(a) Requests for eligibility certificates under section 29-36f shall be submitted to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection on application forms prescribed by the commissioner. No eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver shall be issued under the provisions of said section unless the applicant for such certificate gives to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, upon the commissioner's request, full information concerning the applicant's criminal record and relevant information concerning the applicant's mental health history. The commissioner shall require each applicant to submit to state and national criminal history records checks. The commissioner shall take a full description of such applicant. The commissioner shall take the fingerprints of such applicant or conduct any other method of positive identification required by the State Police Bureau of Identification or the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The commissioner shall record the date the fingerprints were taken in the applicant's file and shall conduct criminal history records checks in accordance with section 29-17a. The commissioner shall, within sixty days of receipt of the national criminal history records check from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, either approve the application and issue the eligibility certificate or deny the application and notify the applicant of the reason for such denial in writing.

(b) (1) With respect to any application for an eligibility certificate filed with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection on or before July 1, 1995, the commissioner shall, not later than October 1, 1995, (A) approve the application and issue the eligibility certificate, (B) issue a temporary eligibility certificate, or (C) deny the application and notify the applicant of the reason for such denial in writing.

(2) With respect to any application for an eligibility certificate filed with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection after July 1, 1995, the commissioner shall, within ninety days, (A) approve the application and issue the eligibility certificate, (B) issue a temporary eligibility certificate, or (C) deny the application and notify the applicant of the reason for such denial in writing.

(3) A temporary certificate issued under this subsection shall be valid until such time as the commissioner either approves or denies the application.

(c) An eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver shall be of such form and content as the commissioner may prescribe, shall be signed by the certificate holder and shall contain an identification number, the name, address, place and date of birth, height, weight and eye color of the certificate holder and a full-face photograph of the certificate holder.

(d) A person holding an eligibility certificate issued by the commissioner shall notify the commissioner within two business days of any change of his address. The notification shall include his old address and his new address.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 1-210 and 1-211, the name and address of a person issued an eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver under the provisions of section 29-36f shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed, except (1) such information may be disclosed to law enforcement officials acting in the performance of their duties, including, but not limited to, employees of the United States Probation Office acting in the performance of their duties and parole officers within the Department of Correction acting in the performance of their duties, (2) the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection may disclose such information to the extent necessary to comply with a request made pursuant to section 29-33, 29-37a or 29-38m for verification that such certificate is still valid and has not been suspended or revoked, and (3) such information may be disclosed to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out the provisions of subsection (c) of section 17a-500.

(f) An eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver shall not authorize the holder thereof to carry a pistol or revolver upon his person in circumstances for which a permit to carry a pistol or revolver issued pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29-28 is required under section 29-35.

(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 8; P.A. 98-129, S. 7; P.A. 01-175, S. 23, 32; P.A. 07-217, S. 133; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; P.A. 12-177, S. 2; P.A. 13-3, S. 51; P.A. 15-216, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 98-129 added Subsec. (e)(3) authorizing the disclosure of such information to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out the provisions of Sec. 17a-500(c); P.A. 01-175 amended Subsec. (a) by making technical changes and adding provisions re fingerprinting and state and national criminal history records checks in accordance with Sec. 29-17a, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 07-217 made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective July 12, 2007; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Commissioner of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-177 amended Subsec. (e)(1) to permit disclosure of information to employees of the U.S. Probation Office acting in performance of their duties; P.A. 13-3 amended Subsec. (e)(2) to add reference to request made pursuant to Sec. 29-37a or 29-38m, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 15-216 amended Subsec. (e)(1) to add reference to parole officers within Department of Correction.