcement officials, to make the waiting
period run from the date of the application rather than the date of the mailing of the copies of the application, to prohibit
the sale or delivery until the transferor has insured that the application has been completed properly and has obtained an
authorization number, to require the Department of Public Safety to make every effort, including performing the national
instant criminal background check, to determine if the applicant is eligible to receive the firearm, to replace provision
requiring "such municipal authority or said commissioner, having knowledge of the conviction of such applicant of a
felony," to immediately notify the transferor with provision requiring the Commissioner of Public Safety to immediately
notify the transferor if "it is determined that the applicant is ineligible to receive such firearm", and amended Subsec. (b)
to delete the requirement that the receipt contain the occupation of the purchaser, to replace requirement that the vendor
mail two of the triplicate receipts to the Commissioner of Public Safety and retain the other receipt with the application
for at least six years with requirement that the vendor send by mail or electronically transfer one receipt to said commissioner
and one receipt to the chief of police or, where there is no chief of police, the warden of the borough or the first selectman
of the town in which the purchaser resides and retain one receipt together with the original application for at least five
years, to make the provisions of Subsec. (b) not apply to any federal marshal, sheriff, parole officer or peace officer, to
make the transfers enumerated in Subdivs. (1) to (4), inclusive, subject to the provisions of Subsec. (a) other than the
waiting period, to include in Subdiv. (1) the holder of a valid eligibility certificate and to replace in Subdiv. (3) "long rifles
or shotguns" with "any firearm"; P.A. 00-99 deleted reference to sheriff in Subsec. (b), effective December 1, 2000.
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Sec. 29-37b. Retail dealer to equip pistols and revolvers with gun locking device and provide written warning at time of sale. Penalty. (a) Each person, firm or
corporation which engages in the retail sale of any pistol or revolver, at the time of sale
of any such pistol or revolver, shall (1) equip such pistol or revolver with a reusable
trigger lock, gun lock or gun locking device appropriate for such firearm, which lock
or device shall be constructed of material sufficiently strong to prevent it from being
easily disabled and have a locking mechanism accessible by key or by electronic or
other mechanical accessory specific to such lock or device to prevent unauthorized
removal, and (2) provide to the purchaser thereof a written warning which shall state in
block letters not less than one inch in height: "UNLAWFUL STORAGE OF A LOADED
FIREARM MAY RESULT IN IMPRISONMENT OR FINE."
(b) Each such person, firm or corporation shall conspicuously post and at all times
display the warning specified in subsection (a) of this section in block letters not less
than three inches in height.
(c) Any person, firm or corporation which violates any provision of this section
shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars for each violation.
(P.A. 90-144, S. 3; P.A. 98-129, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 98-129 amended Subsec. (a) to replace "firearm" with "pistol or revolver" where appearing, require the
seller to equip the pistol or revolver with the lock or device rather than to provide the lock or device to the purchaser and
require that the lock or device be reusable, be constructed of material sufficiently strong to prevent it from being easily
disabled and have a locking mechanism accessible by key or other accessory to prevent unauthorized removal, and amended
Subsec. (b) to delete requirement that the warning be displayed at each service counter.
Cited. 242 C. 211.
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Sec. 29-37c. Transferred to Sec. 29-37i.
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Sec. 29-37d. Firearms dealer to install burglar alarm system on premises of
its establishment. Exceptions. On and after July 1, 1993, each business organization
which engages in the retail sale of firearms, as defined in section 53a-3, as a regular
course of trade or business, shall have a burglar alarm system installed on the premises
of its establishment in which ten or more firearms are stored and kept for sale. Such
alarm system shall be directly connected to the local police department or monitored
by a central station and shall activate upon unauthorized entry or interruption to such
system. For the purposes of this section, "business organization" means a sole proprietorship, partnership, firm, corporation or other form of business or legal entity. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person who (1) sells or exchanges a firearm
for the enhancement of a personal collection or as a hobby, (2) sells all or part of a
personal collection of firearms, or (3) sells firearms from his own residence and keeps
for sale not more than ten firearms.
(P.A. 92-48.)
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Sec. 29-37e. False statement or information in connection with sale or transfer
of firearm other than pistol or revolver prohibited. (a) No person shall make any
false statement or give any false information connected with any purchase, sale, delivery
or other transfer of any firearm other than a pistol or revolver. Any person violating any
provision of this subsection shall be guilty of a class D felony.
(b) Any firearm found in the possession of any person in violation of this section
shall be forfeited.
(P.A. 99-212, S. 4.)
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Sec. 29-37f. Qualifications of retail store employees who sell firearms. No person, firm or corporation that engages in the retail sale of goods, where the principal part
of such trade or business is the retail sale of goods other than firearms, shall employ a
person to sell firearms in a retail store unless such person (1) is at least eighteen years
of age, (2) has submitted to state and national criminal history records checks and such
checks indicate that such person has not been convicted of a felony or a violation specified in subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of section 29-36f, and (3) has successfully
completed a course or testing approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety in firearms
safety and statutory procedures relating to the sale of firearms. The sale of firearms by
such person, firm or corporation shall be accomplished only by an employee qualified
pursuant to this section. Any employer who employs a person to sell firearms in violation
of the provisions of this section shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than ten
thousand dollars per day for each violation. The Attorney General shall institute a civil
action to recover such penalty.
(P.A. 99-212, S. 6.)
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Sec. 29-37g. Gun show requirements. (a) For the purposes of this section, (1)
"gun show" means any event (A) at which fifty or more firearms are offered or exhibited
for sale, transfer or exchange to the public and (B) at which two or more persons are
exhibiting one or more firearms for sale, transfer or exchange to the public; and (2) "gun
show promoter" means any person who organizes, plans, promotes or operates a gun
show.
(b) Not later than thirty days before commencement of a gun show, the gun show
promoter shall notify the chief of police or, where there is no chief of police, the warden
of the borough or the first selectman of the town in which the gun show is to take place
of the date, time, duration and location of the gun show.
(c) No person, firm or corporation shall sell, deliver or otherwise transfer a firearm
at a gun show until such person, firm or corporation has complied with the provisions
of section 29-36l.
(P.A. 99-212, S. 17.)
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Sec. 29-37h. Reserved for future use.
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Sec. 29-37i. (Formerly Sec. 29-37c). Responsibilities re storage of loaded firearms with respect to minors. No person shall store or keep any loaded firearm on any
premises under his control if he knows or reasonably should know that a minor is likely
to gain access to the firearm without the permission of the parent or guardian of the
minor unless such person (1) keeps the firearm in a securely locked box or other container
or in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure or (2) carries the
firearm on his person or within such close proximity thereto that he can readily retrieve
and use it as if he carried it on his person. For the purposes of this section, "minor"
means any person under the age of sixteen years.
(P.A. 90-144, S. 1.)
History: Sec. 29-37c transferred to Sec. 29-37i in 1993.
See Sec. 52-571g re strict liability for unsafe storage of firearm.
See Sec. 53a-217a re criminally negligent storage of firearm.
Cited. 242 C. 211.
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Sec. 29-37j. Purchase of firearm with intent to transfer it to person prohibited
from purchasing or possessing. (a) Any person who purchases a firearm, as defined
in section 53a-3, pursuant to section 29-33 or 29-37a with the intent to transfer such
firearm to any other person who the transferor knows or has reason to believe is prohibited from purchasing or otherwise receiving such a firearm pursuant to section 29-33
or 29-37a shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more
than five years or both.
(b) Any person prohibited from purchasing or otherwise receiving or possessing a
firearm and who solicits, employs or assists any person in violating the provisions of
subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor. If the violation
of subsection (a) of this section involves a transfer of more than one firearm, such person
shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Each transfer shall constitute a separate offense.
(c) Any person convicted of violating the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) of this
section and who was convicted of a felony within the prior five-year period shall be
guilty of a class D felony.
(P.A. 93-306, S. 13.)
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Sec. 29-38. Weapons in vehicles. (a) Any person who knowingly has, in any vehicle owned, operated or occupied by such person, any weapon, any pistol or revolver for
which a proper permit has not been issued as provided in section 29-28 or any machine
gun which has not been registered as required by section 53-202, shall be fined not
more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years or both, and the
presence of any such weapon, pistol or revolver, or machine gun in any vehicle shall
be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section by the owner, operator and each
occupant thereof. The word "weapon", as used in this section, means any BB. gun, any
blackjack, any metal or brass knuckles, any police baton or nightstick, any dirk knife
or switch knife, any knife having an automatic spring release device by which a blade
is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches in length,
any stiletto, any knife the edged portion of the blade of which is four inches or over in
length, any martial arts weapon or electronic defense weapon, as defined in section 53a-3, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to: (1) Any officer charged with
the preservation of the public peace while engaged in the pursuit of such officer's official
duties; (2) any security guard having a baton or nightstick in a vehicle while engaged
in the pursuit of such guard's official duties; (3) any person enrolled in and currently
attending a martial arts school, with official verification of such enrollment and attendance, or any certified martial arts instructor, having any such martial arts weapon in a
vehicle while traveling to or from such school or to or from an authorized event or
competition; (4) any person having a BB. gun in a vehicle provided such weapon is
unloaded and stored in the trunk of such vehicle or in a locked container other than the
glove compartment or console; and (5) any person having a knife, the edged portion of
the blade of which is four inches or over in length, in a vehicle if such person is (A) any
member of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in section 27-103, or any
reserve component thereof, or of the armed forces of this state, as defined in section 27-2, when on duty or going to or from duty, (B) any member of any military organization
when on parade or when going to or from any place of assembly, (C) any person while
transporting such knife as merchandise or for display at an authorized gun or knife show,
(D) any person while lawfully removing such person's household goods or effects from
one place to another, or from one residence to another, (E) any person while actually
and peaceably engaged in carrying any such knife from such person's place of abode
or business to a place or person where or by whom such knife is to be repaired, or while
actually and peaceably returning to such person's place of abode or business with such
knife after the same has been repaired, (F) any person holding a valid hunting, fishing
or trapping license issued pursuant to chapter 490 or any salt water fisherman while
having such knife in a vehicle for lawful hunting, fishing or trapping activities, or (G)
any person participating in an authorized historic reenactment.
(1949 Rev., S. 4169; 1953, S. 2133d; P.A. 86-280, S. 1; P.A. 87-220, S. 2; P.A. 98-129, S. 11; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 120, 121; P.A. 99-212, S. 14.)
History: P.A. 86-280 included martial arts weapons in definition of weapon and added exception for persons enrolled
in and attending a martial arts school while traveling to and from such school; P.A. 87-220 made technical changes and
deleted provision including "nunchaku and chinese stars" within meaning of a martial arts weapon since weapons are
already included in referenced definition of Sec. 53a-3; P.A. 98-129 deleted reference to a permit for a weapon issued
pursuant to Sec. 53-206, redefined "weapon" to add BB. gun and electronic defense weapon and exclude sand bag and
slung shot and added exception permitting certain individuals to have a knife with a blade of four inches or more in a
vehicle; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 repealed Sec. 11 of P.A. 98-129, thereby nullifying the changes in P.A. 98-129, effective
June 24, 1998; P.A. 99-212 inserted Subsec. indicators, amended Subsec. (a) to delete reference to a permit for a weapon
issued pursuant to Sec. 53-206, redefined "weapon" to add BB. gun, police baton or nightstick and electronic defense
weapon and delete slung shot and sand bag, rephrased and repositioned provisions and made provisions gender neutral
and amended Subsec. (b) to add Subdiv. (1) re exception for officer charged with preservation of public peace, add Subdiv.
(2) re exception for security guard having a baton or nightstick in vehicle, designate existing exception for martial arts
students as Subdiv. (3) and amend said Subdiv. to include any certified martial arts instructor and include having martial
arts weapon in vehicle while traveling to or from an authorized event or competition, add Subdiv. (4) re exception for any
person having BB. gun that is unloaded and secured in vehicle and add Subdiv. (5) re exception for certain persons having
knife with a blade of four inches or more in vehicle under certain circumstances.
After defendant's loaded revolver was removed from his waistband while he was seated in his car after midnight in a
high crime area, officer justified in seizure and arrest of defendant under the circumstances of speedy information by
informant. 157 C. 114. Search of defendant's car, upon his arrest for breach of the peace, which yielded weapon was
incidental to his arrest and properly made. Id., 222. Cited. 163 C. 176. This section has the effect of placing the burden of
proof on alleged violators constituting a denial of due process and is therefore invalid. 165 C. 577, 597. Cited. 170 C. 81.
State must prove beyond reasonable doubt that proper permit had not been issued, since that is essential element of the
crime. Id., 234. Cited. 172 C. 21; Id., 94. Cited. 174 C. 22; Id., 405. Cited. 178 C. 534. Cited. 179 C. 516. Cited. 183 C.
148. Cited. 188 C. 406. Cited. 189 C. 35. Cited. 190 C. 259. Cited. 193 C. 7. Cited. 195 C. 668. Cited. 197 C. 358. Cited.
201 C. 190. Cited. 205 C. 262; Id., 370. Cited. 207 C. 565. Cited. 209 C. 98. Cited. 211 C. 258. Cited. 217 C. 73. Cited.
222 C. 718. Cited. 225 C. 650. Cited. 227 C. 363. Cited. 233 C. 215. Cited. 237 C. 348. Cited. 239 C. 56. Cited. 240 C.
489. If defendant knowingly has item in a vehicle and intentionally uses that item in a manner capable of causing serious
physical injury, the elements of section have been met, regardless of whether he had a prior intent to do so. 271 C. 785.
When item that defendant is charged with having in the vehicle is an otherwise legal item and did not become a dangerous
instrument within meaning of section until it was used in self-defense, defendant may raise Sec. 53a-19 as a defense. Id.
Cited. 7 CA 95. Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370; Id., 330. Cited. 10 CA 395. Cited. 11 CA 11; Id.,
251; Id., 621. Cited. 12 CA 268. Cited. 13 CA 76; Id., 288. Cited. 15 CA 305. Cited. 17 CA 243; Id., 556. Cited. 19 CA
48. Cited. 21 CA 299. Cited. 23 CA 602. Cited. 25 CA 181; Id., 433. Cited. 30 CA 9; Id., 232. Cited. 38 CA 434. Cited.
45 CA 110. Elements discussed. 47 CA 586. Statute does not require state to prove that defendant possessed the knife in
the vehicle; it is sufficient for state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant knew the knife was in the vehicle.
63 CA 228. Is not a crime to have a hammer in a motor vehicle unless it is intended to be used as a dangerous instrument
or for some other illicit purpose. 70 CA 855.
Separate and distinct crime from the carrying of dangerous weapons on the person. 10 CS 272. Cited. 22 CS 173; Id.,
201. Cited. 23 CS 82. Cited. 35 CS 659.
Cited. 5 Conn. Cir. Ct. 119.
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Sec. 29-38a. Out-of-state purchase or acquisition of rifles or shotguns. Section
29-38a is repealed, effective October 1, 1999.
(1971, P.A. 400, S. 1, 2; P.A. 99-212, S. 22.)
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Sec. 29-38b. Determination of commitment status of person who applies for
or seeks renewal of firearm permit or certificate. Report on status of application.
(a) The Commissioner of Public Safety, in fulfilling his obligations under sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, and section 53-202d, shall verify that any person who, on or after
October 1, 1998, applies for or seeks renewal of a permit to sell at retail a pistol or
revolver, a permit to carry a pistol or revolver, an eligibility certificate for a pistol or
revolver or a certificate of possession for an assault weapon has not been confined in a
hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities, as defined in section 17a-495, within
the preceding twelve months by order of a probate court, by making an inquiry to the
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services in such a manner so as to only
receive a report on the commitment status of the person with respect to whom the inquiry
is made including identifying information in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of section 17a-500.
(b) If the Commissioner of Public Safety determines pursuant to subsection (a) of
this section that a person has been confined in a hospital for persons with psychiatric
disabilities, as defined in section 17a-495, within the preceding twelve months by order
of a probate court, said commissioner shall report the status of such person's application
for or renewal of a permit to sell at retail a pistol or revolver, a permit to carry a pistol
or revolver, an eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver or a certificate of possession
for an assault weapon to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services
for the purpose of fulfilling his responsibilities under subsection (c) of section 17a-500.
(P.A. 98-129, S. 19.)
History: (Revisor's note: A reference to repealed section "29-38a" in Subsec. (a) was replaced editorially by the Revisors
with a reference to section "29-38".)
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Sec. 29-38c. Seizure of firearms of person posing risk of imminent personal
injury to self or others. (a) Upon complaint on oath by any state's attorney or assistant
state's attorney or by any two police officers, to any judge of the Superior Court, that
such state's attorney or police officers have probable cause to believe that (1) a person
poses a risk of imminent personal injury to himself or herself or to other individuals,
(2) such person possesses one or more firearms, and (3) such firearm or firearms are
within or upon any place, thing or person, such judge may issue a warrant commanding
a proper officer to enter into or upon such place or thing, search the same or the person
and take into such officer's custody any and all firearms. Such state's attorney or police
officers shall not make such complaint unless such state's attorney or police officers
have conducted an independent investigation and have determined that such probable
cause exists and that there is no reasonable alternative available to prevent such person
from causing imminent personal injury to himself or herself or to others with such
firearm.
(b) A warrant may issue only on affidavit sworn to by the complainant or complainants before the judge and establishing the grounds for issuing the warrant, which affidavit
shall be part of the seizure file. In determining whether grounds for the application exist
or whether there is probable cause to believe they exist, the judge shall consider: (1)
Recent threats or acts of violence by such person directed toward other persons; (2)
recent threats or acts of violence by such person directed toward himself or herself; and
(3) recent acts of cruelty to animals as provided in subsection (b) of section 53-247 by
such person. In evaluating whether such recent threats or acts of violence constitute
probable cause to believe that such person poses a risk of imminent personal injury to
himself or herself or to others, the judge may consider other factors including, but not
limited to (A) the reckless use, display or brandishing of a firearm by such person, (B)
a history of the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force by such person
against other persons, (C) prior involuntary confinement of such person in a hospital
for persons with psychiatric disabilities, and (D) the illegal use of controlled substances
or abuse of alcohol by such person. If the judge is satisfied that the grounds for the
application exist or that there is probable cause to believe that they exist, such judge
shall issue a warrant naming or describing the person, place or thing to be searched.
The warrant shall be directed to any police officer of a regularly organized police department or any state police officer. It shall state the grounds or probable cause for its
issuance and it shall command the officer to search within a reasonable time the person,
place or thing named for any and all firearms. A copy of the warrant shall be given to
the person named therein together with a notice informing the person that such person
has the right to a hearing under this section and the right to be represented by counsel
at such hearing.
(c) The applicant for the warrant shall file a copy of the application for the warrant
and all affidavits upon which the warrant is based with the clerk of the court for the
geographical area within which the search will be conducted no later than the next
business day following the execution of the warrant. Prior to the execution and return
of the warrant, the clerk of the court shall not disclose any information pertaining to the
application for the warrant or any affidavits upon which the warrant is based. The warrant
shall be executed and returned with reasonable promptness consistent with due process
of law and shall be accompanied by a written inventory of all firearms seized.
(d) Not later than fourteen days after the execution of a warrant under this section,
the court for the geographical area where the person named in the warrant resides shall
hold a hearing to determine whether the seized firearms should be returned to the person
named in the warrant or should continue to be held by the state. At such hearing the
state shall have the burden of proving all material facts by clear and convincing evidence.
If, after such hearing, the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the person
poses a risk of imminent personal injury to himself or herself or to other individuals, it
may order that the firearm or firearms seized pursuant to the warrant issued under subsection (a) of this section continue to be held by the state for a period not to exceed one
year, otherwise the court shall order the seized firearm or firearms to be returned to the
person named in the warrant. If the court finds that the person poses a risk of imminent
personal injury to himself or herself or to other individuals, it shall give notice to the
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services which may take such action pursuant to chapter 319i as it deems appropriate.
(e) Any person whose firearm or firearms have been ordered seized pursuant to
subsection (d) of this section, or such person's legal representative, may transfer such
firearm or firearms in accordance with the provisions of section 29-33 or other applicable
state or federal law, to any person eligible to possess such firearm or firearms. Upon
notification in writing by such person, or such person's legal representative, and the
transferee, the head of the state agency holding such seized firearm or firearms shall
within ten days deliver such firearm or firearms to the transferee.
(P.A. 99-212, S. 18.)
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Sec. 29-38d. Interstate transportation of firearms through state. (a) The provisions of sections 29-35 and 29-38 shall not apply to the interstate transportation of
firearms through this state in accordance with 18 USC 926A and 927, as amended from
time to time, by any person who is not otherwise prohibited from shipping, transporting,
receiving or possessing a firearm. Such person may transport a firearm for any lawful
purpose from any place where such person may lawfully possess and carry such firearm
through this state to any other place where such person may lawfully possess and carry
such firearm provided such transportation is in accordance with subsection (b) of this
section.
(b) During the transportation of a firearm through this state as authorized in subsection (a) of this section, such firearm shall be unloaded and neither such firearm nor any
ammunition being transported shall be readily accessible or directly accessible from
the passenger compartment of the vehicle. If the vehicle does not have a compartment
separate from the passenger compartment, such firearm shall be unloaded and such
firearm and any ammunition being transported shall be contained in a locked container
other than the glove compartment or console.
(c) No person who is transporting a firearm through this state in accordance with
this section may use or carry such firearm or sell, deliver or otherwise transfer such
firearm while in this state.
(P.A. 99-212, S. 3.)
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Sec. 29-38e. State-wide firearms trafficking task force. Composition. Duties.
(a) There shall be within the Division of State Police, within the Department of Public
Safety, a state-wide firearms trafficking task force for the effective cooperative enforcement of the laws of this state concerning the distribution and possession of firearms.
(b) The task force shall be comprised of municipal and state law enforcement officers and may include federal law enforcement officers. Such task force shall be authorized to conduct any investigation authorized by this section at any place within the state
as may be deemed necessary.
(c) The task force may request and may receive from any federal, state or local
agency, cooperation and assistance in the performance of its duties, including the temporary assignment of personnel which may be necessary to carry out the performance of
its functions.
(d) The task force may enter into mutual assistance and cooperation agreements
with other states pertaining to firearms law enforcement matters extending across state
boundaries, and may consult and exchange information and personnel with agencies of
other states with reference to firearms law enforcement problems of mutual concern.
(e) The Commissioner of Public Safety may appoint a commanding officer and
such other personnel as the commissioner deems necessary for the duties of the task
force, within available appropriations.
(f) The task force shall: (1) Review the problem of illegal trafficking in firearms
and its effects, including its effects on the public, and implement solutions to address
the problem; (2) identify persons illegally trafficking in firearms and focus resources
to prosecute such persons; (3) track firearms which were sold or distributed illegally
and implement solutions to remove such firearms from persons illegally in possession
of them; and (4) coordinate its activities with other law enforcement agencies within
and without the state.
(P.A. 00-192, S. 40, 102.)
History: P.A. 00-192 effective July 1, 2000.
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Sec. 29-38f. State-Wide Firearms Trafficking Task Force Policy Board. Composition. Duties. (a) There shall be a State-Wide Firearms Trafficking Task Force Policy
Board within the Division of State Police, within the Department of Public Safety, for
administrative purposes only, consisting of the Commissioner of Public Safety, the Chief
State's Attorney, the agent in Connecticut in charge of the federal Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms, the president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association and
five chiefs of police designated by said association, each to serve for a term of one year,
provided one such chief of police shall be from a municipality with a population of one
hundred thousand or more.
(b) The policy board shall direct the formulation of policies and operating procedures of the task force.
(c) The policy board may apply for and administer any federal, state, local or private
appropriations or grant funds made available for the operation of the task force.
(d) The receipts from the sale of seized firearms pursuant to section 54-36e shall
be deposited in the General Fund and credited to a separate, nonlapsing forfeit firearms
account which shall be established by the Comptroller. All moneys in the account are
deemed to be appropriated and shall be expended for the purposes established in section
29-38e.
(P.A. 00-192, S. 41, 102.)
History: P.A. 00-192 effective July 1, 2000 (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (d), a reference to "section 1 of this act" was
deemed by the Revisors to be a reference to "section 40 of this act" and codified as "section 29-38e", for accuracy).
See Sec. 4-38f for definition of "administrative purposes only".
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