Senate Bill No. 384
Public Act No. 15-1
AN ACT PERMITTING THE WAIVER OF STATE AGENCY ELECTRONIC FILING REQUIREMENTS AND CONCERNING SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR MAYORAL VACANCIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 4-60r of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):
Each state agency of the Executive Department of the state government shall review its existing policies concerning the mailing of notifications or other documents to clients of such agency and shall use electronic notification and correspondence with such clients where deemed appropriate by such agency and where not in conflict with any provision of the general statutes. Any such agency that requires the use of electronic notification and correspondence with its clients may waive such requirement upon the request of the client, if the client demonstrates good cause for such waiver.
Sec. 2. Section 4-60s of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):
(a) Each state agency of the Executive Department of the state government shall explore the feasibility of converting all applications and forms used by the public to electronic format and create an inventory of all forms used by such agency.
(b) Any such agency that requires electronic applications and forms may permit the applicant, individual or business, as applicable, to submit a paper application or form upon request, if such applicant, individual or business demonstrates good cause for not submitting the application or form electronically.
Sec. 3. (Effective from passage) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general statute, special act or charter, any municipality with a population of more than sixty thousand in which a vacancy for the office of mayor occurs not earlier than April 15, 2015, and not later than April 18, 2015, shall hold a special election to fill such vacancy not later than forty-five days after the occurrence of the vacancy. The date of the election shall be determined by the legislative body of the municipality and notice of such date shall be filed with the town clerk. For purposes of this subsection, "population" means the number of persons according to the most recent federal decennial census.
(b) No such election may be held unless the town clerk forthwith upon the occurrence of the vacancy files notice of the office to be filled at the election with the chairperson of the town committee of each major and minor party within the municipality and with the Secretary of the State. Nominations by political parties for such office shall be made as the rules of such parties which are filed with the town clerk provide, in accordance with section 9-390 of the general statutes. Such nominations may be made and certified at any time after the vacancy occurs but not later than the thirty-sixth day before the day of the election. No such nomination shall be effective until the presiding officer and secretary of the town committee certify the nomination to the town clerk. No primary shall be held for the nomination of any political party to fill any vacancy in such office and the party-endorsed candidate so certified shall be deemed the nominee of such party. Nominations may also be made by petition in the manner provided in sections 9-379 and 9-453a to 9-453p, inclusive, of the general statutes, which petitions shall be submitted to the town clerk of the municipality in which the signers reside not later than the thirty-sixth day before the day of the election and filed in the office of the Secretary of the State not later than two days thereafter. The town clerk shall forthwith warn such election in the same manner as the warning of municipal elections pursuant to section 9-226 of the general statutes.
Approved April 14, 2015