(a) There shall be established a committee for the purpose of developing and maintaining a program and procedures for the training, examination and certification of tax collection personnel, appointed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and consisting of seven members, six of whom shall be voting members who shall serve without pay and shall be appointed initially as follows: Two members for two-year terms; two members for four-year terms; and two members for six-year terms. At least one member shall be from a municipality with a population of more than fifty thousand, and at least one member shall be from a municipality with a population under ten thousand. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall thereafter appoint two members every two years for six-year terms. The seventh member shall be an employee of the Office of Policy and Management, who shall serve as a voting member of the committee. The seven voting members of the committee shall have demonstrated competence in tax collection practices in Connecticut. Said committee shall (1) elect its own chairman, (2) adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, for the training, fees and examination of tax collection personnel, including, but not limited to, standards for the certification and recertification of tax collectors, and (3) on or after May 27, 2022, amend such regulations to ensure that such training and examination is readily available online or at various locations throughout the state. Such regulations may include requirements for any type of training or experience, or combination thereof, the committee deems appropriate.

(b) Any person may participate in training courses on tax collection practices prescribed by said committee and upon completing such training courses and successfully completing any examination prescribed by said committee, shall be recommended to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management as a candidate for certification as a certified Connecticut municipal collector. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall certify any qualified candidate recommended by said committee as a certified Connecticut municipal collector and may revoke, suspend or deny such certification or recertification for sufficient cause as said secretary may determine. Said secretary may certify a candidate who has not completed such training courses provided such candidate has experience in tax collection practices in Connecticut to such extent, as determined by said secretary, to make it unnecessary to complete such training courses, and provided further such candidate shall be required to successfully complete any examination prescribed by said committee. Such certification shall be valid for five years from the date of issuance or until regulations are adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, whichever is later.