General Assembly Raised Bill No. 294 seeks to amend laws related to trade names, fraudulent filings, and corporate dissolution in Connecticut. A significant change is the requirement for individuals and business organizations to obtain a trade name certificate before conducting business under an assumed name, with applications needing to be filed with the town clerk and including specific details about the business. The bill establishes the Connecticut Trade Name Registry, which will streamline the application process and allow for public searches of trade name information. Additionally, it mandates that all trade name certificates issued before January 1, 2025, will expire on December 31, 2029, and introduces new regulations to prevent fraudulent submissions to the Connecticut Business Registry.

The bill also revises the administrative dissolution process for corporations, allowing notifications to be sent via email and establishing a timeline for compliance with annual report filings. It updates the fees associated with document filings, replacing "certifying" with "issuing an apostille" as per the Hague Convention, and allows for both paper and electronic formats. Furthermore, the bill enhances the Secretary of the State's authority to address fraudulent activities and outlines new procedures for notary public operations, including increasing the maximum fee a notary can charge and introducing a travel rate. Overall, the bill aims to improve transparency, efficiency, and consumer protection in business operations within the state.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 35-1a, 35-1b, 35-1c, 35-1d, 3-99e, 33-890, 33-1181, 3-94m, 3-95