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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6385
January Session, 2021
AN ACT CONCERNING EN HANCEMENTS TO CERTAI N
AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM S.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subdivision (13) of section 22-6g of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 2
1, 2021): 3
(13) "Fresh produce" means fruits and vegetables that have not been 4
processed in any manner and chicken eggs; 5
Sec. 2. Section 22-6q of the general statutes is repealed and the 6
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 7
(a) There is established the Connecticut Farmers' Market/Senior 8
Nutrition Program which shall be provided for from funds available to 9
the commissioner and from other sources as such funds may become 10
available. The program shall supply Connecticut-grown fresh produce 11
to senior participants through the distribution of vouchers that are 12
redeemable only at designated Connecticut farmers' markets. For 13
purposes of this section, a "senior participant" is defined as a person who 14
is sixty years of age or older and is currently residing in elderly housing, 15
or is a participant of a registered congregate meal site, or has been 16
identified by a municipal elderly agent as being at nutritional risk. The 17 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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program is designed to provide both a supplemental source of fresh 18
produce for the dietary needs of seniors who are judged to be at 19
nutritional risk and to stimulate an increased demand for Connecticut-20
grown produce at Connecticut farmers' markets. For purposes of this 21
section, "fresh produce" means fruits and vegetables that have not been 22
processed in any manner and chicken eggs. 23
(b) The program shall be administered by the Commissioner of 24
Agriculture who shall maintain all conditions for its operations. 25
Sec. 3. Section 22-38 of the general statutes is repealed and the 26
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 27
(a) For purposes of this section, "farm products" means products 28
resulting from the practice of agriculture or farming, as defined in 29
section 1-1 and "Connecticut-Grown" or "CT-Grown" means produce 30
and other farm products that have a traceable point of origin within 31
Connecticut. 32
(b) Only farm products grown or produced in Connecticut shall be 33
advertised or sold in Connecticut as "Connecticut-Grown" or "CT-34
Grown". Farm products grown or produced in Connecticut may be 35
advertised or sold in Connecticut as "Native", "Native-Grown", "Local" 36
or "Locally-Grown". Farm products grown or produced within a ten-37
mile radius of the point of sale for such farm products may be advertised 38
or sold in Connecticut as "Native", "Native-Grown", "Local", or "Locally-39
Grown". Any person, firm, partnership or corporation advertising or 40
labeling farm products as ["Native", "Native-Grown", "Local", "Locally-41
Grown", or] "Connecticut-Grown" or "CT-Grown" shall be required to 42
furnish written proof within ten days of the sale of such products that 43
such products were grown or produced in Connecticut or within a ten-44
mile radius of the point of sale, as applicable, if requested to do so by 45
the Commissioner of Agriculture or said commissioner's designee. Any 46
person who violates any provision of this subsection shall be fined not 47
more than one hundred dollars for each product label in violation of this 48
subsection. 49 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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(c) In addition to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, any 50
person who sells any farm product as "Connecticut-Grown" or "CT-51
Grown" at a farmers' market in this state shall offer such product for sale 52
in the immediate proximity of a sign that is: (1) Readily visible to 53
consumers, (2) not less than three inches by five inches in size, and (3) 54
in a form that is substantially as follows: 55
[THIS FARM PRODUCT IS ] CONNECTICUT-GROWN FARM 56
PRODUCT. [THIS FARM PRODUCT WAS GROWN OR PRODUCED 57
BY THE FOLLOWING PERSON OR BUSINESS: ] (INSERT THE NAME 58
AND [ADDRESS OF PERSON OR BUSINESS) ] THE TOWN FOR THE 59
FARM OF ORIGIN). 60
The lettering on any such sign shall be of a size, font or print that is 61
clearly and easily legible. Such a sign shall accompany each type of farm 62
product that any such person sells as "Connecticut-Grown" or "CT-63
Grown". Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection shall 64
receive a warning for the first violation and for any subsequent violation 65
shall be fined one hundred dollars for each violation. 66
Sec. 4. Section 22-39f of the general statutes is repealed and the 67
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 68
Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of sections 22-69
39a to 22-39e, inclusive, section 22-39g, any regulation adopted pursuant 70
to subsection (h) of section 22-39g or who obstructs or hinders the 71
Commissioner of Agriculture or the [Commissioner of Consumer 72
Protection or any of their] commissioner's authorized agents in the 73
performance of their duties under the provisions of said sections, shall 74
be fined [not less than twenty-five dollars or more than] fifty dollars for 75
the first offense and [not less than one hundred dollars or more than] 76
two hundred dollars for each subsequent offense. In addition to such 77
fine, the Commissioner of Agriculture is authorized to deny, suspend or 78
revoke [the] any license, permit certificate or registration provided for 79
in said sections issued to such person, in accordance with the provisions 80
of chapter 54. 81 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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Sec. 5. Section 22-61j of the general statutes is repealed and the 82
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 83
Any person who violates the provisions of sections 22-61c to 22-61f, 84
inclusive, [shall be guilty of a class D misdemeanor and] shall be fined 85
one hundred dollars for the first offense and two hundred dollars for 86
each subsequent offense. 87
Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) On and after July 1, 2021, any 88
voucher issued by the Commissioner of Agriculture pursuant to section 89
22-6p or 22-6q of the general statutes, as amended by this act, shall have 90
a value of not less than twenty dollars. 91
Sec. 7. Section 22-6i of the general statutes is repealed and the 92
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 93
(a) The Department of Public Health WIC client screening processes 94
and records shall provide the basis for identifying participants eligible 95
for receipt of vouchers. 96
(b) Local WIC agencies shall distribute vouchers at designated 97
distribution clinics to participants in the manner specified by the 98
department in the program and procedures guide for distribution clinic 99
staff. Local WIC agency services shall ensure that: 100
(1) Vouchers are distributed only to participants through verification 101
that the client name and number on the distribution registry provided 102
by the Department of Public Health correspond with the client name 103
and number printed on the WIC identification folder in the possession 104
of the participant. 105
(2) Each eligible participant is issued five three-dollar vouchers 106
during each distribution as authorized by the department. 107
(3) The voucher serial numbers issued to the participant correspond 108
to the number in the distribution registry in which the participant 109
signature is affixed. 110 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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(4) Each voucher issued and the distribution registry are properly 111
signed by the participant in the presence of local agency staff at the time 112
of distribution or, if a proxy is utilized, a written, electronic or verbal 113
communication is made by the participant or such proxy which 114
acknowledges receipt from the local agency staff at the time of 115
distribution. 116
(5) [A proxy is not allowed to act on behalf of a participant, except in 117
the case of a parent or legal guardian acting on behalf of a participant 118
child or infant, or in the case of a husband acting on behalf of his wife.] 119
Any adult may act as a proxy provided the participant designates such 120
adult as his or her proxy in writing. 121
(6) Each participant is provided a thorough explanation of program 122
guidelines and participant responsibility as outlined by the department. 123
(7) All CFM/WIC support materials are put into use as outlined by 124
the department. 125
(8) Accurate and complete records of all related CFM/WIC activities 126
in the possession of a WIC local agency are maintained and retained for 127
a minimum of four years. In the event of litigation, negotiation, or audit 128
findings, the records shall be retained until all issues arising from such 129
actions have been resolved or until the end of the regular four-year 130
period, whichever is later. 131
(9) All agency records pertaining to this program shall be made 132
available for inspection to representatives of USDA-FNS, the 133
Comptroller General of the United States, the state Auditors of Public 134
Accounts, the department, and the Department of Public Health as 135
necessary, at any time during normal business hours, and as frequently 136
as is deemed necessary for inspection and audit. Confidentiality of 137
personal information shall be maintained as to all program participants 138
at all times. 139
Sec. 8. Section 22-6j of the general statutes is repealed and the 140
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 141 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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Participants shall be responsible for: 142
(1) Qualifying under WIC program guidelines and attending a 143
designated distribution clinic during the relevant distribution cycles 144
when vouchers are dispersed; 145
(2) Properly countersigning a voucher [at time of use in the presence 146
of the certified vendor who is accepting each voucher in exchange for 147
fresh produce] prior to use; 148
(3) Using vouchers only to purchase Connecticut-grown fresh 149
produce from certified vendors who display CFM/WIC signs at 150
authorized farmers' markets; 151
(4) Redeeming vouchers on or before the expiration date printed on 152
the face of the voucher or surrendering all claim to the value of vouchers 153
that remain unredeemed; 154
(5) Ensuring vouchers that are received are not assigned to any other 155
party other than as provided by the department; 156
(6) Reporting violations or problems to the department or the local 157
agency; and 158
(7) Reporting all incidents of lost or stolen vouchers to the local 159
agency. 160
Sec. 9. Subsection (b) of section 22-6l of the general statutes is repealed 161
and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 162
(b) [Vendor certification shall expire at the end of each year of 163
issuance.] Each vendor certification shall be valid for three years. The 164
department shall not limit the number of vendors who may become 165
certified under CFM/WIC. A vendor who satisfies all the following 166
criteria shall be certified to accept vouchers: 167
(1) Agrees to maintain only Connecticut-grown fresh produce on 168
display in a certified vendor stall; 169 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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(2) Indicates an intent to participate in one or more authorized 170
farmers' markets; 171
(3) Demonstrates participation in training on CFM/WIC rules and 172
procedures through attendance in an entire session of one of the 173
scheduled training meetings conducted by department staff; 174
(4) Submits a signed statement of receipts of a vendor certification 175
handbook; 176
(5) Submits a completed application and crop plan to the department 177
prior to the deadline established by the department; and 178
(6) Submits completed and signed certified vendor agreements to the 179
department. 180
Sec. 10. Section 22-26j of the general statutes is repealed and the 181
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 182
The Department of Agriculture shall establish and administer a farm 183
viability matching grant program to any agricultural not-for-profit 184
organization, municipality, group of municipalities, regional council of 185
governments organized under the provisions of sections 4-124i to 4-186
124p, inclusive, or group of municipalities that have established a 187
regional interlocal agreement pursuant to sections 7-339a to 7-339l, 188
inclusive, to further agricultural viability. Such grants may be used for 189
the following purposes: (1) Local capital projects that foster agricultural 190
viability, including, but not limited to, processing facilities and farmers' 191
markets; (2) the development and implementation of agriculturally 192
friendly land use regulations and local farmland protection strategies 193
that sustain and promote local agriculture; (3) the development of new 194
marketing programs and venues through or in which a majority of 195
products sold are grown in the state; [and] (4) the development and 196
implementation of programs and services that promote farm and 197
farmland access and transfer of such farms; and (5) the development of 198
urban and nontraditional farming practices. 199 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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Sec. 11. Subsection (d) of section 4b-3 of the general statutes is 200
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 201
passage): 202
(d) Notwithstanding any other statute or special act to the contrary, 203
the Commissioner of Administrative Services shall be the sole person 204
authorized to represent the state in its dealings with third parties for the 205
construction, development, acquisition or leasing of real estate for 206
housing the offices or equipment of all agencies of the state or for the 207
state-owned public buildings or realty, as provided for in sections 2-90, 208
4b-1 to 4b-5, inclusive, 4b-21, 4b-23, 4b-24, 4b-26, 4b-27, 4b-30 and 4b-32, 209
subsection (c) of section 4b-66 and sections 4b-67 to 4b-69, inclusive, 4b-210
71, 4b-72, 10-95, 10a-72, 10a-89, 10a-90, 10a-114, 10a-130, 10a-144, 17b-211
655, [22-64,] 22a-324, 26-3, 27-45, 32-1c, 32-39, 48-9, 51-27d and 51-27f, 212
except that (1) the Joint Committee on Legislative Management may 213
represent the state in the planning and construction of the Legislative 214
Office Building and related facilities, in Hartford; (2) the Chief Court 215
Administrator may represent the state in providing for (A) space for the 216
Court Support Services Division as part of a new or existing contract for 217
an alternative incarceration program pursuant to section 54-103b or a 218
program developed pursuant to section 46b-121k, or (B) other real estate 219
needs of the Judicial Branch when delegated authority to do so by the 220
Commissioner of Administrative Services; (3) the board of trustees of a 221
constituent unit of the state system of higher education may represent 222
the state in the leasing of real estate for housing the offices or equipment 223
of such constituent unit, provided no lease payments for such realty are 224
made with funds generated from the general revenues of the state; (4) 225
the Labor Commissioner may represent the state in the leasing of 226
premises required for employment security operations as provided in 227
subsection (c) of section 31-250; (5) the Commissioner of Developmental 228
Services may represent the state in the leasing of residential property as 229
part of the program developed pursuant to subsection (b) of section 17a-230
218, provided such residential property does not exceed two thousand 231
five hundred square feet, for the community placement of persons 232
eligible to receive residential services from the department; (6) the 233 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services may represent 234
the state in the leasing of residential units as part of a program 235
developed pursuant to section 17a-455a, provided each such residential 236
unit does not exceed two thousand five hundred square feet; and (7) the 237
Connecticut Marketing Authority may represent the state in the leasing 238
of land or markets under the control of the Connecticut Marketing 239
Authority, and, except for the housing of offices or equipment in 240
connection with the initial acquisition of an existing state mass transit 241
system or the leasing of land by the Connecticut Marketing Authority 242
for a term of one year or more in which cases the actions of the 243
Department of Transportation and the Connecticut Marketing 244
Authority shall be subject to the review and approval of the State 245
Properties Review Board. The Commissioner of Administrative Services 246
may establish and implement any procedures necessary for the 247
commissioner to assume the commissioner's responsibilities as said sole 248
bargaining agent for state realty acquisitions and shall perform the 249
duties necessary to carry out such procedures. The Commissioner of 250
Administrative Services may appoint, within the department's budget 251
and subject to the provisions of chapter 67, such personnel deemed 252
necessary by the commissioner to carry out the provisions of this 253
section, including experts in real estate, construction operations, 254
financing, banking, contracting, architecture and engineering. The 255
Attorney General's office, at the request of the Commissioner of 256
Administrative Services, shall assist the commissioner in contract 257
negotiations regarding the purchase, lease or construction of real estate. 258
Sec. 12. Subsection (a) of section 51-344a of the general statutes is 259
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 260
passage): 261
(a) Whenever the term "judicial district of Hartford-New Britain" or 262
"judicial district of Hartford-New Britain at Hartford" is used or referred 263
to in the following sections of the general statutes, it shall be deemed to 264
mean or refer to the judicial district of Hartford on and after September 265
1, 1998: Sections 1-205, 1-206, 2-48, 3-21a, 3-62d, 3-70a, 3-71a, 4-61, 4-160, 266 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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4-164, 4-177b, 4-180, 4-183, 4-197, 5-202, 5-276a, 8-30g, 9-7a, 9-7b, 9-369b, 267
10-153e, 12-208, 12-237, 12-268l, 12-312, 12-330m, 12-405k, 12-422, 12-448, 268
12-454, 12-456, 12-463, 12-489, 12-522, 12-554, 12-565, 12-572, 12-586f, 12-269
597, 12-730, 13b-34, 13b-235, 13b-315, 13b-375, 14-57, 14-66, 14-67u, 14-270
110, 14-195, 14-311, 14-311c, 14-324, 14-331, 15-125, 15-126, 16-41, 16a-5, 271
17b-60, 17b-100, 17b-238, 17b-531, 19a-85, 19a-86, 19a-123d, 19a-425, 19a-272
498, 19a-517, 19a-526, 19a-633, 20-12f, 20-13e, 20-29, 20-40, 20-45, 20-59, 273
20-73a, 20-86f, 20-99, 20-114, 20-133, 20-154, 20-156, 20-162p, 20-192, 20-274
195p, 20-202, 20-206c, 20-227, 20-238, 20-247, 20-263, 20-271, 20-307, 20-275
341f, 20-363, 20-373, 20-404, 20-414, 21a-55, 21a-190i, 22-7, [22-64,] 22-228, 276
22-248, 22-254, 22-320d, 22-326a, 22-344b, 22-386, 22a-6b, 22a-7, 22a-16, 277
22a-30, 22a-34, 22a-53, 22a-60, 22a-62, 22a-63, 22a-66h, 22a-106a, 22a-119, 278
22a-180, 22a-182a, 22a-184, 22a-220a, 22a-220d, 22a-225, 22a-226, 22a-279
226c, 22a-227, 22a-250, 22a-255l, 22a-276, 22a-310, 22a-342a, 22a-344, 22a-280
361a, 22a-374, 22a-376, 22a-408, 22a-430, 22a-432, 22a-438, 22a-449f, 22a-281
449g, 22a-459, 23-5e, 23-65m, 25-32e, 25-36, 28-5, 29-143j, 29-158, 29-161z, 282
29-323, 30-8, 31-109, 31-249b, 31-266, 31-266a, 31-270, 31-273, 31-284, 31-283
285, 31-339, 31-355a, 31-379, 35-3c, 35-42, 36a-186, 36a-187, 36a-471a, 36a-284
494, 36a-587, 36a-647, 36a-684, 36a-718, 36a-807, 36b-26, 36b-27, 36b-30, 285
36b-50, 36b-71, 36b-72, 36b-74, 36b-76, 38a-41, 38a-52, 38a-134, 38a-139, 286
38a-140, 38a-147, 38a-150, 38a-185, 38a-209, 38a-225, 38a-226b, 38a-241, 287
38a-337, 38a-470, 38a-620, 38a-657, 38a-687, 38a-774, 38a-776, 38a-817, 288
38a-843, 38a-868, 38a-906, 38a-994, 42-103c, 42-110d, 42-110k, 42-110p, 289
42-182, 46a-56, 46a-100, 47a-21, 49-73, 51-44a, 51-81b, 51-194, 52-146j, 53-290
392d and 54-211a. 291
Sec. 13. Sections 22-62 to 22-73, inclusive, and sections 22-75 to 22-77, 292
inclusive, and section 22-78a of the general statutes are repealed. 293
(Effective from passage) 294
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2021 22-6g(13)
Sec. 2 October 1, 2021 22-6q
Sec. 3 October 1, 2021 22-38 Substitute Bill No. 6385
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Sec. 4 October 1, 2021 22-39f
Sec. 5 October 1, 2021 22-61j
Sec. 6 July 1, 2021 New section
Sec. 7 from passage 22-6i
Sec. 8 from passage 22-6j
Sec. 9 from passage 22-6l(b)
Sec. 10 from passage 22-26j
Sec. 11 from passage 4b-3(d)
Sec. 12 from passage 51-344a(a)
Sec. 13 from passage Repealer section
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 9, the first sentence of Subsec. (b) was re-written for clarity
and in Section 13, the reference to Section "22-78" was changed to
"Section 22-78a", for accuracy.
ENV Joint Favorable Subst.