Connecticut § 4-142a - Nomination of the Claims Commissioner. Action by the Judiciary Committee. Special deputies. Deputy Claims Commissioner.

§ 4-142a. Nomination of the Claims Commissioner. Action by the Judiciary Committee. Special deputies. Deputy Claims Commissioner.

Sec. 4-142a. Nomination of the Claims Commissioner. Action by the Judiciary Committee. Special deputies. Deputy Claims Commissioner. (a)(1) The Claims Commissioner shall be nominated by the Governor with the advice and consent of the General Assembly to serve for a term of four years from the first day in July of the year of such appointment and until a successor has been appointed and has qualified. Each nomination for appointment as Claims Commissioner by the Governor shall be referred, without debate, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary, which shall report on each appointment not later than thirty days after the date of reference. Each appointment by the General Assembly of the Claims Commissioner shall be by concurrent resolution. The Claims Commissioner shall be an attorney-at-law and shall have been admitted to practice before the courts of the state of Connecticut for at least five years prior to such appointment.

(2) The Claims Commissioner shall receive such compensation as is fixed under the provisions of section 4-40. The Claims Commissioner shall devote full time to the duties of the office. The Claims Commissioner may enter into such contractual agreements, in accordance with established procedures, as may be necessary for the discharge of the commissioner's duties. Subject to the provisions of section 4-32, and unless otherwise provided by law, the Claims Commissioner is authorized to receive any money, revenue or services from the federal government, corporations, associations or individuals, including payments from the sale of printed matter or any other materials or services.

771(b) The Office of the Claims Commissioner shall be within the Department of Administrative Services, provided the office shall have independent decision-making authority.

(c) (1) The Governor may, within available appropriations, appoint not more than six special deputies to serve in the Office of the Claims Commissioner. A special deputy shall be an attorney-at-law who has experience practicing law before the courts of the state of Connecticut and has trial experience. A special deputy may not be an employee of the office of the Attorney General or have a claim pending before the Claims Commissioner, either as a claimant or as an attorney appearing on behalf of a claimant. Each special deputy shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor, for a term coterminous with the Governor, or until a successor is appointed and qualified, whichever is longer.

(2) A special deputy shall receive, for each day of service, the same compensation as paid to a judge trial referee under subdivision (1) of subsection (f) of section 52-434 for each day of service by such referee.

(3) Each special deputy shall have decision-making authority to issue a final decision to grant or deny permission to sue for each claim referred to such deputy under the provisions of subsection (b) or (c) of section 4-160.

(d) The Claims Commissioner shall, within available appropriations, appoint a Deputy Claims Commissioner who shall be an attorney-at-law qualified by training and experience for the duties of the Office of the Claims Commissioner and shall, in the absence, disability or disqualification of the Claims Commissioner, perform all the functions and have all the powers and duties of said office and such other duties as may be prescribed. The position of Deputy Claims Commissioner shall be exempt from the classified service. The Deputy Claims Commissioner shall serve until a successor is appointed by the Claims Commissioner. The term of the Deputy Claims Commissioner shall not be coterminous with that of the Claims Commissioner, instead the Deputy Claims Commissioner may be replaced upon the appointment of a new Claims Commissioner in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section.

(P.A. 75-605, S. 2, 27; P.A. 82-297; P.A. 84-346, S. 1, 4; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 25; P.A. 16-127, S. 4; P.A. 17-48, S. 1; P.A. 21-91, S. 2; P.A. 22-37, S. 2; P.A. 23-131, S. 2; P.A. 24-44, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 82-297 amended section to allow commissioner to enter into contractual agreements and to receive money, revenue or services from certain entities and individuals; P.A. 84-346 added Subsec. (b), placing office of claims commissioner within comptroller's office for administrative purposes; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 amended Subsec. (b) to move office from office of the Comptroller to Department of Administrative Services, effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 16-127 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting “Claims Commissioner” for “commissioner” and making technical changes, effective June 9, 2016; P.A. 17-48 made a technical change in Subsec. (a); P.A. 21-91 amended Subsec. (a) by redesignating existing provisions re appointment as Subdiv. (1) and amending same to add provision re Claims Commissioner serving on June 28, 2021 and nomination and appointment process on and after said date, and redesignating existing provisions re compensation as Subdiv. (2), and added Subsec. (c) re appointment, compensation and authority of temporary deputies, effective June 28, 2021; P.A. 22-37 made a technical change in Subsec. (a)(1); P.A. 23-131 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “appointed” with “nominated” and by making technical changes, amended Subsec. (c)(1) re temporary deputies by replacing “shall” with “may” re appointment of such deputies, by replacing “appoint six temporary deputies” with “within available appropriations, appoint not more than six temporary deputies” and by replacing “October 1, 2023” with “March 1, 2026” re time limitation to serve as a temporary deputy and added Subsec. (d) re authority of the Claims Commissioner to, within available appropriations, appoint a Deputy Claims Commissioner, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 24-44 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re Claims Commissioner devoting full time to the duties of the office and amended Subsec. (c) by substituting “special deputy” for “temporary deputy” and by removing March 1, 2026, time limitation for serving as special deputy, effective July 1, 2024.

Cited. 186 C. 300.

Cited. 41 CA 61.