(a) When the Commissioner of Early Childhood has reason to believe any person licensed under sections 19a-77 to 19a-80, inclusive, and sections 19a-82 to 19a-87, inclusive, has failed substantially to comply with the regulations adopted under said sections, the commissioner may notify the licensee in writing of the commissioner's intention to suspend or revoke the license or to impose a licensure action. Such notice shall be served by certified mail stating the particular reasons for the proposed action. The licensee may, if aggrieved by such intended action, make application for a hearing in writing over the licensee's signature to the commissioner. The licensee shall state in the application in plain language the reasons why the licensee claims to be aggrieved. The application shall be delivered to the commissioner not later than thirty days after the licensee's receipt of notification of the intended action. The commissioner shall thereupon hold a hearing or cause a hearing to be held not later than sixty days after receipt of such application and shall, at least ten days prior to the date of such hearing, mail a notice, giving the time and place of the hearing, to the licensee. The hearing may be conducted by the commissioner or by a hearing officer appointed by the commissioner in writing. The licensee and the commissioner or hearing officer may issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses. The licensee shall be entitled to be represented by counsel and a transcript of the hearing shall be made. If the hearing is conducted by a hearing officer, the hearing officer shall state the hearing officer's findings and make a recommendation to the commissioner on the issue of revocation or suspension or the intended licensure action. The commissioner, based upon the findings and recommendation of the hearing officer, or after a hearing conducted by the commissioner, shall render the commissioner's decision in writing suspending, revoking or continuing the license or regarding the intended licensure action. A copy of the decision shall be sent by certified mail to the licensee. The decision revoking or suspending the license or a decision imposing a licensure action shall become effective thirty days after it is mailed by registered or certified mail to the licensee. A licensee aggrieved by the decision of the commissioner may appeal as provided in section 19a-85. Any licensee whose license has been revoked pursuant to this subsection shall be ineligible to apply for a license for a period of one year from the effective date of revocation.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the denial of an initial application for a license under sections 19a-77 to 19a-80, inclusive, and 19a-82 to 19a-87, inclusive, provided the commissioner shall notify the applicant of any such denial and the reasons for such denial by mailing written notice to the applicant at the applicant's address shown on the license application.

(1967, P.A. 696, S. 9; P.A. 77-157, S. 7, 11; 77-603, S. 46, 125; 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 85-613, S. 47, 154; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-360, S. 10, 25, 32; P.A. 00-135, S. 3, 21; P.A. 07-129, S. 3; P.A. 14-39, S. 69.)

History: P.A. 77-157 substituted “certified” for “registered” mail; P.A. 77-603 deleted references to superior court in appeals provisions; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of health with commissioner of health services, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 19-43i transferred to Sec. 19a-84 in 1983; P.A. 85-613 made technical changes; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-360 eliminated the requirement that the notice automatically set a date for a hearing, requiring instead that the aggrieved person request a hearing, established procedures for such a request, eliminated a stay of the decision when appealed, expanded reference to licenses to include license applicants and expanded reference to revocation or suspension to include “intended licensure denial or licensure action” and substituted reference to Sec. 19a-82 for reference to repealed Sec. 19a-81, effective July 13, 1995; P.A. 00-135 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), deleting language re license applicant and licensure denial and making technical changes therein, and added new Subsec. (b) re denial of initial license application, effective May 26, 2000; P.A. 07-129 amended Subsec. (a) by making a technical change and adding one-year ineligibility provision for any licensee whose license is revoked pursuant to subsection; P.A. 14-39 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing reference to Commissioner of Public Health with reference to Commissioner of Early Childhood, adding “or cause a hearing to be held not later than” and making technical changes, effective July 1, 2014.