Sec. 31-355a. Collection of moneys owed to the Second Injury Fund. Tax warrants. Lien. Foreclosure. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 31-355a. Collection of moneys owed to the Second Injury Fund. Tax warrants. Lien. Foreclosure. (a) Whenever the Second Injury Fund is required, pursuant to section 31-355 or subsection (c) of section 31-349, to pay benefits or compensation mandated by the provisions of this chapter for any employer or insurer who fails or is unable to make such payments, the amount so paid by the fund shall be collectible by any means provided by law for the collection of any tax due the state of Connecticut or any subdivision thereof, including any means provided by section 12-35. Tax warrants referred to in said section 12-35 may be signed by the State Treasurer.

      (b) Any such amount due shall be a lien from the due date until discharged by payment against all the property of the employer or insurer within the state, whether real or personal, except such as is exempt from execution, including debts to the employer or insurer, and a certificate of such lien without specifically describing such real or personal property, signed by the State Treasurer, may be filed in the office of the clerk of any town in which such real property is situated, or, in the case of personal property, in the office of the Secretary of the State, which lien shall be effective from the date on which it is recorded. When any such amount with respect to which a lien has been recorded under the provisions of this section has been satisfied, the State Treasurer, upon request of any interested party, shall issue a certificate discharging such lien. Any action for the foreclosure of such lien shall be brought by the Attorney General in the name of the state in the superior court for the judicial district in which the property subject to such lien is situated or, if such property is located in two or more judicial districts, in the superior court for any one such judicial district and the court may limit the time for redemption or order the sale of such property or pass such other or further decree as it judges equitable. When the property to be liened is concealed in the hands of an agent or trustee so that it cannot be found or attached, or is a debt due to the employer, the certificate of lien may be filed by leaving a copy thereof with such agent, trustee or debtor, or by mailing to him a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, and from the time of the receipt of such lien all the effects of the employer or insurer in the hands of such agent or trustee and any debt due from such debtor to the employer or insurer shall be secured in the hands of such agent, trustee or debtor to pay the amount secured by such lien. The payment by such agent, trustee or debtor to the State Treasurer shall discharge him of his liability to the employer or insurer to the extent thereof. The State Treasurer may require such agent, trustee or debtor to disclose under oath within ten days whether he has in his hands the goods or effects of the employer or insurer or is indebted to him. If such agent, trustee or debtor fails to disclose or, having disclosed, fails to turn over such effects or pay to the State Treasurer the amount of his indebtedness to the employer or insurer, the lien shall have the effect of a judgment and the State Treasurer may proceed against him by scire facias taken out from the clerk of the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford in the manner provided in chapter 905 for scire facias against a garnishee.

      (P.A. 86-173; P.A. 88-47, S. 2; 88-230, S. 1, 12; 88-364, S. 49, 123; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 91-207, S. 8, 9; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4-6.)

      History: P.A. 88-47 added the reference to Subsec. (c) of Sec. 31-349; P.A. 88-230 replaced "judicial district of Hartford-New Britain" with "judicial district of Hartford", effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 88-364 made a technical change in Subsec. (b); P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 91-207 made a technical change to fund's name in Subsec. (a); 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. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995.

      Cited. 37 CA 835.