Bill Text: CT SB00021 | 2014 | General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: An Act Implementing The Budget Recommendations Of The Governor Concerning General Government.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-04-17 - File Number 601 [SB00021 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2014-SB00021-Comm_Sub.html
General Assembly |
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February Session, 2014 |
*_____SB00021APP___040214____* |
AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GOVERNOR CONCERNING GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 3-55i of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):
There is established the "Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund" which shall be a separate nonlapsing fund. All funds received by the state of Connecticut from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe pursuant to the joint memorandum of understanding entered into by and between the state and the tribe on January 13, 1993, as amended on April 30, 1993, and any successor thereto, shall be deposited in the General Fund. During the fiscal year ending June 30, [2000] 2015, and each fiscal year thereafter, [one hundred thirty-five million dollars,] from the funds received by the state from the tribe pursuant to said joint memorandum of understanding, as amended, and any successor thereto, an amount equal to the appropriation to the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund for Grants to Towns shall be transferred to the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund and shall be distributed by the Office of Policy and Management, during said fiscal year, in accordance with the provisions of section 3-55j. The amount of the grant payable to each municipality during any fiscal year, in accordance with said section, shall be reduced proportionately if the total of such grants exceeds the amount of funds available for such year. The grant shall be paid in three installments as follows: The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall, annually, not later than the fifteenth day of December, the fifteenth day of March and the fifteenth day of June certify to the Comptroller the amount due each municipality under the provisions of section 3-55j and the Comptroller shall draw an order on the Treasurer on or before the fifth business day following the fifteenth day of December, the fifth business day following the fifteenth day of March and the fifth business day following the fifteenth day of June and the Treasurer shall pay the amount thereof to such municipality on or before the first day of January, the first day of April and the thirtieth day of June.
Sec. 2. Section 22a-27j of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):
(a) Any person, firm or corporation, other than a municipality, making an application for any approval required by chapters 124, 126, 440 and 444 or by regulations adopted pursuant to said chapters shall pay a fee of twenty dollars, in addition to any other fee which may be required, to the municipal agency or legislative body which is authorized to approve the application. [On and after July 1, 2004, the fee shall be thirty dollars.] On and after October 1, 2009, the fee shall be sixty dollars. Such municipal agency or legislative body shall collect such fees, retaining two dollars of such fee for administrative costs, and shall pay the remainder of such fees quarterly to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the receipts shall be deposited into the General Fund.
(b) Not later than three months following the close of each fiscal year starting with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2000, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection shall identify those municipalities that are not in compliance with subsection (a) of this section for the previous fiscal year and shall provide the Office of Policy and Management with a list of such municipalities. The list shall be submitted annually and in such manner as the Office of Policy and Management may require. The Office of Policy and Management, when issuing the first payment from the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund established pursuant to section 3-55i, as amended by this act, in the fiscal year during which said list is received, shall reduce said payment to a municipality by one thousand dollars for each quarter of the preceding fiscal year that the municipality has not been in compliance with subsection (a) of this section to a maximum of four thousand dollars in each fiscal year.
(c) Following the close of each fiscal year starting with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall certify to the Comptroller the amount of any funds withheld under subsection (b) of this section and the Comptroller shall cause such amount to be deposited into the General Fund.
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2014) On and after October 1, 2014, (1) each police basic training program conducted or administered by the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, established under section 7-294b of the general statutes, or a municipal police department in the state shall include a course on handling incidents involving an individual affected with a serious mental illness, and (2) each review training program conducted by such agencies shall make provisions for such a course.
Sec. 4. Subsection (e) of section 12-263m of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):
(e) Notwithstanding the terms of any grant made under this section, an eligible applicant shall bear all the costs of such pollution that are less than ten thousand dollars. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development may provide a grant of up to three hundred thousand dollars to the eligible applicant where the eligible applicant has provided said commissioner with documentation satisfactory to said commissioner that the services for which payment is sought have been or will be completed. No eligible applicant shall receive more than three hundred thousand dollars per eligible dry cleaning establishment. [There shall be allocated to the Department of Economic and Community Development annually from the account, for administrative costs, an amount equal to five per cent of the maximum balance of the account in the preceding year or one hundred thousand dollars, whichever is greater.] In addition, the account may be used (1) to provide grants to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for expenditures made investigating dry cleaning establishments, (2) to provide potable water whenever necessary, and (3) to conduct environmental site assessments.
Sec. 5. Section 12-120b of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage and applicable to applications made on or after April 1, 2014):
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Claimant" means a person, company, limited liability company, firm, association, corporation or other business entity having received approval for financial assistance from a town's assessor or a municipal official;
(2) "Financial assistance" means a property tax exemption, property tax credit or rental rebate for which the state of Connecticut provides direct or indirect reimbursement; and
(3) "Program" means (A) property tax exemptions under section 12-81g or subdivision (55), (59), (60), (70), (72) or (74) of section 12-81, [and] (B) tax relief pursuant to section 12-129d or 12-170aa, and (C) grants under section 12-170d, as amended by this act.
(b) A claimant negatively affected by a decision of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management with respect to any program may appeal such decision in the manner set forth in subsection (d) of this section. Any notice the secretary issues pursuant to this section shall be sent by first class United States mail to a claimant at the address entered on the application for financial assistance as filed unless, subsequent to the date of said filing, the claimant sends the secretary a written request that any correspondence regarding said financial assistance be sent to another name or address. The date of any notice sent by the secretary pursuant to this section shall be deemed to be the date the notice is delivered to the claimant.
(c) The secretary may review any application for financial assistance submitted by a claimant in conjunction with a program. The secretary may exclude from reimbursement any property included in an application that, in the secretary's judgment, does not qualify for financial assistance or may modify the amount of any financial assistance approved by an assessor or municipal official in the event the secretary finds it to be mathematically incorrect, not supported by the application, not in conformance with law or if the secretary believes that additional information is needed to justify its approval.
(d) (1) If the secretary modifies the amount of financial assistance approved by an assessor or municipal official under a program, or makes a preliminary determination that the claimant who filed written application for such financial assistance is ineligible therefor, the secretary shall send a written notice of preliminary modification or denial to said claimant and shall concurrently forward a copy to the office of the assessor or municipal official who approved said financial assistance. The notice shall include plain language setting forth the reason for the preliminary modification or denial, the name and telephone number of a member of the secretary's staff to whom questions regarding the notice may be addressed, a request for any additional information or documentation that the secretary believes is needed in order to justify the approval of such financial assistance, the manner by which the claimant may request reconsideration of the secretary's preliminary determination and the timeframe for doing so. Not later than ninety days after the date an assessor receives a copy of such preliminary notice, the assessor shall determine whether an increase to the taxable grand list of the town is required to be made as a result of such modification or denial, unless, in the interim, the assessor has received written notification from the secretary that a request for a hearing with respect to such financial assistance has been approved pursuant to subparagraph (B) of subdivision (2) of this subsection. If an assessment increase is warranted, the assessor shall promptly issue a certificate of correction adding the value of such property to the taxable grand list for the appropriate assessment year and shall forward a copy thereof to the tax collector, who shall, not later than thirty days following, issue a bill for the amount of the additional tax due as a result of such increase. Such additional tax shall become due and payable not later than thirty days from the date such bill is sent and shall be subject to interest for delinquent taxes as provided in section 12-146. With respect to the preliminary modification or denial of financial assistance for which a hearing is held, the assessor shall not issue a certificate of correction until the assessor receives written notice of the secretary's final determination following such hearing.
(2) (A) Any claimant aggrieved by the secretary's notice of preliminary modification or denial of financial assistance under a program may, not later than thirty business days after receiving said notice, request a reconsideration of the secretary's decision for any factual reason, provided the claimant states the reason for the reconsideration request in writing and concurrently provides any additional information or documentation that the secretary may have requested in the preliminary notice of modification or denial. The secretary may grant an extension of the date by which a claimant's additional information or documentation must be submitted, upon receipt of proof that the claimant has requested such data from another governmental agency or if the secretary determines there is good cause for doing so.
(B) Not later than thirty business days after receiving a claimant's request for reconsideration and any additional information or documentation the claimant has provided, the secretary shall reconsider the preliminary decision to modify or deny said financial assistance and shall send the claimant a written notice of the secretary's determination regarding such reconsideration. If aggrieved by the secretary's notice of determination with respect to the reconsideration of said financial assistance, the claimant may, not later than thirty business days after receiving said notice, make application for a hearing before said secretary, or the secretary's designee. Such application shall be in writing and shall set forth the reason why the financial assistance in question should not be modified or denied. Not later than thirty business days after receiving an application for a hearing, the secretary shall grant or deny such hearing request by written notice to the claimant. If the secretary denies the claimant's request for a hearing, such notice shall state the reason for said denial. If the secretary grants the claimant's request for a hearing, the secretary shall send written notice of the date, time and place of the hearing, which shall be held not later than thirty business days after the date of the secretary's notice granting the claimant a hearing. Such hearing may, at the secretary's discretion, be held in the judicial district in which the claimant or the claimant's property is located. Not later than thirty business days after the date on which a hearing is held, a written notice of the secretary's determination with respect to such hearing shall be sent to the claimant and a copy thereof shall be concurrently sent to the assessor or municipal official who approved the financial assistance in question.
(3) If any claimant is aggrieved by the secretary's determination concerning the hearing regarding the claimant's financial assistance or the secretary's decision not to hold a hearing, such claimant may, not later than thirty business days after receiving the secretary's notice related thereto, appeal to the superior court of the judicial district in which the claimant resides or in which the claimant's property that is the subject of the appeal is located. Such appeal shall be accompanied by a citation to the secretary to appear before said court, and shall be served and returned in the same manner as is required in the case of a summons in a civil action. The pendency of such appeal shall not suspend any action by a municipality to collect property taxes from the applicant on the property that is the subject of the appeal. The authority issuing the citation shall take from the applicant a bond or recognizance to the state of Connecticut, with surety, to prosecute the application in effect and to comply with the orders and decrees of the court in the premises. Such applications shall be preferred cases, to be heard, unless cause appears to the contrary, at the first session, by the court or by a committee appointed by the court. Said court may grant such relief as may be equitable and, if the application is without probable cause, may tax double or triple costs, as the case demands; and, upon all applications which are denied, costs may be taxed against the applicant at the discretion of the court, but no costs shall be taxed against the state.
(4) The secretary shall notify each claimant of the final modification or denial of financial assistance as claimed, in accordance with the procedure set forth in this subsection. A copy of the notice of final modification or denial shall be sent concurrently to the assessor or municipal official who approved such financial assistance. With respect to property tax exemptions under section 12-81g or subdivision (55), (59), (60) or (70) of section 12-81, and tax relief pursuant to section 12-129d or 12-170aa, the notice pursuant to this subdivision shall be sent not later than one year after the date claims for financial assistance for each such program are filed with the secretary. For property tax exemptions under subdivision (72) or (74) of section 12-81, such notice shall be sent not later than the date by which a final modification to the payment for such program must be reflected in the certification of the secretary to the Comptroller. For grants under section 12-170d, as amended by this act, such notice shall be sent not later than the date by which the secretary certifies the amounts of payment to the Comptroller.
Sec. 6. Section 12-170d of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage and applicable to applications made on or after April 1, 2014):
(a) Beginning with the calendar year 1973 and for each calendar year thereafter any renter of real property, or of a mobile manufactured home, as defined in section 12-63a, which he occupies as his home, who meets the qualifications set forth in this section, shall be entitled to receive in the following year in the form of direct payment from the state, a grant in refund of utility and rent bills actually paid by or for him on such real property or mobile manufactured home to the extent set forth in section 12-170e. Such grant by the state shall be made upon receipt by the state of a certificate of grant with a copy of the application therefor attached, as provided in section 12-170f, as amended by this act, provided such application shall be made within one year from the close of the calendar year for which the grant is requested. If the rental quarters are occupied by more than one person, it shall be assumed for the purposes of this section and sections 12-170e and 12-170f, as amended by this act, that each of such persons pays his proportionate share of the rental and utility expenses levied thereon and grants shall be calculated on that portion of utility and rent bills paid that are applicable to the person making application for grant under said sections. For purposes of this section and [said] sections 12-170e and 12-170f, as amended by this act, a husband and wife shall constitute one tenant, and a resident of cooperative housing shall be a renter. To qualify for such payment by the state, the renter shall meet qualification requirements in accordance with each of the following subdivisions: (1) (A) At the close of the calendar year for which a grant is claimed be sixty-five years of age or over, or his spouse who is residing with him shall be sixty-five years of age or over, at the close of such year, or be fifty years of age or over and the surviving spouse of a renter who at the time of his death had qualified and was entitled to tax relief under this chapter, provided such spouse was domiciled with such renter at the time of his death or (B) at the close of the calendar year for which a grant is claimed be under age sixty-five and eligible in accordance with applicable federal regulations, to receive permanent total disability benefits under Social Security, or if he has not been engaged in employment covered by Social Security and accordingly has not qualified for benefits thereunder but has become qualified for permanent total disability benefits under any federal, state or local government retirement or disability plan, including the Railroad Retirement Act and any government-related teacher's retirement plan, determined by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to contain requirements in respect to qualification for such permanent total disability benefits which are comparable to such requirements under Social Security; (2) shall reside within this state and shall have resided within this state for at least one year or his spouse who is domiciled with him shall have resided within this state for at least one year and shall reside within this state at the time of filing the claim and shall have resided within this state for the period for which claim is made; (3) shall have taxable and nontaxable income, the total of which shall hereinafter be called "qualifying income", during the calendar year preceding the filing of his claim in an amount of not more than twenty thousand dollars, jointly with spouse, if married, and not more than sixteen thousand two hundred dollars if unmarried, provided such maximum amounts of qualifying income shall be subject to adjustment in accordance with subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 12-170e, and provided the amount of any Medicaid payments made on behalf of the renter or the spouse of the renter shall not constitute income; and (4) shall not have received financial aid or subsidy from federal, state, county or municipal funds, excluding Social Security receipts, emergency energy assistance under any state program, emergency energy assistance under any federal program, emergency energy assistance under any local program, payments received under the federal Supplemental Security Income Program, payments derived from previous employment, veterans and veterans disability benefits and subsidized housing accommodations, during the calendar year for which a grant is claimed, for payment, directly or indirectly, of rent, electricity, gas, water and fuel applicable to the rented residence. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (4) of this subsection, a renter who receives cash assistance from the Department of Social Services in the calendar year prior to that in which such renter files an application for a grant may be entitled to receive such grant provided the amount of the cash assistance received shall be deducted from the amount of such grant and the difference between the amount of the cash assistance and the amount of the grant is equal to or greater than ten dollars. Funds attributable to such reductions shall be transferred annually from the appropriation to the [Department of Housing] Office of Policy and Management, for tax relief for elderly renters, to the Department of Social Services, to the appropriate accounts, following the issuance of such grants. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of section 12-170aa, the owner of a mobile manufactured home may elect to receive benefits under section 12-170e in lieu of benefits under [said] section 12-170aa.
(b) For purposes of determining qualifying income under subsection (a) of this section with respect to a married renter who submits an application for a grant in accordance with sections 12-170d to 12-170g, inclusive, as amended by this act, the Social Security income of the spouse of such renter shall not be included in the qualifying income of such renter, for purposes of determining eligibility for benefits under said sections, if such spouse is a resident of a health care or nursing home facility in this state receiving payment related to such spouse under the Title XIX Medicaid program. An applicant who is legally separated pursuant to the provisions of section 46b-40, as of the thirty-first day of December preceding the date on which such person files an application for a grant in accordance with sections 12-170d to 12-170g, inclusive, as amended by this act, may apply as an unmarried person and shall be regarded as such for purposes of determining qualifying income under subsection (a) of this section.
[(c) Any individual who did not receive a grant for the calendar year 2011 pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall not be eligible to apply for a grant under this program. Any individual who did receive a grant for the calendar year 2011 pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall continue to be eligible to apply for a grant under this section, provided that any such individual who does not receive a grant in any subsequent calendar year shall no longer be eligible to apply for a grant under this program.]
Sec. 7. Subsection (a) of section 12-170f of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage and applicable to applications made on or after April 1, 2014):
(a) Any renter, believing himself or herself to be entitled to a grant under section 12-170d, as amended by this act, for any calendar year, shall [make application] apply for such grant to the assessor of the municipality in which the renter resides or to the duly authorized agent of such assessor or municipality on or after April first and not later than October first of each year with respect to such grant for the calendar year preceding each such year, on a form prescribed and furnished by the [Commissioner of Housing] Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to the assessor. A renter may [make application] apply to the [commissioner] secretary prior to December fifteenth of the claim year for an extension of the application period. The [commissioner] secretary may grant such extension in the case of extenuating circumstance due to illness or incapacitation as evidenced by a certificate signed by a physician or an advanced practice registered nurse to that extent, or if the [commissioner] secretary determines there is good cause for doing so. A renter making such application shall present to such assessor or agent, in substantiation of the renter's application, a copy of the renter's federal income tax return, and if not required to file a federal income tax return, such other evidence of qualifying income, receipts for money received, or cancelled checks, or copies thereof, and any other evidence the assessor or such agent may require. When the assessor or agent is satisfied that the applying renter is entitled to a grant, such assessor or agent shall issue a certificate of grant, in triplicate, in such form as the [commissioner] secretary may prescribe and supply showing the amount of the grant due. The assessor or agent shall forward the original copy and attached application to the [commissioner] secretary not later than the last day of the month following the month in which the renter has made application. [On or after December 1, 1989, any] Any municipality [which] that neglects to transmit to the [commissioner] secretary the claim and supporting applications as required by this section shall forfeit two hundred fifty dollars to the state, provided [said commissioner] the secretary may waive such forfeiture in accordance with procedures and standards adopted by regulation in accordance with chapter 54. A duplicate of such certificate with a copy of the application attached shall be delivered to the renter and the assessor or agent shall keep the third copy of such certificate and a copy of the application. After the [commissioner's] secretary's review of each claim, pursuant to section [12-170ee] 12-120b, as amended by this act, and verification of the amount of the grant the [commissioner] secretary shall, not later than September thirtieth of each year prepare a list of certificates approved for payment, and shall thereafter supplement such list monthly. Such list and any supplements thereto shall be approved for payment by the [commissioner] secretary and shall be forwarded by the [commissioner] secretary to the Comptroller, not later than one hundred twenty days after receipt of such applications and certificates of grant from the assessor or agent, and the Comptroller shall draw an order on the Treasurer, not later than fifteen days following, in favor of each person on such list and on supplements to such list in the amount of such person's claim and the Treasurer shall pay such amount to such person, not later than fifteen days following. If the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management determines a renter was overpaid for such grant, the amount of any subsequent grant paid to the renter under section 12-170d, as amended by this act, after such determination shall be reduced by the amount of overpayment until the overpayment has been recouped. Any claimant aggrieved by the results of the [commissioner's review] secretary's review or determination shall have the rights of appeal as set forth in section [12-170ee] 12-120b, as amended by this act. Applications filed under this section shall not be open for public inspection. Any person who, for the purpose of obtaining a grant under section 12-170d, as amended by this act, wilfully fails to disclose all matters related thereto or with intent to defraud makes false statement shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
Sec. 8. Section 12-170g of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage and applicable to applications made on or after April 1, 2014):
Any person aggrieved by the action of the assessor or agent in fixing the amount of the grant under section 12-170f, as amended by this act, or in disapproving the claim therefor may apply to the [Commissioner of Housing] Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management in writing, within thirty business days from the date of notice given to such person by the assessor or agent, giving notice of such grievance. The [commissioner] secretary shall promptly consider such notice and may grant or deny the relief requested, provided such decision shall be made not later than thirty business days after the receipt of such notice. If the relief is denied, the applicant shall be notified forthwith, and the applicant may appeal the decision of the [commissioner] secretary in accordance with the provisions of section [12-170ee] 12-120b, as amended by this act.
Sec. 9. Section 12-170bb of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage and applicable to applications made on or after April 1, 2014):
(a) On or before March first, annually, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall submit a report concerning the state programs of tax relief for elderly homeowners and grants to elderly renters to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly [on] having cognizance of matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding. [Said] Such report shall be prepared in relation to qualified participants, benefits allowed and state payments to municipalities as reimbursement for property tax loss in the preceding calendar year, including data concerning (1) the total number of qualified participants in each of the state programs for elderly homeowners and the state program for elderly renters, and (2) total benefits allowed in each of such programs. The information as to qualified participants and benefits allowed shall be subdivided to reflect such totals with respect to each of the following categories: (A) Each of the income brackets as included in the schedule of benefits for elderly homeowners and renters, and (B) married and unmarried participants.
(b) In addition to the information described in subsection (a), [said] such report pertaining to the state programs of tax reduction for elderly homeowners and grants for elderly renters shall include statistics related to distribution of benefits, applicable to the preceding calendar year, as follows:
(1) With respect to each of the bracket of tax reduction benefits in the following schedules, the total number of persons in the state program of tax reduction for homeowners under section 12-170aa who received benefits within the limits of each such bracket, including the number of persons receiving the maximum and the minimum amounts of tax reduction:
T1 |
Amount of Tax Reduction Allowed | |||
T2 |
Married Homeowners |
Unmarried Homeowners | ||
T3 |
Over |
Not Exceeding |
Over |
Not Exceeding |
T4 |
$ |
$ 100 (Minimum) |
$ |
$ 100 (Minimum) |
T5 |
100 |
200 |
100 |
200 |
T6 |
200 |
300 |
200 |
300 |
T7 |
300 |
400 |
300 |
400 |
T8 |
400 |
500 |
400 |
500 |
T9 |
500 |
600 |
500 |
600 |
T10 |
600 |
700 |
600 |
700 |
T11 |
700 |
800 |
700 |
800 |
T12 |
800 |
900 |
800 |
900 |
T13 |
900 |
1,000 |
900 |
999 |
T14 |
1,000 |
1,100 |
1,000 (Maximum) | |
T15 |
1,100 |
1,249 |
||
T16 |
1,250 (Maximum) |
|||
(2) With respect to each of the brackets concerning grants to renters in the following schedules, the total number of persons in the state program of grants for elderly renters under sections 12-170d, as amended by this act, and 12-170e, as amended by this act, who received benefits within the limits of each such bracket, including the number of persons receiving the maximum and minimum amount of grant:
T17 |
Amount of State Grant Allowed | |||
T18 |
Married Renters |
Unmarried Renters | ||
T19 |
Over |
Not exceeding |
Over |
Not Exceeding |
T20 |
$ |
$ 100 (Minimum) |
$ |
$ 100 (Minimum) |
T21 |
100 |
200 |
100 |
200 |
T22 |
200 |
300 |
200 |
300 |
T23 |
300 |
400 |
300 |
400 |
T24 |
400 |
500 |
400 |
500 |
T25 |
500 |
600 |
500 |
600 |
T26 |
600 |
700 |
600 |
699 |
T27 |
700 |
800 |
700 (Maximum) | |
T28 |
800 |
899 |
||
T29 |
900 (Maximum) |
|||
[(2)] (3) With respect to each of the brackets of benefits in the following schedule, the total number of persons in the state tax-freeze program for elderly homeowners under section 12-129b who received benefits in tax reduction within the limits of each such bracket:
T30 |
Amount of Tax Reduction Benefit Allowed | |
T31 |
Over |
Not Exceeding |
T32 |
$ |
$ 300 |
T33 |
300 |
600 |
T34 |
600 |
900 |
T35 |
900 |
1,200 |
T36 |
1,200 |
1,500 |
T37 |
1,500 |
|
Sec. 10. Subsection (b) of section 17b-90 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage and applicable to applications made on or after April 1, 2014):
(b) No person shall, except for purposes directly connected with the administration of programs of the Department of Social Services and in accordance with the regulations of the commissioner, solicit, disclose, receive or make use of, or authorize, knowingly permit, participate in or acquiesce in the use of, any list of the names of, or any information concerning, persons applying for or receiving assistance from the Department of Social Services or persons participating in a program administered by said department, directly or indirectly derived from the records, papers, files or communications of the state or its subdivisions or agencies, or acquired in the course of the performance of official duties. The Commissioner of Social Services shall disclose (1) to any authorized representative of the Labor Commissioner such information directly related to unemployment compensation, administered pursuant to chapter 567 or information necessary for implementation of sections 17b-688b, 17b-688c and 17b-688h and section 122 of public act 97-2 of the June 18 special session, (2) to any authorized representative of the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services any information necessary for the implementation and operation of the basic needs supplement program, (3) to any authorized representative of the Commissioner of Administrative Services or the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection such information as the Commissioner of Social Services determines is directly related to and necessary for the Department of Administrative Services or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection for purposes of performing their functions of collecting social services recoveries and overpayments or amounts due as support in social services cases, investigating social services fraud or locating absent parents of public assistance recipients, (4) to any authorized representative of the Commissioner of Children and Families necessary information concerning a child or the immediate family of a child receiving services from the Department of Social Services, including safety net services, if the Commissioner of Children and Families or the Commissioner of Social Services has determined that imminent danger to such child's health, safety or welfare exists to target the services of the family services programs administered by the Department of Children and Families, (5) to a town official or other contractor or authorized representative of the Labor Commissioner such information concerning an applicant for or a recipient of assistance under state-administered general assistance deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Social Services and the Labor Commissioner to carry out their respective responsibilities to serve such persons under the programs administered by the Labor Department that are designed to serve applicants for or recipients of state-administered general assistance, (6) to any authorized representative of the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services for the purposes of the behavioral health managed care program established by section 17a-453, (7) to any authorized representative of the Commissioner of Public Health to carry out his or her respective responsibilities under programs that regulate child day care services or youth camps, (8) to a health insurance provider, in IV-D support cases, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, information concerning a child and the custodial parent of such child that is necessary to enroll such child in a health insurance plan available through such provider when the noncustodial parent of such child is under court order to provide health insurance coverage but is unable to provide such information, provided the Commissioner of Social Services determines, after providing prior notice of the disclosure to such custodial parent and an opportunity for such parent to object, that such disclosure is in the best interests of the child, (9) to any authorized representative of the Department of Correction, in IV-D support cases, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, information concerning noncustodial parents that is necessary to identify inmates or parolees with IV-D support cases who may benefit from Department of Correction educational, training, skill building, work or rehabilitation programming that will significantly increase an inmate's or parolee's ability to fulfill such inmate's support obligation, (10) to any authorized representative of the Judicial Branch, in IV-D support cases, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, information concerning noncustodial parents that is necessary to: (A) Identify noncustodial parents with IV-D support cases who may benefit from educational, training, skill building, work or rehabilitation programming that will significantly increase such parent's ability to fulfill such parent's support obligation, (B) assist in the administration of the Title IV-D child support program, or (C) assist in the identification of cases involving family violence, (11) to any authorized representative of the State Treasurer, in IV-D support cases, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, information that is necessary to identify child support obligors who owe overdue child support prior to the Treasurer's payment of such obligors' claim for any property unclaimed or presumed abandoned under part III of chapter 32, or (12) to any authorized representative of the [Commissioner of Housing for the purpose of verifying whether an applicant for the renters rebate program established by section 12-170d is a recipient of cash assistance from the Department of Social Services and the amount of such assistance] Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management any information necessary for the implementation and operation of the renters rebate program established by section 12-170d, as amended by this act. No such representative shall disclose any information obtained pursuant to this section, except as specified in this section. Any applicant for assistance provided through said department shall be notified that, if and when such applicant receives benefits, the department will be providing law enforcement officials with the address of such applicant upon the request of any such official pursuant to section 17b-16a.
Sec. 11. Section 8-37qqq of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) Annually, on or before March thirty-first, the Commissioner of Housing shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. Not later than thirty days after submission of the report to the Governor and the General Assembly, said commissioner shall post the report on the Department of Housing's Internet web site. [Said] Such report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information with regard to the activities of the Department of Housing during the preceding state fiscal year:
(1) An analysis of the community development portfolio of the department, including:
(A) A list of the names, addresses and locations of all recipients of the department's assistance;
(B) The following information concerning each recipient of such assistance: (i) Amount of state investment, (ii) a summary of the terms and conditions for the department's assistance, including the type and amount of state financial assistance, and (iii) the amount of investments from private and other nonstate resources that have been leveraged by such assistance; and
(C) An investment analysis, including (i) total active portfolio value, (ii) total investments made in the preceding state fiscal year, (iii) total portfolio by municipality, (iv) total investments made in the preceding state fiscal year categorized by municipality, (v) total portfolio leverage ratio, and (vi) leverage ratio of the total investments made in the preceding state fiscal year.
(2) With regard to the department's housing-development-related functions and activities:
(A) A brief description and assessment of the state's housing market during the preceding state fiscal year, utilizing the most recent and reasonably available data, including, but not limited to, (i) a brief description of the significant characteristics of such market, including supply, demand and condition and cost of housing, and (ii) any other information that the commissioner deems appropriate;
(B) A comprehensive assessment of current and future needs for rental assistance under section 8-119kk for housing projects for the elderly and disabled, in consultation with the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority;
(C) An analysis of the progress of the public and private sectors toward meeting housing needs in the state, using building permit data from the United States Census Bureau and demolition data from Connecticut municipalities;
(D) A list of municipalities that meet the affordable housing criteria set forth in subsection (k) of section 8-30g and in regulations adopted by the commissioner pursuant to said section. For the purpose of determining the percentage required by subsection (k) of said section, the commissioner shall use as the denominator the number of dwelling units in the municipality, as reported in the most recent United States decennial census; and
(E) A statement of the department's housing development objectives, measures of program success and standards for granting financial and nonfinancial assistance under programs administered by said commissioner.
(3) A presentation of the state-funded housing development portfolio of the department, including:
(A) A list of the names, addresses and locations of all recipients of such assistance; and
(B) For each such recipient, (i) a summary of the terms and conditions for the assistance, including the type and amount of state financial assistance, (ii) the amount of investments from private and other nonstate sources that have been leveraged by the assistance, (iii) the number of new units to be created and the number of units to be preserved at the time of the application, and (iv) the number of actual new units created and number of units preserved.
(4) An analysis of the state-funded housing development portfolio of the department, including:
(A) An investment analysis, including the (i) total active portfolio value, (ii) total investment made in the preceding state fiscal year, (iii) portfolio dollar per new unit created, (iv) estimated dollars per new unit created for projects receiving an assistance award in the preceding state fiscal year, (v) portfolio dollars per unit preserved, (vi) estimated dollar per unit preserved for projects receiving an assistance award in the preceding state fiscal year, (vii) portfolio leverage ratio, and (viii) leverage ratio for housing development investments made in the preceding state fiscal year; and
(B) A production and preservation analysis, including (i) the total number of units created, itemized by municipality, for the total portfolio and projects receiving an assistance award in the preceding state fiscal year, (ii) the total number of elderly units created for the total portfolio and for projects receiving an assistance award in the preceding state fiscal year, (iii) the total number of family units created for the total portfolio and for projects receiving an assistance award in the preceding state fiscal year, (iv) the total number of units preserved, itemized by municipality, for the total portfolio and projects receiving an assistance award in the preceding state fiscal year, (v) the total number of elderly units preserved for the total portfolio and for projects receiving an assistance award in the preceding state fiscal year, (vi) the total number of family units preserved for the total portfolio and for projects receiving an assistance award in the preceding state fiscal year, (vii) an analysis by income group of households served by the department's housing construction, substantial rehabilitation, purchase and rental assistance programs, for each housing development, if applicable, and for each program, including number of households served under each program by race and data for all households, and (viii) a summary of the department's efforts in promoting fair housing choice and racial and economic integration, including data on the racial composition of the occupants and persons on the waiting list of each housing project that is assisted under any housing program established by the general statutes or a special act or that is supervised by the department, provided no information shall be required to be disclosed by any occupant or person on a waiting list for the preparation of such summary. As used in this subparagraph, "elderly units" means dwelling units for which occupancy is restricted by age, and "family units" means dwelling units for which occupancy is not restricted by age.
(5) An economic impact analysis of the department's housing development efforts and activities, including, but not limited to:
(A) The contribution of such efforts and activities to the gross state product;
(B) The direct and indirect employment created by the investments for the total housing development portfolio and for any investment activity for such portfolio occurring in the preceding state fiscal year; and
(C) Personal income in the state.
(6) With regard to the Housing Trust Fund and Housing Trust Fund program, as those terms are defined in
