Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-98a (2026)

Discriminatory housing practice or breach of conciliation agreement: Cause of action; relief

✓ current as of May 2026

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Any person claiming to be aggrieved by a violation of section 46a-64c or 46a-81e or by a breach of a conciliation agreement entered into pursuant to this chapter, may bring an action in the Superior Court, or the housing session of said court if appropriate within one year of the date of the alleged discriminatory practice or of a breach of a conciliation agreement entered into pursuant to this chapter. No action pursuant to this section may be brought in the Superior Court regarding the alleged discriminatory practice after the commission has obtained a conciliation agreement pursuant to section 46a-83 or commenced a hearing pursuant to section 46a-84, except for an action to enforce the conciliation agreement. The court shall have the power to grant relief, by injunction or otherwise, as it deems just and suitable. The court may grant any relief which a presiding officer may grant in a proceeding under section 46a-86 or which the court may grant in a proceeding under section 46a-89. The commission, through commission legal counsel or the Attorney General, may intervene as a matter of right in any action brought pursuant to this section without permission of the court or the parties.

(P.A. 81-81, S. 2; P.A. 88-241, S. 7; 88-364, S. 57, 123; P.A. 90-246, S. 14; P.A. 91-58, S. 34; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11, S. 35, 70; P.A. 11-237, S. 13; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 83.)

History: P.A. 88-241 revised a statutory reference and made a technical change; P.A. 88-364 corrected a reference to Sec. 46-64a to Sec. 46a-64a; P.A. 90-246 amended section by deleting reference to Sec. 46a-64a and adding reference to Sec. 46a-64c, and adding provision permitting person claiming to be aggrieved by violation of Sec. 46a-64c or breach of a conciliation agreement to bring action within one year of alleged discriminatory practice or breach of conciliation agreement, and permitting commission to intervene in any such action; P.A. 91-58 added a reference to a violation of Sec. 46a-81e and added a reference to the penalties provided for under Sec. 46a-81e(f); May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11 replaced “hearing officer” with “presiding officer”; P.A. 11-237 replaced “its counsel” with “commission legal counsel” and added provision re intervention without permission of the court or the parties; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 deleted provision re penalties provided for under Sec. 46a-64c(g) or Sec. 46a-81e(f) and made a technical change.

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Sec. 46a-99. (Formerly Sec. 4-61l). Discriminatory state practice: Cause of action; relief. Any person claiming to be aggrieved by a violation of any provision of sections 46a-70 to 46a-78, inclusive, or sections 46a-81h to 46a-81o, inclusive, may petition the Superior Court for appropriate relief and said court shall have the power to grant such relief, by injunction or otherwise, as it deems just and suitable.

(1969, P.A. 790, S. 11; P.A. 76-436, S. 249, 681; P.A. 77-551; P.A. 79-631, S. 4, 111; P.A. 80-422, S. 47; 80-483, S. 10, 186; P.A. 91-58, S. 35.)

History: P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common pleas with superior court, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-551 authorized aggrieved person to file complaint with commission on human rights and opportunities and specified commission's right to issue and proceed upon complaint as provided in chapter 563; P.A. 79-631 substituted Sec. 4-61c for Sec. 4-61b; P.A. 80-422 substituted Sec. 4-61k for Sec. 4-61l and deleted provisions added by P.A. 77-551; P.A. 80-483 made technical grammatical correction; Sec. 4-61l transferred to Sec. 46a-99 in 1981 and internal section references revised as necessary to reflect their transfer; P.A. 91-58 added reference to a violation of any provision of Secs. 46a-81h to 46a-81o, inclusive.

Annotation to former section 4-61l:

The issuance of an injunction requires allegations and proof that plaintiffs are aggrieved and that their aggrievement constitutes a justiciable interest in the controversy in question. 165 C. 516, 521.

Annotations to present section:

Cited. 196 C. 208; 236 C. 453; 243 C. 1.

Cited. 4 CA 423; 5 CA 643; 44 CA 446. The provisions of section do not constitute a waiver of state's sovereign immunity with respect to claims for money damages. 104 CA 547.

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Notes of Decisions

Cited in 7 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1988–2023 · leading case: Comm'n on Human Rights & Opportunities v. Hous. Auth., 978 A.2d 136 (Conn. App. Ct. 2009).

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Comm'n on Human Rights & Opportunities v. Hous. Auth., 978 A.2d 136 (Conn. App. Ct. 2009). · cites it 7× “Furthermore, as an adjunct to this judicial route, the complainant may completely bypass the administrative route and bring a direct civil action in the Superior Court, under General Statutes § 46a-98a, for a violation of § 46a-64c.”

Viens v. Am. Empire Surplus Lines Ins., 113 F. Supp. 3d 555 (D. Conn. 2015). · cites it 3× “Who May Bring Claims to Redress Violations of the CFHA On the first point, the Court disagrees that only those in a CFHA “protected class”' — here, tenants using Section 8 vouchers — may bring a claim to redress a violation of the statute, .”

Valley Hous. Lp v. City of Derby, 802 F. Supp. 2d 359 (D. Conn. 2011). “Section 46a-98a allowing the remedies as authorized by Section 46a-86(c), and offer of judgment interest under Connecticut law if the total amount of the judgment(s) that the Court will enter as set out above exceeds the amount of plaintiffs’ offer under Conn.”

Lyon v. Jones, 935 A.2d 201 (Conn. App. Ct. 2007). · cites it 6× “Particularly instructive is General Statutes § 46a-98a, which provides a cause of action in the Superior Court for claims of discriminatory housing practices or sexual discrimination in housing.”

Billings v. Stone & Webster Eng'g Corp., 678 F. Supp. 984 (D. Conn. 1988). · cites it 3× “” Conn.Gen.Stat. § 46a-98a (expressly creating action for discrimination in extension of credit); § 46a-98a (express action for discrimination against families with children).”

Poteat v. Hartford Hous. (D. Conn. 2023). · cites it 2× “violated the FHA and Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-98a, Connecticut’s housing discrimination statute.”

Tomick v. United Parcel Serv., Inc. (Conn. App. Ct. 2015). · cites it 2× “See General Statutes § 46a-98 (c) and (d) (explicitly providing punitive damages in cases of discriminatory credit practices with a specified maxi- mum cap); General Statutes § 46a-98a (authorizing puni- tive damages in cases of housing discrimination pursuant to General…”

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