CT SB01357

Increases the maximum payout from the New Home Construction Guaranty Fund from $30,000 to $50,000 per claim and from the Health Club Guaranty Fund from $75,000 to $125,000 per location closure, while expanding eligibility to include claims against business proprietors and setting repayment interest at 10% per year.

Grants the Department of Consumer Protection new authority to issue notices of violation and stop work orders for unlicensed trade practice, with fines up to $500 per violation per day for noncompliance, and allows the Commissioner to delegate final decision authority to hearing officers.

Strengthens consumer protections in health club contracts by adding the right to void a contract if facilities or amenities substantially change, updates the required "Buyer's Right to Cancel" disclosure, and requires written confirmation of cancellation within 10 business days.

Requires motor vehicle dealers to include all add-on consumer good and service fees in advertised prices with separate itemization, prohibits pre-printing add-on fees on order forms, and expands express warranty law to cover repair-or-replace promises and eliminate the requirement of direct privity between buyer and seller.

Modernizes home solicitation sale cancellation notices to allow electronic delivery, updates the charitable solicitation regulatory framework with revised definitions and reporting deadlines (paid solicitor financial reports due within 45 days instead of 90), increases the fund-raising counsel bond from $20,000 to $50,000, and raises food establishment reinspection fees from $40 per hour to $175 per reinspection.