(a) In the event of a state-wide or regional shortage or threatened shortage of a product or service due to an abnormal market disruption resulting from a natural disaster, weather conditions, acts of nature, strike, civil disorder, war, national or local emergency or other extraordinary adverse circumstance, the Governor may proclaim that a supply emergency exists. Upon the declaration of an emergency, the Governor may in connection therewith issue orders designating a product or service to be in short supply or in danger of becoming in short supply in the state or in a specific region of the state and imposing price restrictions or rationing with respect thereto. Prior to the issuance of such an order, the Governor shall make written findings that there is an abnormal market disruption, that the product or service is in short supply or is in danger of becoming in short supply due to such disruption, that the product or service is essential to the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state such as food, clothing, shelter and products used or services provided for the protection of life or property, and that the imposition of price restrictions on the product or service or rationing of the product is necessary to assure the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state. For the purposes of this section, “product” shall not include an energy resource as defined in section 16a-2.
(b) Any proclamation or order issued pursuant to this section shall become effective upon its filing in the office of the Secretary of the State and with the clerks of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Such proclamation or order shall be published in full at least once in a newspaper having general circulation in each county, provided failure to publish shall not impair the validity of such proclamation or order. Unless disapproved in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, any proclamation or order shall remain in effect until the Governor proclaims an end to the emergency or until ninety days after the date of the proclamation of the emergency, whichever occurs first.
(c) Any proclamation or order issued pursuant to this section may be disapproved by a majority vote of each house of the General Assembly. Any such disapproval shall become effective upon filing notice of such action with the office of the Secretary of the State.
(d) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 concerning the rationing of products or services designated by the Governor to be in short supply or in danger of becoming in short supply.
(P.A. 91-367, S. 1; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(c); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: 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.