Public Health

This bill updates Connecticut's environmental health and drinking water statutes to clarify definitions and establish new regulatory requirements for bottled water. It directly affects bottlers, water sources, and the Department of Public Health by creating standardized definitions for terms like bottled water, spring water, and mineral water. Key provisions require the Department to inspect and approve in-state bottled water sources, issue annual schedules listing contaminants and their safe levels, and establish specific standards for fluoridated and distilled water. The changes also expand oversight to include perfluoroalkyl substances and unregulated contaminants, ensuring clearer safety guidelines for consumers.

HB 5165 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Public Health to evaluate whether the Attorney General should have authority to petition courts for a receiver (a court-appointed manager) to oversee hospitals facing severe financial trouble or operational crises. The commissioner must complete this assessment and submit a report to the legislature by October 1, 2027. This bill does not create new receiver authority but mandates a formal review of the process to determine if it should be implemented. It directly affects hospitals in financial distress or operational crisis by potentially enabling court intervention to stabilize their operations.

SB 191 establishes a state-run pilot program for psychedelic-assisted therapy using MDMA and psilocybin, effective July 1, 2026. It directly affects qualified patients in Connecticut who are 18+ and meet specific criteria (veterans, retired first responders, or healthcare workers), providing them access to therapy administered by a state-selected medical school. The program requires federal FDA approval under 21 CFR 312 for research purposes and will terminate once MDMA/psilocybin receive DEA approval for medical use. The bill repeals an existing statute and creates a structured framework for this therapeutic pilot program.

HB 5241 establishes a pilot program in a city with over 148,000 residents to test a "Triple Bottom Line Justice" approach, which integrates environmental cleanup, health equity, and community engagement. The program requires state health and environmental agencies to partner with a local community organization to use ICD-10 Z codes (which track social and environmental health factors) in healthcare billing, aiming for 20% adoption by 2030. It mandates annual reports on progress, develops educational materials for healthcare providers on these codes, and evaluates how transforming polluted sites ("Brownfields to Healthfields") can reduce long-term health costs. The pilot must conclude by January 2028 with a final report to the legislature.

This bill restricts most Connecticut hospitals from selling and leasing back their main campus property (a "sale-leaseback") after October 1, 2026, except for hospitals in financial distress that obtain board approval and notify the state health commissioner and attorney general. It requires all hospitals to annually submit a written attestation confirming no private equity firm controls the hospital or interferes with clinical decisions, such as patient care timing, discharge policies, or medical diagnoses. The attestation must cover specific areas like emergency department triage, patient discharge decisions, and medical record entries. Hospitals must use a standard form developed by the state health commissioner to comply.