Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 53 - Claims Against the State
Section 4-158. - Decision by Claims Commissioner or temporary deputy. Request for legislative review. Payment of smaller claims.

(a) The Claims Commissioner may (1) order that a claim be denied or dismissed, (2) order immediate payment of a just claim in an amount not exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars, (3) recommend to the General Assembly payment of a just claim in an amount exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars, or (4) authorize a claimant to sue the state, as provided in section 4-160.

(b) Any person who has filed a claim for more than fifty thousand dollars may request the General Assembly to review a decision of the Claims Commissioner (1) ordering the denial or dismissal of the claim pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section, including denying or dismissing a claim that requests permission to sue the state, or (2) ordering immediate payment of a just claim in an amount not exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section. A person who has filed a claim that has been denied or dismissed by a temporary deputy pursuant to subsection (d) of section 4-160, may request the General Assembly to review such denial or dismissal. A request for review shall be in writing and filed with the Office of the Claims Commissioner not later than twenty days after the date the person requesting such review receives a copy of the decision. The filing of a request for review shall automatically stay the decision of the Claims Commissioner or temporary deputy.
(c) The Office of the Claims Commissioner shall submit each claim for which a request for review is filed pursuant to this section to the General Assembly pursuant to section 4-159.
(d) If the Claims Commissioner orders immediate payment of a just claim in an amount not exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section and a request for review is not timely filed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the Office of the Claims Commissioner shall deliver to the Comptroller a certified copy of the Claims Commissioner's order and the Comptroller shall make payment from such appropriation as the General Assembly may have made for the payment of claims or, in the case of contractual claims for goods or services furnished or for property leased, from the appropriation of the agency which received such goods or services or occupied such property.
(e) Whenever the Claims Commissioner deems it just and equitable, the Claims Commissioner may, at any time prior to the submission of a claim to the General Assembly pursuant to subsection (a) of section 4-159, vacate the decision made pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and undertake such further proceedings in accordance with this chapter as the Claims Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, deem appropriate.
(f) Not later than five days after the convening of each regular session, the Office of the Claims Commissioner shall report to the General Assembly on all claims decided pursuant to this section.
(1959, P.A. 685, S. 11; 1961, P.A. 476, S. 6; P.A. 75-605, S. 15, 27; P.A. 84-407, S. 1, 5; P.A. 05-170, S. 1; P.A. 09-44, S. 1; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 174; P.A. 13-225, S. 6; P.A. 16-127, S. 16; P.A. 19-182, S. 2; P.A. 21-91, S. 4.)
History: 1961 act specified payments in case of contractual claims for goods or services be made from agency's appropriation and added Subsec. (b); P.A. 75-605 replaced commission with claims commissioner and executive secretary with clerk of the office of the claims commissioner and raised limit for immediately payable claims and for those brought before the general assembly from $2,500 to $5,000; P.A. 84-407 amended section by increasing claim which commissioner may immediately approve from $5,000 to $7,500 and similarly amended corresponding provision re claims submitted to general assembly; P.A. 05-170 added Subsec. (a)(1) re authority to order that a claim be denied or dismissed, designating existing provision re authority to order immediate payment of a just claim in an amount not exceeding $7,500 as Subdiv. (2), added (a)(3) and (4) re authority to recommend payment of a just claim in an amount exceeding $7,500 and authority to authorize a claimant to sue the state, added new Subsec. (b) to authorize a person who has filed a claim for more than $7,500 to request the General Assembly to review a decision of the Claims Commissioner ordering the denial or dismissal of the claim or ordering immediate payment of the claim in an amount not exceeding $7,500, require the request be in writing and filed not later than 20 days after receipt of the decision and provide that the filing of the request automatically stays the decision, added new Subsec. (c) requiring the Claims Commissioner to submit each claim for which a request for review is filed to the General Assembly, designated existing provisions re delivery of a certified copy of the Claims Commissioner's order and payment by the Comptroller when the immediate payment of a claim in an amount not exceeding $7,500 is ordered as Subsec. (d) and amended said Subsec. to make provisions applicable if a request for review is not timely filed pursuant to Subsec. (b), designated existing provisions requiring the Claims Commissioner to report to the General Assembly on all claims decided pursuant to this section as Subsec. (e) and deleted former Subsec. (b) re procedure when a person wishes to protest an award and waive immediate payment; P.A. 09-44 added new Subsec. (e) authorizing Claims Commissioner to vacate a decision and undertake further proceedings deemed appropriate and redesignated existing Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (f), effective May 20, 2009, and applicable to claims filed prior to, on or after that date; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 amended Subsec. (d) by deleting reference to clerk of the office, effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 13-225 amended Subsecs. (a), (b) and (d) to increase both the maximum amount for immediately payable just claims and the threshold amount for claims submitted to the General Assembly from $7,500 to $20,000, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 16-127 amended Subsecs. (c) and (f) by substituting “Office of the Claims Commissioner” for “Claims Commissioner”, effective June 9, 2016; P.A. 19-182 amended Subsecs. (a), (b)(2) and (d) to increase both maximum amount for immediately payable just claims and threshold amount for recommended payment of claims which require review by the General Assembly from $20,000 to $35,000 and amended Subsec. (b) to increase threshold amount of a filed claim for which claimant may request review of decision of the Claims Commissioner by the General Assembly from $20,000 to $50,000, effective October 1, 2019, and applicable to any claim filed on or after October 1, 2019; P.A. 21-91 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re claims denied or dismissed by temporary deputy and adding reference to temporary deputy re staying decision, effective June 28, 2021.

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