LCO \\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786-R01- HB.docx 1 of 17 General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6786 January Session, 2023 AN ACT CONCERNING SERVICE OF BANK EXECUTIONS, WAGE EXECUTIONS AND TAX WARRANTS BY STATE MARSHALS AND AUTHORIZED SERVICE OF PROCESS BY INDIFFERENT PERSONS. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Section 52-367b of the general statutes is repealed and the 1 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2023): 2 (a) Execution may be granted pursuant to this section against any 3 debts due from any financial institution to a judgment debtor who is a 4 natural person, except to the extent such debts are protected from 5 execution by sections 52-352a, 52-352b, 52-352c of the general statutes, 6 revision of 1958, revised to 1983, 52-354 of the general statutes, revision 7 of 1958, revised to 1983, 52-361 of the general statutes, revision of 1958, 8 revised to 1983 and section 52-361a, as amended by this act, as well as 9 by any other laws or regulations of this state or of the United States 10 which exempt such debts from execution. 11 (b) If execution is desired against any such debt, the plaintiff 12 requesting the execution shall make application to the clerk of the court. 13 The application shall be accompanied by a fee of one hundred five 14 dollars payable to the clerk of the court for the administrative costs of 15 complying with the provisions of this section, which fee may be 16 recoverable by the judgment creditor as a taxable cost of the action. In a 17 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 2 of 17 IV-D case, the request for execution shall be accompanied by an affidavit 18 signed by the serving officer attesting to an overdue support amount of 19 five hundred dollars or more which accrued after the entry of an initial 20 family support judgment. If the papers are in order, the clerk shall issue 21 such execution containing a direction that the officer serving such 22 execution shall, within seven days from the receipt by the serving officer 23 of such execution, make demand (1) upon the main office of any 24 financial institution having its main office within the county of the 25 serving officer, (2) if such main office is not within the serving officer's 26 county and such financial institution has one or more branch offices 27 within such county, upon an employee of such a branch office, such 28 employee and branch office having been designated by the financial 29 institution in accordance with regulations adopted by the Banking 30 Commissioner, in accordance with chapter 54, or (3) only upon demand 31 of a financial institution which does not have any main office or branch 32 office in this state, by certified mail, return receipt requested, for 33 payment of any such nonexempt debt due to the judgment debtor and, 34 after having made such demand, shall serve a true and attested copy of 35 the execution, together with the affidavit and exemption claim form 36 prescribed by subsection (k) of this section, with the serving officer's 37 actions endorsed thereon, with the financial institution upon whom 38 such demand is made. When service is made by the serving officer by 39 certified mail pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection, the officer 40 may under the levy collect the actual postage costs incurred. The serving 41 officer shall not serve more than one financial institution execution per 42 judgment debtor at a time, including copies thereof. After service of an 43 execution on one financial institution, the serving officer shall not serve 44 the same execution or a copy thereof upon another financial institution 45 until receiving confirmation from the preceding financial institution 46 that the judgment debtor had insufficient funds at the preceding 47 financial institution available for collection to satisfy the execution, 48 provided any such additional service is made not later than forty-five 49 days from the receipt by the serving officer of such execution. The 50 financial institution shall provide the serving officer a response to the 51 service of such execution. In the case of no account found, a closed 52 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 3 of 17 account or an account with insufficient funds or protected funds, the 53 financial institution shall respond by endorsing the institution's 54 response on the officer's cover sheet. Not later than five business days 55 after the date on which service is made, the financial institution shall 56 return to the serving officer, by United States first class mail, a complete 57 set of the documents served on the financial institution, including the 58 cover page of the serving officer, with endorsements from other 59 financial institutions, as the case may be, and return to the serving 60 officer the complete true and attested copy of the execution as served, 61 together with the affidavit and exemption claim forms prescribed by 62 subsection (k) of this section. After service of an execution on a financial 63 institution, the serving officer shall not subsequently serve the same 64 execution or a copy thereof upon such financial institution if an 65 electronic direct deposit that is readily identifiable as exempt from 66 execution was made to the judgment debtor's account during the look-67 back period, as described in subsection (c) of this section. If no such 68 deposit was made, the serving officer may subsequently serve the same 69 execution or a copy thereof upon such institution, provided such 70 execution has not expired or otherwise become unenforceable. 71 (c) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, if any 72 such financial institution upon which such execution is served and upon 73 which such demand is made is indebted to the judgment debtor, the 74 financial institution shall remove from the judgment debtor's account 75 the amount of such indebtedness not exceeding the amount due on such 76 execution before its midnight deadline, as defined in section 42a-4-104. 77 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this 78 subsection, the financial institution shall leave in the judgment debtor's 79 account (A) the full amount of electronic direct deposits that are readily 80 identifiable as exempt federal veterans' benefits, Social Security benefits, 81 including, but not limited to, retirement, survivors' and disability 82 benefits, supplemental security income benefits, exempt benefits paid 83 by the federal Railroad Retirement Board or the federal Office of 84 Personnel Management, unemployment compensation benefits exempt 85 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 4 of 17 under section 52-352b, and child support payments processed and 86 received pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, and (B) the 87 amount of electronic direct deposits, not to exceed one thousand dollars, 88 that are readily identifiable as wages, provided such deposits were 89 made to the judgment debtor's account during the look-back period of 90 two months preceding the date that the execution was served on the 91 financial institution, or, with regard to federal benefits, such greater 92 period as required by federal law. If no such deposits have been made 93 to the judgment debtor's account during the look-back period, or if such 94 readily identifiable funds are less than one thousand dollars, the 95 financial institution shall leave in the judgment debtor's account as 96 exempt pursuant to subdivision (18) of section 52-352b the lesser of the 97 account balance or one thousand dollars in the aggregate. To the extent 98 that such funds are left in the judgment debtor's account as exempt 99 pursuant to subdivision (18) of section 52-352b, the provisions of said 100 subsection shall not be the basis for a claim of exemption pursuant to 101 this subsection in response to a levy of execution. 102 (3) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit a financial 103 institution's right or obligation to remove such funds from the judgment 104 debtor's account if required by any other provision of law or by a court 105 order. The judgment debtor shall have full and customary access to such 106 funds left in the judgment debtor's account pursuant to this subsection. 107 The financial institution may notify the judgment creditor that funds 108 have been left in the judgment debtor's account pursuant to this 109 subsection. Nothing in this subsection shall alter the exempt status of 110 funds which are exempt from execution under subsection (a) of this 111 section or under any other provision of state or federal law, or the right 112 of a judgment debtor to claim such exemption. Nothing in this 113 subsection shall be construed to affect any other rights or obligations of 114 the financial institution with regard to the funds in the judgment 115 debtor's account. 116 (d) If any funds are removed from the judgment debtor's account 117 pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, upon receipt of the execution 118 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 5 of 17 and exemption claim form from the serving officer, the financial 119 institution shall (1) forthwith mail copies thereof, postage prepaid, to 120 the judgment debtor and to any secured party that is party to a control 121 agreement between the financial institution and such secured party 122 under article 9 of title 42a at the last-known address of the judgment 123 debtor and of any such secured party with respect to the affected 124 accounts on the records of the financial institution, [and] (2) mail notice 125 to the judgment debtor as required by 31 CFR 212.6 and 212.7, and (3) 126 provide the judgment debtor the docket number of the proceeding for 127 an execution that has been granted and the Internet web site address of 128 the Judicial Branch for accessing online records to such proceeding. The 129 financial institution shall hold the amount removed from the judgment 130 debtor's account pursuant to subsection (c) of this section for fifteen 131 days from the date of the mailing to the judgment debtor and any such 132 secured party, and during such period shall not pay the serving officer. 133 (e) To prevent the financial institution from paying the serving 134 officer, as provided in subsection (h) of this section, the judgment debtor 135 shall give notice of a claim of exemption by delivering to the financial 136 institution, by mail or other means, the exemption claim form or other 137 written notice that an exemption is being claimed and any such secured 138 party shall give notice of its claim of a prior perfected security interest 139 in such deposit account by delivering to the financial institution, by mail 140 or other means, written notice thereof. The financial institution may 141 designate an address to which the notice of a claim of exemption, or a 142 secured party claim notice, shall be delivered. Upon receipt of such 143 notice, the financial institution shall, within two business days, send a 144 copy of such notice to the clerk of the court which issued the execution. 145 (f) (1) Upon receipt of an exemption claim form or a secured party 146 claim notice, the clerk of the court shall enter the appearance of the 147 judgment debtor or such secured party with the address set forth in the 148 exemption claim form or secured party claim notice. The clerk shall 149 forthwith send file-stamped copies of the exemption claim form or 150 secured party claim notice to the judgment creditor and judgment 151 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 6 of 17 debtor with a notice stating that the disputed funds are being held for 152 forty-five days from the date the exemption claim form or secured party 153 claim notice was received by the financial institution or until a court 154 order is entered regarding the disposition of the funds, whichever 155 occurs earlier, and the clerk shall promptly schedule the matter for a 156 hearing. The claim of exemption filed by such judgment debtor shall be 157 prima facie evidence at such hearing of the existence of the exemption. 158 (2) Upon receipt of notice from the financial institution pursuant to 159 subsection (c) of this section, a judgment creditor may, on an ex parte 160 basis, present to a judge of the Superior Court an affidavit sworn under 161 oath by a competent party demonstrating a reasonable belief that such 162 judgment debtor's account contains funds which are not exempt from 163 execution and the amount of such nonexempt funds. Such affidavit shall 164 not be conclusory but is required to show the factual basis upon which 165 the reasonable belief is based. If such judge finds that the judgment 166 creditor has demonstrated a reasonable belief that such judgment 167 debtor's account contains funds which are not exempt from execution, 168 such judge shall authorize the judgment creditor to submit a written 169 application to the clerk of the court for a hearing on the exempt status 170 of funds left in the judgment debtor's account pursuant to subsection (c) 171 of this section. The judgment creditor shall promptly send a copy of the 172 application and the supporting affidavit to the judgment debtor and to 173 any secured party shown on a secured party claim notice sent to the 174 judgment creditor pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. Upon 175 receipt of such application, the clerk of the court shall promptly 176 schedule the matter for a hearing and shall give written notice to the 177 judgment creditor, the judgment debtor and any secured party shown 178 on a secured party claim notice received by the clerk of the court. The 179 notice to the judgment creditor pursuant to subsection (c) of this section 180 shall be prima facie evidence at such hearing that the funds in the 181 account are exempt funds. The burden of proof shall be upon the 182 judgment creditor to establish the amount of funds which are not 183 exempt. 184 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 7 of 17 (g) If an exemption claim is made or a secured party claim notice is 185 given pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, the financial institution 186 shall continue to hold the amount removed from the judgment debtor's 187 account for forty-five days or until a court order is received regarding 188 disposition of the funds, whichever occurs earlier. If no such order is 189 received within forty-five days of the date the financial institution sends 190 a copy of the exemption claim form or notice of exemption or a secured 191 party claim notice to the clerk of the court, the financial institution shall 192 return the funds to the judgment debtor's account. 193 (h) If no claim of exemption or secured party claim notice is received 194 by the financial institution within fifteen days of the mailing to the 195 judgment debtor and any secured party of the execution and exemption 196 claim form pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, the financial 197 institution shall, upon demand, forthwith pay the serving officer the 198 amount removed from the judgment debtor's account, and the serving 199 officer shall thereupon pay such sum, less such serving officer's fees, to 200 the judgment creditor, except to the extent otherwise ordered by a court. 201 (i) The court, after a hearing conducted pursuant to subsection (f) of 202 this section, shall enter an order determining the issues raised by the 203 claim of exemption and claim by a secured party of a prior perfected 204 security interest in such deposit account. The clerk of the court shall 205 forthwith send a copy of such order to the financial institution. Such 206 order shall be deemed to be a final judgment for the purposes of appeal. 207 No appeal shall be taken except within seven days of the rendering of 208 the order. The order of the court may be implemented during such 209 seven-day period, unless stayed by the court. 210 (j) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, if 211 both exempt and nonexempt moneys have been deposited into an 212 account, for the purposes of determining which moneys are exempt 213 under this section, the moneys most recently deposited as of the time 214 the execution is served shall be deemed to be the moneys remaining in 215 the account. 216 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 8 of 17 (k) The execution, exemption claim form and clerk's notice regarding 217 the filing of a claim of exemption shall be in such form as prescribed by 218 the judges of the Superior Court or their designee. The exemption claim 219 form shall be dated and include a checklist and description of the most 220 common exemptions, instructions on the manner of claiming the 221 exemptions and a space for the judgment debtor to certify those 222 exemptions claimed under penalty of false statement. 223 (l) If records or testimony are subpoenaed from a financial institution 224 in connection with a hearing conducted pursuant to subsection (f) of this 225 section, the reasonable costs and expenses of the financial institution in 226 complying with the subpoena shall be recoverable by the financial 227 institution from the party requiring such records or testimony, 228 provided, the financial institution shall be under no obligation to 229 attempt to obtain records or documentation relating to the account 230 executed against which are held by any other financial institution. The 231 records of a financial institution as to the dates and amounts of deposits 232 into an account in the financial institution shall, if certified as true and 233 accurate by an officer of the financial institution, be admissible as 234 evidence without the presence of the officer in any hearing conducted 235 pursuant to subsection (f) of this section to determine the legitimacy of 236 a claim of exemption made under this section. 237 (m) If there are moneys to be removed from the judgment debtor's 238 account, prior to the removal of such moneys pursuant to subsection (c) 239 of this section, the financial institution shall [receive from the serving 240 officer as representative of the judgment creditor] collect from the levy 241 a fee of eight dollars for the financial institution's costs in complying 242 with the provisions of this section which fee may be recoverable by the 243 judgment creditor as a taxable cost of the action. 244 (n) If the financial institution fails or refuses to pay over to the serving 245 officer the amount of such debt, not exceeding the amount due on such 246 execution, such financial institution shall be liable in an action therefor 247 to the judgment creditor named in such execution for the amount of 248 nonexempt moneys which the financial institution failed or refused to 249 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 9 of 17 pay over, excluding funds of up to one thousand dollars which the 250 financial institution in good faith allowed the judgment debtor to access 251 pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. The amount so recovered by 252 such judgment creditor shall be applied toward the payment of the 253 amount due on such execution. Thereupon, the rights of the financial 254 institution shall be subrogated to the rights of the judgment creditor. If 255 such financial institution pays exempt moneys from the account of the 256 judgment debtor over to the serving officer contrary to the provisions of 257 this section, such financial institution shall be liable in an action therefor 258 to the judgment debtor for any exempt moneys so paid and such 259 financial institution shall refund or waive any charges or fees by the 260 financial institution, including, but not limited to, dishonored check 261 fees, overdraft fees or minimum balance service charges and legal 262 process fees, which were assessed as a result of such payment of exempt 263 moneys. Thereupon, the rights of the financial institution shall be 264 subrogated to the rights of the judgment debtor. 265 (o) Except as provided in subsection (n) of this section, no financial 266 institution or any officer, director or employee of such financial 267 institution shall be liable to any person with respect to any act done or 268 omitted in good faith or through the commission of a bona fide error 269 that occurred despite reasonable procedures maintained by the financial 270 institution to prevent such errors in complying with the provisions of 271 this section. 272 (p) Nothing in this section shall in any way restrict the rights and 273 remedies otherwise available to a judgment debtor or any such secured 274 party at law or in equity. 275 (q) Nothing in this section shall in any way affect any rights of the 276 financial institution with respect to uncollected funds credited to the 277 account of the judgment debtor, which rights shall be superior to those 278 of the judgment creditor. 279 (r) For the purposes of this subsection, "exempt" has the same 280 meaning as provided in subdivision (3) of section 52-352a. Funds 281 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 10 of 17 deposited in an account that has been established for the express 282 purpose of receiving electronic direct deposits of public assistance or of 283 Title IV-D child support payments from the Department of Social 284 Services shall be exempt. 285 Sec. 2. Section 52-367a of the general statutes is repealed and the 286 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2023): 287 (a) As used in this section and section 52-367b, as amended by this 288 act, "financial institution" means any bank, savings bank, savings and 289 loan association or credit union organized, chartered or licensed under 290 the laws of this state or the United States and having its main office in 291 this state, any similar out-of-state institution having a branch office in 292 this state or any similar out-of-state institution having no main office or 293 branch office in this state and where transactions are made via the 294 Internet or electronic means. 295 (b) Execution may be granted pursuant to this section against any 296 debts due from any financial institution to a judgment debtor which is 297 not a natural person. If execution is desired against any such debt, the 298 plaintiff requesting the execution shall make application to the clerk of 299 the court. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of one hundred 300 five dollars payable to the clerk of the court for the administrative costs 301 of complying with the provisions of this section which fee may be 302 recoverable by the judgment creditor as a taxable cost of the action. The 303 clerk shall issue such execution containing a direction that the officer 304 serving such execution shall make demand (1) upon the main office of 305 any financial institution having its main office within the county of the 306 serving officer, (2) if such main office is not within the serving officer's 307 county and such financial institution has one or more branch offices 308 within such county, upon an employee of such a branch office, such 309 employee and branch office having been designated by the financial 310 institution in accordance with regulations adopted by the Banking 311 Commissioner, in accordance with chapter 54, or (3) only upon demand 312 of a financial institution which does not have any main office or branch 313 office in this state, by certified mail, return receipt requested, for the 314 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 11 of 17 payment of any debt due to the judgment debtor, and, after having 315 made such demand, shall serve a true and attested copy thereof, with 316 the serving officer's actions thereon endorsed, with the financial 317 institution upon whom such demand is made. When service is made by 318 the serving officer by certified mail pursuant to subdivision (3) of this 319 subsection, the officer may under the levy collect the actual postage 320 costs incurred. The serving officer shall not serve more than one 321 financial institution execution per judgment debtor at a time, including 322 copies thereof. After service of an execution on one financial institution, 323 the serving officer shall not serve the same execution or a copy thereof 324 upon another financial institution until receiving confirmation from the 325 preceding financial institution that the judgment debtor had insufficient 326 funds at the preceding financial institution available for collection to 327 satisfy the execution. The financial institution shall provide the serving 328 officer a response to the service of such execution. In the case of no 329 account found, a closed account or an account with insufficient funds or 330 protected funds, the financial institution shall respond by endorsing the 331 institution's response on the officer's cover sheet. Not later than five 332 business days after the date on which service is made, the financial 333 institution shall return to the serving officer, by United States first class 334 mail, a complete set of the documents served on the financial institution, 335 including the cover page of the serving officer, with endorsements from 336 other financial institutions, as the case may be, and return to the serving 337 officer the complete true and attested copy of the execution as served. If 338 the serving officer does not receive within twenty-five days of the 339 service of the demand a response from the financial institution that was 340 served indicating whether or not the taxpayer or judgment debtor has 341 funds at the financial institution available for collection, the serving 342 officer may assume that sufficient funds are not available for collection 343 and may proceed to serve another financial institution in accordance 344 with this subsection. 345 (c) If any such financial institution upon which such execution is 346 served and upon which such demand is made is indebted to the 347 judgment debtor, the financial institution shall remove from the 348 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 12 of 17 judgment debtor's account the amount of such indebtedness not 349 exceeding the amount due on such execution. Except as provided in 350 subsection (d) of this section, the financial institution shall immediately 351 pay to such serving officer the amount removed from the judgment 352 debtor's account, which amount shall be received and applied on such 353 execution by such serving officer. Such financial institution shall act 354 upon such execution according to section 42a-4-303 before its midnight 355 deadline, as defined in section 42a-4-104. Nothing in this subsection 356 shall be construed to affect any other rights or obligations of the 357 financial institution with regard to funds in the judgment debtor's 358 account. 359 (d) If the deposit account is subject to a security interest of a secured 360 party, other than the financial institution upon which such execution is 361 served and upon which such demand is made, pursuant to a control 362 agreement between the financial institution and such secured party 363 under article 9 of title 42a, and if any funds are removed from the 364 judgment debtor’s account pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the 365 financial institution shall forthwith mail a copy of the execution when 366 received from the serving officer, postage prepaid, to the judgment 367 debtor and to such other secured party at the last-known address of such 368 parties with respect to the affected accounts on the records of the 369 financial institution. The financial institution shall hold the amount 370 removed from the judgment debtor's account pursuant to subsection (c) 371 of this section for twenty days from the date of the mailing to the 372 judgment debtor and such other secured party, and during such period 373 shall not pay the serving officer. 374 (e) To prevent the financial institution from paying the serving 375 officer, as provided in subsection (h) of this section, such other secured 376 party shall give notice of its prior perfected security interest in such 377 deposit account, by delivering to the clerk of the court that issued the 378 execution a written claim for determination of interests in property 379 pursuant to section 52-356c and by delivering a copy of such claim to 380 the financial institution upon which such execution is served. 381 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 13 of 17 (f) Upon receipt of a written claim for determination of interests in 382 property made pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, the clerk of the 383 court shall enter the appearance of the secured party with the address 384 set forth in the written claim. The clerk shall forthwith send file-stamped 385 copies of the written claim to the judgment creditor, the judgment 386 debtor and the financial institution upon which such execution was 387 served with a notice stating that the disputed funds are being held until 388 a court order is entered regarding the disposition of the funds. 389 (g) If a written claim for determination of interests in property is 390 made pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, the financial institution 391 shall continue to hold the amount removed from the judgment debtor's 392 account until a court order is received regarding disposition of the 393 funds. 394 (h) If no written claim for determination of interests in property is 395 made pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, the financial institution 396 shall, upon demand, forthwith pay the serving officer the amount 397 removed from the judgment debtor's account, and the serving officer 398 shall thereupon pay such sum, less such serving officer's fees, to the 399 judgment creditor, except to the extent otherwise ordered by a court. 400 (i) If a written claim for determination of interests in property is made 401 pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, the clerk of the court, after a 402 judgment or order is entered pursuant to section 52-356c, shall forthwith 403 send a copy of such judgment or order to the financial institution. Such 404 judgment or order shall be deemed to be a final judgment for the 405 purposes of appeal. No appeal shall be taken except within seven days 406 of the rendering of the judgment or order. The judgment or order of the 407 court may be implemented during such seven-day period, unless stayed 408 by the court. 409 (j) If records or testimony are subpoenaed from a financial institution 410 in connection with a hearing conducted pursuant to section 52-356c on 411 a written claim for determination of interests in property made pursuant 412 to subsection (e) of this section, the reasonable costs and expenses of the 413 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 14 of 17 financial institution in complying with the subpoena shall be 414 recoverable by the financial institution from the party requiring such 415 records or testimony, provided the financial institution shall be under 416 no obligation to attempt to obtain records or documentation relating to 417 the account executed against that are held by any other financial 418 institution. The records of a financial institution as to the dates and 419 amounts of deposits into an account in the financial institution shall, if 420 certified as true and accurate by an officer of the financial institution, be 421 admissible as evidence without the presence of the officer in any hearing 422 conducted pursuant to section 52-356c to determine the legitimacy of a 423 claim of an interest in property made under subsection (e) of this section. 424 (k) If such financial institution fails or refuses to pay over to such 425 serving officer the amount of such debt, not exceeding the amount due 426 on such execution, such financial institution shall be liable in an action 427 therefor to the judgment creditor named in such execution, and the 428 amount so recovered by such judgment creditor shall be applied toward 429 the payment of the amount due on such execution. 430 (l) Except as provided in subsection (k) of this section, no financial 431 institution or any officer, director or employee of such financial 432 institution shall be liable to any person with respect to any act done or 433 omitted in good faith or through the commission of a bona fide error 434 that occurred despite reasonable procedures maintained by the financial 435 institution to prevent such errors in complying with the provisions of 436 this section. 437 (m) Nothing in this section shall in any way restrict the rights and 438 remedies otherwise available to a judgment debtor or to any such 439 secured party at law or in equity. 440 Sec. 3. Subsection (d) of section 52-361a of the general statutes is 441 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 442 1, 2023): 443 (d) The levying officer shall levy on all earnings which are due or 444 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 15 of 17 become due to the judgment debtor to the extent specified in the wage 445 execution plus the levying officer's fee and [costs] any actual postage 446 costs incurred, until the judgment is satisfied, or the execution is 447 modified or set aside, by serving the employer with the wage execution, 448 the required notice of rights and the claim forms. On receipt thereof, the 449 employer shall forthwith deliver a copy thereof to the judgment debtor, 450 or mail such copy postage prepaid to the judgment debtor at his last-451 known address. On service of the wage execution on the employer, the 452 wage execution shall automatically be stayed for a period of twenty 453 days and shall thereafter immediately become a lien and continuing 454 levy on such portion of the judgment debtor's earnings as is specified in 455 the wage execution, provided if a claim is filed in accordance with 456 subsection (d) of section 52-361b within twenty days of such service on 457 the employer, the stay shall continue until determination of the claim. 458 Any service of process or other notice required under this section may 459 be made in accordance with section 52-57 or by certified mail, return 460 receipt requested, provided a levying officer may make such service by 461 mail to (1) an address within such officer's [appointed jurisdiction] 462 precinct or extension of precinct in accordance with section 52-56, or (2) 463 in a case involving an employer whose [address is not within such 464 levying officer's appointed jurisdiction, to the address designated by the 465 employer] payroll address is outside the state, to the out-of-state payroll 466 address designated by the employer. When service is made by the 467 serving officer by certified mail, return receipt requested, pursuant to 468 this subsection, the officer may under the levy collect the actual postage 469 costs incurred. 470 Sec. 4. Section 52-50 of the general statutes is repealed and the 471 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2023): 472 (a) All process shall be directed to a state marshal, a constable or other 473 proper officer authorized by statute, or, subject to the provisions of 474 subsection (b) of this section, to an indifferent person. A direction on the 475 process "to any proper officer" shall be sufficient to direct the process to 476 a state marshal, constable or other proper officer. 477 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 16 of 17 (b) Process shall not be directed to an indifferent person unless [more 478 defendants than one are named in the process and are described to 479 reside in different counties in the state, or unless, in case of a writ of 480 attachment, the plaintiff or one of the plaintiffs, or his or their agent or 481 attorney, makes oath before the authority signing the writ that the 482 affiant truly believes the plaintiff is in danger of losing his debt or 483 demand unless an indifferent person is deputed for the immediate 484 service of the writ or other process. The authority signing the writ shall 485 certify on the writ that he administered the oath and insert in the writ 486 the name of the person to whom it is directed, but he need not insert the 487 reason for such direction. Any process directed to an indifferent person 488 by reason of such an affidavit shall be abatable on proof that the party 489 making the affidavit did not have reasonable grounds, at the time of 490 making it, for believing the statements in the affidavit to be true] 491 authorized by statute. Any indifferent person who, knowing that he is 492 not authorized to do so under this section or any other provision of the 493 general statutes, serves process shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor. 494 (c) Service of motions for modification, motions for contempt and 495 wage withholdings in any matter involving a beneficiary of care or 496 assistance from the state and in other IV-D child support cases may be 497 made by any investigator employed by the Commissioner of 498 Administrative Services or the Commissioner of Social Services. 499 (d) Service of motions for modification, motions for contempt and 500 wage withholdings in any matter involving child support, including, 501 but not limited to, petitions for support authorized under sections 17b-502 745 and 46b-215, and those matters involving a beneficiary of care or 503 assistance from the state, and service of other process in IV-D support 504 cases, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, 505 may be made by a support enforcement officer or support services 506 investigator of the Superior Court. 507 (e) Borough bailiffs may, within their respective boroughs, execute all 508 legal process which state marshals or constables may execute. 509 Substitute Bill No. 6786 LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06786- R01-HB.docx } 17 of 17 Sec. 5. Subsection (c) of section 12-162 of the general statutes is 510 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 511 1, 2023): 512 (c) Any officer serving an alias tax warrant pursuant to this section 513 shall make return to the collector of such officer's actions thereon within 514 ten days of the completion of such service and shall be entitled to collect 515 from such person the fees allowed by law for serving executions issued 516 by any court. Any state marshal or constable, authorized as provided in 517 this section, who executes such warrant and collects any delinquent 518 municipal taxes or water or sanitation charges as a result thereof shall 519 receive, in addition to expenses otherwise allowed, a percentage of the 520 taxes or the water or sanitation charges collected pursuant to such 521 warrant, calculated at the rate applicable for the levy of an execution as 522 provided in section 52-261. [The minimum fee for such service shall be 523 thirty dollars.] Any officer unable to serve such warrant shall, within 524 sixty days after the date of issuance, return such warrant to the collector 525 and in writing state the reason it was not served.526 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 October 1, 2023 52-367b Sec. 2 October 1, 2023 52-367a Sec. 3 October 1, 2023 52-361a(d) Sec. 4 October 1, 2023 52-50 Sec. 5 October 1, 2023 12-162(c) JUD Joint Favorable Subst.