CHAPTER 98

MUNICIPAL POWERS

Table of Contents


Note: This 2024 Supplement is intended to be used in conjunction with the General Statutes of Connecticut, revised to January 1, 2023.


Sec. 7-148. Scope of municipal powers.

Sec. 7-148o. Wilful violation of ordinances concerning prevention and remediation of blight. Penalties.

Sec. 7-148gg. Notice to lienholder of notice or order to remedy health, housing or safety code violation.

Sec. 7-148jj. Ordinances regulating maintenance of foreclosed properties.

Sec. 7-152c. Hearing procedure for citations.

Sec. 7-159d. Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund. Authorized. Investment of funds. Report. Use of funds. Discontinuance of fund.

Sec. 7-170. Bazaars and raffles; definitions.

Sec. 7-171. Adoption of bazaar and raffle law. Opt-out.

Sec. 7-172. Qualifications for sponsorship of or participation in bazaar or raffle. Ticket sale.

Sec. 7-177. Prizes.

Sec. 7-178. Equipment. Expenses. Information required on raffle ticket. Rental from out-of-state dealer.

Sec. 7-184. Rescission of adoption.


Sec. 7-148. Scope of municipal powers. (a) Definitions. Whenever used in this section, “municipality” means any town, city or borough, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough.

(b) Ordinances. Powers granted to any municipality under the general statutes or by any charter or special act, unless the charter or special act provides to the contrary, shall be exercised by ordinance when the exercise of such powers has the effect of:

(1) Establishing rules or regulations of general municipal application, the violation of which may result in the imposition of a fine or other penalty including community service for not more than twenty hours; or

(2) Creating a permanent local law of general applicability.

(c) Powers. Any municipality shall have the power to do any of the following, in addition to all powers granted to municipalities under the Constitution and general statutes:

(1) Corporate powers. (A) Contract and be contracted with, sue and be sued, and institute, prosecute, maintain and defend any action or proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction;

(B) Provide for the authentication, execution and delivery of deeds, contracts, grants, and releases of municipal property and for the issuance of evidences of indebtedness of the municipality;

(2) Finances and appropriations. (A) Establish and maintain a budget system;

(B) Assess, levy and collect taxes for general or special purposes on all property, subjects or objects which may be lawfully taxed, and regulate the mode of assessment and collection of taxes and assessments not otherwise provided for, including establishment of a procedure for the withholding of approval of building application when taxes or water or sewer rates, charges or assessments imposed by the municipality are delinquent for the property for which an application was made;

(C) Make appropriations for the support of the municipality and pay its debts;

(D) Make appropriations for the purpose of meeting a public emergency threatening the lives, health or property of citizens, provided such appropriations shall require a favorable vote of at least two-thirds of the entire membership of the legislative body or, when the legislative body is the town meeting, at least two-thirds of those present and voting;

(E) Make appropriations to military organizations, hospitals, health care facilities, public health nursing organizations, nonprofit museums and libraries, organizations providing drug abuse and dependency programs and any other private organization performing a public function;

(F) Provide for the manner in which contracts involving unusual expenditures shall be made;

(G) When not specifically prescribed by general statute or by charter, prescribe the form of proceedings and mode of assessing benefits and appraising damages in taking land for public use, or in making public improvements to be paid for, in whole or in part, by special assessments, and prescribe the manner in which all benefits assessed shall be collected;

(H) Provide for the bonding of municipal officials or employees by requiring the furnishing of such bond, conditioned upon honesty or faithful performance of duty and determine the amount, form, and sufficiency of the sureties thereof;

(I) Regulate the method of borrowing money for any purpose for which taxes may be levied and borrow on the faith and credit of the municipality for such general or special purposes and to such extent as is authorized by general statute;

(J) Provide for the temporary borrowing of money;

(K) Create a sinking fund or funds or a trust fund or funds or other special funds, including funds which do not lapse at the end of the municipal fiscal year;

(L) Provide for the assignment of municipal tax liens on real property to the extent authorized by general statute;

(3) Property. (A) Take or acquire by gift, purchase, grant, including any grant from the United States or the state, bequest or devise and hold, condemn, lease, sell, manage, transfer, release and convey such real and personal property or interest therein absolutely or in trust as the purposes of the municipality or any public use or purpose, including that of education, art, ornament, health, charity or amusement, cemeteries, parks or gardens, or the erection or maintenance of statues, monuments, buildings or other structures, require. Any lease of real or personal property or any interest therein, either as lessee or lessor, may be for such term or any extensions thereof and upon such other terms and conditions as have been approved by the municipality, including without limitation the power to bind itself to appropriate funds as necessary to meet rent and other obligations as provided in any such lease;

(B) Provide for the proper administration of gifts, grants, bequests and devises and meet such terms or conditions as are prescribed by the grantor or donor and accepted by the municipality;

(4) Public services. (A) Provide for police protection, regulate and prescribe the duties of the persons providing police protection with respect to criminal matters within the limits of the municipality and maintain and regulate a suitable place of detention within the limits of the municipality for the safekeeping of all persons arrested and awaiting trial and do all other things necessary or desirable for the policing of the municipality;

(B) Provide for fire protection, organize, maintain and regulate the persons providing fire protection, provide the necessary apparatus for extinguishing fires and do all other things necessary or desirable for the protection of the municipality from fire;

(C) Provide for entertainment, amusements, concerts, celebrations and cultural activities, including the direct or indirect purchase, ownership and operation of the assets of one or more sports franchises;

(D) Provide for ambulance service by the municipality or any person, firm or corporation;

(E) Provide for the employment of nurses;

(F) Provide for lighting the streets, highways and other public places of the municipality and for the care and preservation of public lamps, lamp posts and fixtures;

(G) Provide for the furnishing of water, by contract or otherwise;

(H) Provide for or regulate the collection and disposal of garbage, trash, rubbish, waste material and ashes by contract or otherwise, including prohibiting the throwing or placing of such materials on the highways;

(I) Provide for the financing, construction, rehabilitation, repair, improvement or subsidization of housing for low and moderate income persons and families;

(5) Personnel. (A) Provide for and establish pension systems for the officers and employees of the municipality and for the active members of any volunteer fire department or any volunteer ambulance association of the municipality, and establish a system of qualification for the tenure in office of such officers and employees, provided the rights or benefits granted to any individual under any municipal retirement or pension system shall not be diminished or eliminated;

(B) Establish a merit system or civil service system for the selection and promotion of public officials and employees. Nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed to validate any merit system or civil service system established prior to May 24, 1972;

(C) Provide for the employment of and prescribe the salaries, compensation and hours of employment of all officers and employees of the municipality and the duties of such officers and employees not expressly defined by the Constitution of the state, the general statutes, charter or special act;

(D) Provide for the appointment of a municipal historian;

(6) Public works, sewers, highways. (A) Public facilities. (i) Establish, lay out, construct, reconstruct, alter, maintain, repair, control and operate cemeteries, public burial grounds, hospitals, clinics, institutions for children and aged, infirm and chronically ill persons, bus terminals and airports and their accessories, docks, wharves, school houses, libraries, parks, playgrounds, playfields, fieldhouses, baths, bathhouses, swimming pools, gymnasiums, comfort stations, recreation places, public beaches, beach facilities, public gardens, markets, garbage and refuse disposal facilities, parking lots and other off-street parking facilities, and any and all buildings or facilities necessary or convenient for carrying on the government of the municipality;

(ii) Create, provide for, construct, regulate and maintain all things in the nature of public works and improvements;

(iii) Enter into or upon any land for the purpose of making necessary surveys or mapping in connection with any public improvement, and take by eminent domain any lands, rights, easements, privileges, franchises or structures which are necessary for the purpose of establishing, constructing or maintaining any public work, or for any municipal purpose, in the manner prescribed by the general statutes;

(iv) Regulate and protect from injury or defacement all public buildings, public monuments, trees and ornaments in public places and other public property in the municipality;

(v) Provide for the planting, rearing and preserving of shade and ornamental trees on the streets and public grounds;

(vi) Provide for improvement of waterfronts by a board, commission or otherwise;

(B) Sewers, drainage and public utilities. (i) Lay out, construct, reconstruct, repair, maintain, operate, alter, extend and discontinue sewer and drainage systems and sewage disposal plants;

(ii) Enter into or upon any land for the purpose of correcting the flow of surface water through watercourses which prevent, or may tend to prevent, the free discharge of municipal highway surface water through said courses;

(iii) Regulate the laying, location and maintenance of gas pipes, water pipes, drains, sewers, poles, wires, conduits and other structures in the streets and public places of the municipality;

(iv) Prohibit and regulate the discharge of drains from roofs of buildings over or upon the sidewalks, streets or other public places of the municipality or into sanitary sewers;

(v) Enter into energy-savings performance contracts;

(C) Highways and sidewalks. (i) Lay out, construct, reconstruct, alter, maintain, repair, control, operate, and assign numbers to streets, alleys, highways, boulevards, bridges, underpasses, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, public walks and parkways;

(ii) Keep open and safe for public use and travel and free from encroachment or obstruction the streets, sidewalks and public places in the municipality;

(iii) Control the excavation of highways and streets;

(iv) Regulate and prohibit the excavation, altering or opening of sidewalks, public places and grounds for public and private purposes and the location of any work or things thereon, whether temporary or permanent, upon or under the surface thereof;

(v) Require owners or occupants of land adjacent to any sidewalk or public work to remove snow, ice, sleet, debris or any other obstruction therefrom, provide penalties upon their failure to do so, and cause such snow, ice, sleet, debris or other obstruction to be removed and make the cost of such removal a lien on such property;

(vi) Grant to abutting property owners a limited property or leasehold interest in abutting streets and sidewalks for the purpose of encouraging and supporting private commercial development;

(7) Regulatory and police powers. (A) Buildings. (i) Make rules relating to the maintenance of safe and sanitary housing and prescribe civil penalties for the violation of such rules against an owner of rental property not to exceed two thousand dollars per violation, provided if multiple violations are discovered on the same date, such violations shall be enforced as one violation, and any such owner assessed a civil penalty pursuant to this subparagraph shall have a right of appeal to the legislative body of the municipality, or to the board of selectmen in a municipality where the legislative body is a town meeting, upon the grounds that such violation was proximately caused by a tenant's reckless or wilful act;

(ii) Regulate the mode of using any buildings when such regulations seem expedient for the purpose of promoting the safety, health, morals and general welfare of the inhabitants of the municipality;

(iii) Regulate and prohibit the moving of buildings upon or through the streets or other public places of the municipality, and cause the removal and demolition of unsafe buildings and structures;

(iv) Regulate and provide for the licensing of parked trailers when located off the public highways, and trailer parks or mobile manufactured home parks, except as otherwise provided by special act and except where there exists a local zoning commission so empowered;

(v) Establish lines beyond which no buildings, steps, stoop, veranda, billboard, advertising sign or device or other structure or obstruction may be erected;

(vi) Regulate and prohibit the placing, erecting or keeping of signs, awnings or other things upon or over the sidewalks, streets and other public places of the municipality;

(vii) Regulate plumbing and house drainage;

(viii) Prohibit or regulate the construction of dwellings, apartments, boarding houses, hotels, commercial buildings, youth camps or commercial camps and commercial camping facilities in such municipality unless the sewerage facilities have been approved by the authorized officials of the municipality;

(B) Traffic. (i) Regulate and prohibit, in a manner not inconsistent with the general statutes, traffic, the operation of vehicles on streets and highways, off-street parking and on-street residential neighborhood parking areas in which on-street parking is limited to residents of a given neighborhood, as determined by the municipality;

(ii) Regulate the speed of vehicles, subject to the provisions of the general statutes relating to the regulation of the speed of motor vehicles and of animals, and the driving or leading of animals through the streets;

(iii) Require that conspicuous signage be posted in any area where a motor vehicle may be subject to towing or to the use of a wheel-locking device that renders such motor vehicle immovable, and that such signage indicate where the motor vehicle will be stored, how the vehicle may be redeemed and any costs or fees that may be charged;

(C) Building adjuncts. Regulate and prohibit the construction or use, and require the removal of sinks, cesspools, drains, sewers, privies, barns, outhouses and poultry pens and houses;

(D) Animals. (i) Regulate and prohibit the going at large of dogs and other animals in the streets and public places of the municipality and prevent cruelty to animals and all inhuman sports, except that no municipality shall adopt breed-specific dog ordinances;

(ii) Regulate and prohibit the keeping of wild or domestic animals, including reptiles, within the municipal limits or portions thereof;

(E) Nuisance. Define, prohibit and abate within the municipality all nuisances and causes thereof, and all things detrimental to the health, morals, safety, convenience and welfare of its inhabitants and cause the abatement of any nuisance at the expense of the owner or owners of the premises on which such nuisance exists;

(F) Loitering and trespassing. (i) Keep streets, sidewalks and public places free from undue noise and nuisances, and prohibit loitering thereon;

(ii) Regulate loitering on private property with the permission of the owner thereof;

(iii) Prohibit the loitering in the nighttime of minors on the streets, alleys or public places within its limits;

(iv) Prevent trespassing on public and private lands and in buildings in the municipality;

(G) Vice. Prevent vice and suppress gambling houses, houses of ill-fame and disorderly houses;

(H) Public health and safety. (i) Secure the safety of persons in or passing through the municipality by regulation of shows, processions, parades and music;

(ii) Regulate and prohibit the carrying on within the municipality of any trade, manufacture, business or profession which is, or may be, so carried on as to become prejudicial to public health, conducive to fraud and cheating, or dangerous to, or constituting an unreasonable annoyance to, those living or owning property in the vicinity;

(iii) Regulate auctions and garage and tag sales;

(iv) Prohibit, restrain, license and regulate the business of peddlers, auctioneers and junk dealers in a manner not inconsistent with the general statutes;

(v) Regulate and prohibit swimming or bathing in the public or exposed places within the municipality;

(vi) Regulate and license the operation of amusement parks and amusement arcades including, but not limited to, the regulation of mechanical rides and the establishment of the hours of operation;

(vii) Prohibit, restrain, license and regulate all sports, exhibitions, public amusements and performances and all places where games may be played;

(viii) Preserve the public peace and good order, prevent and quell riots and disorderly assemblages and prevent disturbing noises;

(ix) Establish a system to obtain a more accurate registration of births, marriages and deaths than the system provided by the general statutes in a manner not inconsistent with the general statutes;

(x) Control insect pests or plant diseases in any manner deemed appropriate;

(xi) Provide for the health of the inhabitants of the municipality and do all things necessary or desirable to secure and promote the public health;

(xii) Regulate the use of streets, sidewalks, highways, public places and grounds for public and private purposes;

(xiii) Make and enforce police, sanitary or other similar regulations and protect or promote the peace, safety, good government and welfare of the municipality and its inhabitants;

(xiv) Regulate, in addition to the requirements under section 7-282b, the installation, maintenance and operation of any device or equipment in a residence or place of business which is capable of automatically calling and relaying recorded emergency messages to any state police or municipal police or fire department telephone number or which is capable of automatically calling and relaying recorded emergency messages or other forms of emergency signals to an intermediate third party which shall thereafter call and relay such emergency messages to a state police or municipal police or fire department telephone number. Such regulations may provide for penalties for the transmittal of false alarms by such devices or equipment;

(xv) Make and enforce regulations for the prevention and remediation of housing blight or blight upon any commercial real property, including regulations reducing assessments and authorizing designated agents of the municipality to enter property during reasonable hours for the purpose of remediating blighted conditions, provided such regulations define blight and require such municipality to give written notice of any violation to the owner of the property and provide a reasonable opportunity for the owner to remediate the blighted conditions prior to any enforcement action being taken, except that a municipality may take immediate enforcement action in the case of a violation at a property that is the third or more such blight violation at such property during the prior twelve-month period, and further provided such regulations shall not authorize such municipality or its designated agents to enter any dwelling house or structure on such property, and including regulations establishing a duty to maintain property and specifying standards to determine if there is neglect; prescribe civil penalties for the violation of such regulations of not more than one hundred fifty dollars for each day that a violation continues if such violation occurs at an occupied property, not more than two hundred fifty dollars for each day that a violation continues if such violation occurs at a vacant property, and not more than one thousand dollars for each day that a violation continues at a property if such violation is the third or more such violation at such property during the prior twelve-month period, and, if such civil penalties are prescribed, such municipality shall adopt a citation hearing procedure in accordance with section 7-152c. For the sole purpose of determining if a violation is the third or more such violation at such property during the prior twelve-month period, “violation” means a violation of any municipal blight regulation for which the municipality has issued a notice of violation and, (I) in the determination of such municipality, the conditions creating such violation were previously cured, or (II) one hundred twenty days have passed from the notice of violation and the conditions creating such violation have not been cured. A third violation may also be established where three or more conditions constituting such violation exist at a property simultaneously;

(xvi) Regulate, on any property owned by or under the control of the municipality, any activity deemed to be deleterious to public health, including the burning of a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe or similar device, whether containing, wholly or in part, tobacco or cannabis, as defined in section 21a-420, and the use or consumption of cannabis, including, but not limited to, electronic cannabis delivery systems, as defined in section 19a-342a, or vapor products, as defined in said section, containing cannabis. If the municipality's population is greater than fifty thousand, such regulations shall designate a place in the municipality in which public consumption of cannabis is permitted. Such regulations may prohibit the smoking of cannabis and the use of electronic cannabis delivery systems and vapor products containing cannabis in the outdoor sections of a restaurant. Such regulations may prescribe penalties for the violation of such regulations, provided such fine does not exceed fifty dollars for a violation of such regulations regarding consumption by an individual or a fine in excess of one thousand dollars to any business for a violation of such regulations;

(8) The environment. (A) Provide for the protection and improvement of the environment including, but not limited to, coastal areas, wetlands and areas adjacent to waterways in a manner not inconsistent with the general statutes;

(B) Regulate the location and removal of any offensive manure or other substance or dead animals through the streets of the municipality and provide for the disposal of same;

(C) Except where there exists a local zoning commission, regulate the filling of, or removal of, soil, loam, sand or gravel from land not in public use in the whole, or in specified districts of, the municipality, and provide for the reestablishment of ground level and protection of the area by suitable cover;

(D) Regulate the emission of smoke from any chimney, smokestack or other source within the limits of the municipality, and provide for proper heating of buildings within the municipality;

(9) Human rights. (A) Provide for fair housing;

(B) Adopt a code of prohibited discriminatory practices;

(10) Miscellaneous. (A) Make all lawful regulations and ordinances in furtherance of any general powers as enumerated in this section, and prescribe penalties for the violation of the same not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars, unless otherwise specifically provided by the general statutes. Such regulations and ordinances may be enforced by citations issued by designated municipal officers or employees, provided the regulations and ordinances have been designated specifically by the municipality for enforcement by citation in the same manner in which they were adopted and the designated municipal officers or employees issue a written warning providing notice of the specific violation before issuing the citation, except that no such written warning shall be required for violations of a municipal ordinance regulating the operation or use of a dirt bike, all-terrain vehicle or mini-motorcycle;

(B) Adopt a code of ethical conduct;

(C) Establish and maintain free legal aid bureaus;

(D) Perform data processing and related administrative computer services for a fee for another municipality;

(E) Adopt the model ordinance concerning a municipal freedom of information advisory board created under subsection (f) of section 1-205 and establish a municipal freedom of information advisory board as provided by said ordinance and said section;

(F) Protect the historic or architectural character of properties or districts that are listed on, or under consideration for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places, 16a USC 470, or the state register of historic places, as defined in section 10-410.

(1949 Rev., S. 619; 1953, 1955, S. 248d; 1957, P.A. 13, S. 7; 201; 354, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 359, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 187; 570; 1963, P.A. 434; 626; February, 1965, P.A. 582; 1967, P.A. 126; 805, S. 3; 830; 1969, P.A. 694, S. 20; 1971, P.A. 389, S. 1; 802, S. 1; P.A. 73-614, S. 2, 3; P.A. 75-178, S. 1, 2; P.A. 76-32; P.A. 78-331, S. 4, 58; P.A. 79-531, S. 1; 79-618, S. 1; P.A. 80-403, S. 7, 10; P.A. 81-219, S. 1, 3; P.A. 82-327, S. 5; P.A. 83-168, S. 3; 83-188, S. 1; 83-587, S. 78, 96; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-3, S. 1; P.A. 84-232, S. 1–3; P.A. 86-97, S. 2, 3; 86-229, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-278, S. 1, 5; P.A. 88-213, S. 1, 2; 88-221, S. 1; P.A. 90-334, S. 1; P.A. 93-434, S. 18, 20; P.A. 95-7; 95-320; P.A. 97-199, S. 5; 97-320, S. 4, 11; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11, S. 62, 65; P.A. 98-188, S. 2; P.A. 99-129; 99-188, S. 3, 6; P.A. 00-136, S. 7, 10; P.A. 01-128, S. 1; P.A. 03-19, S. 19; P.A. 06-185, S. 7; P.A. 07-141, S. 4; P.A. 08-184, S. 34; P.A. 10-152, S. 7; P.A. 11-80, S. 122; P.A. 12-146, S. 2; P.A. 13-103, S. 1; 13-181, S. 1; P.A. 15-42, S. 9; 15-100, S. 1; P.A. 16-208, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1, S. 84; P.A. 23-33, S. 2; 23-207, S. 3.)

History: 1959 act authorized establishment and maintenance of parks, etc., “by a board, commission or otherwise”; 1961 acts deleted semicolon between the words “mobile home parks” and “and regulate the removal of soil, loam,” etc. and added provision regulations enacted by local zoning commission would have same effect as ordinance; 1963 acts added provision for improvement of waterfronts “by a board, commission or otherwise” and added power to enact ordinances re sewer and drainage systems and sewage disposal plants and entry on land to correct surface water flow; 1965 act authorized zoning commission to regulate the filling of land not in public use; 1967 acts added power to furnish ambulance service, deleted power to set poll hours for elections and added power to regulate loitering; 1969 act deleted power to set poll hours for electors' meetings and referenda; 1971 acts added power to fix hours of operation of amusement parks and arcades and to establish commission or board to protect and improve environment and deleted power to regulate building construction; P.A. 73-614 added power to regulate off-street parking available to public on private property; P.A. 75-178 added power to acquire and sell personal and real property for benefit of the municipality; P.A. 76-32 replaced power to regulate loitering on public property with broader power to regulate use of streets, sidewalks, etc.; P.A. 78-331 divided section into subsecs. and subdivs. and restored power to acquire and sell real and personal property which was inadvertently dropped in 1976 act; P.A. 79-531 added power to provide fair housing and to perform data processing services for other towns in Subsec. (a); P.A. 79-618 added power to adopt ethics code in Subsec. (a); P.A. 80-403 added power to adopt code of discriminatory practices in Subsec. (a); P.A. 81-219 reorganized the section and included powers previously reserved for charter towns under Sec. 7-194, effective October 1, 1982; P.A. 82-327 completed the revision of power begun by P.A. 81-219; P.A. 83-168 added power to regulate automatic calling devices, designated as Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xiv); P.A. 83-188 made technical changes in Subdiv. (c)(5)(C); P.A. 83-587 substituted “7-282b” for “7-282a” in Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xiv); June Sp. Sess. 83-3 changed term “mobile home” to “mobile manufactured home” in Subsec. (c)(7)(A)(iv); P.A. 84-232 amended Subsec. (c)(3) to include encouragement of private commercial development and amended Subsec. (c)(6)(C) to authorize grants of limited property or leasehold interests in streets and sidewalks to abutting property owners; P.A. 86-97 amended Subsec. (c)(5) to include authorization to establish pension systems for members of volunteer fire departments; P.A. 86-229 amended Subsec. (c)(2)(K) to include references to trust funds and to funds which do not lapse at the end of the municipal fiscal year and added Subsec. (c)(4)(I) re housing for those with low or moderate incomes; P.A. 87-278 added Subsec. (c)(5)(D) re appointment of municipal historians; P.A. 88-213 added provision in Subsec. (c)(7)(B) to allow municipalities to regulate and prohibit on-street residential neighborhood parking; P.A. 88-221 amended Subsec. (c)(10)(A) to provide that regulations and ordinances may be enforced by citations by designated municipal officers, provided the regulations and ordinances are so designated and the written warning is issued before issuance of citation; P.A. 90-334 added provision in Subsec. (c)(7)(H) to allow municipalities to make and enforce regulations preventing housing blight; P.A. 93-434 added provision in Subsec. (c)(2)(L) to allow municipalities to assign tax liens on real property, effective June 30, 1993; P.A. 95-7 amended Subsec. (c) (5) (A) to authorize municipalities to establish pensions for active members of volunteer ambulance associations; P.A. 95-320 amended Subsec. (c)(2)(B) to allow municipalities to withhold approval of building application when taxes are delinquent on the property; P.A. 97-199 amended Subsec. (b)(1) by adding “including community service for not more than twenty hours”; P.A. 97-320 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv) to authorize blight ordinance to include provision re reduction of assessments, effective July 1, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11 changed effective date of P.A. 97-199 from October 1, 1997, to July 1, 1997, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-188 added provision in Subsec. (c)(2)(B) re delinquent water or sewer rates, charges or assessments; P.A. 99-129 added provision in Subsec. (c)(7)(H) to allow municipalities to impose fines for violation of blight regulations; P.A. 99-188 amended Subsec. (c)(4)(C) to allow towns to purchase, own and operate sports franchises, effective June 23, 1999; P.A. 00-136 amended Subsec. (c)(10) to add new Subpara. (E) re municipal freedom of information advisory boards, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-128 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv) to authorize regulations to establish a duty to maintain property and to specify standards to determine neglect; P.A. 03-19 made a technical change in Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv), effective May 12, 2003; P.A. 06-185 amended Subsec. (c)(10)(A) to increase maximum penalty for violation of regulations and ordinances from $100 to $250; P.A. 07-141 amended Subsec. (c)(3)(A) to delete “or the encouragement of private commercial development” re power to take or acquire property, effective June 25, 2007, and applicable to property acquired on or after that date; P.A. 08-184 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H) to add clause (xvi) re regulation on municipally owned property of any activity deemed to be deleterious to public health; P.A. 10-152 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv) to authorize regulations for the remediation of housing blight, to provide that regulations may authorize designated agents of municipalities to enter property for purpose of remediating blighted conditions and to prohibit regulations from authorizing entry into dwelling house or structure on such property; P.A. 11-80 amended Subsec. (c)(6)(B) to add clause (v) re energy-savings performance contracts, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-146 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv) by providing that regulations require municipality to give written notice of housing blight violation and reasonable opportunity to remediate blighted conditions and by changing “fines” to “civil penalties”; P.A. 13-103 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(D) by adding provision prohibiting adoption of breed-specific dog ordinances; P.A. 13-181 amended Subsec. (c)(10) by adding Subpara. (F) re protection of historic or architectural character of properties or districts; P.A. 15-42 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(B) to add clause (iii) re signs for towing or use of wheel-locking devices; P.A. 15-100 amended Subsec. (c)(10)(A) by exempting dirt bike and all-terrain vehicle ordinance violations from written warning requirement; P.A. 16-208 amended Subsec. (c)(10)(A) by adding reference to mini-motorcycle in provision re exception to written warning requirement; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1 amended Subsec. (c)(H)(xvi) by adding “or under the control of”, replacing “lighting or carrying” with “burning” and adding provisions re cannabis, electronic cannabis delivery systems and vapor products containing cannabis and authorization for fine of up to $50 for individual or $1,000 for business violations of regulations; P.A. 23-33 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H) to allow municipalities to adopt blight ordinances re commercial real property, to take immediate enforcement action for certain blight violations and increase maximum fines for certain blight violations; P.A. 23-207 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(A) to allow municipalities to establish civil penalties for violations of ordinances concerning safe and sanitary housing.

Sec. 7-148o. Wilful violation of ordinances concerning prevention and remediation of blight. Penalties. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, any person who, after written notice and a reasonable opportunity to remediate blighted conditions, wilfully violates any regulation adopted pursuant to subparagraph (H)(xv) of subdivision (7) of subsection (c) of section 7-148 concerning the prevention and remediation of blight shall be fined by the state not more than two hundred fifty dollars for each day for which it can be shown, based on actual inspection of the property on each such day, that the blighted conditions continued to exist after written notice to the owner or occupant as provided in this section, and the expiration of a reasonable opportunity to remediate.

(b) Any person who is a new owner or new occupant shall, upon request, be granted a thirty-day extension of the notice and opportunity to remediate provided pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. For the purposes of this section, “new owner” means any person or entity who has taken title to a property within thirty days of the notice, and “new occupant” means any person who has taken occupancy of a property within thirty days of the notice.

(P.A. 12-146, S. 3; P.A. 23-33, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 23-33 made a conforming change in Subsec. (a).

Sec. 7-148gg. Notice to lienholder of notice or order to remedy health, housing or safety code violation. Each municipality, in addition to any other notice required under the general statutes or any municipal health, housing or safety codes or regulations, shall send to each lienholder of real estate a copy of any notice or order by such municipality to the owner of such real estate to demolish, remove or otherwise dispose of the real estate issued under any provision of the general statutes or any municipal building, health or safety codes or regulations as well as a copy of any notice sent to the owner of such real estate or recorded on the land records, with respect to any costs or expenses incurred by the municipality to demolish, remove or otherwise dispose of the real estate. The municipality shall make reasonable efforts to send such copy by first class mail to the lienholder's current or last-known address.

(P.A. 06-185, S. 4; P.A. 23-33, S. 8.)

History: P.A. 23-33 removed provision re municipality notify lienholders when municipality provides notice to a real property owner to make such real property safe and sanitary.

Sec. 7-148jj. Ordinances regulating maintenance of foreclosed properties. (a) No municipality shall adopt a property maintenance ordinance or regulation that applies only to the property maintenance activities of a person who holds a mortgage on or title to real property located within this state and obtained by foreclosure, provided nothing in this section shall preclude a municipality from enacting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation that applies generally to all owners of real property within such municipality, without regard to how the owner acquired title. For purposes of this section, property maintenance activities include, but are not limited to, activities related to the repair, maintenance, restoration, alteration, removal or demolition of any part of real property.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, any municipal property maintenance ordinance or regulation that applies only to the property maintenance activities of a person who holds title or a mortgage to real property located within this state and obtained by foreclosure shall continue to be effective provided such ordinance or regulation was adopted on or before October 1, 2009.

(c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit or limit a municipality from adopting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation relating to the prevention of blight pursuant to subparagraph (H)(xv) of subdivision (7) of subsection (c) of section 7-148, the maintenance of safe and sanitary housing as provided in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (7) of subsection (c) of section 7-148, or the abatement of nuisances as provided in subparagraph (E) of subdivision (7) of subsection (c) of section 7-148.

(P.A. 09-144, S. 10; P.A. 14-122, S. 9; P.A. 23-33, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 14-122 made a technical change in Subsec. (b); P.A. 23-33 made a conforming change in Subsec. (c).

Sec. 7-152c. Hearing procedure for citations. (a) Any municipality as defined in subsection (a) of section 7-148 may establish by ordinance a citation hearing procedure in accordance with this section. The Superior Court shall be authorized to enforce the assessments and judgments provided for under this section.

(b) The chief executive officer of any such municipality shall appoint one or more citation hearing officers, other than police officers or employees or persons who issue citations, to conduct the hearings authorized by this section.

(c) Any such municipality, at any time within twelve months from the expiration of the final period for the uncontested payment of fines, penalties, costs or fees for any citation issued under any ordinance adopted pursuant to section 7-148, 14-307c or 22a-226d, for an alleged violation thereof, shall send notice to the person cited. Such notice shall inform the person cited: (1) Of the allegations against such person and the amount of the fines, penalties, costs or fees due; (2) that such person may contest such person's liability before a citation hearing officer by delivering in person or by mail written notice within ten days of the date thereof; (3) that if such person does not demand such a hearing, an assessment and judgment shall be entered against such person; and (4) that such judgment may issue without further notice. For purposes of this section, notice shall be presumed to have been properly sent if such notice was mailed to such person's last-known address on file with the tax collector. If the person to whom such notice is issued is a registrant, the municipality may deliver such notice in accordance with section 7-148ii, provided nothing in this section shall preclude a municipality from providing notice in another manner permitted by applicable law.

(d) If the person who is sent notice pursuant to subsection (c) of this section wishes to admit liability for any alleged violation, he may, without requesting a hearing, pay the full amount of the fines, penalties, costs or fees admitted to in person or by mail to an official designated by such municipality. Such payment shall be inadmissible in any proceeding, civil or criminal, to establish the conduct of such person or other person making the payment. Any person who does not deliver or mail written demand for a hearing within ten days of the date of the first notice provided for in subsection (c) of this section shall be deemed to have admitted liability, and the designated municipal official shall certify such person's failure to respond to the hearing officer. The hearing officer shall thereupon enter and assess the fines, penalties, costs or fees provided for by the applicable ordinances and shall follow the procedures set forth in subsection (f) of this section.

(e) Any person who requests a hearing shall be given written notice of the date, time and place for the hearing. Such hearing shall be held not less than fifteen days nor more than thirty days from the date of the mailing of notice, provided the hearing officer shall grant upon good cause shown any reasonable request by any interested party for postponement or continuance. An original or certified copy of the initial notice of violation issued by the issuing official or policeman shall be filed and retained by the municipality, and shall be deemed to be a business record within the scope of section 52-180 and evidence of the facts contained therein. The presence of the issuing official or policeman shall be required at the hearing if such person so requests. A person wishing to contest his liability shall appear at the hearing and may present evidence in his behalf. A designated municipal official, other than the hearing officer, may present evidence on behalf of the municipality. If such person fails to appear, the hearing officer may enter an assessment by default against him upon a finding of proper notice and liability under the applicable statutes or ordinances. The hearing officer may accept from such person copies of police reports, investigatory and citation reports, and other official documents by mail and may determine thereby that the appearance of such person is unnecessary. The hearing officer shall conduct the hearing in the order and form and with such methods of proof as he deems fair and appropriate. The rules regarding the admissibility of evidence shall not be strictly applied, but all testimony shall be given under oath or affirmation. The hearing officer shall announce his decision at the end of the hearing. If he determines that the person is not liable, he shall dismiss the matter and enter his determination in writing accordingly. If he determines that the person is liable for the violation, he shall forthwith enter and assess the fines, penalties, costs or fees against such person as provided by the applicable ordinances of the municipality.

(f) If such assessment is not paid on the date of its entry, the hearing officer shall send by first class mail a notice of the assessment to the person found liable and shall file, not less than thirty days or more than twelve months after such mailing, a certified copy of the notice of assessment with the clerk of a superior court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator together with an entry fee of eight dollars. The certified copy of the notice of assessment shall constitute a record of assessment. Within such twelve-month period, assessments against the same person may be accrued and filed as one record of assessment. The clerk shall enter judgment, in the amount of such record of assessment and court costs of eight dollars, against such person in favor of the municipality. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the hearing officer's assessment, when so entered as a judgment, shall have the effect of a civil money judgment and a levy of execution on such judgment may issue without further notice to such person.

(g) A person against whom an assessment has been entered pursuant to this section is entitled to judicial review by way of appeal. An appeal shall be instituted within thirty days of the mailing of notice of such assessment by filing a petition to reopen assessment, together with an entry fee in an amount equal to the entry fee for a small claims case pursuant to section 52-259, at a superior court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator, which shall entitle such person to a hearing in accordance with the rules of the judges of the Superior Court.

(P.A. 88-221, S. 2; P.A. 94-200, S. 2; P.A. 00-191, S. 4, 16; P.A. 02-132, S. 63; P.A. 03-278, S. 13; P.A. 09-144, S. 4; P.A. 13-132, S. 2; P.A. 23-116, S. 14.)

History: P.A. 94-200 amended Subsec. (c) to include enforcement of ordinances adopted under Sec. 22a-226d; P.A. 00-191 amended Subsec. (f) by changing provision that copy of notice of assessment be filed with clerk of superior court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator within boundaries of judicial district instead of superior court for the geographical area, effective September 1, 2000; P.A. 02-132 amended Subsec. (f) by deleting “within the boundaries of the judicial district in which the municipality is located” and making a technical change and amended Subsec. (g) by replacing “in the superior court for the geographical area in which the municipality is located” with “at a superior court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator”; P.A. 03-278 made a technical change in Subsec. (f), effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 09-144 amended Subsec. (c) by allowing notice to be delivered to a registrant in accordance with Sec. 7-148ii; P.A. 13-132 amended Subsec. (c) by adding provision re notice presumed to have been properly sent if mailed to last-known address on file with tax collector; P.A. 23-116 amended Subsec. (c) to add reference to Sec. 14-307c and make technical changes.

Sec. 7-159d. Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund. Authorized. Investment of funds. Report. Use of funds. Discontinuance of fund. (a) Upon the recommendation of the chief executive officer of a municipality and approval of the budget-making authority of the municipality, the legislative body of any municipality, as defined in section 7-369, may, by a majority vote, create a Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund.

(b) Upon the recommendation of the chief executive officer and approval of the budget-making authority and the legislative body in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, there shall be paid into such reserve fund: (1) Amounts authorized to be transferred into such Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund from the general fund cash surplus available at the end of any fiscal year, and (2) the proceeds of bonds, notes or other obligations issued pursuant to subsection (b) of section 7-374b.

(c) (1) The budget-making authority of such municipality may, from time to time, direct the treasurer to invest a portion of such Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund as in the opinion of such authority is advisable, including in any trust fund administered, held or invested by the State Treasurer pursuant to chapter 32 and for which the State Treasurer may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to allow for the investment of moneys held in any such reserve fund, provided: (A) Not more than forty per cent, or with respect to such a reserve fund for which the budget-making authority has adopted an asset allocation and investment policy, fifty per cent, of the total amount of such reserve fund shall be invested in equity securities, and (B) any portion of such reserve fund not invested pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this subdivision may be invested in: (i) Bonds or obligations of, or guaranteed by, the state or the United States, or agencies or instrumentalities of the United States, (ii) certificates of deposit, commercial paper, savings accounts and bank acceptances, (iii) the obligations of any state of the United States or any political subdivision thereof or the obligations of any instrumentality, authority or agency of any state or political subdivision thereof, if, at the time of investment, such obligations are rated in the top rating categories of any nationally recognized rating service or of any rating service recognized by the Banking Commissioner, and applicable to such obligations, (iv) the obligations of any regional school district in this state, of any municipality in this state or any metropolitan district in this state, if, at the time of investment, such obligations of such government entity are rated in one of the top two rating categories of any nationally recognized rating service or of any rating service recognized by the Banking Commissioner, and applicable to such obligations, (v) in any fund in which a trustee may invest pursuant to section 36a-353, (vi) investment agreements with financial institutions whose long-term obligations are rated in the top two rating categories of any nationally recognized rating service or of any rating service recognized by the Banking Commissioner or whose short-term obligations are rated in the top rating category of any nationally recognized rating service or of any rating service recognized by the Banking Commissioner, or (vii) investment agreements fully secured by obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States or agencies or instrumentalities of the United States.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, if such reserve fund is invested in any trust fund administered, held or invested by the State Treasurer pursuant to chapter 32, the asset allocation of such reserve fund shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of section 3-13d.

(d) The municipal treasurer shall submit, annually, a complete and detailed report of the condition of such Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund to the chief elected official, budget-making authority and legislative body of such municipality. Such report shall be made a part of such municipality's annual report.

(e) Upon the recommendation of the chief elected official and budget-making authority of such municipality and the approval of the legislative body of such municipality, any part, or the whole, of such reserve fund may be used and appropriated to pay for municipal property losses, capital projects and studies related to mitigating hazards and vulnerabilities of climate change including, but not limited to, land acquisition.

(f) Such reserve fund may be discontinued, after recommendation by the chief elected official and budget-making authority of such municipality to the legislative body and upon approval of such discontinuation by such legislative body. Following any such vote to discontinue such reserve fund, any remaining portion of such fund shall be converted into, or added to, a sinking fund to provide for the retirement of the bonded indebtedness of such municipality. If the municipality has no bonded indebtedness, the remainder of such fund shall be transferred to the general fund of such municipality.

(P.A. 19-77, S. 1; P.A. 21-115, S. 18; P.A. 23-140, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 19-77 effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 21-115 made a technical change in Subsec. (c), effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 23-140 amended Subsec. (c) by designating existing provision re municipality budget-making authority as new Subdiv. (1) and added provision in same re investment in any trust administered, held or invested by the State Treasurer, redesignated existing Subdivs. (1) and (2) as new Subparas. (A) and (B) and made conforming changes and added new Subdiv. (2) re asset allocation of reserve fund determined in accordance with Sec. 3-13d, effective June 27, 2023.

Sec. 7-170. Bazaars and raffles; definitions. As used in this section and sections 7-171 to 7-186, inclusive, unless otherwise provided:

(1) “Applicant” means the sponsoring organization solely responsible for all charities participating in the bazaar or raffle;

(2) “Bazaar” means a place maintained by a sponsoring organization for the disposal of merchandise awards by means of chance;

(3) “Cash” means coins and paper money that is legal tender of any nation;

(4) “Coupon” means a ticket, form or document which the holder may redeem in exchange for gift cards, gift certificates, merchandise, tangible personal property, services or transportation on a common carrier, or a discount in the purchase price of gift cards, gift certificates, merchandise, tangible personal property, services or transportation on a common carrier; and

(5) “Raffle” means an arrangement for raising money by the sale of tickets, certain among which, as determined by chance after the sale, entitle the holders to prizes.

(1955, S. 291d; P.A. 11-34, S. 1; P.A. 23-98, S. 20.)

History: P.A. 11-34 added definition of “coupon”; P.A. 23-98 added Subdiv. (1) redefining “applicant”, designated existing definitions of “bazaar” and “raffle” as Subdivs. (2) and (5), respectively, added Subdiv. (3) defining “cash”, added Subdiv. (4) redefining “coupon”, and made technical and conforming changes throughout, effective July 1, 2023.

Sec. 7-171. Adoption of bazaar and raffle law. Opt-out. (a) Prior to October 1, 2023, any town, city or borough may, by ordinance, adopt the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and the chief executive authority of any town, city or borough shall, upon the petition of at least five per cent of the electors of such municipality as determined by the last-completed registry list, submit the question of adopting the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, to a vote of the electors of such municipality at a special meeting called for such purpose within twenty-one days after the receipt of such petition. Such petition shall contain the street addresses of the signers and shall be submitted to the municipal clerk, who shall certify thereon the number of names of electors on such petition, which names are on the last-completed registry list. Each page of such petition shall contain a statement, signed under the penalties of false statement, by the person who circulated the same, that each person whose name appears on such page signed the same in person and that the circulator either knows each such signer or that the signer satisfactorily identified such signer to the circulator. The warning for such meeting shall state that the purpose of such meeting is to vote on the adoption of the provisions of said sections. Such vote shall be taken and the results thereof canvassed and declared in the same manner as is provided for the election of officers of such municipality. The vote on such adoption shall be taken by a “YES” and “NO” vote on the voting tabulator and the designation of the question on the voting tabulator ballot shall be “Shall the operation of bazaars and raffles be allowed?” and such ballot shall be provided for use in accordance with the provisions of section 9-250. If, upon the official determination of the result of such vote, it appears that the majority of all the votes so cast are in approval of such question, the provisions of said sections shall take effect immediately. Any town, city or borough, having once voted on the question of allowing bazaars and raffles as herein provided, shall not vote again on such question within two years from the date of the previous vote thereon. Any subsequent vote thereon shall be taken at the next regular town, city or borough election following the receipt of a petition as herein provided, which petition shall be filed at least sixty days prior to such election, and such question may be so voted upon only at intervals of not less than two years. Any town, city or borough which, prior to October 1, 1957, has voted more than once on such question, shall, for the purposes of this subsection, be treated as though it had voted only once thereon.

(b) On and after October 1, 2023, each town, city and borough shall be deemed to have adopted the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive. Any town, city or borough may, by ordinance, opt out of the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, and the chief executive authority of any town, city or borough shall, upon the petition of at least five per cent of the electors of such municipality as determined by the last-completed registry list, submit the question of opting out of the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, to a vote of the electors of such municipality at a special meeting called for such purpose within twenty-one days after the receipt of such petition. Such petition shall contain the street addresses of the signers and shall be submitted to the municipal clerk, who shall certify thereon the number of names of electors on such petition, which names are on the last-completed registry list. Each page of such petition shall contain a statement, signed under the penalties of false statement, by the person who circulated the same, that each person whose name appears on such page signed the same in person and that the circulator either knows each such signer or that the signer satisfactorily identified such signer to the circulator. The warning for such meeting shall state that the purpose of such meeting is to vote on opting out of the provisions of said sections. Such vote shall be taken and the results thereof canvassed and declared in the same manner as is provided for the election of officers of such municipality. The vote on such adoption shall be taken by a “YES” and “NO” vote on the voting tabulator and the designation of the question on the voting tabulator ballot shall be “Shall the operation of bazaars and raffles be disallowed?” and such ballot shall be provided for use in accordance with the provisions of section 9-250. If, upon the official determination of the result of such vote, it appears that the majority of all the votes so cast are in approval of such question, the provisions of said sections shall no longer be effective in such municipality. Any town, city or borough, having once voted on the question of disallowing bazaars and raffles as herein provided, shall not vote again on such question within two years from the date of the previous vote thereon. Any subsequent vote thereon shall be taken at the next regular town, city or borough election following the receipt of a petition as herein provided, which petition shall be filed at least sixty days prior to such election, and such question may be so voted upon only at intervals of not less than two years.

(1955, S. 292d; 1957, P.A. 378; 1971, P.A. 871, S. 59; P.A. 73-55, S. 1, 2; P.A. 86-170, S. 4, 13; P.A. 87-320, S. 3; P.A. 11-20, S. 1; P.A. 23-98, S. 21.)

History: 1971 act substituted “false statement” for “perjury”; P.A. 73-55 added provision that municipalities may adopt provisions of Secs. 7-170 to 7-186 by ordinance; P.A. 86-170 required that ballot label designation be in form of question; P.A. 87-320 repealed clause prohibiting absentee voting for a vote under this section and required petition for subsequent vote to be fixed at least 60 days, instead of 21 days, prior to such election; pursuant to P.A. 11-20, “machine” and “ballot label” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “tabulator” and “ballot”, respectively, effective May 24, 2011; P.A. 23-98 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and made technical and conforming changes therein, and added Subsec. (b) providing that municipalities shall be deemed to have adopted Secs. 7-170 to 7-186 and establishing opt-out, effective July 1, 2023.

Sec. 7-172. Qualifications for sponsorship of or participation in bazaar or raffle. Ticket sale. No bazaar or raffle may be promoted, operated or conducted in any municipality after the adoption of the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, unless such bazaar or raffle is sponsored and conducted by (1) an officially recognized organization or association of veterans of any war in which the United States has been engaged, (2) a church or religious organization, (3) a civic, service or social club, (4) a fraternal or fraternal benefit society, (5) an educational or charitable organization, (6) an officially recognized volunteer fire company, (7) a political party or town committee thereof, or (8) a municipality acting through a committee designated to conduct a celebration of the municipality's founding on its hundredth anniversary or any multiple thereof. Any such sponsoring organization, except a committee designated pursuant to subdivision (8) of this section, shall have been organized in good faith and actively functioning as a nonprofit organization within the municipality that is to issue the permit for a period of not less than six months prior to its application for a permit under the provisions of said sections. The promotion and operation of a bazaar or raffle shall be confined solely to the qualified members of the sponsoring organization, provided a committee designated pursuant to subdivision (8) of this section may promote or operate through its members and any officially appointed volunteers. No such member or officially appointed volunteer in the case of a raffle held pursuant to subdivision (8) of this section may receive remuneration in any form for time or effort devoted to the promotion or operation of the bazaar or raffle. No person under the age of eighteen years may promote, conduct, operate or work at a bazaar or raffle and no person under the age of sixteen years may sell or promote the sale of any raffle tickets, nor shall any sponsoring organization permit any person under the age of eighteen to so promote, conduct or operate any bazaar or raffle or any person under the age of sixteen to sell or promote the sale of such tickets. Any sponsoring organization having received a permit from any municipality may (A) sell or promote the sale of such raffle tickets in that municipality and in any other town, city or borough which has adopted the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, or (B) mail such raffle tickets to any resident of that municipality or of any other town, city or borough which has adopted the provisions of sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, provided any such mailed raffle ticket is printed with the words “no purchase necessary to enter the raffle”. Any such sponsoring organization may promote its raffle by offering coupons to any person who purchases a raffle ticket. Such sponsoring organization may accept a credit card, debit card, check or cash as payment for a raffle ticket. Any such sponsoring organization, except a committee designated pursuant to subdivision (8) of this section, may sell or promote the sale of such raffle tickets on such sponsoring organization's Internet web site. In no event shall any sponsoring organization conduct or operate an online raffle. All funds derived from any bazaar or raffle shall be used exclusively for the purpose stated in the application of the sponsoring organization as provided in section 7-173.

(1955, S. 293d; 1957, P.A. 284; 1972, P.A. 127, S. 9, 251; P.A. 81-73; P.A. 86-419, S. 3, 25; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-17, S. 2, 59; P.A. 95-59, S. 2, 3; P.A. 03-60, S. 1; P.A. 05-37, S. 1; P.A. 11-34, S. 2; P.A. 17-161, S. 1; P.A. 23-98, S. 22.)

History: 1972 acts changed age of majority to 18 and allowed political party or town committee to conduct bazaars and raffles; P.A. 81-73 replaced the requirement that a sponsoring organization function within the state for a period of at least three years with a requirement that it function within the municipality that is to issue the permit for at least three years; P.A. 86-419 decreased the period of time a sponsoring organization shall be actively functioning as a nonprofit organization from three years to one year; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-17 added Subdiv. (8) to authorize a municipal founding celebration committee to sponsor and conduct a bazaar or raffle, exempted such committee from requirement that sponsoring organization be nonprofit, permitted such committee to promote or operate bazaars or raffles through its members and officially appointed volunteers and prohibited officially appointed volunteers from receiving remuneration for time devoted to operation of bazaars or raffles; P.A. 95-59 changed the length of time a sponsoring organization must be nonprofit within the municipality issuing the permit from one year to six months, effective May 31, 1995; P.A. 03-60 authorized organizations to accept a credit card, debit card, check or cash as payment for a raffle ticket and made a technical change; P.A. 05-37 amended Subdiv. (3) to allow a social club to conduct bazaars and raffles, effective May 17, 2005; P.A. 11-34 allowed raffle tickets to be mailed to residents of a municipality and coupons to be offered to a person who purchases a raffle ticket; P.A. 17-161 added provisions re selling or promoting raffle tickets on sponsoring organization's Internet web site and prohibition against online raffle, and made a technical change; P.A. 23-98 deleted provision re bazaar or raffle to be exclusively sponsored and conducted by persons listed in Subdivs. (1) to (8), effective July 1, 2023.

Sec. 7-177. Prizes. (a) All prizes given at any bazaar or raffle shall be merchandise, tangible personal property or a ticket, coupon, gift card or gift certificate, entitling the winner to merchandise, tangible personal property, services, transportation on a common carrier by land, water or air and to any tour facilities provided in connection therewith, or to participation in a lottery conducted under chapter 226. Such ticket, coupon, gift card or gift certificate shall not be refundable. No cash prizes or prizes consisting of alcoholic liquor shall be given, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section and section 7-177a, and no prize shall be redeemed or redeemable for cash, except tickets for a lottery conducted under chapter 226 or gift certificates awarded in accordance with subsection (e) of section 7-185a. For the purposes of this section, coins whose trading value exceeds their face value and coins not commonly in circulation shall not be deemed a cash prize.

(b) Any sponsoring organization authorized to conduct a bazaar pursuant to section 7-172 may award cash prizes not to exceed fifty dollars each in connection with the playing of a blower ball game. For purposes of this subsection “blower ball game” means a game of chance where the players wager on a color or number and the winner is determined by the drawing of a colored or numbered ball from a mechanical ball blower that mixes ping pong balls with blown air.

(1955, S. 295d; 1957, P.A. 328; P.A. 73-239, S. 2, 3; P.A. 81-383, S. 3; P.A. 89-214, S. 7, 26; P.A. 90-15, S. 1, 2; P.A. 07-36, S. 6; P.A. 09-34, S. 1; P.A. 10-132, S. 2; P.A. 23-98, S. 23.)

History: P.A. 73-239 allowed prizes to consist of lottery tickets; P.A. 81-383 added real property as a permissible prize under a “Class No. 6” permit; P.A. 89-214 deleted reference to prizes of real property in the case of a raffle conducted under a “Class No. 6” permit; P.A. 90-15 allowed prizes to consist of gift certificates entitling winner to merchandise, tangible personal property or services and specified that certain coins would not be deemed a cash prize; P.A. 07-36 made technical changes and added exception to the cash prize prohibition; P.A. 09-34 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), made a conforming change therein and added Subsec. (b) re prizes for blower ball games, effective May 20, 2009; P.A. 10-132 amended Subsec. (a) to add gift certificates as an exception to prohibition against prizes redeemable for cash; P.A. 23-98 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions re gift cards and deleting provision prohibiting transfer of prizes, effective July 1, 2023.

Sec. 7-178. Equipment. Expenses. Information required on raffle ticket. Rental from out-of-state dealer. (a) No bazaar or raffle shall be conducted with any equipment except such as is owned absolutely or used without payment of any compensation therefor by the permittee or as is rented from a dealer in such equipment who (1) has a principal place of business in this state, and (2) is registered with the Commissioner of Consumer Protection in such manner and on such form as he may prescribe, which form shall be accompanied by an annual fee of three hundred seventy-five dollars payable to the Treasurer of the state of Connecticut. No item of expense shall be incurred or paid in connection with the holding, operating or conducting of any bazaar or raffle pursuant to any permit issued under sections 7-170 to 7-186, inclusive, except such as are bona fide items of reasonable amount for goods, wares and merchandise furnished or services rendered, which are reasonably necessary to be purchased or furnished for the holding, operating or conducting thereof, and no commission, salary, compensation, reward or recompense whatever shall be paid or given, directly or indirectly, to any person for the direct sale of raffle tickets. Each raffle ticket shall have printed thereon the time, date and place of the raffle, the three most valuable prizes to be awarded and the total number of prizes to be awarded as specified on the form prescribed in section 7-173. In addition to any other information required under this section to be printed on a raffle ticket, each ticket for a raffle authorized pursuant to a “Class No. 7” permit shall have printed thereon the time, date and place of each raffle drawing.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a permittee may rent equipment from a dealer who does not have a principal place of business in this state if an in-state dealer is unavailable, provided such out-of-state dealer is registered with said commissioner pursuant to the provisions of said subsection (a).

(1955, S. 299d; P.A. 76-81, S. 2; P.A. 77-492; 77-614, S. 486, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 83-35, S. 2; 83-587, S. 95, 96; P.A. 86-419, S. 10, 25; P.A. 89-214, S. 8, 26; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-17, S. 7, 59; P.A. 96-102, S. 1, 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 150; P.A. 11-51, S. 182; P.A. 23-98, S. 24.)

History: P.A. 76-81 required tickets to be printed with three most valuable prizes and total number of prizes; P.A. 77-492 added exception to prohibition of bazaars and raffles on Sunday; P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 substituted commissioner of public safety for commissioner of state police and made state police department a division within the department of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 83-35 eliminated the prohibition against Sunday bazaars or raffles; P.A. 83-587 provided that public act 83-35 shall take effect July 1, 1983, rather than October 1, 1983; P.A. 86-419 substituted division of special revenue for state police and executive director of said division for commissioner of public safety, effective October 1, 1987; P.A. 89-214 made format changes in section, inserting Subdivs. (1) and (2) and making technical changes as required, required that registration form be accompanied by annual fee of $300 payable to state treasurer, and required tickets to be printed with time of raffle thereon; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-17 required each ticket for a raffle authorized under a “Class No. 7” permit to include the time, date and place of each drawing; P.A. 96-102 designated existing section as Subsec. (a) and made technical change therein and added Subsec. (b), conditionally authorizing permittee to rent equipment from out-of-state dealer, effective April 25, 1996; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 amended Subsec. (a) to increase annual fee from $300 to $375; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “executive director of the Division of Special Revenue” and “executive director” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Consumer Protection” and “commissioner”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 23-98 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting provision prohibiting payment of compensation to person for direct sale of raffle tickets for provision prohibiting payment of compensation to person holding, operating or conducting, or assisting in holding, operation or conduct of, bazaar or raffle, effective July 1, 2023.

Sec. 7-184. Rescission of adoption. Section 7-184 is repealed, effective October 1, 2023.

(1955, S. 305d; P.A. 23-98, S. 25.)