Sec. 15-31a. Connecticut Port Authority. Board of directors. Executive director. Audits. Annual reports.

(a) There is hereby established and created a body politic and corporate, constituting a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the state of Connecticut established and created for the performance of an essential public and governmental function, to be known as the Connecticut Port Authority. The authority shall not be construed to be a department, institution or agency of the state.

(b) The powers of the authority shall be vested in and exercised by a board of directors, which shall consist of fifteen voting members as follows: (1) The State Treasurer, or the Treasurer's designee, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or the commissioner's designee, the Commissioner of Transportation, or the commissioner's designee, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, or the commissioner's designee, and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee, all of whom shall serve ex officio; (2) one appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives for a term of four years; (3) one appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives for a term of two years; (4) one appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives for a term of two years; (5) one appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate for a term of four years; (6) one appointed by the majority leader of the Senate for a term of two years; (7) one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate for a term of four years; and (8) four appointed by the Governor, two for a term of four years and two for a term of two years. Thereafter, said members of the General Assembly and the Governor shall appoint members of the board to succeed such appointees whose terms expire and each member so appointed shall hold office for a period of four years from the first day of July in the year of his or her appointment. Appointed members shall include: (A) Individuals who have experience and expertise in one or more of the following areas: (i) International trade; (ii) marine transportation; (iii) finance; or (iv) economic development; (B) one member or employee of a local port authority; (C) one elected or appointed municipal official from a coastal municipality with a population not greater than one hundred thousand; and (D) one elected or appointed municipal official from a coastal community with a population not greater than fifty thousand. The board of directors shall select the chairperson from among the members of the board, who shall serve for a term of two years. The board of directors shall select a vice-chairperson from among its members and such other officers as it deems necessary.

(c) No appointed member of the board of directors may designate a representative to perform his or her respective duties under this section in such member's absence. Any appointed member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the board or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings of the board held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from the board. Any vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled not later than thirty days following the occurrence of such vacancy in the same manner as the original appointment for the balance of the unexpired term. The appointing authority for any member may remove such member for inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct in office after giving the member a copy of the charges against the member and an opportunity to be heard, in person or by counsel, in the member's defense, upon not less than ten days' notice. If any member shall be so removed, the appointing authority for such member shall file in the office of the Secretary of the State a complete statement of charges made against such member and the appointing authority's findings on such statement of charges, together with a complete record of the proceedings.

(d) The members of the board of directors shall appoint an executive director of the authority who shall not be a member of the board and shall serve at the pleasure of the board and receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the board. The executive director shall: (1) Be the chief administrative officer of the authority and direct and supervise administrative affairs and technical activities in accordance with the directives of the board; (2) approve all accounts for salaries, allowable expenses of the authority or of any employee or consultant thereof, and expenses incidental to the operation of the authority; (3) perform such other duties as may be directed by the board in carrying out the purposes of this section; and (4) attend all meetings of the board, keep a record of the proceedings of the authority and maintain and be custodian of all books, documents and papers filed with the authority and of the minute book or journal of the authority and of its official seal. The executive director may cause copies to be made of all minutes and other records and documents of the authority and may give certificates under the official seal of the authority to the effect that such copies are true copies, and all persons dealing with the authority may rely upon such certificates.

(e) Each member of the board of directors shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for such member's actual and necessary expenses incurred during the performance of such member's official duties.

(f) Members of the board of directors may engage in private employment, or in a profession or business, subject to any applicable laws, rules and regulations of the state regarding official ethics or conflict of interest.

(g) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, it shall not constitute a conflict of interest for a trustee, director, partner or officer of any person, firm or corporation, or any individual having a financial interest in a person, firm or corporation, to serve as a member of the board of directors of the authority, provided such trustee, director, partner, officer or individual shall comply with all applicable provisions of chapter 10.

(h) Eight members of the board of directors of the authority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power of the authority. For the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power of the authority, and except as otherwise provided in this section, the authority may act by a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is in attendance.

(i) The board may delegate to eight or more members such board powers and duties as it may deem necessary and proper in conformity with the provisions of this section and its bylaws.

(j) The initial members of the board may begin service immediately upon appointment, but shall not serve past the sixth Wednesday of the next regular session of the General Assembly unless qualified in the manner provided in section 4-7. Thereafter, all appointments shall be made with the advice and consent of both houses of the General Assembly, in the manner provided in section 4-19.

(k) On or before December fifteenth of each year, the board shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation, commerce and the environment, summarizing the authority's activities, disclosing operating and financial statements and recommending legislation to promote the authority's purposes.

(l) Not later than seven days after receiving an audit of the authority conducted by an independent auditing firm, the board shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, commerce, the environment and transportation a copy of each such audit.

(m) The board shall: (1) Develop and recommend to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation a maritime policy for the state; (2) advise the Governor and such committee concerning the state's maritime policies and operations; (3) support the development of the state's maritime commerce and industries, including its ports and harbors; (4) recommend investments and actions, including dredging, required in order to preserve and enhance maritime commerce and industries; and (5) conduct studies and present recommendations concerning maritime issues.

(n) At least once each year, the board shall hold a public hearing for the purpose of evaluating the adequacy of the state's maritime policies, facilities and support for maritime commerce and industry.

(o) On or before January 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, the board of directors shall submit, in writing, to the Governor (1) a list of projects which, if undertaken by the state, would support the state's maritime policies and encourage maritime commerce and industry; (2) recommendations for improvements to existing maritime policies, programs and facilities; and (3) such other recommendations as the board considers appropriate. Copies of such report shall be submitted to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.

(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 1.)

History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 effective July 1, 2015.