2011 Connecticut Code
Title 19a Public Health and Well-Being
Chapter 368m Nuisances and Public Places
Sec. 19a-343. *(See end of section for amended version and effective date). Action to abate public nuisance after three or more arrests or arrest warrants. Offenses.

      Sec. 19a-343. *(See end of section for amended version and effective date). Action to abate public nuisance after three or more arrests or arrest warrants. Offenses. (a) For the purposes of sections 19a-343 to 19a-343h, inclusive, a person creates or maintains a public nuisance if such person erects, establishes, maintains, uses, owns or leases any real property or portion thereof for any of the purposes enumerated in subdivisions (1) to (11), inclusive, of subsection (c) of this section.

      (b) The state has the exclusive right to bring an action to abate a public nuisance under this section and sections 19a-343a to 19a-343h, inclusive, involving any real property or portion thereof, commercial or residential, including single or multifamily dwellings, provided there have been three or more arrests, or the issuance of three or more arrest warrants indicating a pattern of criminal activity and not isolated incidents, for conduct on the property documented by a law enforcement officer for any of the offenses enumerated in subdivisions (1) to (11), inclusive, of subsection (c) of this section within the three hundred sixty-five days preceding commencement of the action.

      (c) Three or more arrests, or the issuance of three or more arrest warrants indicating a pattern of criminal activity and not isolated incidents, for the following offenses shall constitute the basis for bringing an action to abate a public nuisance:

      (1) Prostitution under section 53a-82, 53a-83, 53a-86, 53a-87, 53a-88 or 53a-89.

      (2) Promoting an obscene performance or obscene material under section 53a-196 or 53a-196b, employing a minor in an obscene performance under section 53a-196a, importing child pornography under section 53a-196c, possessing child pornography in the first degree under section 53a-196d, possessing child pornography in the second degree under section 53a-196e or possessing child pornography in the third degree under section 53a-196f.

      (3) Transmission of gambling information under section 53-278b or 53-278d or maintaining of a gambling premises under section 53-278e.

      (4) Offenses for the sale of controlled substances, possession of controlled substances with intent to sell, or maintaining a drug factory under section 21a-277, 21a-278 or 21a-278a or use of the property by persons possessing controlled substances under section 21a-279. Nothing in this section shall prevent the state from also proceeding against property under section 21a-259 or 54-36h.

      (5) Unauthorized sale of alcoholic liquor under section 30-74 or disposing of liquor without a permit under section 30-77.

      (6) Violations of the inciting injury to persons or property law under section 53a-179a.

      (7) Maintaining a motor vehicle chop shop under section 14-149a.

      (8) Murder or manslaughter under section 53a-54a, 53a-54b, 53a-55, 53a-56 or 53a-56a.

      (9) Assault under section 53a-59, 53a-59a, subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 53a-60 or section 53a-60a.

      (10) Sexual assault under section 53a-70 or 53a-70a.

      (11) Fire safety violations under section 29-292, subsection (b) of section 29-310, or section 29-315, 29-317, 29-320, 29-325, 29-329, 29-337, 29-349 or 29-357.

      (P.A. 98-220, S. 1, 10; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 99, 121; P.A. 99-115, S. 1, 3; P.A. 03-231, S. 4; P.A. 04-139, S. 11.)

      *Note: On and after January 1, 2013, this section, as amended by section 20 of public act 09-177 and section 6 of public act 10-54, is to read as follows:

      "Sec. 19a-343. Action to abate public nuisance after three or more arrests or arrest warrants. Offenses. (a) For the purposes of sections 19a-343 to 19a-343h, inclusive, a person creates or maintains a public nuisance if such person erects, establishes, maintains, uses, owns or leases any real property or portion thereof for any of the purposes enumerated in subdivisions (1) to (11), inclusive, of subsection (c) of this section.

      (b) The state has the exclusive right to bring an action to abate a public nuisance under this section and sections 19a-343a to 19a-343h, inclusive, involving any real property or portion thereof, commercial or residential, including single or multifamily dwellings, provided there have been three or more arrests, or the issuance of three or more arrest warrants indicating a pattern of criminal activity and not isolated incidents, for conduct on the property documented by a law enforcement officer for any of the offenses enumerated in subdivisions (1) to (11), inclusive, of subsection (c) of this section within the three hundred sixty-five days preceding commencement of the action.

      (c) Three or more arrests, or the issuance of three or more arrest warrants indicating a pattern of criminal activity and not isolated incidents, for the following offenses shall constitute the basis for bringing an action to abate a public nuisance:

      (1) Prostitution under section 53a-82, 53a-83, 53a-86, 53a-87, 53a-88 or 53a-89.

      (2) Promoting an obscene performance or obscene material under section 53a-196 or 53a-196b, employing a minor in an obscene performance under section 53a-196a, importing child pornography under section 53a-196c, possessing child pornography in the first degree under section 53a-196d, possessing child pornography in the second degree under section 53a-196e or possessing child pornography in the third degree under section 53a-196f.

      (3) Transmission of gambling information under section 53-278b or 53-278d or maintaining of a gambling premises under section 53-278e.

      (4) Offenses for the sale of controlled substances, possession of controlled substances with intent to sell, or maintaining a drug factory under section 21a-277, 21a-278 or 21a-278a or use of the property by persons possessing controlled substances under section 21a-279. Nothing in this section shall prevent the state from also proceeding against property under section 21a-259 or 54-36h.

      (5) Unauthorized sale of alcoholic liquor under section 30-74 or disposing of liquor without a permit under section 30-77.

      (6) Violations of the inciting injury to persons or property law under section 53a-179a.

      (7) Maintaining a motor vehicle chop shop under section 14-149a.

      (8) Murder or manslaughter under section 53a-54a, 53a-54b, 53a-55, 53a-56 or 53a-56a.

      (9) Assault under section 53a-59, 53a-59a, subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 53a-60 or section 53a-60a.

      (10) Sexual assault under section 53a-70 or 53a-70a.

      (11) Fire safety violations under section 29-292, subsection (b) of section 29-310, or section 29-315, 29-320, 29-329, 29-337, 29-349 or 29-357."

      (P.A. 98-220, S. 1, 10; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 99, 121; P.A. 99-115, S. 1, 3; P.A. 03-231, S. 4; P.A. 04-139, S. 11; P.A. 09-177, S. 20; P.A. 10-54, S. 6.)

      History: P.A. 98-220 effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-115 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b), amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) by adding "or the issuance of three or more arrest warrants indicating a pattern of criminal activity and not isolated incidents", and amended Subsec. (c) by adding Subdivs. (8), (9) and (10) re murder or manslaughter, assault and sexual assault, respectively, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 03-231 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to make technical changes and amended Subsec. (c) to add Subdiv. (11) re fire safety violations, effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 04-139 amended Subsec. (c)(2) to replace "importing or possessing child pornography under section 53a-196c or 53a-196d" with "importing child pornography under section 53a-196c, possessing child pornography in the first degree under section 53a-196d, possessing child pornography in the second degree under section 53a-196e or possessing child pornography in the third degree under section 53a-196f"; P.A. 09-177 amended Subsec. (c)(11) to delete references to Secs. 29-317 and 29-325, effective January 1, 2011; P.A. 10-54 changed effective date of P.A. 09-177, S. 20, from January 1, 2011, to January 1, 2013, effective May 18, 2010.