2013 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 36b - Connecticut Securities Law and Business Opportunity Investment Act
Chapter 672c - Business Opportunity Investment Act
Section 36b-65 - (Formerly Sec. 36-508). Exemptions.

(a) The following business opportunities are exempt from subsection (a) of section 36b-62; section 36b-63 and section 36b-64; section 36b-66 and subdivision (1) of section 36b-67: (1) (A) Subject to the provisions of subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, any business opportunity for which the initial payment made by the purchaser-investor per business opportunity does not exceed two hundred dollars, if no representations are made that the seller guarantees, either conditionally or unconditionally, that the purchaser-investor will derive income from the business opportunity. For purposes of this subparagraph, “initial payment” means the total amount the purchaser-investor becomes obligated to pay to the seller or to any third party either prior to or at the time of delivery of the products, equipment, supplies or services or within one year of the commencement of operation of the business by the purchaser-investor. If payment is over a period of time, “initial payment” includes the sum of the down payment and the total periodic payments. “Initial payment” does not include periodic payments where the amount or rate of the payment is based on net revenue or gross revenue generated by the business. (B) The commissioner may, by regulation, adopted pursuant to section 36b-77, or order as to any business opportunity or type of business opportunity or transaction exempt under subdivision (1)(A) of this subsection, modify, withdraw, further condition or waive such conditions, in whole or in part, conditionally or unconditionally, on a finding that such regulation or order is necessary and appropriate, in the public interest or for the protection of purchaser-investors; (2) any business opportunity sold in this state exclusively to purchaser-investors each of whom has a net worth of not less than one million dollars exclusive of principal residence, home furnishings, and personal automobiles; and (3) any other business opportunity that the commissioner by regulation, adopted pursuant to section 36b-77, or order may exempt, conditionally or unconditionally, if the commissioner finds that enforcement of all the provisions of sections 36b-60 to 36b-80, inclusive, with respect to such business opportunity is not necessary to protect the public interest, and for the protection of purchaser-investors due to the limited character of the business opportunity, or because such business opportunity is, in the judgment of the commissioner, adequately regulated by federal law. The commissioner may by order deny, suspend or revoke any exemption with respect to a particular offering of one or more business opportunities in accordance with the provisions of section 36b-68. No order under this subsection may operate retroactively. No person may be considered to have violated any order issued under this subsection by reason of any offer or sale effected after the entry of such order if such person sustains the burden of proof that such person did not know, and in the exercise of reasonable care could not have known, of such order.

(b) In any proceeding under sections 36b-60 to 36b-80, inclusive, the burden of proving an exemption, exclusion or an exception from a definition is upon the person claiming it.

(P.A. 79-458, S. 6, 19; P.A. 80-262, S. 4, 10; P.A. 82-52, S. 4, 5; P.A. 83-217, S. 5, 7; P.A. 84-67, S. 5, 6; P.A. 88-339, S. 2; P.A. 92-89, S. 14, 20; P.A. 96-73, S. 2; P.A. 97-22, S. 11; P.A. 01-10, S. 7; P.A. 09-160, S. 5.)

History: P.A. 80-262 required filing of balance sheet, income statement and statement of changes in financial condition as specified rather than single “financial statement” and amended provisions accordingly; P.A. 82-52 amended Subsec. (b) to require filing of a balance sheet as of a date not more than four months prior to the filing of registration statement and to limit waivers of the requirement for audited statements to sellers who have been in business for less than one year and amended Subsec. (d) to allow substitution of the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular in lieu of disclosure document; P.A. 83-217 amended Subsec. (b) to require filing of an income statement and statement of changes in financial condition as of a date not more than four months prior to filing of registration statement, to require filing of a balance sheet, income statement and statement of changes in financial position for the most recent fiscal year instead of the most recent three fiscal years, and a balance sheet, income statement and statement of changes in financial position for two fiscal years prior to most recent fiscal year accompanied by independent certified public accountant’s opinion showing conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, and amended Subsec. (e) to specify those business opportunities which are exempt from the provisions of this chapter; P.A. 84-67 amended Subsec. (e) to exempt from registration any business opportunity sold in this state exclusively to purchaser-investors with individual net worth less than $1,000,000 and amended Subsec. (f) to require sellers to amend financial statements not less than quarterly; P.A. 88-339 added Subsec. (a)(7) re the table of contents of any operations manual which is to be provided to the purchaser-investor and required the application to include the seller’s sworn statement that the information contained in the application is true; P.A. 92-89 increased the registration fee in Subsec. (c) from $200 to $400; Sec. 36-508 transferred to Sec. 36b-65 in 1995; P.A. 96-73 amended Subsec. (b) to expressly allow unaudited financial statements and to delete the commissioner’s discretion to waive audited statements; P.A 97-22 made a technical change in Subsec. (e); P.A. 01-10 made technical changes in Subsec. (e); P.A. 09-160 deleted former Subsecs. (a) to (d) re registration and application, redesignated existing Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (a), amended same by adding references to regulations “adopted pursuant to section 36b-77”, deleting provision re burden of proving exemption and making technical changes, deleted former Subsec. (f) re notice and amendment and added new Subsec. (b) re burden of proving an exemption, exclusion or an exception from a definition.