Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-148b: Creation of fair rent commission. Powers.

(a) For purposes of this section and sections 7-148c to 7-148f, inclusive, “seasonal basis” means housing accommodations rented for a period or periods aggregating not more than one hundred twenty days in any one calendar year, “rental charge” includes any fee or charge in addition to rent that is imposed or sought to be imposed upon a tenant by a landlord, and “municipality” means a town, city or consolidated town and city.

(b) Any municipality may, and each municipality with a population of fifteen thousand or more, as determined by the most recent decennial census, shall, through its legislative body, adopt an ordinance that (1) creates a fair rent commission, (2) establishes or joins the municipality in a joint fair rent commission pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, or (3) joins the municipality in a regional fair rent commission pursuant to subsection (e) of this section. Any such commission shall make studies and investigations, conduct hearings and receive complaints relative to rental charges on housing accommodations, except those accommodations rented on a seasonal basis, within its jurisdiction, which term shall include mobile manufactured homes and mobile manufactured home park lots, in order to control and eliminate excessive rental charges on such accommodations, and to carry out the provisions of sections 7-148b to 7-148f, inclusive, section 47a-20 and subsection (b) of section 47a-23c. The commission, for such purposes, may compel the attendance of persons at hearings, issue subpoenas and administer oaths, issue orders and continue, review, amend, terminate or suspend any of its orders and decisions. The commission may be empowered to retain legal counsel to advise it. All hearings conducted pursuant to this section shall be open to the public.

(c) Any municipality required to create a fair rent commission pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall adopt an ordinance creating a fair rent commission, or joining a joint fair rent commission or regional fair rent commission, on or before January 1, 2028. No municipality required to create a fair rent commission pursuant to subsection (b) of this section that has created a fair rent commission prior to January 1, 2026, shall abolish such commission before January 1, 2028, unless such municipality joins a joint fair rent commission or regional fair rent commission pursuant to this section. Not later than thirty days after the adoption of such ordinance, the chief executive officer of such municipality shall (1) notify the Commissioner of Housing that such commission has been created or joined by such municipality, and (2) transmit a copy of the ordinance adopted by the municipality to the commissioner.

(d) Two or more contiguous municipalities may, by concurrent ordinances adopted by their legislative bodies, establish a joint fair rent commission. Any municipality that is contiguous to a municipality that is a member of an existing joint fair rent commission may become a member of such joint fair rent commission upon the adoption of an ordinance by such municipality's legislative body. Any municipality that is a member of a joint fair rent commission may, by vote of its legislative body, elect to withdraw from such commission, provided such withdrawing municipality creates its own fair rent commission or joins another joint fair rent commission or regional fair rent commission in compliance with the requirements of this section.

(e) A regional council of governments formed pursuant to section 4-124j may establish a regional fair rent commission. Any municipality that is a member of such council may join such regional fair rent commission upon the adoption of an ordinance by such municipality's legislative body. Any regional fair rent commission shall prescribe a form and manner in which complaints to such commission shall be made.

(f) Upon the request of a party to a matter pending before a regional fair rent commission, a meeting or a portion of a meeting during which the participation of such party is required shall be conducted by means of electronic equipment, as defined in section 1-200, in conjunction with an in-person meeting of such commission.

(g) Except as otherwise provided by law, a regional fair rent commission shall not be liable for damages to person or property caused by: (A) Acts or omissions of any employee, officer or agent which constitute criminal conduct, fraud, actual malice or wilful misconduct; or (B) negligent acts or omissions which require the exercise of judgment or discretion as an official function of the authority expressly or impliedly granted by law.

(h) Any municipality that creates a fair rent commission pursuant to this section shall make any bylaws adopted by such fair rent commission publicly available on the Internet web site of such municipality.