Connecticut Attorney General Opinions
Free plain-English summaries of attorney general opinions issued in Connecticut, with full citations and the original source on every page.
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Could Connecticut move inmates to halfway houses before half their sentence was served?
The AG concluded that Connecticut could not release inmates with sentences of two years or less to a halfway house under the community placement statute before they served half their sentence. It…
Could Connecticut’s governor create a contracting standards board by executive order?
The AG concluded that the governor could establish an interim contracting board with largely advisory functions by executive order. He identified constitutional and statutory concerns where the…
Could a state university foundation receive an endowment match when the state bought its donated building?
The AG concluded that a donated building qualified for Connecticut’s university foundation endowment matching program because the donors designated its proceeds for an endowment. A state purchase or…
Could Connecticut’s blind vendor board provide food services at a state university?
The AG concluded that Connecticut’s Board of Education and Services for the Blind could seek to provide food services at a state university. He found the law unclear about whether it could hire a…
Could nonvoting state marshals attend the commission’s closed executive sessions?
The AG concluded that the two ex officio, nonvoting state marshals on the State Marshal Commission were still members for executive session attendance. They could attend all such sessions, including…
How did a lien or pending lawsuit against a bondsman’s property affect the bond limit?
The AG concluded that Connecticut’s public safety commissioner could consider a notice of pending litigation against a bondsman’s property when setting the authorized bond limit. If the bondsman…
Could Post University keep Connecticut student grants after changing to a for profit corporation?
The AG concluded that Post University no longer qualified for the Connecticut Independent College Student Grant Program after its corporate structure changed from nonprofit to for profit. He read…
Should Connecticut prisons notify inmates about untried charges before a warrant is served?
The AG advised Connecticut’s correction department to continue giving inmates written notice of known untried indictments or informations even when an arrest warrant had not been served. He…
Could Connecticut college students brew beer on campus without a liquor permit?
The AG concluded that Connecticut College students could not use the home brewing exception to run a campus club that made and consumed beer without a permit. Academic study of brewing without…
Could a Connecticut school board charge retired teachers an extra health plan administrative fee?
The AG concluded that a participating board of education could not charge a retired teacher an extra administrative fee for group health coverage when active teachers did not pay the same charge.…
Did Connecticut’s insurance guaranty cover stop loss benefits owed by a failed insurer?
The AG concluded that benefits Legion Insurance Company owed above the deductible on ProFlow’s excess loss policy were covered by the Connecticut Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Act.…
Would Connecticut’s proposed 2005 civil union bill authorize same sex marriage licenses?
The AG concluded that the civil union bill pending in Connecticut in April 2005 would not authorize officials to issue marriage licenses or perform marriages for same sex couples. He read the bill…
Could Connecticut’s Judicial Review Council investigate misconduct without a signed complaint?
The AG concluded that the Judicial Review Council could start an investigation without a specific notarized complaint if information gave it reason to believe statutory misconduct had occurred, or…
Would a short Connecticut Medicaid extension create a new federal benefit period?
The AG concluded that a proposed Connecticut bill temporarily extending Medicaid for certain parents and caretaker relatives would not give them a further extension under federal law. A person might…
Could Connecticut share Medicaid claims data to investigate private insurers’ unpaid care costs?
The AG concluded that Connecticut’s social services department could disclose Medicaid recipient claims information to the Attorney General and Child Advocate for their investigation of private…
Could Connecticut police use correction department firing ranges under written agreements?
The AG concluded that the Department of Correction could continue allowing state and local law enforcement officers to train at firing ranges on correctional property. He called for written…
Did full time National Guard duty under Title 32 count toward Connecticut state retirement?
The AG concluded that full time National Guard service in the United States armed forces under Title 10 or Title 32 orders qualified as vesting and credited service for Connecticut Tier II state…
When did interest start on Second Injury Fund assessments found in an audit?
The AG concluded that the Second Injury Fund could impose the statutory interest penalty on an additional assessment from the Treasurer’s notice of the deficiency, not retroactively from the date of…
Were three button slot machines lawful in Connecticut under the tribal casino agreements?
The AG concluded that three button machines remained illegal slot machines despite players being able to stop each reel. Chance predominated in the devices he reviewed. He also treated them as…
Who could finish a deceased marshal’s wage executions, and who had to audit the records?
The AG concluded that a deceased Connecticut state marshal’s daughter could not simply continue collecting wage executions unless she was a statutory levying officer. The State Marshal Commission…
Could a beer shipper sponsor a free poker tournament with prizes at a bar?
The AG concluded that a proposed free poker tournament at a bar, co-sponsored by a beer shipper with prizes for patrons, violated Connecticut liquor rules against shipper-to-retailer inducements and…
Could the American Legion administer Connecticut’s veterans fund and charge its expenses?
The AG concluded that the American Legion could constitutionally administer Connecticut's Soldiers', Sailors' and Marines' Fund and charge necessary, reasonable expenses to fund income. Its…
Did Connecticut have to bid out its SAGA medical services contract?
The AG concluded that Connecticut's human service contracts generally fell under personal service agreement bidding rules. The particular SAGA medical services contract did not need a bid or request…
What happened when Connecticut supermarkets wrongly charged sales tax on food?
The AG concluded that Connecticut tax officials had to tell supermarkets when audits found unlawful sales tax collection and direct them to collect only what the law allowed. The state could refund…
Could a Connecticut marshal charge 15 percent to collect delinquent taxes?
The AG concluded that Connecticut marshals executing alias tax warrants were entitled to a ten percent collection fee, not the general fifteen percent execution fee. Marshals who charged the higher…
Would Connecticut indemnify a court monitor helping reform its juvenile training school?
The AG concluded that Connecticut had to defend and indemnify the Juan F. court monitor for work at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School if that work fell within his duties under the revised…
Could a Connecticut naturopath use lasers for hair removal under phototherapy authority?
The AG concluded that the naturopathic phototherapy provision did not then authorize laser therapy. The State Board of Natureopathic Examiners could not expand its practice scope alone; the health…
Did DCF have to notify a school when its employee abused a child outside that school?
The AG concluded that Connecticut's child welfare department had to notify and provide records to an employing superintendent after substantiating abuse by a covered school employee, even when the…
Could Connecticut require legislative recommendations for every workforce board vacancy?
The AG concluded that Connecticut could not require every vacancy on its workforce investment board to be filled from legislative leaders’ recommendations. That restriction conflicted with federal…
Could a state university use emergency purchasing after an invalid food service deal?
The AG concluded that a Central Connecticut State University food service agreement was void because it skipped required competition and other statutory steps. The chancellor, rather than the AG,…
Could Connecticut’s development authority pay its president for accumulated comp time?
The AG concluded that the Connecticut Development Authority could not pay its departing president for accumulated compensatory time without validly adopted standards authorizing the benefit. He…
Could Connecticut’s Ethics Commission suspend its director over public remarks?
The AG concluded that the Ethics Commission should abandon its proposed two-week unpaid suspension of its executive director for public remarks. He identified serious free-speech and prediscipline…
Could a former state consultant bid on the Norwich State Hospital property?
The AG concluded that the state should bar former consultant C.B. Richard Ellis from bidding to buy Norwich State Hospital or representing another buyer. Its earlier proposal promised it would…
Could a retired union leader keep the union seat on Waterbury’s financial oversight board?
The AG concluded that the union representative on Waterbury's financial oversight board could not continue serving after he ceased to be chief executive of a city employee bargaining unit. The seat…
Could Connecticut run a second-chance drawing tied to three instant lottery tickets?
The AG concluded that Connecticut Lottery Corporation's proposed Treasure Island instant-ticket game, including a drawing entered with symbols from three ticket versions, fit the authorized lottery…
Could Connecticut officials issue same-sex marriage licenses under 2004 statutes?
The AG concluded that Connecticut statutes as they stood in May 2004 did not authorize local officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples or perform their marriage ceremonies. He…
Did Connecticut indemnify marshals serving capias warrants or training recruits?
The AG concluded that state marshals did not qualify for state employee indemnification when serving capias warrants or when contracted to train new marshals. They were independent contractors, and…
Could Connecticut exclude its hospital-sale consultant from bidding on the property?
The AG concluded that Connecticut should exclude Spaulding & Slye from the Norwich State Hospital sale because its years as the state's development consultant gave it an unfair information…
When did the two-year wait for a former judicial selection commissioner end?
The AG concluded that a former Judicial Selection Commission member entered the forbidden consideration period when he filed an application, not when commissioners interviewed him. A particular…
Could the Mohegan race book use wireless betting terminals under its compact?
The AG concluded that two wireless wagering devices could be used inside the Mohegan Sun Race Book without violating the compact's telephone-betting moratorium. The devices could not be authorized…
Who could issue raffle permits in a Connecticut town with no police chief or first selectman?
The AG concluded that a Connecticut municipality that had adopted the bazaar and raffle law could still process permits without a police chief or first selectman. Its chief executive authority could…
Could a Connecticut commissioner send a regular staff member to vote on the State Traffic Commission?
The AG concluded that the transportation, public safety and motor vehicles commissioners could designate deputy commissioners to vote on the State Traffic Commission. On the facts supplied, they…
Could former Las Vegas Nights dealers keep gaming devices in Connecticut for use elsewhere?
The AG concluded that after Connecticut repealed Las Vegas Nights gaming, former equipment dealers could not store the now-illegal devices in the state and repeatedly transport them to lawful events…
Did Connecticut’s 2003 workplace smoking ban apply inside tribal casinos?
The AG concluded that the 2003 smoking ban did not cover casino premises operating under valid casino liquor permits. The tribal gaming agreements called for health standards at least as rigorous as…
Did Connecticut veterans need combat service to qualify for Persian Gulf War benefits after the 2003 change?
The AG said the 2003 amendment expanded Connecticut war service benefits to qualifying Persian Gulf War veterans without a combat or combat-support requirement. He found the veterans guide…
Did an indictment automatically require Connecticut to cut a New York racing signal?
The AG concluded that a possible indictment of the New York Racing Association would not automatically require Connecticut to terminate its racing signal. The gaming division had to promptly assess…
Were VIN etching products with theft payments insurance in Connecticut?
The AG concluded that three specific VIN etching products promising payments after vehicle theft did not qualify as insurance on the facts presented. He found no demonstrated scheme to distribute…
Did state service contractors have to raise wages when Connecticut’s standard rate rose?
The AG concluded that covered Connecticut state service contractors had to pay workers the standard wage rate in effect when wages were paid. An increase during the contract therefore required an…
Could Connecticut pass a temporary budget after a vetoed state budget?
The AG concluded that Connecticut's legislature had constitutional authority to pass a temporary appropriations measure during a budget gap. The governor could veto it; the vetoed 2003 bill had no…
Could Connecticut charities use merchandise prize wheels at bazaars after the 2003 gambling repeal?
The AG concluded that merchandise prize wheels were no longer lawful at Connecticut charity bazaars. Although the 2003 repeal named money wheels, the AG treated merchandise wheels as functionally…
Could teachers use purchased service or June credit for Connecticut’s 2003 retirement offer?
The AG concluded that teachers seeking the 2003 early retirement incentive needed ten years of actual Connecticut state employment. Purchased service or teaching for another employer did not count.…
Could employees of state-aided institutions join Connecticut’s 2003 retirement offer?
The AG concluded that qualifying employees of three named state-aided institutions could participate in Connecticut's 2003 early retirement incentive. He also found that retirees who returned to…
Could a charity sell gambling tickets for a casino night at Foxwoods?
The AG clarified that a Connecticut charity benefiting from a Foxwoods casino night could not sell tickets to its gambling portion. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe had to sell those tickets and gaming…
Could Foxwoods host a charity casino night and a Connecticut charity raffle?
The AG concluded that the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe could run a casino-style fundraiser at Foxwoods using its own staff and equipment under federal gaming procedures. Connecticut's gaming regulator…
Could Connecticut sell Treasure Tower scratch tickets with a CD-ROM game?
The AG advised Connecticut's gaming regulator to withdraw approval of the proposed Treasure Tower ticket and CD-ROM game. He found that players had to use the computer game or agent lookup to learn…
Could Connecticut cut laid-off workers’ health coverage during union negotiations?
The AG concluded that if Connecticut had established a practice of providing laid-off employees six months of health benefits, it could not unilaterally shorten that benefit while labor proceedings…
Did attempted or accessory fourth-degree sexual assault require registration in 2003?
The AG concluded that a person convicted of fourth-degree sexual assault as an accessory had to register under the 2003 nonviolent sexual offense category. Attempt and conspiracy were separate…
How could Connecticut fill twelve judicial selection seats after losing a congressional district?
The AG said Connecticut could use its former six congressional districts to appoint twelve Judicial Selection Commission members after reapportionment left only five districts. That reading…
Did Connecticut mental health facilities need approval before cutting services or beds?
The AG concluded that identified Connecticut mental health facilities had to submit a certificate-of-need request before terminating a health service or substantially reducing bed capacity. He said…
Was a secure treatment program for girls in DCF custody a Connecticut correctional facility?
The AG concluded that a planned hospital behavioral-health program for girls in DCF custody was not a correctional facility. It would be administered under a DCF contract, not by the commissioner of…
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Attorney general opinions in Connecticut are written by the Connecticut Attorney General's office in response to questions from state agencies, legislators, and prosecutors. They are not binding like court decisions, but courts and agencies treat them as persuasive guidance on how state law applies. Every opinion above has a plain-English question and short answer, plus a link to the full original text.