| 4 | 11 | | |
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| 5 | 12 | | AN ACT CREATING A STATE-WIDE TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS BLIGHT AND CONCERNING NOTICE OF FINES, PENALTIES, COSTS OR FEES FOR CITATIONS ISSUED UNDER MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES. |
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| 6 | 13 | | |
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| 7 | 14 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: |
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| 8 | 15 | | |
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| 9 | 16 | | Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to examine procedural problems with addressing blight at the municipal level. Such task force shall create model blight ordinances for municipalities to use as a guide and shall propose legislative solutions to allow municipalities to more effectively address blight in their communities. |
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| 10 | 17 | | |
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| 11 | 18 | | (b) The task force shall consist of the following members: |
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| 12 | 19 | | |
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| 13 | 20 | | (1) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to planning and development, or their designees; |
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| 14 | 21 | | |
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| 15 | 22 | | (2) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall represent residential tenants; |
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| 16 | 23 | | |
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| 17 | 24 | | (3) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall represent residential landlords; |
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| 18 | 25 | | |
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| 19 | 26 | | (4) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall represent the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities; |
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| 20 | 27 | | |
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| 21 | 28 | | (5) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall represent the International Council of Shopping Centers; |
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| 22 | 29 | | |
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| 23 | 30 | | (6) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall represent the Connecticut Business and Industry Association; |
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| 24 | 31 | | |
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| 25 | 32 | | (7) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall represent the Connecticut Council of Small Towns; |
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| 26 | 33 | | |
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| 27 | 34 | | (8) One appointed by the chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to planning and development, who shall be a member of the General Assembly who represents a municipality with a population of at least one hundred thousand; |
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| 28 | 35 | | |
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| 29 | 36 | | (9) The Chief State's Attorney, or his or her designee; and |
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| 30 | 37 | | |
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| 31 | 38 | | (10) The president and chief executive officer of Connecticut Main Street Center, or his or her designee. |
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| 32 | 39 | | |
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| 33 | 40 | | (c) Any member of the task force designated or appointed under subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly. |
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| 34 | 41 | | |
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| 35 | 42 | | (d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. |
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| 36 | 43 | | |
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| 37 | 44 | | (e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. |
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| 38 | 45 | | |
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| 39 | 46 | | (f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to planning and development shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. |
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| 40 | 47 | | |
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| 41 | 48 | | (g) Not later than February 5, 2014, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to planning and development, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or February 5, 2014, whichever is later. |
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| 42 | 49 | | |
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| 43 | 50 | | Sec. 2. Subsection (c) of section 7-152c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2013): |
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| 44 | 51 | | |
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| 45 | 52 | | (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 or section 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 him and the amount of the fines, penalties, costs or fees due; (2) that he may contest his 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 he does not demand such a hearing, an assessment and judgment shall be entered against him; 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. |
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