Substitute House Bill No. 5235
Public Act No. 22-79
AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONTENT OF REPORTS FROM THE
OFFICE OF THE CLAIMS COMMISSIONER TO THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 4-158 of the 2022 supplement to the general statutes
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective
October 1, 2022):
(a) The Claims Commissioner may (1) order that a claim be denied or
dismissed, (2) order immediate payment of a just claim in an amount
not exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars, (3) recommend to the
General Assembly payment of a just claim in an amount exceeding
thirty-five thousand dollars, or (4) authorize a claimant to sue the state,
as provided in section 4-160.
(b) Any person who has filed a claim for more than fifty thousand
dollars may request the General Assembly to review a decision of the
Claims Commissioner (1) ordering the denial or dismissal of the claim
pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section, including
denying or dismissing a claim that requests permission to sue the state,
or (2) ordering immediate payment of a just claim in an amount not
exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars pursuant to subdivision (2) of Substitute House Bill No. 5235
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subsection (a) of this section. A person who has filed a claim that has
been denied or dismissed by a temporary deputy pursuant to subsection
(d) of section 4-160, may request the General Assembly to review such
denial or dismissal. A request for review shall be in writing and filed
with the Office of the Claims Commissioner not later than twenty days
after the date the person requesting such review receives a copy of the
decision. The filing of a request for review shall automatically stay the
decision of the Claims Commissioner or temporary deputy.
(c) The Office of the Claims Commissioner shall submit each claim
for which a request for review is filed pursuant to this section to the
General Assembly pursuant to section 4-159.
(d) If the Claims Commissioner orders immediate payment of a just
claim in an amount not exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars pursuant
to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section and a request for
review is not timely filed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the
Office of the Claims Commissioner shall deliver to the Comptroller a
certified copy of the Claims Commissioner's order and the Comptroller
shall make payment from such appropriation as the General Assembly
may have made for the payment of claims or, in the case of contractual
claims for goods or services furnished or for property leased, from the
appropriation of the agency which received such goods or services or
occupied such property.
(e) Whenever the Claims Commissioner deems it just and equitable,
the Claims Commissioner may, at any time prior to the submission of a
claim to the General Assembly pursuant to subsection (a) of section 4-
159, vacate the decision made pursuant to subsection (a) of this section
and undertake such further proceedings in accordance with this chapter
as the Claims Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, deem
appropriate.
(f) Not later than five days after the convening of each regular session, Substitute House Bill No. 5235
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the Office of the Claims Commissioner shall report to the General
Assembly on all claims decided pursuant to this section during the
preceding calendar year. Such report shall include, but not be limited to,
the following information for the preceding calendar year: (1) The total
number of new claims filed; (2) the total number of claims disposed of;
(3) the total number of claims that were dismissed; (4) the total number
of claims that were denied; (5) a description of each order of immediate
payment of a just claim in an amount not exceeding thirty-five thousand
dollars, which description shall minimally include, the name of the
claimant, the amount paid to the claimant and the reasoning for the
payment to the claimant; and (6) the total number of claimants who
were authorized to sue the state.
Sec. 2. Section 4-159a of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2022):
(a) (1) Not later than five days after the convening of each regular
session, the [Office of the] Claims Commissioner shall report to the
General Assembly on all claims that have been filed with the Office of
the Claims Commissioner pursuant to section 4-147 and have not been
disposed of by the Office of the Claims Commissioner within two years
of the date of filing or within any extension thereof granted by the
General Assembly pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, except
claims in which the parties have stipulated to an extension of time for
the Office of the Claims Commissioner to dispose of the claim. (2) The
report submitted by the Claims Commissioner pursuant to subdivision
(1) of this subsection shall minimally include (A) an explanation as to
why the claim has not been disposed of, and (B) the date by which a
decision will be rendered on the claim in the event the General
Assembly were to grant the Office of the Claims Commissioner an
extension of time to dispose of the claim.
(b) The Office of the Claims Commissioner shall give notice to all
claimants whose claims are the subject of a report as provided in Substitute House Bill No. 5235
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subsection (a) of this section that their claims will be considered at the
next regular session of the General Assembly pursuant to subsection (c)
of this section.
(c) With respect to any claim that is the subject of a report as provided
in subsection (a) of this section, the General Assembly may (1) grant the
Office of the Claims Commissioner an extension for a period specified
by the General Assembly to dispose of such claim, (2) grant the claimant
permission to sue the state, (3) grant an award to the claimant, or (4)
deny the claim.