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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 209
February Session, 2024
AN ACT CONCERNING NONRESIDENT LANDLORD REGISTRATION
AND INCREASING PENALTIES FOR REPEAT BUILDING AND FIRE
CODE VIOLATIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 47a-6a of the 2024 supplement to the general 1
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2
(Effective October 1, 2024): 3
(a) As used in this section: [,] 4
(1) ["address"] "Address" means a location as described by the full 5
street number, if any, the street name, the city or town, and the state, 6
and not a mailing address such as a post office box; [,] 7
(2) ["dwelling unit"] "Dwelling unit" means any house or building, or 8
portion thereof, which is rented, leased or hired out to be occupied, or 9
is arranged or designed to be occupied, or is occupied, as the home or 10
residence of one or more persons, living independently of each other, 11
and doing their cooking upon the premises, and having a common right 12
in the halls, stairways or yards; [,] 13
(3) ["agent in charge"] "Agent in charge" or "agent" means [one] an 14
individual who manages real [estate] property, including, but not 15
limited to, the collection of rents and supervision and maintenance of 16
such property, including for the purposes of compliance with state and 17 Substitute Bill No. 209
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local codes; 18
(4) ["controlling participant"] "Controlling participant" means an 19
individual [that] who exercises day-to-day financial or operational 20
control; [, and] 21
(5) ["project-based housing provider"] "Project-based housing 22
provider" means a property owner who contracts with the United States 23
Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide housing to 24
tenants under the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, 42 USC 25
1437f(o); 26
(6) "Identifying information" means proof of an individual's name, 27
date of birth, current residential address, motor vehicle operator's 28
license number or other identification number issued by any 29
government agency or entity; 30
(7) "Nonresident owner" means an individual who does not reside at 31
rental real property who is (A) an owner, as defined in section 47a-1, of 32
such real property, or (B) the controlling participant of the entity that 33
owns such real property; and 34
(8) "Population" means the number of persons according to the most 35
recent federal decennial census. 36
(b) Any municipality may, and any municipality with a population 37
of twenty-five thousand or more shall, require the nonresident owner or 38
project-based housing provider of occupied or vacant rental real 39
property to report to the tax assessor, or other municipal [office] officer 40
designated by the municipality, the current residential address of the 41
nonresident owner or project-based housing provider of such property, 42
if the nonresident owner or project-based housing provider is an 43
individual, or the current residential address of the agent in charge of 44
the building, if the nonresident owner or project-based housing 45
provider is a corporation, partnership, trust or other legally recognized 46
entity owning rental real property in the state. If the nonresident owners 47
or project-based housing providers are a corporation, partnership, trust 48 Substitute Bill No. 209
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or other legally recognized entity owning rental real property in the 49
state, such report shall also include identifying information and the 50
current residential address of each controlling participant associated 51
with the property. If such residential address changes, notice of the new 52
residential address shall be provided by such nonresident owner, 53
project-based housing provider or agent in charge of the building to the 54
office of the tax assessor or other designated municipal office not more 55
than twenty-one days after the date that the address change occurred. If 56
the nonresident owner, project-based housing provider or agent fails to 57
file an address under this section, the address to which the municipality 58
mails property tax bills for the rental real property shall be deemed to 59
be the nonresident owner, project-based housing provider or agent's 60
current address. Such address may be used for compliance with the 61
provisions of subsection [(c)] (d) of this section. 62
(c) In addition to the residential address required pursuant to 63
subsection (b) of this section, any municipality with a population of 64
twenty-five thousand or more shall require the nonresident owner, 65
project-based housing provider or agent in charge, as applicable, to 66
report to the tax assessor, or other municipal officer designated by the 67
municipality, accurate identifying information concerning such 68
nonresident owner, project-based housing provider or agent in charge. 69
[(c)] (d) Service of state or municipal orders relating to maintenance 70
of such rental real property or compliance with state law and local codes 71
concerning such real property directed to the nonresident owner, 72
project-based housing provider or agent at the address on file, or 73
deemed to be on file in accordance with the provisions of this section, 74
shall be sufficient proof of service of notice of such orders in any 75
subsequent criminal or civil action against the owner, project-based 76
housing provider or agent for failure to comply with the orders. The 77
provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit the validity of 78
any other means of giving notice of such orders that may be used by the 79
state or such municipality. 80
[(d)] (e) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall 81 Substitute Bill No. 209
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have committed [an infraction] a violation. 82
[(e)] (f) Any report provided to a tax assessor pursuant to subsection 83
(b) or (c) of this section [on or after October 1, 2023,] shall be confidential 84
and shall not be disclosed under chapter 14. 85
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 47a-7 of the general statutes is 86
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 87
1, 2024): 88
(a) A landlord shall: (1) Comply with the requirements of chapter 89
368o and all applicable building and housing codes materially affecting 90
health and safety of both the state or any political subdivision thereof; 91
(2) make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the 92
premises in a fit and habitable condition, except where the premises are 93
intentionally rendered unfit or uninhabitable by the tenant, a member 94
of [his] such tenant's family or other person on the premises with [his] 95
such tenant's consent, in which case such duty shall be the responsibility 96
of [the] such tenant; (3) keep all common areas of the premises in a clean 97
and safe condition; (4) maintain in good and safe working order and 98
condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating and 99
other facilities and appliances and elevators, supplied or required to be 100
supplied by him; (5) provide and maintain appropriate receptacles for 101
the removal of ashes, garbage, rubbish and other waste incidental to the 102
occupancy of the dwelling unit and arrange for their removal; [and] (6) 103
supply running water and reasonable amounts of hot water at all times 104
and reasonable heat [except if] unless (A) the building which includes 105
the dwelling unit is not required by law to be equipped for that purpose, 106
or [if] (B) the dwelling unit is so constructed that heat or hot water is 107
generated by an installation within the exclusive control of the tenant or 108
supplied by a direct public utility connection; and (7) comply with the 109
requirements of section 47a-6a, as amended by this act. 110
Sec. 3. Section 29-254a of the general statutes is repealed and the 111
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2024): 112
Any person who violates any provision of the State Building Code 113 Substitute Bill No. 209
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shall, for a first offense, be fined not less than two hundred dollars or 114
more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than six 115
months, or both, and, for any subsequent offense, be fined not less than 116
five hundred dollars or more than two thousand dollars or be 117
imprisoned not more than one year, or both. 118
Sec. 4. Section 29-291c of the general statutes is repealed and the 119
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2024): 120
(a) When the State Fire Marshal or a local fire marshal ascertains that 121
there exists in any building, or upon any premises, a condition that 122
violates the State Fire Prevention Code or Fire Safety Code, the State Fire 123
Marshal or local fire marshal shall order such condition remedied by the 124
owner or occupant of such building or premises. Any such remedy shall 125
[be in conformance] conform with all building codes, ordinances, rules 126
and regulations of the municipality [involved] in which such building 127
or premises is located. Such owner or occupant shall be subject to the 128
penalties prescribed by subsection (e) of this section and, in addition, 129
may be fined fifty dollars [a] per day for each [day's continuance of each 130
violation] day each such violation continues, to be recovered in a proper 131
action in the name of the state. 132
(b) Upon failure of an owner or occupant to abate or remedy a 133
violation pursuant to subsection (a) of this section within a reasonable 134
period of time specified by the State Fire Marshal or the local fire 135
marshal, the local fire marshal shall promptly notify, in writing, the 136
prosecuting attorney having jurisdiction in the municipality in which 137
such violation or condition exists of all of the relevant facts. The local 138
fire marshal may request the chief executive officer of the municipality, 139
any official of the municipality authorized to institute actions on behalf 140
of the municipality in which the [hazard] violation or condition exists or 141
the State Fire Marshal, to apply to any court of equitable jurisdiction for 142
an injunction against such owner or occupant for the purpose of closing 143
or restricting from public service or use the place or premises containing 144
the violation or condition until the violation or condition has been 145
remedied, or the State Fire Marshal may apply for such an injunction 146 Substitute Bill No. 209
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without such request. 147
(c) The State Fire Marshal or any local fire marshal empowered to 148
enforce the State Fire Prevention Code or Fire Safety Code may, as an 149
alternative to issuing an order pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, 150
give the owner or occupant a written citation for any violation of the 151
applicable code. No such citation may be issued if the owner or 152
occupant has been previously issued a citation for the same violation by 153
the State Fire Marshal or the local fire marshal within six months prior 154
to the current violation. Such citation shall contain the name and 155
address, if known, of the owner or occupant, the specific offense 156
charged and the time and place of the violation. The citation shall be 157
signed by the State Fire Marshal or local fire marshal and shall be signed 158
by the owner or occupant in acknowledgment that such citation has 159
been received. The State Fire Marshal or local fire marshal shall, if 160
practicable, deliver a copy of the citation to the owner or occupant at the 161
time and place of the violation or shall use some other reasonable means 162
of notification. Any person who is issued a citation for violation of any 163
provision of the State Fire Prevention Code or Fire Safety Code in 164
accordance with this subsection shall be fined not more than two 165
hundred fifty dollars. 166
(d) If a local fire marshal issues a citation pursuant to subsection (c) 167
of this section, the state shall remit to the municipalities in which the 168
violations occurred ninety per cent of the proceeds of the fine and shall 169
remit to the State Treasurer the remaining ten per cent. If the State Fire 170
Marshal issues a citation pursuant to said subsection, the state shall 171
remit to the State Treasurer the entire proceeds of the fine. Each clerk of 172
the Superior Court or the Chief Court Administrator, on or before the 173
thirtieth day of January, April, July and October in each year, shall 174
certify to the Comptroller the amount due for the previous quarter 175
under this subsection to each municipality served by the office of the 176
clerk or official. 177
(e) In addition to the fine prescribed in subsection (a) of this section, 178
any person who violates any provision of the State Fire Prevention Code 179 Substitute Bill No. 209
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or Fire Safety Code shall, for a first offense, be fined not less than two 180
hundred dollars or more than one thousand dollars or be imprisoned 181
not more than six months, or both, and, for any subsequent offense, be 182
fined not less than five hundred dollars or more than one thousand 183
dollars or be imprisoned not more than one year, or both. 184
Sec. 5. Section 29-394 of the general statutes is repealed and the 185
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2024): 186
Any person who, by himself or his agent, fails to comply with the 187
written order of a building inspector for the provision of additional exit 188
facilities in a building, the repair or alteration of a building or the 189
removal of a building or any portion thereof, shall, for a first offense, be 190
fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than one thousand 191
dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both, and, for any 192
subsequent offense, be fined not less than five hundred dollars or more 193
than two thousand dollars or be imprisoned not more than one year, or 194
both. 195
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2024 47a-6a
Sec. 2 October 1, 2024 47a-7(a)
Sec. 3 October 1, 2024 29-254a
Sec. 4 October 1, 2024 29-291c
Sec. 5 October 1, 2024 29-394
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 1(b) and (c), "not less than twenty-five thousand" was
changed to "twenty-five thousand or more" for consistency with
standard drafting conventions; in Section 1(c), ", as applicable," was
added for clarity; in Section 2(a), "his" was changed to "such tenant's",
"except if" was changed to "unless" and subparagraph designators were
added for clarity; in Section 4(a), "be in conformance" was changed to
"conform" for conciseness, "involved" was changed to "in which such
building or premises is located" for clarity, and the provision concerning
the fine was rewritten for clarity; and in Section 4(b), "of the Substitute Bill No. 209
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municipality" was added after "chief executive officer" for clarity and
"hazard" was changed to "violation or condition" for consistency.
HSG Joint Favorable Subst. C/R JUD
JUD Joint Favorable Subst.-LCO