H.B. 68 Summary

• Eliminates automatic Class 1 misdemeanor penalties for violations of rules promulgated by certain licensing boards and commissions, as recommended by the General Statutes Commission.

• Replaces blanket criminalization of rule violations with civil penalty options (up to $2,000) for select boards including alarm systems, child care, and optometry boards.

• Reduces penalty classifications for specific violations: Class 2 misdemeanor for unlicensed electrical work and dental board rule violations; Class 3 misdemeanor for unlicensed hospital and nursing home operations.

• Requires affected boards to make regulatory information available to licensees rather than making violation of publication requirements a separate criminal offense.

• Becomes effective December 1, 2021, and applies only to offenses committed on or after that date.