AGO 1990-021.

• Case Date: June 08, 1990
• Court: Connecticut

Connecticut Attorney General Opinions 1990. AGO 1990-021. June 8, 1990Opinion No. 1990-021Honorable J. Edward CaldwellState Comptroller55 Elm StreetHartford, CT 06106Dear Mr. Caldwell: You have asked for our opinion "as to the application of group life insurance to State employees retired under the disability provisions of the State Employees Retirement Act and an employee receiving a disability benefit." Specifically, you have asked the following two questions: 1. A qualified employee may receive a Normal Retirement, Early Retirement or Disability Retirement. Do the provisions of Section 5-257 apply to employees retired in accordance with provisions of Chapter 66? 2. Do the provisions of Section 5-257 apply to employees out of work in accordance with the disability benefits of Chapter 65? If not, does Section 5-257 apply when such permanent disabled employee receives a pension under the State Employee Retirement Act? As to your first question, we believe the provisions of Conn. Gen. Stat. e§5-257 apply to employees retired in accordance with the provisions of chapter 66 of the General Statutes. With regard to your second question, the provisions of e§5-257 apply to those employees specified in e§5-142(a), amended by 1989 Conn. Pub. Acts 89-82 and e§5-145a, amended by 1989 Conn. Pub. Acts 89-82 who are out of work due to an injury sustained in the performance of their official duties and who receive disability compensation under chapter 65 of the General Statutes.IChapter 66"The purpose of statutory construction is to ascertain the intent of the legislature." State v. Ellis, 197 Conn. 436, 445, 497 A.2d 974 (1985). The intent of the legislature is expressed in the language it uses so the proper place to begin in construing a statute is with the language of the statute itself. Id. at 445; Baston v. Ricci, 174 Conn. 522, 528, 391 A.2d 161 (1978). All employees in active state service are provided the option of purchasing personal life insurance coverage under a group life insurance policy procured by the Comptroller pursuant to the authority of Conn. Gen. Stat. e§5-257(a).1 Subsection (d) of e5-257 provides: (d) The insurance of any employee insured under this section shall cease on termination of employment, and of any member of the general assembly at the end of his term of office, subject to any conversion privilege provided in...