§ 7-148h — Ethics commission; establishment and powers. Interest in conflict with discharge of duties.

(a) Any town, city, district, as defined in section 7-324, or borough may, by charter provision or ordinance, establish a board, commission, council, committee or other agency to investigate allegations of unethical conduct, corrupting influence or illegal activities levied against any official, officer or employee of such town, city, district or borough. The provisions of subsections (a) to (e), inclusive, of section 1-82a shall apply to allegations before any such agency of such conduct, influence or activities, to an investigation of such allegations conducted prior to a probable cause finding, and to a finding of probable cause or no probable cause. Any board, commission, council, committee or other agency established pursuant to this section may issue subpoenas or subpoenas duces tecum, enforceable upon application to the Superior Court, to compel the attendance of persons at hearings and the production of books, documents, records and papers. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any special act, municipal charter or ordinance to the contrary, an elected official of any town, city, district or borough that has established a board, commission, council, committee or other agency under subsection (a) of this section, has an interest that is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of the official's duties or employment in the public interest and of the official's responsibilities as prescribed by the laws of this state, if the official has reason to believe or expect that the official, the official's spouse or dependent child, or a business with which he is associated, as defined in section 1-79 , will derive a direct monetary gain or suffer a direct monetary loss, as the case may be, by reason of the official's official activity. Any such elected official does not have an interest that is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of the official's duties in the public interest and of the official's responsibilities as prescribed by the laws of this state, if any benefit or detriment accrues to the official, the official's spouse or dependent child, or a business with which he, his spouse or such dependent child is associated as a member of a profession, occupation or group to no greater extent than to any other member of such profession, occupation or group. Any such elected official who has a substantial conflict may not take official action on the matter.

Legislative History

(P.A. 79-618, S. 3; P.A. 89-229, S. 2, 4; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-1, S. 19; P.A. 00-92, S. 13.) History: P.A. 89-229 specified the circumstances under which the provisions of Subsecs. (a) to (e), inclusive, of Sec. 1-82a are to apply; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-1 added Subsec. (b) re conflicts of interest; P.A. 00-92 applied provisions to a “district, as defined in section 7-324”, substituted “official” for “municipal official”, substituted “that” for “which”, and made technical changes for the purpose of gender neutrality. Cited. 180 C. 243.