Sec.1-92-23. Subpoenas issued by the Office of State Ethics

At any time after the ethics enforcement officer has received or filed a complaint and has determined that there is sufficient evidence to inquire into the complaint, he or she may seek board authority to subpoena witnesses to compel their attendance before the Office of State Ethics, or before any designated judge trial referee, and to require the production for examination of any books and papers which he or she deems relevant to the complaint. Subpoenas in preliminary investigations shall be issued either pursuant to a majority vote of the Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board or pursuant to the signature of its Chairperson or, in the case of unavailability of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson of such board. If a person to whom a subpoena is issued fails to appear or if, having appeared, refuses to testify or produce the evidence required by the subpoena, then the following occurs:

(1) when the failure or refusal occurs in the course of a preliminary investigation the Office of State Ethics may, as authorized by section 1-3b of the Connecticut General Statutes, apply to the Superior Court to order such person to appear, or give testimony, or produce such evidence, as the case may be, and

(2) when the failure or refusal occurs in the course of a probable cause hearing or board hearing, the judge trial referee will, under the authority conferred by those subsections, take the action he or she deems necessary or appropriate.

(Effective June 29, 1988; Amended January 2, 2008; Amended June 24, 2009; Amended May 11, 2023)