Sec. 3-7. Cancellation of uncollectible claims. Compromise of disputed claims. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 3-7. Cancellation of uncollectible claims. Compromise of disputed claims. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, any uncollectible claim for an amount of one thousand dollars or less may be cancelled upon the books of any state department or agency upon the authorization of the head of such department or agency. Any uncollectible costs in an amount less than five thousand dollars incurred by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection pursuant to section 22a-451, for investigating, containing, removing, monitoring or mitigating pollution and contamination, emergency or hazardous waste may be cancelled by the commissioner, in accordance with procedures approved by the State Comptroller.

      (b) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management may authorize the cancellation upon the books of any state department or agency of any uncollectible claim for an amount greater than one thousand dollars due to such department or agency.

      (c) Upon the recommendation of the Attorney General, the Governor may authorize the compromise of any disputed claim by or against the state or any department or agency thereof, and shall certify to the proper officer or department or agency of the state the amount to be received or paid under such compromise. Such certificate shall constitute sufficient authority to such officer or department or agency to pay or receive the amount therein specified in full settlement of such claim. The record of any compromise effected pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be open to public inspection in accordance with section 1-210.

      (1949 Rev., S. 103; P.A. 73-333; P.A. 81-232; 81-374, S. 1, 4; P.A. 82-412, S. 1, 2; P.A. 85-613, S. 11, 154; P.A. 87-299, S. 1, 2; P.A. 91-120; P.A. 97-203, S. 14, 20; 97-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 98-204, S. 1, 2.)

      History: P.A. 73-333 required records of compromise decisions be open to public inspection; P.A. 81-232 permitted cancellation of uncollectible claims due to state departments and agencies by the department or agency head if the amount of the claim is less than $20 where previously all cancellations were authorized by governor and included references to state agencies in addition to departments; P.A. 81-374, effective July 1, 1981, added Subsec. (b) authorizing cancellation of uncollectible patient claims, not exceeding $400, owed to The University of Connecticut health center; P.A. 82-412 amended section to allow cancellation of claims of $50 or less, rather than $20 or less, by agency or department head; P.A. 85-613 made technical change, deleting reference to Sec. 1-20 in Subsec. (a); P.A. 87-299 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing the amount of uncollectible claim due any state department or agency which may be cancelled by the head of such department or agency from $50 or less to $200 or less, except for the department of revenue services where the maximum amount which may be so cancelled was continued at $50; P.A. 91-120 increased the level of uncollectible claims which can be cancelled by the department of revenue services from $50 to $200 and rewrote the section for clarity; P.A. 97-203 amended Subsec. (b) to replace Attorney General with the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management re recommendation to the Governor, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 97-241 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that the Commissioner of Environmental Protection may cancel uncollectible claims of less than $5,000 incurred by him under Sec. 22a-451, effective June 24, 1997; P.A. 98-204 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing the amount of uncollectible claim due any state department or agency which may be cancelled by the head of such department or agency from $200 or less to $1,000 or less and deleting provision that uncollectible patient claim due The University of Connecticut Health Center of $400 or less may be cancelled upon the authorization of the Board of Trustees of The University of Connecticut, amended Subsec. (b) by providing that the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, rather than the Governor, upon the recommendation of said secretary, may authorize cancellation of uncollectible claim for $1,000, rather than $200, and deleting provision concerning cancellation of uncollectible patient claims greater than $400 due The University of Connecticut Health Center, effective July 1, 1998.

      The legislature did not intend for Governor's authorization to pay amount specified in a settlement to create mandatory duty for department official to pay. 284 C. 250.

      Arbitration clause in state contract not invalidated by this section. 28 CS 173.