State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Connecticut > Title29 > Chap531 > Sec29-109Sec. 29-109. Certificates of approval. Regulations. Variations or exemptions. (a) No moving picture projector involving the use of a photographic film shall be operated in any public building or place of public assemblage or entertainment until such precautions as the Commissioner of Public Safety specifies have been taken against fire, panic or other personal hazards and a certificate of approval for such premises has been obtained from the commissioner specifying the number of persons that may be admitted to such premises or place at any one time. No moving picture film shall be used or exhibited in any premises or place mentioned herein unless such film, together with the projector and necessary accessories, is located in a room or area of such size, type and design as the commissioner specifies, and a certificate of approval has been obtained from the commissioner authorizing such use of such room or area. No person may store or use any moving picture film made of nitrocellulose or any other highly combustible material in a motion picture theater.
(b) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to establish (1) requirements for the issuance of certificates of approval under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, and (2) procedures for the operation of motion picture and projection rooms or areas, and to otherwise implement the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.
(c) The State Fire Marshal may grant variations or exemptions from, or approve equivalent or alternate compliance with, particular provisions of subsection (a) of this section or any regulation adopted under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section where strict compliance with such provisions would entail practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship, or is otherwise adjudged unwarranted, provided any such variation, exemption or approved equivalent or alternate compliance shall, in the opinion of the State Fire Marshal, secure the public safety.
(1949 Rev., S. 3694; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 89-188, S. 1, 9; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 56, 121.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 89-188 divided the section into Subsecs., deleting references to "fire-proof booth" and inserting "area" in its place, prohibiting the storage or use of nitrocellulose film in a motion picture theater, requiring public safety commissioner to adopt regulations to implement provisions of Subsec. (a) and permitting state fire marshal to grant variations or exemptions from Subsec. (a) or the regulations; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective June 24, 1998.
See Sec. 53-199 re regulation of seating capacity and standing room in theaters and movie houses.
Section held not to invalidate prior New Britain ordinance requiring member of police force to be present at each theater performance. 147 C. 546.
Cited. 15 CA 130.
Authority to operate under Sec. 29-115 is inoperative unless there is compliance with this section and this chapter. 19 CS 122.
