Summary of Legislation
The summaries below outline Public Acts passed during the 2023 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly that impact or may be of interest to the University of Connecticut. The summaries were either developed by the Office of Governmental Relations, the state Office of Legislative Research or the state Office of Fiscal Analysis.
The new Acts are organized by topic, and the topics are alphabetized. To access the complete text of a new law, click on the Public Act or resolution number on the top of the summary.
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture
An Act Concerning Certain Solar Photovoltaic Facilities Located on Prime Farmland, Farmland of State-Wide Importance or Core Forest Lands.
This Act prohibits the Connecticut Siting Council from approving a solar photovoltaic facility of at least two-megawatt capacity on prime farmland or core forest without the project applicant providing a bond to cover the costs of decommissioning the facility and restoring the prime farmland. This includes the costs of an inspection by a qualified soil scientist or other agricultural soils professional to assess and ensure the soils’ restoration and its suitability for farming. A decommissioning bond is a way to secure payment for removing an abandoned solar panel system and remediating the land.
(Effective from passage)
Act Revising Certain Farming and Aquaculture Programs of the Department of Agriculture.
This Act makes changes in various statutes and programs related to the Department of Agriculture.
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning the Regulation of Livestock and Certain Rabbit Processing Facilities.
This Act revises the state’s livestock statutes to reflect language changes over time from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It updates compensation and quarantine requirements for condemned livestock and public health responsibilities regarding reportable diseases.
(Effective from passage)
ATHLETICS
Athletics
An Act Concerning Charitable Organizations, Telecommunications and the Attorney General's Recommendations Regarding Consumer Protection.
- 7 — TICKET PRICING
Establishes disclosure requirements for anyone selling or reselling tickets for an entertainment event; requires operators that charge admission prices for places of entertainment to include certain related information on the ticket face; and prohibits false or misleading disclosures. Additionally, any related ticket fees or service charges are required to be conspicuously displayed before the customer selects the ticket for purchase. Athletics and Jorgensen are aware of the new law and are implementing the necessary changes.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
BONDING
Bonding
An Act Concerning Funding for School Lunches and a Center for Sustainable Aviation, Special Education Funding, Certain Bottle Deposits, Certain State Positions and The Posting of State Job Openings and Bond Covenant Restrictions and the Budget Reserve Fund.
- §2-5 — CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE AVIATION AT UCONN
Requires (1) UConn to participate in an application for federal funding under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program to create and operate a center for sustainable aviation and (2) the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development to provide UConn with a maximum $20 million grant for this purpose if the university is awarded, and accepts, the federal funding.
(Effective from passage)
- §6 & 7 — UCONN 2000 INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM
Reduces the bond authorization for UConn 2000 by $12 million. The Act reduces the total bond authorization for the UConn 2000 infrastructure program by $12 million, from $3.295 Action to $3.283 Action. It makes a corresponding change to reduce the FY 25 bond cap by the same amount (from $56 million to $44 million).
(Effective from passage)
- 14 — BOND COVENANT TIED TO STATE FISCAL CONTROLS
This Act requires the state treasurer to include a pledge to bondholders in general obligation (GO) and credit revenue bonds issued from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025 (i.e., FYs 24 and 25), that the state will comply with specified fiscal controls, except under limited circumstances. Under the Act, this pledge applies through FY 33 unless the General Assembly adopts a resolution by June 30, 2028, not to continue it beyond FY 28. The Act’s pledge does not apply to refunding bonds issued to pay the original bonds. By law, a similar five-year pledge (i.e., “bond lock”) applies to bonds issued from May 15, 2018, to June 30, 2020.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Authorizing and Adjusting Bonds of the State and Concerning Grant Programs, State Construction Related Thresholds, School Building Projects, Resources and Support Services for Persons with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability, Failure to File for Certain Grand List Exemptions, Elections, and other Items Implementing the State Budget.
In total there are additional state bond funds authorized for UConn $45M in FY24 and $20M in FY25 and for UConn Health $43M in FY24 and $43M in FY25. This funding is not included in the “automatic” UCONN 2000 program and will require Bond Commission approval (§2 & §21):
- 2 (m) for UConn:
- Design, land acquisition, and construction of a nursing program facility not exceeding $30,000,000;
- Acquisition or leasing of property at the XL Center and planning, design, and construction related to the use of such property as academic space for the University of Connecticut Hartford campus, not exceeding $5,000,000;
- Equipment, library collections, and telecommunications, not exceeding $10,000,000.
- 2 (n) for UConn Health Center:
- Deferred maintenance, code compliance, and infrastructure improvement, not exceeding $30,000,000;
- System telecommunications infrastructure upgrades, improvements and expansions, not exceeding $3,000,000;
- Equipment, library collections and telecommunications, not exceeding $10,000,000.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- 21 (j) for UConn:
- Equipment, library collections and telecommunications, not exceeding $10,000,000;
- Renovations, alterations and improvements to Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, not exceeding $10,000,000.
- 21 (k) for UConn Health Center:
- Deferred maintenance, code compliance and infrastructure improvements, not exceeding $30,000,000;
- System telecommunications infrastructure upgrades, improvements and expansions, not exceeding $3,000,000;
- Equipment, library collections and telecommunications, not exceeding $10,000,000.
(Effective July 1, 2024)
Other authorizations of interest:
Capital Region Development Authority: In FY24 & FY25 (1) Alterations, renovations and improvements at the Connecticut Convention Center and Rentschler Field, not exceeding $17,000,000 (2) Alterations, renovations and improvements to parking garages in Hartford, not exceeding $5,000,000; (3) Alterations, in FY24 renovations and improvements at the XL Center in Hartford, including acquisition of abutting real estate and rights-of way, not exceeding $15,000,000. (§2 & §21);
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner: For design, alteration, renovation, additions and construction of facilities for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, including land acquisition, not exceeding $28,000,000 in FY24 (§2).
Department of Economic and Community Development: For the Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Fund established by §32-7o of the general statutes, not exceeding $15,000,000 in FY 24 & FY25 (§13 & §32).
Department of Transportation: For Purchase, installation and implementation of advanced wrong way driving technology and other wrong-way driving countermeasures, not exceeding $20,000,000 in FY 24 & FY25 (§40 & §46).
BUDGET
Budget
An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and Making Appropriations therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and other Items Implementing the State Budget.
Link to Entire Bill Summary as Amended by House “A” and House “B”
| UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT | FY 23-24 | FY 24-25 |
| Operating Expenses | 213,540,000 | 216,940,000 |
| Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy* | 550,000 | 550,000 |
| Veterinary Diagnostic Lab | 250,000 | 250,000 |
| Veterans Program | 250,000 | 250,000 |
| Puerto Rican Studies Initiative | 210,000 | 210,000 |
| Health Services at the Regional Campuses | 1,400,000 | 1,400,000 |
| AGENCY TOTAL | 216,200,000 | 219,600,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH CENTER | ||
| Operating Expenses | 110,530,160 | 112,756,880 |
| Cannabis Fund | 178,385 | 178,385 |
| AHEC | 423,455 | 429,735 |
| Endometriosis Program | 468,000 | 735,000 |
| AGENCY TOTAL | 111,600,000 | 114,100,000 |
Effective July 1, 2023
These amounts include:
- UConn
- $40.0M in FY24 & $20.0M in FY 25 – One - Time Carry Forward Funds (41)
- $42.2M in FY24 & $11.1M in FY25 – One - Time American Rescue Plan Act Funds (48)
- UConn Health
- $35.0M in FY24 & $17.5M in FY25 - One-Time Carry Forward Funds (41)
- $51.5M in FY24 & $25.7M in FY25 - One-Time American Rescue Plan Act Funds (48)
*Institute for Municipal Studies - $150K to develop a hate crimes database (§41 (b))
The budget repeals the long-standing statute 3-123i – fringe benefit differential at UConn Health paid annually in the amount of $13.5M (§445).
This statute is not related to the fringe legacy costs as it instead recognizes the higher state fringe rate compared to private hospitals even after the fringe methodology is changed (for methodology change, see §89). The fringe differential, even after the change, is ~35% vs. 25% and has a value of ~$20M. The final budget sheets produced by the Office of Fiscal Analysis include language that funding of $4.5M in FY24 and $4.25M in FY25 is provided to reflect the impact of fringe benefit costs associated with UConn Health.
The state budget incorporates the budget-neutral fringe proposal. This change in fringe methodology will result in the state funding all retirement costs for all employees and the University funding all non-retirement costs for all employees. (§89 & §445) To accomplish this budget-neutral change, the block grant support for UConn will be reduced by $20.6M and $39.8M for UConn Health. The resulting reduction in overall fringe rates means the constituent units of higher education will no longer be required to fund a portion of the state’s unfunded liabilities. We are hopeful this change will make us more competitive when applying for externally funded research grants.
Additional Detail - Section by Section Summary
- 1 – The Roberta Willis Scholarship program is funded at $24.9M in both years of the biennium. The Community Colleges (CCC) were removed from the program, and approximately $8M was transferred to the CCCs to reflect this change and to fund the CCC Debt Free College program. Additionally, $18M in ARPA funding was provided for RWS in FY24. (See §1, §48, §135-§136).
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- 14 – HOLDBACKS – EXECUTIVE BRANCH - OPM may recommend reductions in executive branch expenditures to achieve budget savings in the General Fund by $48,715,570 in FY 24 and FY 25. These typically have applied to the constituent units of higher education.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- 15 –PERSONAL SERVICES REDUCTIONS - EXECUTIVE BRANCH - OPM shall recommend reductions in executive branch personal services expenditures to achieve savings in the General Fund of $80 million in FY 24 and $129 million in FY 25. Unclear if this will apply to the constituent units of higher education.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- 41 – Carry Forwards - see summary above for UConn and UConn Health
(Effective from passage)
- 48 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) Funding:
Line T1839 - Roberta Willis Scholarship Program - $18M in ARPA funding for RWS in FY24
Line T1849 – Medical Debt Erasure - Provides funding for Medical Debt Erasure $6.5M in FY24
Line T1872 – CSCU System Study – Provides $250,000 for the CSCU System Study in FY24
(Effective from passage)
- 53 — AMBULANCE RATES - Requires the DPH commissioner to increase the maximum allowable rates by 10% in FY 24 for licensed and certified ambulance services, invalid coaches, and paramedic intercept services.
(Effective from passage)
- §89 & 445 — HIGHER EDUCATION CONSTITUENT UNIT EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT COSTS - Beginning FY 24, requires the (1) comptroller to pay the retirement-related fringe benefit costs for all employees of the constituent units of the state higher education system, rather than only for General Fund-supported employees; and (2) constituent units to fund their employee health and life insurance, unemployment compensation, and employers’ social security tax.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- 428 – COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AND PURCHASES FROM OTHER STATES – Makes it clear that UConn, UConn Health, and the Connecticut State Colleges and University Systems (CSCU) have the authority to “piggyback” on each other’s contracts as well as on federal and state agency contracts. Makes it clear that other state agencies can piggyback on contracts of the Constituent Units of Higher Education.
(Effective from passage)
- 429 - UPDATING BID THRESHOLDS- COMPETITIVE PROCESSES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES PURCHASES –- Increases, for UConn, CSCU, and state agencies, the thresholds at which (1) goods and services procurements must be advertised online (from $50,000 to $100,000) and (2) competitive bidding may be waived for minor purchases (from $10,000 to $25,000)
(Effective October 1, 2023)
- 430 - UCONN CAPITAL PROJECTS - Allows, for Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) projects to renovate existing buildings or facilities, (1) certain work to begin before the project’s guaranteed maximum price (GMP) is determined and (2) a separate GMP to be determined for each phase of a multi-phase project
(Effective from passage)
- §431 & 432 - UCONN CONTRACTOR PREQUALIFICATION - Generally increases the threshold requiring separate contractor prequalification by UConn to $1 million for capital projects, eliminates a requirement that the university separately prequalify contractors for each project and instead allows UConn to prequalify contractors for one year and renew the prequalification for two years. It incorporates the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) prequalification statute (4b-91) by reference so that UConn’s requirements for contractors to be prequalified by DAS will be automatically updated whenever DAS revises its prequalification requirements.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
CONTRACTING
Contracting
An Act Concerning Liability for False and Fraudulent Claims.
This Act expands the scope of the state False Claims Act by applying it to most state programs and benefits. It does so by removing provisions in current law that limit it to state-administered health and human services programs and makes conforming changes. The Act excludes from the False Claims Act’s scope claims, records, or statements made under any tax law administered by the state or one of its political subdivisions.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and Making Appropriations therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and other Items Implementing the State Budget.
- 428 – COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AND PURCHASES FROM OTHER STATES – Makes it clear that UConn, UConn Health, and the Connecticut State Colleges and University Systems (CSCU) have the authority to “piggyback” on each other’s contracts as well as on federal and state agency contracts. Makes it clear that other state agencies can piggyback on contracts of the Constituent Units of Higher Education.
(Effective from passage)
- 429 - UPDATING BID THRESHOLDS- COMPETITIVE PROCESSES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES PURCHASES –- Increases, for UConn, CSCU, and state agencies, the thresholds at which (1) goods and services procurements must be advertised online (from $50,000 to $100,000) and (2) competitive bidding may be waived for minor purchases (from $10,000 to $25,000)
(Effective October 1, 2023)
- 430 - UCONN CAPITAL PROJECTS - Allows, for Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) projects to renovate existing buildings or facilities, (1) certain work to begin before the project’s guaranteed maximum price (GMP) is determined and (2) a separate GMP to be determined for each phase of a multi-phase project
(Effective from passage)
- §431 & 432 - UCONN CONTRACTOR PREQUALIFICATION - Generally increases the threshold requiring separate contractor prequalification by UConn to $1 million for capital projects, eliminates a requirement that the university separately prequalify contractors for each project and instead allows UConn to prequalify contractors for one year and renew the prequalification for two years. It incorporates the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) prequalification statute (4b-91) by reference so that UConn’s requirements for contractors to be prequalified by DAS will be automatically updated whenever DAS revises its prequalification requirements.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Economic Development
An Act Concerning the Department of Economic and Community Development's Recommendations Regarding the JobCT Tax Rebate Program and Certain Aerospace Manufacturing Projects.
This Act eliminates a requirement that businesses receiving assistance from the JobsCT tax rebate program enter into a contract with the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). It makes conforming changes by requiring that specified terms instead be incorporated in other program documents. The Act also allows the DECD commissioner to amend the assistance agreement with an eligible aerospace company (authorized by PA 22-4) to allow the company one additional year to use the tax benefits provided in the act (i.e., in a helicopter contract’s first nine years, rather than its first eight, and no later than June 30, 2033, rather than June 30, 2032). It similarly allows the aerospace company one additional year (i.e., until June 30, 2033) to use any carry-forward amounts (i.e., corporation business tax credits that exceed the annual maximum).
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning a Study to Promote Workforce Development using the Global Entrepreneur in Residence Program as a Model.
This Act establishes a working group to conduct a study and make recommendations regarding the feasibility of state universities leveraging the H1-B visa cap exemption process to fill high-value job openings and promote workforce development, using the Global Entrepreneur In Residence program as a model. Included in the working group: The president of the University of Connecticut, or the president's designee. The final report is due January 1, 2024 to the Commerce Committee.
(Effective from passage)
EDUCATION K-12
Education K-12
An Act Concerning Transparency in Education.
This Act makes various changes to education laws.
Among many other things, it:
- Requires SDE to establish an educator apprenticeship initiative to enable students in teacher preparation programs to gain paid classroom teaching experience (§8);
- Requires each school board to (1) submit its increasing educator diversity plan (referred to in current law as the minority educator recruitment plan) to the education commissioner by March 15, 2024, for review and approval and (2) implement its approved plan beginning with the 2024-25 school year (§§9 & 10);
- Allows SBE to issue adjunct professor permits to allow part-time nontenured college instructors to work part-time for a school district; establishes employment limits and criteria (§15);
- Requires SDE, in partnership with boards of education and public higher education institutions, to expand opportunities for dual credit and dual enrollment for high school students, including courses required for health care occupations (§§32 & 33);
- Requires the Social and Emotional Learning and School Climate Advisory Collaborative to (1) develop school climate standards based on national guidelines and (2) create a uniform bullying complaint form; requires SDE and boards of education to post the form on their websites and in their handbooks (§§47 & 48);
- Requires each local and regional board of education to provide training and resources for school employees on school climate, social and emotional learning, and restorative practices; repeals a law requiring the statewide safe school climate resource network (§ 55).
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning Financial Literacy Instruction.
This Act adds a half-credit of personal financial management and financial literacy to the high school graduation requirements beginning with the graduating class of 2027 (i.e., students currently enrolled in
eighth grade). The Act also adds personal financial management and financial literacy to the state’s required program of instruction for public schools. It also makes completion of a one-credit, mastery-based diploma
assessment (i.e., a “capstone”) an optional, rather than mandatory, graduation requirement at each board of education’s discretion.
(Effective July 1, 2023, except a conforming change is effective July 1, 2025)
An Act Concerning Education Funding in Connecticut.
The Act makes significant changes to five major education funding grant programs: (1) Education Cost Sharing (ECS), (2) interdistrict magnet schools, (3) regional agricultural science and technology centers (i.e., “vo-ag centers”), (4) Open Choice enrollment, and (5) state charter schools.
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning Teachers and Paraeducators.
This Act makes various changes to education laws, including:
- Raises the age children can start public school kindergarten from age five by January of the school year to age five by September of the school year (§3);
- Allows the education commissioner to allow a teacher with a (1) grade one through six endorsement to teach kindergarten for a second year without demonstrating enrollment in a kindergarten endorsement program or (2) grade one through 12 comprehensive special education endorsement to teach preschool in addition to kindergarten as current law allows, (§13);
- Removes the requirement that teacher preparation program participants complete their clinical, field, or student teaching experience in two different types of school districts according to DRG categorization, (§16)
- Requires local and regional boards of education to adopt revised teacher evaluation programs and SBE to adopt revised program guidelines that use new (1) student indicators and assessment methods and (2) teacher feedback mechanisms; removes obsolete language) (§13).
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning Education Mandate Relief and Other Technical and Assorted Revisions and Additions to the Education and Early Childhood Education Statutes.
This Act makes numerous changes to education law related to education mandates, grant programs and early education statutes.
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning Access by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Analysis to Certain Education Data.
This Act requires the State Department of Education (SDE) to provide certain information from the Public School Information System (PSIS) to the Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) twice annually in February and August.
(Effective July 1, 2023
ENERGY
Energy
An Act Strengthening Protections for Connecticut's Consumers of Energy.
This Act makes various changes in the energy laws governing electric, gas, and water utility regulation. The Act also creates the Connecticut Council for Advancing Nuclear Energy Development as an independent body within the Legislative Department for administrative purposes only. The council must meet at least four times a year to discuss and plan for the advancement of nuclear energy in the state. The Council includes two representatives from higher education institutions (§33).
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Establishing a Task Force to Study the State's Hydropower Assets.
This Act establishes a task force to study existing hydropower assets in the state and review the benefits
of such assets.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning Test Bed Technologies.
This Act requires each state agency’s commissioner to administer pilot test programs for using technologies, products, or processes (i.e., “test subjects”) that promote operational cost reduction. It creates a Test
Bed Technologies Advisory Board to recommend test subjects to be used in the operations of state agencies on a trial basis and specifies certain criteria that the test subjects must meet (e.g., the subject’s manufacturer or marketer must pay the agency’s costs for testing it and show that it will not adversely affect safety). The Act also establishes a process for the state to procure for state agencies test subjects that have been successfully shown to promote operational cost reduction. This process allows certain competitive bid or proposal requirements in existing law to be waived.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Minor Revisions to the State's Authority to Regulate Certain Nuclear Materials.
This Act authorizes the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) commissioner to impound ionizing radiation sources when she finds that there is a condition or activity that has caused or will likely cause an imminent human health or environmental threat. The Act correspondingly creates a process for a person to receive a hearing about the impoundment. Under the Act, “sources of ionizing radiation” are, collectively, radioactive materials and radiation generating equipment (§§3 & 5).
(Effective from passage)
An Act Implementing Recommendations of the Hydrogen Task Force.
This Act requires the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to develop and approve a hydrogen strategic plan, extends certain wage and workforce requirements to hydrogen projects, and requires DEEP to seek federal funding opportunities for projects that advance hydrogen in the state.
(Effective July 1, 2023, except a provision requiring DEEP to seek federal funding is effective upon passage)
An Act Concerning Funding for Microgrids, Resilience and State Agency Building Decarbonization Projects
This Act expands eligibility to participate in the Microgrid and Resilience Grant and Loan Program and, unrelatedly, allows state agencies to participate in certain building decarbonization projects with the approval of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Office of Policy and Management.
(Effective July 1, 2023, except the provision on decarbonization projects is effective upon passage)
ENVIRONMENT
Environment
An Act Establishing an Account in the General Fund to Provide Grants to Towns that need PFAS Testing and Remediation.
This Act establishes a separate, non-lapsing account in the General Fund for grants or reimbursements for municipalities to test for and remediate PFAS contamination in drinking water supplies. A “municipality” is any political subdivision of the state with the power to make appropriations or to levy taxes, including any town, city, or borough, or any tax district or association, excluding the Metropolitan District of Hartford County (CGS §7-381)
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Solid Waste Management throughout the State.
This Act requires (1) any proposed revision to the statewide solid waste management plan or Comprehensive Materials Management Strategy to be submitted to the Environment Committee for review and approval and (2) the committee to hold a public hearing on the revision within 15 days after its submission (§ 1). It establishes a process by which a proposed revision that the committee rejects may be subsequently approved by the General Assembly. The Act also requires the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) commissioner to (1) issue a request for information (RFI) on certain solid waste processing systems by October 1, 2023, and (2) report to the Environment Committee by February 1, 2024, her recommendations for issuing a request for proposals (RFP) on these systems (§ 3). Lastly, the Act explicitly allows dealers (e.g., retailers) to have recycling bins at their place of business to collect beverage containers rejected by a reverse vending machine (RVM) that the dealer installed and maintains. An RVM is an automated machine that accepts empty beverage containers and dispenses in return cash or credit slips as part of the state’s beverage container redemption law (“bottle Act”) (Conn. Agencies Regs., §22a-245-2) (§2).
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning Revisions to Various Programs of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
This Act changes various laws under the administration of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning the Environmental Justice Program of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
This Act makes changes in the state’s environmental justice law, which generally requires applicants seeking to construct, expand, or site certain facilities in environmental justice communities to engage in a public participation process.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Climate Resiliency Funds and Projects.
The Act authorizes the Treasurer to invest municipal Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Funds, and requires the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to maximize the receipt of federal funds for state climate change resiliency projects.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning Managing Waste and Creating a Waste Authority.
This Act makes assorted changes to the state’s solid waste management laws.
(Effective dates vary)
ETHICS
Ethics
An Act Concerning Revisions to the State Codes of Ethics.
This Act subjects statewide officers-elect to the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees by adding them to the code’s definition of “public official” (§ 3). It also extends reporting of existing state ethics laws by requiring additional recordkeeping by lobbyists.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
Facilities Management
An Act Concerning Access to Reproductive Health Care by Students at Public Institutions of Higher Education.
This Act requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR) and the UConn Board of Trustees (BOT), by January 1, 2024, to establish and update as needed a plan to provide reproductive health care services by a licensed health care provider to students who live on residential campuses (i.e., any public higher education institution campus with school-owned dorms or fraternities and sororities) under the boards’ jurisdiction. The plan must address:
- the availability of equipment and licensed health care providers to provide reproductive health care services on the residential campus or in the surrounding community;
- opportunities for providing reproductive health care or other associated services, including telehealth counseling services; means for ensuring continuity of care during holiday and vacation periods and between semesters; and
- an estimate of the costs associated with plan implementation and the availability of public and private funding sources to cover the costs.
The plan must also cover how the school will provide:
- referrals for, and transportation services to, access reproductive health care services at any off-campus location;
- information and materials about pregnancy being a qualifying life event for health insurance coverage in the state; and
- educational materials on maternal mental health care and resources for maternal mental health screenings.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the Nighttime Lighting of State-Owned Buildings at Certain Times for the Protection of Birds.
This Act requires nonessential outdoor lighting at state-owned buildings to be turned off between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The shut-off requirement applies to lighting a state agency head determines are not essential for safety or functionality, but not to lighting at the State Capitol building. The Act also requires the state building inspector and the Code and Standards Committee to consider a change in lighting design to effectuate this outdoor lighting requirement when making changes to the State Building Code that take effect on or after January 1, 2024.
(Effective from passage)
FINANCIAL AID
Financial Aid & Tuition
An Act Concerning Tuition Waivers for Graduate Degree Programs at Public Institutions of Higher Education.
Current law requires the Connecticut State University System (CSUS), UConn, and the regional community-technical colleges (CTCs) to waive tuition fees for certain veterans and other eligible students This Act codifies existing practice by requiring CSUS and UConn to waive both undergraduate and graduate degree program tuition fees for these students.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning a Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority Refinance Loan Subsidy for Certain Health Care Professionals.
This Act requires the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA) to establish a Nursing and Mental Health Care Professionals Loan Subsidy Program. This program must subsidize interest rates on CHESLA refinancing loans to certain Connecticut-licensed nurses, nurse’s aides, psychologists, marital and family therapists, clinical and master social workers, and professional counselors.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and Making Appropriations therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and other Items Implementing the State Budget.
- 1 – The Roberta Willis Scholarship program is funded at $24.9M in both years of the biennium. The Community Colleges (CCC) were removed from the program, and approximately $8M was transferred to the CCCs to reflect this change and to fund the CCC Debt Free College program. Additionally, $18M in ARPA funding was provided for RWS in FY24. (See §1, §48, §135-§136)
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- § 135-136 — DEBT FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE ROBERTA B. WILLIS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - Extends eligibility for the state’s debt-free community college program to returning students; makes various changes to the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship program, including requiring FY 24 awards to use ARPA funds first and excluding regional-community technical colleges from the program. It also allows the program to use a student aid index as an alternative to family contribution when determining student eligibility.
(Effective July 1, 2024)
- 167 — OFFICE OF THE STUDENT LOAN OMBUDSMAN - Establishes an Office of the Student Loan Ombudsman and requires the Department of Banking commissioner to appoint a student loan ombudsman to head the office.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
- § 168 & 169 — FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN SUBSERVICER REGISTRATION - Extends existing law’s registration requirement for federal student loan servicers to also cover sub-servicers of these loans.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
- § 174 & 175 — STUDENT LOAN REIMBURSEMENT PILOT PROGRAM - Requires OHE, within available appropriations, to establish a pilot program to reimburse eligible people for up to $5,000 a year (for a total of up to $20,000) for their student loan payments; makes payments deductible from a person’s state adjusted gross income. $6 M is appropriated in FY25 for OHE to establish a student loan forgiveness program for licensed health professionals who graduate from a public university or college, work in CT and make under $125,000 individually or $175,000 if filing jointly.
(Effective July 1, 2024, except the tax deduction provisions are effective January 1, 2024, and for applicable tax years starting on or after that date.)
- 442 — HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LOAN REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM - Repeals an unfunded health care provider loan reimbursement program.
(Effective from passage)
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
Freedom of Information Act
An Act Concerning the Enforcement of Violations of the Freedom of Information Act.
This Act increases, from $1,000 to $5,000, the maximum civil penalty that the Freedom of Information Commission (FOIC) may impose for certain Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) violations. As under existing law, the commission may impose the penalty against a records custodian or official responsible for denying a right conferred by FOIA (e.g., a request to inspect or copy a public record) if it finds that the denial was without reasonable grounds. FOIC may impose the penalty after giving the custodian or official an opportunity for a hearing. The Act also expands the circumstances under which FOIC may issue an order or impose a civil penalty.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Auditors of Public Accounts.
Among other things, this Act explicitly exempts from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) whistleblower complaints filed with the state auditors or under the False Claims Act. Existing law already exempts records of an investigation. It also expands this FOIA exemption to exempt from disclosure the name of any person, instead of only the name of an employee, who provides information on whistleblower investigations and complaints and False Claims Act violations. Both the whistleblower law (CGS § 4-61dd) and False Claims Act (CGS § 4-275 et seq.) allow any person (and not just employees) to provide information to the state auditors or attorney general, as applicable. The state auditors and the attorney general may not disclose a person’s identity who made a complaint unless the person consents or the disclosure is unavoidable (§ 1).
(Effective October 1, 2023)
HEALTH CARE – ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
Health Care- Administration and Finance
An Act Requiring Discharge Standards Regarding Follow-Up Appointments and Prescription Medications for Patients being Discharged from a Hospital or Nursing Home Facility.
This act requires Department of Public Health regulations setting minimum standards for hospital and nursing home discharge planning services to require that written discharge plans include (1) the date and location of each follow- up medical appointment scheduled before the patient’s discharge and (2) to the extent known to the facility, a list of all medications the patient is currently taking and will take after discharge. UConn Health is in compliance with this Act.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Medical Assistance for Surgery and Medical Services Related to Treatment of Obesity.
This Act requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) commissioner to cover bariatric surgery and specified medical services for Medicaid and HUSKY B beneficiaries with obesity under certain circumstances. Under the Act, these medical services include (1) FDA- approved prescription drugs for outpatient treatment of obesity and (2) nutritional counseling from a registered dietitian-nutritionist. Bariatric surgery is a procedure that makes changes to the digestive system to help a patient with obesity lose weight.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Protecting Maternal Health.
This Act makes various unrelated changes affecting maternal and infant health, including:
- Creating a new license category for freestanding birth centers administered by the Department of Public Health (DPH)
- Prohibiting DPH from issuing or renewing a maternity hospital license starting January 1, 2024, and repeals this licensure
- Establishing an Infant Mortality Relief Program within DPH to review medical records and other data on infant deaths
- Establishing an Infant Mortality Review Committee including a representative of the University of Connecticut-sponsored Health Disparities Institute within DPH to conduct a comprehensive, multidisciplinary review of infant deaths to reduce health care disparities;
- Requiring DPH, within available resources, to establish an 18- member Doula Advisory Committee to develop recommendations on doula certification requirements and standards for recognizing training programs
- Establishing a voluntary doula certification program administered by DPH e certified (§ 14);
- Requiring the DPH commissioner to create a midwifery working group to study and make recommendations on advancing choices for community birth care
- Requiring the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) commissioner, within available appropriations, to develop and implement a statewide universal nurse home visiting services program for all families with newborns living in the state (§ 16).
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning Hospice and Palliative Care.
This Act makes several changes related to the provision of hospice care services, including:
- Requiring the Department of Public Health (DPH), by January 1, 2024, to establish a Hospice Hospital at Home pilot program to provide in-home hospice care to patients through in-person visits and telehealth (§1);
- Allowing the Department of Social Services (DSS) commissioner to apply for a Medicaid section 1115 waiver to provide Medicaid reimbursement for hospice services delivered under the Act’s pilot program, to the same level DSS reimburses for Medicaid hospital-based hospice services (§5);
- Allowing (a) an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who provides hospice care through a DPH-licensed hospice home care agency to administer fluids or medications intravenously(IV), including by infusion or IV push and (b) a registered nurse (RN) to do so under physician supervision (§2); and
- Requiring certain individual and group health insurance policies to cover in-home hospice services provided by a DPH-licensed hospice home care agency to the same extent they cover hospital in-patient hospice services (§§3 & 4).
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning Pharmacies and Pharmacists.
This Act makes changes in the laws on pharmacists and consumer access to medications. Specifically, it:
- Establishes a licensing process for institutional pharmacies located in health care facilities (e.g., hospitals) to compound sterile pharmaceuticals and sell them at retail;
- Allows pharmacists to order and administer tests for COVID-19, HIV, and influenza;
- Allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense HIV-related prophylaxis if a patient tests negative after a pharmacist- administered HIV test;
- Expands the vaccine types that pharmacists can administer and allows pharmacy technicians to administer vaccines;
- Allows pharmacists to administer an epinephrine cartridge injector to someone experiencing anaphylaxis;
- Allows pharmacies to operate mobile pharmacies in temporary locations with the Department of Consumer Protection’s (DCP) approval;
- Requires pharmacies to maintain a plan to manage unscheduled closings and specifies actions that can and must be taken during these closures;
- Requires DCP to adopt regulations on prescription pickup lockers at pharmacies, but allows for their use before the regulations are adopted under specified circumstances; and
- Requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to establish and contract for a statewide program providing HIV pre- and post- exposure prophylaxis drug assistance, if there is specified funding for it (in doing so, the Act replaces a current, narrower program)
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Access to Reproductive Health Care by Students at Public Institutions of Higher Education.
This Act requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR) and the UConn Board of Trustees (BOT), by January 1, 2024, to establish and update as needed a plan to provide reproductive health care services by a licensed health care provider to students who live on residential campuses (i.e., any public higher education institution campus with school-owned dorms or fraternities and sororities) under the boards’ jurisdiction. The plan must address:
- the availability of equipment and licensed health care providers to provide reproductive health care services on the residential campus or in the surrounding community;
- opportunities for providing reproductive health care or other associated services, including telehealth counseling services; means for ensuring continuity of care during holiday and vacation periods and between semesters; and
- an estimate of the costs associated with plan implementation and the availability of public and private funding sources to cover the costs.
The plan must also cover how the school will provide:
- referrals for, and transportation services to, access reproductive health care services at any off-campus location;
- information and materials about pregnancy being a qualifying life event for health insurance coverage in the state; and
- educational materials on maternal mental health care and resources for maternal mental health screenings.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Protecting Patients and Prohibiting Unnecessary Health Care Costs.
This Act:
- Requires pharmaceutical manufacturers that employ sales representatives to register as pharmaceutical marketing firms, rather than requiring the sales representatives to be licensed;
- Requires the Commissioner of Consumer Protection to work with the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy to report on recommendations on a framework for establishing an outreach and education program to inform physicians when a drug patent will expire and become available in generic form and when generic alternatives exist for drugs whose patent recently expired. (§2);
- Expands the ban on certain facility fees.
- 19a-508c currently prohibits collecting a facility fee for evaluation and management (CPT E/M) and assessment and management (CPT A/M) services provided off-campus. Facility fees are defined as “any fee charged or billed by a hospital or health system for outpatient services provided in a hospital-based facility that is: (A) intended to compensate the hospital or health system for the operational expenses of the hospital or health system, and (B) separate and distinct from a professional fee.” Notably, as was the case with the previous statute, the language does not prohibit billing these facility fees, but simply collecting a facility fee that is separate and distinct from the professional fee.
Sub-section (l) extends this same prohibition to on-campus settings effective on and after July 1, 2024, with the following exceptions:
- An emergency department located on a hospital campus;
- Observation stays on a hospital campus;
- CPT E/M and CPT A/M codes when billed for the following services:
- Wound care
- Orthopedics
- Anticoagulation
- Oncology
- Obstetrics
- Solid organ transplant
The Act maintains the existing exemption for a freestanding emergency department, which is defined as a freestanding facility that (A) is structurally separate and distinct from a hospital, (B) provides emergency care, (C) is a department of a hospital licensed under chapter 368v, and (D) has been issued a Certificate of Need to operate as a freestanding emergency department pursuant to chapter 368z.
The new prohibition contains a grandfathering provision. In circumstances when an insurance contract that is in effect on July 1, 2024 provides reimbursement for on-campus CPT E/M and CPT A/M facility fees, the hospital or health system may continue to collect reimbursement from the health insurer for such facility fees until the applicable date of expiration, renewal or amendment of such contract, whichever such date is the earliest.
- It expands certificate of need exemptions for certain replacement scanners-Existing law exempts acquisition of MRI, CT, PET, and PET/CT scanners from CON if they are replacements for scanners (1) previously approved through the CON process or (2) for which there was already a determination that CON approval was not needed. This extends the exemption for replacement imaging equipment by clarifying that replacement scanners with dual modalities or dual functionalities are also exempt from CON if the applicant already offers similar imaging services for each of the scanner’s modalities or functionalities.
- Requires reports related to HUSKY Health and Medicare Advantage Plans;
- Creates a working group related to the 340B program;
- 19 prohibits, on and after July 1, 2024, all-or-nothing, anti-steering, anti-tiering, or gag clauses in contracts involving health carriers, providers, and health plan administrators and prohibits a health insurer from offering, soliciting, requesting, amending, renewing, or entering a healthcare contract on or after July 1, 2024, that includes these prohibited clauses.
Terminating Healthcare Contracts
- Under current law, when a contract between a health carrier and a participating hospital or its parent corporation is terminated or not renewed, the carrier and hospital must continue to abide by the contract for an additional 60 days. Under the Act, § 22, for contracts entered into, renewed, amended, or continued on or after July 1, 2023, this requirement extends to a hospital’s intermediaries and specifically requires that the contract terms that the parties must continue to abide by for 60 days include reimbursement terms for all healthcare services.
- The Act clarifies the timing of various notices required to be made by a health insurer or a provider participating in a network relating to the intent to terminate the contract;
- The Act requires the carrier to make a good faith effort to notify all insureds who are regular patients of the participating provider at least 30 days before the proposed termination date or, if a nonrenewal, the end of the contract period unless the carrier and participating provider agree in writing to extend the contract up to one year;
- The Act eliminates a requirement that a provider leaving or being removed from a network give the carrier a list of its covered patients.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning Endometriosis.
This Act requires UConn Health Center (UCHC), by January 1, 2024, to develop an endometriosis data and biorepository program to enable and promote research on (1) early detection of endometriosis in adolescents and adults and (2) the development of therapeutic strategies to improve clinical management of the condition. It must do this in collaboration with an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution in Connecticut that is engaged in endometriosis research with UCHC (JAX Laboratory). Under the Act, UCHC must annually report on the program’s implementation to the Public Health Committee, starting by January 1, 2025.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the Safe Storage and Disposal of Certain Prescription Drugs, Illegal Drugs and Cannabis and Cannabis Products.
Beginning January 1, 2024, it requires pharmacies to affix a fluorescent orange sticker or label with black ink that says “DANGER TO CHILDREN KEEP OUT OF REACH” on any container or packaging in which an opioid drug or schedule II, III, IV, or V controlled substance is sold or dispensed. It also requires the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) commissioner, by July 1, 2024, to adopt regulations to provide guidance to pharmacies on the optimal size of, and font size used on, the stickers or labels. Until then, he must implement, by September 1, 2023, policies and procedures on implementing the department’s guidance, which must remain valid until the final regulations are adopted. The Act also requires the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to develop and administer a public awareness campaign about the (1) safe storage and disposal of prescription drugs, cannabis, cannabis products, and illegal drugs and (2) dangers they pose to children and tactics to reduce and eliminate them. The campaign must be delivered statewide to people who are homeless and receiving substance use disorder treatment.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning the Department of Public Health's Recommendations Regarding Change in Ownership of Health Care Facilities.
This Act generally expands the circumstances under which licensed health care facility or institution (“facility”) ownership changes need prior approval from the Department of Public Health (DPH). It does so by eliminating exemptions in current law for (1) changes in ownership or beneficial ownership of under 10% of the stock of a corporation that owns or operates the facility or (2) certain transfers to relatives. As under current law, these provisions apply to all DPH-licensed institutions e.g., hospitals, behavioral health facilities, nursing homes, outpatient surgical facilities, or home health care agencies)
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the Department of Public Health's Recommendations Regarding Various Revisions to The Public Health Statutes.
This Act makes various substantive, minor, and technical changes in Department of Public Health (DPH)-related statutes and programs. Including:
- Establishing a statutory definition of “fetal death” and exempts a father or mother from filing a fetal death certificate when the birth occurs outside of an institution and a physician or midwife is not in attendance (§21);
- Codifies minimum vehicle design and equipment standards for authorized emergency medical services vehicle inspections that are currently in regulation (§8);
- Generally requiring primary care providers to offer to provide or order a hepatitis C screening or diagnostic test for patients ages 18 and older and pregnant women, instead of only patients born between 1945 and 1965 (§11);
- Allowing DPH to revise its quality of care program’s standardized data sets for health care facilities and methods to provide public accountability for facilities’ health care delivery systems (§12).
(Effective from passage)
An Act Improving the Safety of Health Care Providers and Patients.
This Act directs the Department of Public Health to develop a marketing campaign by January 1, 2024 and make monthly public service announcements on its Internet web site and social media accounts for not less than two years (1) discouraging aggressive or violent behavior toward any health care provider in any health care setting, and (2) regarding the opportunity for grants for building security infrastructure through the nonprofit organization security infrastructure competitive grant program administered by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection pursuant to § 29-1bb of the general statutes and any other programs providing an opportunity for capital investments by nonprofit hospitals to enhance patient and employee safety.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Preventing an Adverse Action against a Health Care Provider due to an Adverse Action taken by another State as a Result of Such Provider's Involvement in Providing Reproductive Health Care Services. The Act generally prohibits the Department of Public Health (DPH), DPH professional licensing boards and commission, the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), and Commission of Pharmacy from denying a credential or disciplining a credentialed provider due to disciplinary actions (or pending actions or complaints) in other U.S. jurisdictions solely based on the person’s alleged participation in reproductive health care services. The Act creates an exception to these prohibitions if the person’s underlying conduct would be subject to disciplinary action under Connecticut law had the conduct occurred in Connecticut.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning Various Revisions to the Public Health Statutes.
This Act makes various unrelated changes in the public health statutes.
Among other things, it:
- Prohibits outpatient surgical facilities and certain hospitals from employing a person to provide surgical technology services unless the person meets specified training or experience requirements (§ 1);
- Authorizes hospitals to appoint their medical staff or individual medical staff members every two or three years (§14);
- Generally, requires hospitals to give the mother of a stillborn child written notification about the child’s burial and cremation arrangement options within 24 hours after the stillbirth, and
- Requires the mother to tell the hospital about her decision on the disposition before her discharge from the facility (§15);
- declares homelessness a public health crisis that will continue until the right of homeless individuals to receive emergency medical care is adequately safeguarded and protected (§16).
- Allows the Department of Public Health (DPH), beginning February 1, 2024, to issue a temporary permit to an applicant for licensure as a doctoral-level psychology provider who holds a doctoral degree in psychology but who has not yet completed supervised postdoctoral work experience or taken the licensure examination. The temporary permit allows the individual to practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist for not more than one year. (§18)
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and Making Appropriations therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and other Items Implementing the State Budget.
- 50 – BRISTOL HOSPITAL– Directs the Department of Social Services (DSS) to make payments in the amount of $7M to Bristol Hospital ($5M in FY24 and $2M in FY25). $2.5M will be funded to assist in the preparation of a plan for maintaining essential health services aligned with the most current community needs health assessment and a path to financial viability. The plan shall be submitted to OPM. Upon approval of the plan by OPM, in consultation with DSS, DPH and Office of Health Strategy (OHS) the remaining $2.5M shall be paid to Bristol Hospital in FY24. $2M will be provided in FY25 for activities related to the implementation of the approved plan, provided OPM certifies progress is being made toward implementation of the plan with a clear path to financial viability.
(Effective from passage)
- 51 - DAY KIMBALL HOSPITAL - Directs DSS to make payments in the amount of $10M to Day Kimball Hospital ($8M in FY24 and $2M in FY25). $4M will support the development and implementation of a plan to maintain essential health services aligned with community need and a path to financial sustainability. Upon approval of the plan by OPM, in consultation with DSS, DPH, and OHS $4M shall be paid to Day Kimball for implementation of the plan. $2M will be provided in FY25 for ongoing activities, provided OPM certifies progress is being made toward implementation of the plan with a clear path to financial viability.
(Effective from passage)
- 53 — AMBULANCE RATES - Requires the DPH commissioner to increase the maximum allowable rates by 10% in FY 24 for licensed and certified ambulance services, invalid coaches, and paramedic intercept services
(Effective from passage)
- 54 — HOSPITAL NURSE STAFFING PLANS - Requires hospitals to report biannually, instead of annually to DPH on their prospective nurse staffing plans and expands the plan’s required contents
(Effective October 1, 2023)
- 54 — HOSPITAL STAFFING COMMITTEES - Modifies the composition, leadership, and selection of hospital staffing committee membership; establishes criteria the committees must consider when developing hospital nurse staffing plans; sets related notification, recordkeeping, and compensation requirements.
- Requires hospitals to report to DPH biannually, by each January 1 and July 1, instead of annually, as under current law; (2) requiring hospitals to post their plans on each patient care unit in a location visible and accessible to staff, patients, and the public; and (3) expanding their required contents.
- starting January 1, 2024, the Act requires plans to include the following: 1. information on hospital staff objections or refusals to comply with the nurse staffing plan that were communicated to the hospital staffing committee; 2. measurements of and evidence to support the plan’s successful implementation; 3. direct care registered nurse (RN) staff retention, turnover, and recruitment metrics, including the (a) turnover rate per hospital unit during the prior 12 months and (b) average years of experience of permanent direct care RN staff per unit; 4. the number of times since the last plan was submitted that the hospital was non-compliant with the plan, including the plan’s nurse staffing ratios and a description of how and why the hospital was non-compliant and its plans to avoid future noncompliance; and 5. certification that the hospital and its hospital staffing committee are meeting the Act’s requirements and a description of how each requirement is being met.
- The Act further requires (1) direct care RNs to be an odd number and one more than the total number of non-direct care RNs on the committee membership and (2) that each committee include broad based representation across hospital services. Under the Act, when RNs are members of a collective bargaining unit, the collective bargaining unit must select the direct care RNs who will account for at least 50% of the committee membership.
- A representative of the collective bargaining unit must also provide the hospital with a list of multiple names of direct care RNs from which hospital management must select one additional member beyond the 50%. Direct care RNs who are not members of a collective bargaining unit must be selected for the committee through a process the hospital’s direct care RNs determine. It requires the hospital staffing committee that existed prior to October 1, 2023, to seek feedback from all direct care RNs the hospital employs on what the process should entail.
- The direct care RNs who are members of this committee must decide, by majority vote, the parameters of the process. Hospital management must select the remaining committee members. The Act requires the hospital staffing committee, when developing the nurse staffing plan, to (1) evaluate the most recent patient outcomes research, (2) share with hospital staff the procedures for communicating concerns about the plan and staffing assignments, and (3) review all reports communicated to the committee on these concerns or any RN’s objection or refusal to participate in a staffing assignment.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
- 54 — HOSPITAL NONCOMPLIANCE WITH NURSE STAFFING REQUIREMENTS - Requires hospitals to biannually report to DPH on their compliance with nurse staffing assignments in their nurse staffing plans; requires DPH to investigate complaints regarding nurse staffing plan violations and, when appropriate, issue orders of noncompliance that require hospitals to implement corrective action plans and pay civil penalties; allows DPH to audit nurse staffing assignments
(Effective October 1, 2023)
- 54 — HOSPITAL NURSE PARTICIPATION IN HOSPITAL ACTIVITIES - Prohibits hospitals from requiring registered nurses to perform patient care tasks beyond the scope of their license and allows an RN to object to doing so, with limited exceptions
(Effective October 1, 2023)
- 55 — MANDATORY NURSE OVERTIME IN HOSPITALS - Prohibits hospitals from requiring nurses to work overtime and from discriminating or retaliating against them for refusing to do so, with limited exceptions. The Act provides that its provisions cannot (1) be construed to alter or impair a collective bargaining agreement’s terms that place additional mandatory overtime restrictions or limitations or (2) prohibit mandatory overtime for nurses covered by collective bargaining agreements that address mandatory overtime that are in effect prior to October 1, 2023, or for state employees, in effect prior to June 1, 2027.
- No fiscal impact to UConn Health in FY24 and FY25 as the provisions relevant to UCH employees do not apply to collective bargaining agreements that address mandatory overtime and are in effect prior to June 1, 2027. 921Cost could incur increase staffing costs in the out years related to the prohibition of mandatory overtime as a regular practice.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
- 137 — ENDOMETRIOSIS DATA AND BIOREPOSITORY PROGRAM - Requires UConn Health Center to develop an endometriosis data and biorepository program by January 1, 2024, and annually report on it to the Public Health Committee.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- §188-189 — COMMISSION ON RACIAL EQUITY IN PUBLIC HEALTH - Redesignates the Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health’s membership as an advisory body to the commission and reduces its membership from 28 to 15. Removes a physician educator associated with The University of Connecticut who has experience and expertise in infant and maternal care and who has worked on diversity and inclusion policy and one of whom shall be a representative of the Partnership for Strong Communities. Adds an Expert in health disparities affiliated with an academic research institution.
(Effective from passage)
- §191 & 192 — NEWBORN SCREENING FOR CYTOMEGALOVIRUS - Starting July 1, 2025, requires all newborns to be tested for the cytomegalovirus instead of only those who fail a newborn hearing screening; requires the public health commissioner to convene a CMV working group and report to the Public Health Committee by January 1, 2025.
(Effective from passage)
- 230 — ELECTRONIC UTILIZATION REVIEW PROCESSING - Requires health care providers participating in a health carrier’s network to use a carrier’s secure electronic system to process utilization reviews.
(Effective January 1, 2024)
HEALTH CARE-STUDIES
Health Care- Studies
An Act Establishing a Task Force to Study and Make Recommendations Concerning the Elderly Nutrition Program.
This Act establishes a task force to study and make recommendations concerning the elderly nutrition program administered by the Department of Aging and Disability Services.
(Effective from passage)
HIGHER EDUCATION
Higher Education
Act Requiring Reporting on the Implementation of the Students First Plan.
This Act requires beginning by July 1, 2024, and annually after that until July 1, 2030, the Board of Regents to annually report to the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee on the results of the consolidation of the regional community-technical schools into the CT State Community College (CSCC).
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Prohibiting an Institution of Higher Education from Withholding Transcripts.
This Act generally prohibits Connecticut higher education institutions from withholding a student’s transcript from a student’s employer, prospective employer, or a branch of the U.S. military because the student owes the institution a debt.
Specifically, under the Act, Connecticut higher education institutions
cannot:
- refuse to give a current or former student’s transcript to one of these entities because he or she owes the institution a debt,
- condition a transcript’s release to one of these entities upon debt payment,
- charge a higher fee for providing the transcript to one of these entities because the student owes a debt, or
- use transcript release as a debt collection method.
Under the Act, “debt” is an obligation, claim, or sum that the student owes or allegedly owes to a higher education institution, but excludes any fee related to the actual cost of releasing a transcript.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Establishing a Cybersecurity Task Force.
This Act establishes a task force to study cybersecurity. The task force shall develop a strategic plan that includes findings and recommendations on:
- Establishing a structure for the oversight and coordination of cybersecurity among state agencies, boards, commissions and other entities, including the constituent units of the state system of higher education, as defined in §10a-1 of the general statutes;
- (2) Critical information technology infrastructure needs related to cybersecurity in the state;
- (3) Maximizing state coordination with and assistance to municipalities and other political subdivisions of the state on cybersecurity and maximizing coordination and assistance among municipalities and other political subdivisions of the state;
- (4) Maximizing interaction and coordination with federal government agencies, including the United States Department of Homeland Security;
- (5) Appropriate information sharing between federal, state and local agencies;
- (6) Coordination of cybersecurity initiatives with other states and the federal government;
- (7) Collaboration with the private sector to facilitate cybersecurity, including efforts related to corporate espionage, protection of trade secrets and data privacy; and
- (8) Promoting personal computer, mobile data and application security for persons throughout the state, including promoting public awareness of cybersecurity issue.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority.
The Act expands the list of allowable projects for which the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) can provide financial assistance through the issuance of bonds, removing a prohibition that such bonds not be used for items currently paid for with operating funds and allowing issuance for things found to be a "program or service that is in furtherance of the organization.” The Act allows CHEFA to issue bonds for newly eligible projects on behalf of eligible organizations. The Act also would expand the circumstances under which CHEFA may issue debt backed by a special capital reserve fund (SCRF).
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the Foundations of the Regional Community-Technical Colleges.
This Act makes changes regarding the state community-technical colleges’ foundations. Under existing law, a “foundation” is a non-profit organization that uses private funds for charitable, scientific, cultural, or educational purposes to support a state agency, such as the UConn Foundation. Primarily, the Act allows Connecticut community-technical colleges, after their merger into campuses of the Connecticut State Community College (CSCC), to (1) retain an existing supporting foundation or establish a new one if one does not exist, and (2) have the campus’ president or chief executive officer serve on the foundation’s board. (Currently, several community technical colleges have foundations; it is unclear whether after the merger CSCC will be limited to one foundation.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Access to Reproductive Health Care by Students at Public Institutions of Higher Education.
This Act requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR) and the UConn Board of Trustees (BOT), by January 1, 2024, to establish and update as needed a plan to provide reproductive health care services by a licensed health care provider to students who live on residential campuses (i.e., any public higher education institution campus with school-owned dorms or fraternities and sororities) under the boards’ jurisdiction. The plan must address:
- the availability of equipment and licensed health care providers to provide reproductive health care services on the residential campus or in the surrounding community;
- opportunities for providing reproductive health care or other associated services, including telehealth counseling services; means for ensuring continuity of care during holiday and vacation periods and between semesters; and
- an estimate of the costs associated with plan implementation and the availability of public and private funding sources to cover the costs.
The plan must also cover how the school will provide:
- referrals for, and transportation services to, access reproductive health care services at any off-campus location;
- information and materials about pregnancy being a qualifying life event for health insurance coverage in the state; and
- educational materials on maternal mental health care and resources for maternal mental health screenings.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the Recruitment of Law School Students for Apprentice Prosecutor Positions.
This Act allows the Criminal Justice Commission, within available appropriations, to interview and appoint as an “apprentice prosecutor” any student from an accredited law school who is within five months of graduation and is a certified legal intern. (It does not define an apprentice prosecutor’s scope of duties.) Under the Act, a student who the commission appoints as an apprentice prosecutor advances to the position of deputy assistant state’s attorney once admitted to the Connecticut bar within one year after graduating law school. This creates an exception to existing law by guaranteeing appointment upon bar passage (CGS § 51-278a(a)).
(Effective from passage)
An Act Prohibiting Public Institutions of Higher Education from Receiving Money for Soliciting Students to Gamble Online.
This Act prohibits public higher education institutions from profiting or receiving money from a sponsor, marketing company, or other entity for allowing it to directly solicit enrolled students to gamble through a website, online service, or mobile application. Under the Act, “directly solicit” means making direct contact with a person through mail, phone, e-mail, in-person communication, or any other means to induce the person to make a transaction.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Clinical Placements for Nursing Students, Reporting by the Office of Workforce Strategy, Promotion of the Development of the Insurance Industry and Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority Student Loan Subsidy Programs for Various Professions.
This Act:
- Creates an 11-member task force to develop a plan to establish clinical placements at state facilities for nursing students at public and private higher education institutions, task force includes two nursing education program administrators at UConn (§1);
- Makes permanent a provision due to sunset under current law on October 1, 2025, that requires the Chief Workforce Officer to annually report to the governor and certain legislative committees on the Office of Workforce Strategy’s workforce training programs (§2);
- Requires the insurance commissioner to promote the development and growth of, and employment opportunities within, the state’s insurance industry (§3);
- Extends eligibility to the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority’s (CHESLA) Alliance District Teacher Loan Subsidy Program to paraeducators and counselors, and makes conforming changes (§§4-5);
- Requires CHESLA to establish a Police Officer Loan Subsidy Program to subsidize interest rates on CHESLA loans to eligible police officers employed in distressed municipalities (§ 6); and
- Amends HB 6689 of the current session to expand a CHESLA loan subsidy program for specified health care professionals to also include emergency services professionals (§§7-8).
(Effective July 1, 2023, except the police officer student loan subsidy program provisions take effect on January 1, 2024, and the task force provision is effective upon passage.)
An Act Establishing a Green Jobs Corps Program.
This Act requires the Connecticut Clean Economy Council (CCEC) to develop a plan for green jobs workforce training to accomplish the greenhouse gas emissions goals set forth in subsection (a) of section 22a-200a. Such plan shall include, but need not be limited to, the development of certificate and degree programs related to the green technology industry at technical education and career schools and institutions of higher education in the state. The plan must be created by January 1, 2024.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the Plan of the Board of Regents for Higher Education Concerning the Number of Child Care Centers Near Campuses.
This Act expands the requirements and extends the reporting date of an existing plan for the Board of Regents for Higher Education to consult with the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to develop a plan to increase the number of OEC-licensed child care centers or group child care homes on or near each regional community technical college and state university campus.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning Reporting for the Debt-Free Community College Program.
This Act delays, by one month, an annual deadline for reporting on the state’s debt-free community college program.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Establishing an Advanced Manufacturing Education Center Working Group.
This Act established a working group to facilitate the expansion of an advanced manufacturing technology center at a regional community-technical college in the state, and to maximize the economic, educational and workforce benefits provided to the state by the center.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Connecticut Open Educational Resource Coordinating Council.
This Act moves the Connecticut Open Educational Resource (OER) from the executive branch to the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) and gives the CSCU president the same duties that the OHE executive director has under current law (i.e., appointing the state-wide coordinator and council members). The Act also makes the CSCU administrative staff serve as the council’s administrative staff. The Act expands restrictions on council grant award recipients. Under current law, the council can accept, review, and approve grant applications but grant recipients must license open educational resources through a creative common attribution license. The Act allows recipients to use another open copyright license, which the Act defines.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Postsecondary Education.
The Act makes a procedural change to examination requirements for certified public accounts.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and Making Appropriations therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and other Items Implementing the State Budget.
- 1 – The Roberta Willis Scholarship program is funded at $24.9M in both years of the biennium. The Community Colleges (CCC) were removed from the program, and approximately $8M was transferred to the CCCs to reflect this change and to fund the CCC Debt Free College program. Additionally, $18M in ARPA funding was provided for RWS in FY24. (See §1, §48, §135-§136).
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- 67 — PLANNING COMMISSION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION - Changes commission membership and appointing authorities and requires the commission to update the strategic master plan for higher education by September 1, 2024. The budget provides $250,000 in FY24 for this purpose through ARPA funds. Commission members from UConn: President, Provost, Chair, Board of trustees, and a faculty member chosen by the President.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- §88 & 89 — ETHNIC AND RACIAL DIVERSITY PLAN - Eliminates a requirement that OHE maintain a racial and ethnic diversity plan for the state’s higher education institutions but adds similar provisions into the existing OHE minority advancement program
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- §89 & 445 — HIGHER EDUCATION CONSTITUENT UNIT EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT COSTS - Beginning FY 24, requires the (1) comptroller to pay the retirement-related fringe benefit costs for all employees of the constituent units of the state higher education system, rather than only for General Fund-supported employees; and (2) constituent units to fund their employee health and life insurance, unemployment compensation, and employers’ social security tax.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- 95 — OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE COUNCIL - Transfers the Connecticut Open Educational Resource Coordinating Council from OHE to CSCU and makes conforming changes; expands restrictions on council grant award recipients; adds to council duties, and requires them to include additional information in their biennial report to the legislature; allows the OER state-wide coordinator to hire a part-time employee.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- 96 — INDEPENDENT COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PROGRAM APPROVAL EXEMPTIONS - Makes permanent the law exempting qualifying independent colleges and universities from the Office of Higher Education’s program approval process for an unlimited number of higher education programs per academic year; requires independent higher education institutions to at least annually update the credentials database with any new, modified, or discontinued programs.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- §132 & 133 — HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS SERVING AS ADJUNCT FACULTY - Requires public higher education institutions to consider any licensed health care provider with at least 10-years of clinical experience to be qualified for an adjunct faculty position; correspondingly requires OHE, within available appropriations, to establish a program providing incentive grants to these providers who become adjunct professors.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
- §135-136 — DEBT FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE ROBERTA B. WILLIS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - Extends eligibility for the state’s debt-free community college program to returning students; makes various changes to the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship program, including requiring FY 24 awards to use ARPA funds first and excluding regional-community technical colleges from the program. It also allows the program to use a student aid index as an alternative to family contribution when determining student eligibility.
(Effective July 1, 2024)
- 147 — LGBTQ JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITY NETWORK - The Act renames the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Health and Human Services Network as the LGBTQ Justice and Opportunity Network, changes its composition and modifies its scope. The director at the University of Connecticut Rainbow Center is affiliated with this network.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
HUMAN RESOURCES
Human Resources
An Act Expanding Workers' Compensation Coverage for Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries for All Employees.
Starting January 1, 2024, this act expands eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits for post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI) to all employees covered by the workers’ compensation law. Prior law generally limited eligibility for PTSI benefits to certain first responders (e.g., police officers, firefighters, emergency medical service personnel, and emergency 9-1-1 dispatchers) diagnosed with PTSI as a direct result of certain qualifying events (e.g., witnessing someone’s death) that occur in the line of duty. The act instead allows any employee covered by workers’ compensation law to qualify for the benefits if the same qualifying events occur in the course of the employee’s employment. The PTSI benefits provided to them are subject to the same procedures and limitations that apply to the PTSI benefits for first responders.
(Effective January 1, 2024)
An Act Accelerating the State Hiring Process.
This Act makes various changes the State Personnel Act, which governs hiring employees for the state employee classified service (i.e., positions subject to various civil service exams and other hiring and promotion procedures). Among other things, the Act allows an appointing (i.e., hiring) authority to (1) immediately fill a position with someone on a candidate list, if doing so would maintain operational efficiency and productivity, and complete any pre-employment checks during the new employee’s working test period, (2) fill a position, under certain circumstances, with someone on a candidate list for a comparable position class, and (3) begin the screening process as soon as the applicable job opening is posted. It also requires an appointing authority to notify the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) commissioner when a position becomes vacant because its previous holder was promoted, and the appointing authority determines that it should be filled.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning a Study of Pathways to State Employment.
This Act requires the Commissioner of Administrative Services to conduct a study regarding the hiring practices of state agencies for positions in state service. Such study shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) the feasibility of eliminating requirements for college degrees for certain appointments to state classified services, and (2) the feasibility of establishing a program to provide applicants with pathways for alternative routes to appointment to state classified service. The report is due to the Labor and Public Employees Committee of the General Assembly by Jan. 1, 2024.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Revising the State's Antidiscrimination Statutes.
In the state’s antidiscrimination laws, this Act (1) adds “age” to the list of protected classes and (2) repeals the definition of the term “sexual orientation” and replaces it with a new one.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Workers' Compensation and Portal-to-Portal Coverage for Telecommunicators.
This Act extends “portal-to-portal” workers’ compensation coverage to telecommunicators (i.e., 9-1-1 emergency dispatchers) in three situations: (1) when they are subject to emergency calls while off duty by the terms of their employment, (2) when they are responding to a direct order to appear at their work assignment when nonessential employees are excused from working, or (3) after working two or more mandatory overtime shifts on consecutive days.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Plans for the Treatment of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses and Establishing Working Groups to Review Access to Medical Records and Partial Disability Payments Under the Workers' Compensation Act.
This Act makes various changes affecting workers’ compensation and related matters.
(Effective dates vary)
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Information Technology
An Act Concerning Artificial Intelligence, Automated Decision-Making and Personal Data Privacy.
This Act requires the executive and judicial branches to (1) conduct an inventory of all their systems that employ artificial intelligence (AI) and (2) develop and set policies and procedures on developing, procuring, using, and assessing systems that use AI. It also requires them to publicly post the inventory and policies and procedures online. Beginning February 1, 2024, the Act prohibits the executive and judicial branches from implementing any system that uses AI unless they have done an impact assessment to ensure the system will not result in any unlawful discrimination or disparate impact against specified individuals or groups (e.g., age and race). It also establishes a 21-member working group to make recommendations to the General Law Committee on certain issues concerning AI. The working group includes the following academic appointments: academic with a concentration in the study of technology and technology policy and an academic with a concentration in the study of government and public policy. Among other things, the working group must engage stakeholders and experts on how to develop best practices for the ethical and equitable use of AI in state government. Separately, the Act prohibits state contracting agencies from entering a contract unless it has a provision requiring the business to comply with the consumer data privacy law.
(Effective July 1, 2023, except the working group provision is effective upon passage and the consumer data privacy provision is effective October 1, 2023)
MARINE SCIENCES
Marine Sciences
An Act Establishing a Working Group on the Restoration of Eel Grass.
This Act establishes a working group on the restoration of eel grass along the state's shoreline. The working group is convened by the Environment Committee and includes a marine biologist from The University of Connecticut at Avery Point. A report is due to the General Assembly by February 1, 2024.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning Certain Harvesting of Horseshoe Crabs.
The Act prohibits hand-harvesting horseshoe crabs or their eggs from state waters. However, it authorizes the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) commissioner to allow, by permit, hand-harvesting horseshoe crabs for educational or scientific purposes if she determines it will not harm the state’s horseshoe crab population.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Authorizing the Establishment of a Seabird and Shorebird Protection Program.
This Act (1) allows the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) commissioner to establish a seabird and shorebird protection program under which she may designate and identify protected areas on state-owned public property within the state’s coastal area (i.e., the coastline along Long Island Sound) and (2) makes it an infraction to disturb these areas. The Act authorizes the commissioner to create a list of birds to be protected. The list must include seabirds and shorebirds identified in state regulations as endangered, threatened, or of special concern.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
MENTAL HEALTH
Mental Health
An Act Concerning the Mental, Physical and Emotional Wellness of Children.
This Act makes changes that address (1) licensure of social workers and other professionals, (2) translation services for Birth-to-Three individualized family service plans, (3) paid sick leave related to certain family violence and sexual assault victims, (4) a pandemic-related study by the Task Force to Study Children’s Needs, (5) Department of Social Services (DSS) funding related to HUSKY Health program eligibility and enrollment, and (6) State Department of Education (SDE) services for at-risk teenage students. It also adds provisions that (1) establish the Behavioral Health Advocate Advisory Committee; (2) require appointed or assigned counsel representing children in abuse or neglect cases to continue for the duration of the court proceedings; (3) require the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity, and Opportunity (CWCSEO) to study community-based bereavement and counseling resource centers; (4) allow play-based learning; (5) expand the Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council’s duties; and (6) require the Social and Emotional Learning and School Climate Advisory Collaborative to make recommendations on ways to promote the social and emotional development of young children. The Social and Emotional Learning and School Climate Advisory Collaborative includes a representative of the Neag School of Education at UConn.
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning Health and Wellness for Connecticut Residents.
- Work Group – Expanding the Healthcare Workforce: 8 requires OWS to convene a working group to develop recommendations for expanding the healthcare workforce in the state. The working group must evaluate:
- The quality of in-state education and clinical training programs for nurses and nurse’s aides;
- The potential for increasing the number of clinical training sites specific to nursing;
- The expansion of clinical training facilities specific to nursing;
- Any barriers to recruit and retain healthcare providers, including nurses and nurse’s aides;
- The impact of the state healthcare staffing shortage on the provision of healthcare services, the public’s access to these services, and service wait times;
- The impact of federal and state reimbursement for the costs of healthcare services on the public’s access to them;
The legislation requires that one member of the working group be from the UConn Health Center’s administration. The working group is required to file a legislative report, which will conclude its work, on January 1, 2024.
- Adjunct Faculty: §9 and §10 require public health institutions to consider any licensed healthcare provider applying for an adjunct faculty position in their field to be qualified if the provider has at least 10 years of clinical experience. Providers hired under this provision who remain in the position for at least one academic year are eligible for a $20,000 incentive grant (with the potential for an additional grant).
- Reciprocity: §23 allows OHE to enter into reciprocity agreements with neighboring states to allow students attending programs in neighboring states to train in a clinical rotation in Connecticut for credit so long as the neighboring state allows students attending Connecticut programs to train in clinical rotations for credit in the other state.
(Effective from passage except October 1, 2023, for the hospital training provision)
An Act Concerning Insurance Coverage for the Provision of Mental Health Wellness Examinations.
This Act eliminates the requirement that commercial health insurance policies cover mental health wellness examinations by a primary care provider. The Act maintains existing law’s requirement that the policies cover the examinations when performed by a licensed mental health professional.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning the Transforming Children's Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee.
The Act makes various changes regarding the Behavioral and Mental Health Policy and Oversight Committee, including 1) changing the name to the Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee 2) changing the number of committee members and 3) changing reporting dates.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning the Use of Funds in the Opioid and Tobacco Settlement Funds and Funds Received by the State as Part of any Settlement Agreement with a Manufacturer of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System and Vapor Products.
This Act makes changes affecting tobacco and opioid settlement funds. Of note, the bill updates the statutory purposes for fund disbursements to include the reduction of tobacco and nicotine use in all forms, including combustible, non-combustible, electronic, and synthetic products. It requires that funding be directed to support and encourage tobacco and nicotine use prevention, education, and cessation programs that use evidence-based best practices.
(Effective dates vary)
PHARMACY
Pharmacy
An Act Concerning Pharmacies and Pharmacists.
This Act makes changes in the laws on pharmacists and consumer access to medications. Specifically, it:
- Establishes a licensing process for institutional pharmacies located in health care facilities (e.g., hospitals) to compound sterile pharmaceuticals and sell them at retail;
- Allows pharmacists to order and administer tests for COVID-19, HIV, and influenza;
- Allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense HIV-related prophylaxis if a patient tests negative after a pharmacist- administered HIV test;
- Expands the vaccine types that pharmacists can administer and allows pharmacy technicians to administer vaccines;
- Allows pharmacists to administer an epinephrine cartridge injector to someone experiencing anaphylaxis;
- Allows pharmacies to operate mobile pharmacies in temporary locations with the Department of Consumer Protection’s (DCP) approval;
- Requires pharmacies to maintain a plan to manage unscheduled closings and specifies actions that can and must be taken during these closures;
- Requires DCP to adopt regulations on prescription pickup lockers at pharmacies, but allows for their use before the regulations are adopted under specified circumstances; and
- Requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to establish and contract for a statewide program providing HIV pre- and post- exposure prophylaxis drug assistance, if there is specified funding for it (in doing so, the Act replaces a current, narrower program)
- (Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Protecting Patients and Prohibiting Unnecessary Health Care Costs.
This Act:
- Requires pharmaceutical manufacturers that employ sales representatives to register as pharmaceutical marketing firms, rather than requiring the sales representatives to be licensed;
- Requires the Comptroller to work with the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy to report on recommendations on a framework for establishing an outreach and education program to inform physicians when a drug patent will expire and become available in generic form and when generic alternatives exist for drugs whose patent recently expired. (§ 2);
- Expands the ban on certain facility fees.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning the Safe Storage and Disposal of Certain Prescription Drugs, Illegal Drugs and Cannabis and Cannabis Products.
Beginning January 1, 2024, it requires pharmacies to affix a fluorescent orange sticker or label with black ink that says “DANGER TO CHILDREN KEEP OUT OF REACH” on any container or packaging in which an opioid drug or schedule II, III, IV, or V controlled substance is sold or dispensed. It also requires the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) commissioner, by July 1, 2024, to adopt regulations to provide guidance to pharmacies on the optimal size of, and font size used on, the stickers or labels. Until then, he must implement, by September 1, 2023, policies and procedures on implementing the department’s guidance, which must remain valid until the final regulations are adopted. The Act also requires the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to develop and administer a public awareness campaign about the (1) safe storage and disposal of prescription drugs, cannabis, cannabis products, and illegal drugs and (2) dangers they pose to children and tactics to reduce and eliminate them. The campaign must be delivered statewide to people who are homeless and receiving substance use disorder treatment.
An Act Concerning the Department of Consumer Protection's Recommendations Regarding Prescription Drug Regulation.
This Act makes various changes related to the practice of pharmacy and access to medications. Among other things, it:
- establishes a new Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) registration for dispensing group practices and dispensing assistants that dispense prescriptions directly to patients instead of through pharmacies;
- Authorizes pharmacists to dispense emergency or hormonal contraception to patients under certain conditions;
- Allows businesses to operate vending machines selling over-the- counter (OTC) medications if they obtain a DCP permit, and
- Allows prescribing practitioners and pharmacists to work with various entities to increase the public’s access to opioid antagonists.
(Effective from passage, except the provision creating a new DCP registration for dispensing group practices and dispensing assistants (§1) is effective January 1, 2024)
PUBLIC SAFETY & EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
Public Safety & Emergency Medical Services
An Act Strengthening the Protections against and Response to Domestic Violence.
The Act expands the Judicial Department’s electronic monitoring pilot program for family violence offenders by removing its pilot status and requiring the department to establish the program in each judicial district by October 1, 2025.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Racial Profiling.
The law prohibits members of the State Police, municipal police departments, and any other law enforcement agency from engaging in racial profiling. Under current law, “racial profiling” is the detention, interdiction, or other disparate treatment of anyone solely based on their racial or ethnic status. The Act broadens this law’s applicability by generally prohibiting police officers from doing these actions based in whole or in part, rather than solely, on the person’s racial or ethnic status. It also specifies that the determination is based on the person’s perceived racial or ethnic status. The Act creates an exception by allowing police officers to take these actions when the perceived racial or ethnic status is used in combination with other information when the officer is seeking to apprehend a specific suspect whose racial or ethnic status is part of the suspect’s description.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning Crisis Intervention Training for Police Officers and Collaboration Between Police Officers and Social Workers.
The Act requires the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) to update its training curriculum on interactions with persons with mental or physical disabilities and issue guidance on programs and strategies for police collaboration with social workers.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Establishing a Task Force on The Shortage of Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services Personnel in the State.
This Act establishes a task force to study the shortage of firefighters and emergency medical services personnel in the state. The task force shall: study ways to alleviate such shortage, including: an examination of providing an income tax credit for volunteer firefighters, developing a pipeline from colleges and universities into firefighting and emergency medical services, and offering tuition incentives for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel. The report is due January 1, 2024.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Requiring Police Officers to Inform Drivers of the Purpose of a Traffic Stop.
The Alvin W. Penn Racial Profiling Prohibition Act requires police officers to record the statutory reason for stopping a vehicle for every stop (CGS § 54-1m). This Act further requires them to verbally tell the vehicle’s driver the purpose for the stop before it is completed.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning the Provision of Emergency Medical Services to an Individual who is in Direct Contact with or in the Custody or Control of a Peace Officer.
This Act gives anyone who experiences an emergency medical condition or is medically unstable the right to be provided emergency medical services if this occurs while the person is (1) in direct audio or video contact with a peace officer or (2) under a peace officer’s custody or control. It correspondingly requires a peace officer to immediately request emergency medical services for any such person.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Vision Zero Council.
Among other things, this Act allows municipalities to authorize the use of speed and red-light cameras in school zones, pedestrian safety zones, and other locations meeting specified criteria, subject to oversight by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and under various other conditions the Act sets. It also enacts various other policies related to traffic safety.
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning Workers' Compensation and Portal-to-Portal Coverage for Telecommunicators.
This Act extends “portal-to-portal” workers’ compensation coverage to telecommunicators (i.e., 9-1-1 emergency dispatchers) in three situations: (1) when they are subject to emergency calls while off duty by the terms of their employment, (2) when they are responding to a direct order to appear at their work assignment when nonessential employees are excused from working, or (3) after working two or more mandatory overtime shifts on consecutive days.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Police Assistance Agreements and Requests for Aid.
This Act results in a transfer of the costs associated for providing emergency assistance from one municipality to another and makes various revisions to the police assistance agreements statute.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Expanding Membership of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council.
Beginning January 1, 2024, this Act increases the membership of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) from 21 members to 23 by adding two new members, one appointed by the Public Safety and Security Committee chairs and one by the Senate and House minority leaders. The appointees must be sworn police officers who are not in command positions within their law enforcement units.
(Effective January 1, 2024)
An Act Requiring the Police Officer Standards and Training Council to Develop and Promulgate a Model Policy Requiring the use of a Seat Safety Belt for any Person who is Being Transported in a Municipal Police Vehicle.
This Act requires the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), by December 31, 2023, to develop and promulgate a model policy that has guidelines on required seat belt use in municipal police vehicles and standardized procedures for municipal police officers to ensure that anyone being transported in their vehicles is secured by a seat belt. By April 1, 2024, each municipal law enforcement unit must adopt and maintain a written policy that meets or exceeds these model policy standards.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and Making Appropriations therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and other Items Implementing the State Budget.
- 58 — POLICE RECORDING EQUIPMENT REPORTING - Requires (1) POST to create a form for law enforcement units to use to report on their compliance with state law’s body and dashboard camera requirements, (2) the units to annually submit a report on the form, and (3) UConn’s Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy to review the submissions and report findings and recommendations to specified entities within available appropriations.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
RESEARCH
Research
An Act Concerning Resources and Support Services for Persons with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability.
Among many other things, this Act requires the Connecticut Sentencing Commission to study the experience of people with IDD or ASD who are in the criminal justice system (§ 15). The study must include (1) incarceration rates of people with IDD and ASD compared to their overall population in the state, (2) the
advisability and cost of pre-sentencing behavioral assessments for these people, and (3) other states’ best practices. To help complete the study, the Act grants the commission access to (1) each database in the statewide criminal justice information technology system and (2) any offender-based tracking system or
criminal or judicial database not integrated into the statewide system. The Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP) supports the Commission’s professional staff and also provides administrative resources as necessary to further its mission.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Addressing Gun Violence.
Among many other things this Act requires starting by February 1, 2025, that each law enforcement
unit annually prepare and submit to the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at UConn a report on any stops done on suspicion of a violation of the Act’s intent to display prohibition during the preceding
calendar year. The initial report must be based on the 15 months before January 1, 2025. Within available appropriations, the Institute must review the incidents reported and, beginning by December 1, 2025, annually report the review’s results and its recommendations to the governor and the Judiciary, Public Safety and Security, and Planning and Development committees.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
STATE AGENCIES
State Agencies
An Act Establishing a Cybersecurity Task Force.
This Act establishes a task force to study cybersecurity. The task force shall develop a strategic plan that includes findings and recommendations on:
- Establishing a structure for the oversight and coordination of cybersecurity among state agencies, boards, commissions and other entities, including the constituent units of the state system of higher education, as defined in § 10a-1 of the general statutes;
- Critical information technology infrastructure needs related to cybersecurity in the state;
- Maximizing state coordination with and assistance to municipalities and other political subdivisions of the state on cybersecurity and maximizing coordination and assistance among municipalities and other political subdivisions of the state;
- Maximizing interaction and coordination with federal government agencies, including the United States Department of Homeland Security;
- Appropriate information sharing between federal, state and local agencies;
- Coordination of cybersecurity initiatives with other states and the federal government;
- Collaboration with the private sector to facilitate cybersecurity, including efforts related to corporate espionage, protection of trade secrets and data privacy; and
- Promoting personal computer, mobile data and application security for persons throughout the state, including promoting public awareness of cybersecurity issue.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Concerning State Agency Communications Relevant to the Latin American Community.
This Act requires state agencies and employees, when referring to the Latin American community in an official communication or form, to use the terms “Latino,” “Latina,” and “Latine.” Under the Act, a “state agency” is any department, board, council, commission, institution, or other state executive branch agency,
including constituent units and public higher education institutions. A “state employee” is any classified or unclassified employee of a state agency, excluding elected officials.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Implementing the Recommendations of The Department of Transportation and Concerning State Parkways, the Connecticut Airport Authority, a Transportation Carbon Dioxide Reduction Target, a Tree and Vegetation Management Plan, Motor Vehicle Noise, the Zero-Emission Truck Voucher Program, Street Racing, Emergency Lights and the Naming of Certain Roads and Bridges.
This Act makes various changes in laws affecting the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA), highways, public transit, aviation, carbon emissions, noise pollution, and public safety.
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and Making Appropriations therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and other Items Implementing the State Budget.
- 98 — FEES FOR STATE AGENCY ELECTRIC VEHICLE STATIONS - Changes the fund into which fees collected for using state agency EV charging stations are deposited.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation
An Act Extending the Deadlines Applicable to the Task Force to Examine the Motor Vehicle Accident Report Form used by Law Enforcement Officers.
This Act extends the reporting deadline for the task force to examine the uniform investigation of accident reports. UConn is a member of the task force.
(Effective from passage)
An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Vision Zero Council.
Among other things, this Act allows municipalities to authorize the use of speed and red light cameras in school zones, pedestrian safety zones, and other locations meeting specified criteria, subject to oversight by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and under various other conditions the Act sets. It also enacts various other policies related to traffic safety.
(Effective dates vary)
An Act Concerning Wrong-Way Driving Detection and Prevention.
This Act requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to expand its efforts to implement wrong-way driver countermeasures. Among other things, this includes requiring the department to give a grant to UConn to test them and (2) creates a pilot program to test wrong-way driving detection and notification systems that broadcast alerts to highway message boards, rather than requiring all systems to be capable of doing so. (§ 5). (Effective October 1, 2023, except that the pilot program and UConn grant provisions are effective upon passage) – Note: $20 million in FY 24 and FY 25 in bonding is provided to the DOT for Wrong way driving for Purchase, installation and implementation of advanced wrong way driving technology and other wrong-way driving countermeasures, not exceeding (See PA23-205 (HB6942) §s 40 & 46).
VETERANS’ ISSUES
VETERANS’ ISSUES
An Act Including the United States Space Force in References to the United States Armed Forces.
This Act expands the general definitions of “armed forces” and “members of armed forces” under state law to include the U.S. Space Force (USSF) and makes related technical and conforming changes.
(Effective October 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning Tuition Waivers for Graduate Degree Programs at Public Institutions of Higher Education.
Current law requires the Connecticut State University System (CSUS), UConn, and the regional community-technical colleges (CTCs) to waive tuition fees for certain veterans and other eligible students This Act codifies existing practice by requiring CSUS and UConn to waive both undergraduate and graduate degree program tuition fees for these students.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
VOTING
Voting
An Act Implementing Early Voting.
This Act establishes a framework for early, in-person voting for all general elections, primaries, and special elections, held on or after January 1, 2024. Specifically, it requires a 14-day early voting period for general elections, a seven-day period for most primaries, and a four-day early voting period for special elections and presidential preference primaries.
(Effective July 1, 2023)
An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and Making Appropriations therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and other Items Implementing the State Budget.
- §410-418 — STATE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Prohibits election methods that impair a protected class member’s right to vote; authorizes SOTS and others to file a court action and authorizes the court to impose tailored remedies for violations; creates a statewide election database; establishes requirements for municipal language assistance; establishes preclearance