(a) There is established a separate, nonlapsing account, within the General Fund, known as the maintenance, repair and improvement account. All moneys collected from any rent paid by any person occupying or otherwise using any property owned by the Department of Agriculture, including houses or other buildings, shall be deposited into the account unless the Commissioner of Agriculture enters into a written agreement, signs an instrument or issues a license which specifically states otherwise. Said account may also receive moneys from private or public sources, including the federal government or a municipal government.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, any moneys received by the Department of Agriculture pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be deposited in the General Fund and credited to the maintenance, repair and improvement account. The account shall be available to the Commissioner of Agriculture for maintaining, making improvements to, erecting structures on or repairing any property owned by the department, including houses and other buildings. Nothing in this section shall prevent the commissioner from obtaining or using funds from sources other than the account for maintaining, making improvements to, erecting structures on or repairing any property owned by the department, including houses and other buildings.
(c) The commissioner shall annually report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations concerning the activities and status of the maintenance, repair and improvement account.
(P.A. 01-126, S. 1, 2; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e), (f); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 01-126 effective July 1, 2001; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner and Department of Agriculture with Commissioner and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004.