CT SB00015

Establishes that boards and commissions within the Department of Consumer Protection must submit adverse decisions to the Commissioner for approval, modification, or rejection, rather than operating independently, effective July 1, 2016.

Grants the Commissioner of Consumer Protection authority to exercise licensing, certification, registration, and disciplinary functions, with boards issuing proposed decisions subject to commissioner review and final approval.

Removes the requirement for Commissioner approval before dismissing complaints and allows the Commissioner to authorize settlements previously requiring board consent.

Extends the application/renewal decision timeframe from 30 days to up to 60 days at the Commissioner's discretion for licensing boards.

Makes conforming changes across multiple licensing boards (real estate, engineers, landscape architects, shorthand reporters, home inspectors, contractors) to require boards' disciplinary actions be submitted as proposed decisions to the Commissioner for final determination, and adds anticompetitive effect review provisions consistent with federal antitrust law.