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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 986
January Session, 2019
LCO No. 4987
Referred to Committee on TRANSPORTATION
Introduced by:
(TRA)
AN ACT CONCERNING THE C ONNECTICUT PORT AUTH ORITY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 15-31b of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 2
passage): 3
(a) The purposes of the Connecticut Port Authority shall be to 4
coordinate the development of Connecticut's ports and harbors, with a 5
focus on private and public investments, pursue federal and state 6
funds for dredging and other infrastructure improvements to increase 7
cargo movement through the ports and maintain navigability of all 8
ports and harbors, market the economic development of such ports 9
and harbors, work with the Department of Economic and Community 10
Development and other state, local and private entities to maximize 11
the economic potential of the ports and harbors, support and enhance 12
the overall development of the state's maritime commerce and 13
industries, coordinate the planning and funding of capital projects 14
promoting the development of the ports and harbors, develop strategic 15
entrepreneurial initiatives that may be available to the state, coordinate 16 Raised Bill No. 986
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the state's maritime policy activities, serve as the Governor's principal 17
maritime policy advisor and undertake such other responsibilities as 18
may be assigned to it. To accomplish the purposes of the authority, the 19
authority shall have the duty and power to: 20
(1) Have perpetual succession as a body politic and corporate and to 21
adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its 22
business; 23
(2) Adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure; 24
(3) Maintain an office at such place or places as it may designate; 25
(4) Sue and be sued in its own name, and plead and be impleaded; 26
(5) Develop an organizational and management structure that will 27
best accomplish the goals of the authority concerning Connecticut 28
ports and harbors; 29
(6) Create a code of conduct for the board of directors of the 30
authority consistent with part I of chapter 10; 31
(7) Adopt rules for the conduct of its business, which shall not be 32
considered regulations as defined in section 4-166; 33
(8) Adopt an annual budget and plan of operations, including a 34
requirement of board approval before the budget or plan may take 35
effect; 36
(9) Make and enter into all contracts and agreements that are 37
necessary, desirable or incidental to the conduct of its business; 38
(10) Enter into joint ventures and invest in, and participate with, any 39
person or entity, including, [without limitation] but not limited to, 40
governmental or private business entities, in the formation, ownership, 41
management and operation of business entities, including stock and 42
nonstock corporations, limited liability companies and general and 43
limited partnerships, that are formed to advance the purposes of the 44 Raised Bill No. 986
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authority. The officers, employees and members of the board of 45
directors of the authority may serve, without compensation, as 46
directors or officers of any such business entities formed and such 47
service shall be deemed to be within the discharge of the duties of such 48
officers, employees or directors to the authority; 49
(11) Receive and accept, from any source, aid or contributions, 50
including money, property, labor and other things of value; 51
(12) Award grants and subsidies, make loans and provide other 52
forms of financial assistance to any person or entity [under a written 53
policy,] pursuant to a procedure adopted in accordance with the 54
provisions of section 1-121, setting forth the eligibility criteria, 55
application process, and such other provisions as may be necessary or 56
desirable to carry out the purposes of [this section] sections 15-31a to 57
15-31i, inclusive; 58
(13) Charge reasonable fees for the services it performs and waive, 59
suspend, reduce or otherwise modify such fees [in accordance with 60
written criteria established by the authority, and provided, that no 61
change may be made in fees without at least thirty days prior notice, 62
published] pursuant to a procedure adopted in accordance with the 63
provisions of section 1-121; 64
(14) Employ such assistants, agents and other employees as may be 65
necessary or desirable to carry out its purposes. (A) The executive 66
director and such employees shall be exempt from the classified 67
service and, except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this 68
subdivision, shall not be employees, as defined in subsection (b) of 69
section 5-270. The authority shall fix appropriate compensation for 70
such employees and establish all necessary or appropriate personnel 71
practices and policies, including those relating to hiring, promotion, 72
compensation, retirement and collective bargaining, which need not be 73
in accordance with chapter 68, and the authority shall not be an 74
employer, as defined in subsection (a) of section 5-270, and may 75
engage consultants, attorneys and appraisers as may be necessary or 76 Raised Bill No. 986
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desirable to carry out its purposes in accordance with sections 15-31a 77
to 15-31i, inclusive. (B) For purposes of group welfare benefits and 78
retirement, including, but not limited to, those provided under chapter 79
66 and sections 5-257 and 5-259, the officers and all other employees of 80
the authority shall be state employees. The authority shall reimburse 81
the appropriate state agencies for all costs incurred by such 82
designation; 83
(15) Invest in, acquire, lease, purchase, own, manage, hold and 84
dispose of real property and lease, convey or deal in or enter into 85
agreements with respect to such property on any terms necessary or 86
incidental to carrying out the purposes of sections 15-31a to 15-31i, 87
inclusive, provided such transactions shall not be subject to approval, 88
review or regulation by any state agency pursuant to title 4b or any 89
other provision of the general statutes, except the authority shall not 90
convey fee simple ownership in any property associated with the ports 91
or harbors under its jurisdiction and control without the approval of 92
the State Properties Review Board and the Attorney General; and 93
(16) Adopt any [policies and] procedures necessary to carry out the 94
provisions of [this section] sections 15-31a to 15-31i, inclusive, in 95
accordance with the provisions of section 1-121. 96
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage 15-31b(a)
TRA Joint Favorable