HB 125 - Department of Consumer Protection Licensing and Enforcement

• Extends work product and workpaper retention requirements from general statutes to 7 years for professional licensees, with longer periods required for audits of publicly registered corporations

• Restructures appraisal management company licensing and oversight, including restrictions on appraiser manipulation, compensation requirements compliant with federal Truth-in-Lending Act, and new provisions prohibiting removal from panels without notice

• Updates licensing and renewal procedures across multiple professions (architects, real estate brokers, contractors, locksmiths, etc.) including fee adjustments, continuing education processing fees, and streamlined application timelines

• Implements enhanced background check requirements and prohibitions for homemaker-companion agencies, including restrictions on hiring individuals with certain criminal convictions within the past 5 years

• Establishes new contracting requirements for licensed contractors effective January 1, 2021, requiring written contracts with specific content including license numbers, notice of cancellation rights, and defined start/completion dates