§ 14-110 — Oaths and subpoenas. False statements or reports.

(a) The commissioner, each deputy commissioner or an assistant designated by the commissioner, in the performance of his duties, may administer oaths and take testimony, cause depositions to be taken and order the production of books, papers and documents and issue subpoenas. If any person disobeys such process or, having appeared in obedience thereto, refuses to answer any pertinent question put to him by the commissioner or any such deputy or assistant or to produce any books, papers or documents pursuant thereto, the commissioner may apply to the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford, or to any judge thereof if said court is not in session, setting forth such disobedience to process or refusal to answer, and said court or such judge shall cite such person to appear to answer such question or to produce such books, papers or documents, and, upon his refusal to do so, shall commit him to a community correctional center until he testifies, but not for longer than sixty days. Any person who swears or affirms falsely in regard to any matter respecting which an oath or affirmation is required by this chapter or by the commissioner shall be guilty of perjury or false statement, as the case may be. No person shall wilfully make any false report in regard to any matter respecting which a written report or statement is required by this chapter. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be subject to the penalties provided for perjury or false statement, as the case may be. (b) Whenever a carrier, as defined in section 14-212 , or a person acting on behalf of a carrier, files with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, under the penalty of false statement, a report or other document that contains representations relating to the maintenance, repair or use of a school bus or motor vehicle used to transport students, and such report or other document contains one or more representations that are false, the carrier shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars for each representation that is false.

Legislative History

(1949, Rev., S. 2455; 1953, S. 1344d; 1969, P.A. 297; 1971, P.A. 871, S. 85; P.A. 78-280, S. 6, 127; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; 88-245, S. 6, 7; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4–6; P.A. 10-110, S. 44.) History: 1969 act substituted “community correctional center” for “jail”; 1971 act added references to false statement and replaced provision re fine or imprisonment for violation with statement that violator shall be “subject to the penalties provided for perjury or false statement ...”; P.A. 78-280 replaced Hartford county with judicial district of Hartford-New Britain; P.A. 88-230 replaced “judicial district of Hartford-New Britain” with “judicial district of Hartford”, effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 88-245 made technical changes; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the 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. 10-110 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re civil penalty applicable to carrier that files report re school bus or vehicle used to transport students which contains false representations, effective July 1, 2010. Section does not authorize commissioner to delegate quasi-judicial functions. 151 C. 679. Cited. 171 C. 705, 723; 172 C. 263. Cited. 9 CA 686. Cited. 36 CS 586; 42 CS 602.