Page 302

House Bill No. 5506

Public Act No. 22-118 302 of 739

persons eligible for assistance under this section, pending verification of eligibility, provided no assistance shall be paid to any affected person after June 30, 2024. The program shall be administered by the administrator. The administrator shall accept applications for assistance on or after October 1, 2021. For the purposes of this section, the administrator shall be authorized to (1) determine whether an affected person meets the requirements for eligibility for assistance under this section and the amount of assistance that should be provided; (2) summon and examine under oath such witnesses that may provide information relevant to the eligibility of an affected person, and direct the production of, and examine or cause to be produced or examined, such books, records, vouchers, memoranda, documents, letters, contracts or other papers in relation to any matter at issue as the administrator may find proper; and (3) take or cause to be taken affidavits or depositions within or without the state. (c) There is established an account to be known as the "Connecticut Essential Workers COVID-19 Assistance Fund" which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. Moneys in the account shall be expended by the Comptroller at the discretion of the administrator for the purposes of (1) assistance offered under the Connecticut Essential Workers COVID-19 Assistance Program, and (2) costs and expenses of operating the program, including the hiring of necessary employees and the expense of public outreach and education regarding the program and fund, provided not more than five per cent of the total moneys received by the fund shall be used for any administrative costs, including hiring temporary or durational staff or contracting with a third-party administrator, or other costs and expenses incurred by the administrator or Comptroller in connection with carrying out the provisions of this section and subsection (a) of section 31-306. The administrator shall make all reasonable efforts to limit the costs and expenses of operating the