(a) A toll-free telephone line, available to consumers throughout the state, shall be established in the Department of Consumer Protection for the handling of consumer inquiries and complaints concerning consumer goods or services in the state or any other matter within the jurisdiction of the department and its licensing and regulatory boards. The line shall be in operation from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday each week, exclusive of those legal holidays on which state offices are closed, and shall be restricted to incoming calls.

(b) The Department of Consumer Protection shall process the intake of consumer complaints concerning consumer goods or services in the state and any other matter within the jurisdiction of the department. In order to assist in the resolution of consumer complaints, the department may notify, in writing, the respondent against whom a complaint was received of the allegations against them and require a written response be provided to the department not later than thirty days of receipt of such notice.

(c) For purposes of this section, “credential holder” means a person certified, licensed, permitted or registered with the Department of Consumer Protection. In the event the department provides written notice to a respondent who is not a credential holder that a complaint has been filed against him or her, and said respondent fails to respond after receipt of such notice, the respondent may be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars for failure to respond to the department. Written notice for purposes of this section shall include notice sent by registered or certified mail or hand-delivered to a respondent.

(d) All notices of administrative enforcement actions, including compliance meetings and hearings, shall be in writing and shall comply with the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of § 4-177 and subsection (c) of § 4-182. A notice of administrative enforcement action shall be delivered to all designated parties and intervenors who are not credential holders, or their authorized representative: (1) Personally, (2) by United States mail, with delivery tracking or via certified mail, or (3) via electronic mail with tracking and delivery confirmation. Delivery of administrative enforcement action notices shall be deemed effective notice if delivered or sent to a credential holder’s last known address or electronic mail address of record on file with the department. If the party is not a credential holder, service shall be deemed sufficient, provided the department has made reasonable efforts to effectuate notice, including, but not limited to, by verifying the mailing address with the Secretary of the State or the Department of Motor Vehicles.