(a) Subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, as defined in section 1-200, the commissioner may: (1) Make such public or private investigations within or outside of this state as he deems necessary to determine whether any person has violated or is about to violate any provision of sections 36b-60 to 36b-80, inclusive, or any regulation or order adopted or issued under said sections, or to aid in the enforcement of said sections or in the adoption of regulations and forms under said sections; (2) require or permit any person to file a statement in writing, under oath or otherwise as said commissioner determines, as to all the facts and circumstances concerning the matter to be investigated; and (3) publish information concerning any violation of sections 36b-60 to 36b-80, inclusive, or of any regulation or order adopted or issued under said sections.

(b) For the purpose of any investigation or proceeding under sections 36b-60 to 36b-80, inclusive, the commissioner or any officer designated by him may administer oaths and affirmations, subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, take evidence and require the production of any books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, agreements or other documents or records which the commissioner deems relevant or material to the inquiry.

(c) In case of contumacy by, or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to, any person, the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford, upon application by the commissioner, may issue to such person an order requiring him to appear before the commissioner, or the officer designated by him there to produce documentary evidence if so ordered or to give evidence concerning the matter under investigation or in question. Failure to obey the order of the court may be punished by the court as a contempt of court.

(d) No person shall be excused from attending and testifying or from producing any document or record before the commissioner, or in obedience to the subpoena of said commissioner or any officer designated by him, or in any proceeding instituted by said commissioner, on the ground that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise required of him may tend to incriminate him or subject him to a penalty of forfeiture; but no individual may be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter or thing concerning which he is compelled, after claiming his privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, except that the individual testifying is not exempt from prosecution and punishment for perjury or contempt committed in testifying.

(P.A. 79-458, S. 12, 19; P.A. 80-262, S. 5, 10; 80-483, S. 109, 168, 186; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4–6; P.A. 97-22, S. 16; 97-47, S. 38.)

History: P.A. 80-262 specified that commissioner's action shall be subject to provisions of chapter 3 rather than “in his discretion”; P.A. 80-483 replaced “Hartford county” with “judicial district of Hartford-New Britain” in Subsec. (c); 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; Sec. 36-514 transferred to Sec. 36b-71 in 1995; 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. 97-22 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b); P.A. 97-47 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting “the Freedom of Information Act, as defined in Sec. 1-18a” for “chapter 3”.