Sec. 14-331. Penalty. Revocation or suspension of license. Bond. Appeal. Rights of franchisor.
Sec. 14-331. Penalty. Revocation or suspension of license. Bond. Appeal.
Rights of franchisor. Any person, except a distributor, who violates any provision of
this chapter or who makes any false statement to the commissioner, or to the local
authority described in section 14-321, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars
and, for any subsequent offense, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or
imprisoned not more than six months or both, and his license may, at the discretion of
the commissioner, be suspended or revoked. The commissioner may, after notice and
hearing, suspend or revoke the license of any person he finds has violated any provision
of any statute or regulation of this state or the federal government concerning his business
as a licensee. If the commissioner makes such a finding, he shall require the licensee,
as a condition to continued licensure or the reinstatement of a suspended or revoked
license, to furnish a bond satisfactory to the commissioner in the amount of one thousand
dollars, conditioned upon compliance with all laws concerning the business of the licensee and the regulations of the commissioner. This bond may be forfeited for any
further violations. The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall, upon notice from
the Commissioner of Revenue Services of the name and address of any retail dealer
licensed under this chapter who has failed to file any tax return required by the Commissioner of Revenue Services or to pay any tax due the state or to perform any act or duty
imposed by the general statutes relating to gasoline or motor fuel, special fuel or motor
bus taxes, suspend such retail dealer's license until such time as written notice from the
Commissioner of Revenue Services has been received authorizing reinstatement. Any
such person whose license has been suspended or revoked may appeal therefrom in
accordance with the provisions of section 4-183, except venue for such appeal shall be
in the judicial district of New Britain. Such appeals shall be preferred cases, to be heard,
unless cause appears to the contrary, at the first session of the court. If the court, upon
such appeal, determines that the license should not have been suspended or revoked, it
may direct the commissioner to reissue the license, and, upon such appeal, costs may
be taxed at the discretion of the court. Nothing in this chapter shall in any way affect,
reduce or diminish the right of any franchisor to remain in business at any location for
the sole reason that the franchisee has been subject to disciplinary action of any type
pursuant to this chapter.
(1949 Rev., S. 2548; 1949, S. 1412d; 1959, P.A. 224, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 870, S. 104; P.A. 74-53, S. 2, 3; P.A. 76-436,
S. 349, 681; P.A. 77-603, S. 40, 125; 77-614, S. 139, 610; P.A. 78-280, S. 5, 127; P.A. 82-245, S. 1; P.A. 88-230, S. 1,
12; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-9, S. 2, 10; P.A 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4-6; P.A. 99-215, S. 24,
29; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(c); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: 1959 act provided for suspension of license on notice of nonpayment of tax or other default; 1971 act replaced
superior court with court of common pleas, effective September 1, 1971, except that courts with cases pending retain
jurisdiction unless matters deemed transferable; P.A. 74-53 made technical change; P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common
pleas with superior court, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-603 replaced previous appeal provisions with requirement that
appeals be made in accordance with Sec. 4-183 except venue is in Hartford county; P.A. 77-614 replaced tax commissioner
with commissioner of revenue services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-280 replaced Hartford county with judicial
district of Hartford-New Britain; P.A. 82-245 clarified violations which are grounds for revocation or suspension of license,
adding specific reference to violation of federal law and added provisions regarding furnishing a bond after a violation
and the rights of franchisors; P.A. 88-230 replaced "judicial district of Hartford-New Britain" with "judicial district of
Hartford", effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991,
to September 1, 1993; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-9 substituted commissioner of consumer protection for commissioner of
motor vehicles; P.A. 93-142 changed effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective
June 14, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998,
effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 99-215 replaced "judicial district of Hartford" with "judicial district of New Britain", effective
June 29, 1999; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Consumer Protection with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004: P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby
reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004.
Cited. 3 CS 224.