Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 319s - Financial Assistance
Section 17b-129. (Formerly Sec. 17-283a). - Town's claim against proceeds of cause of action. Assignment of interest in estate to the town. Limitation.

(a) If any beneficiary of aid under sections 17b-122, 17b-124 to 17b-132, inclusive, 17b-136 to 17b-138, inclusive, 17b-194 to 17b-197, inclusive, 17b-222 to 17b-250, inclusive, 17b-263, 17b-340 to 17b-350, inclusive, 17b-689b and 17b-743 to 17b-747, inclusive, has a cause of action, a town that provided aid to such beneficiary shall have a claim against the proceeds of such cause of action for the amount of such aid or fifty per cent of the proceeds received by such beneficiary after payment of all expenses connected with the cause of action, whichever is less, which shall have priority over all other unsecured claims and unrecorded encumbrances. Such claim shall be a lien, subordinate to any interest the state may possess under section 17b-94*, against the proceeds from such cause of action, for the amount established in accordance with this section, and such lien shall have priority over all other claims except attorney's fees for such causes of action, expenses of suit, costs of hospitalization connected with the cause of action by whomever paid, over and above hospital insurance or other such benefits, and, for such period of hospitalization as was not paid for by the town, physician's fees for services during any such period as are connected with the cause of action over and above medical insurance or other such benefits. Where the state also has a claim against the proceeds of such cause of action under section 17b-94*, the total amount of the claims by the state under said section and the town under this subsection shall not exceed fifty per cent of the proceeds received by the recipient after the allowable expenses and the town's claim shall be reduced accordingly. The proceeds of such causes of action shall be assignable to the town for payment of such lien irrespective of any other provision of law except section 17b-94*. Upon presentation to the attorney for the beneficiary of an assignment of such proceeds executed by the beneficiary or his conservator or guardian, such assignment shall constitute an irrevocable direction to the attorney to pay the town in accordance with its terms.

(b) In the case of an inheritance of an estate by a beneficiary of aid under sections 17b-122, 17b-124 to 17b-132, inclusive, 17b-136 to 17b-138, inclusive, 17b-194 to 17b-197, inclusive, 17b-222 to 17b-250, inclusive, 17b-263, 17b-340 to 17b-350, inclusive, 17b-689b and 17b-743 to 17b-747, inclusive, fifty per cent of the assets of the estate payable to the beneficiary or the amount of such assets equal to the amount of assistance paid, whichever is less, shall be assignable to the town. Where the state also has an assignment of such assets under section 17b-94*, the total amount of the claims of the state under said section and the town under this subsection shall not exceed fifty per cent of the assets of the estate payable to the beneficiary and the town's assigned share shall be reduced accordingly. The Court of Probate shall accept any such assignment executed by the beneficiary and filed by the town with the court prior to the distribution of such inheritance, and to the extent of such inheritance not already distributed, the court shall order distribution in accordance therewith. If the town receives any assets of an estate pursuant to any such assignment, the town shall be subject to the same duties and liabilities concerning such assigned assets as the beneficiary.
(c) No claim shall be made, or lien applied, against any payment made pursuant to chapter 135, any payment made pursuant to section 47-88d or 47-287, any moneys received as a settlement or award in a housing or employment or public accommodation discrimination case, any court-ordered retroactive rent abatement, including any made pursuant to subsection (e) of section 47a-14h, or section 47a-4a, 47a-5 or 47a-57, or any security deposit refund pursuant to subsection (d) of section 47a-21 paid to a beneficiary of assistance under sections 17b-122, 17b-124 to 17b-132, inclusive, 17b-136 to 17b-138, inclusive, 17b-194 to 17b-197, inclusive, 17b-222 to 17b-250, inclusive, 17b-263, 17b-340 to 17b-350, inclusive, 17b-689b and 17b-743 to 17b-747, inclusive.
(P.A. 77-378; P.A. 81-69, S. 1, 2; P.A. 85-277; P.A. 88-131; P.A. 91-225; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 97; P.A. 04-76, S. 51; P.A. 07-44, S. 2; P.A. 08-45, S. 2; P.A. 19-118, S. 34.)
*Note: Section 17b-94 was repealed effective July 1, 2022, by section 514 of public act 22-118.
History: P.A. 81-69 removed the limitation that the town's claim against the proceeds of a cause of action be for only the “nonreimbursable” amount paid to beneficiary; P.A. 85-277 added option of claim for 50% of proceeds received by beneficiary after payment of expenses if less than the amount of aid and added Subsec. (b) re assignment of estate assets to town; P.A. 88-131 limited the amount a town and the state may claim of the proceeds of a cause of action received by a recipient in Subsec. (a) and limited the amount a town and the state may claim re the assignment of interest of a beneficiary in an estate in Subsec. (b); P.A. 91-225 added Subsec. (c) re prohibition on claims made or liens applied against certain payments to beneficiaries; Sec. 17-283a transferred to Sec. 17b-129 in 1995; (Revisor's note: The references to “17b-115 to 17b-138” and “17b-689 to 17b-693, inclusive,” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “17b-116 to 17b-138” and “17b-689, 17b-689b”, respectively, to reflect the repeal of certain sections by section 164 of June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2); June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, in repealing Secs. 17b-19, 17b-62 to 17b-65, inclusive, 17b-116, 17b-116a, 17b-116b, 17b-117, 17b-120, 17b-121, 17b-123, 17b-134, 17b-135, 17b-220, 17b-259 and 17b-287, authorized deletion of internal references to said sections in this section, effective March 1, 2004; P.A. 04-76 amended Subsecs. (a) to (c), inclusive, by deleting references to Secs. 17b-118b and 17b-221 that were repealed by the same act; P.A. 07-44 amended Subsec. (c) by adding “any moneys received as a settlement or award in a housing or discrimination case”, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 08-45 amended Subsec. (c) by exempting moneys received as settlement or award in public accommodation discrimination case from town's claim against proceeds of a cause of action; P.A. 19-118 amended Subsecs. (a) to (c) by deleting references to Sec. 17b-256, effective July 1, 2019.

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