The commissioner or a representative designated by the commissioner may investigate any alleged violation of the provisions of this chapter and, if there appears to be reasonable cause therefor, on reasonable notice to any person accused of any such violation, may refer the matter to the board for hearing; may make complaint to the prosecuting authority having jurisdiction of any such complaint or may examine into all acts of alleged abuse, fraud, or incompetence. The board may suspend the license of any registered hairdresser and cosmetician, and may revoke the hairdresser and cosmetician license of any person convicted of violating any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted under this chapter or take any of the actions set forth in section 19a-17 for any of the following reasons: (1) The employment of fraud or deception in obtaining a license; (2) abuse or excessive use of drugs, including alcohol, narcotics or chemicals; (3) engaging in fraud or material deception in the course of professional services or activities; (4) physical or mental illness, emotional disorder or loss of motor skill, including, but not limited to, deterioration through the aging process; or (5) illegal, incompetent or negligent conduct in the course of professional activities. The commissioner may order a license holder to submit to a reasonable physical or mental examination if the physical or mental capacity of the license holder to practice safely is the subject of an investigation. The commissioner may petition the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford to enforce such order or any action taken pursuant to section 19a-17. No license issued pursuant to this chapter shall be revoked or suspended under this section until the licensee has been given notice and opportunity for hearing as provided in the regulations adopted by the commissioner.

(1949 Rev., S. 4595; February, 1965, P.A. 47, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 451, 610; P.A. 80-484, S. 121, 174, 176; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-220, S. 4–6; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 01-195, S. 171, 181.)

History: 1965 act substituted “commissioner of health or his representative” for “department”; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of health with commissioner of health services, deleted requirement that representative be designated “in writing”, replaced violations of “this section” with violations of “this chapter” or any regulation adopted hereunder and required notice and opportunity for hearing before revocation or suspension of license or shop registration, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-484 required commissioner to refer matter to board for hearing, removing provision whereby he could take testimony, deleted reference to complaints concerning immorality, allowed board to take disciplinary action rather than commissioner and included actions in Sec. 19-4s as disciplinary actions, extending power beyond license revocation or suspension, added grounds of fraud or deception, drug abuse, etc., physical or mental illness, etc., incompetent or negligent action, etc. and added provisions re physical and mental examinations and re petitions to court for enforcement of orders or actions; P.A. 88-230 replaced “judicial district of Hartford-New Britain” with “judicial district of Hartford”, effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; 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. 01-195 made technical changes, effective July 11, 2001.

Cited. 165 C. 516.