This bill establishes an Office of the Correction Ombuds within the Office of Governmental Accountability to oversee health care and other services for incarcerated individuals in the Department of Correction. The Ombuds will have the authority to evaluate service delivery, conduct unannounced facility visits, review nonemergency procedures, and receive complaints from incarcerated people through free telephone calls and email. The office will also publish semiannual reports on its activities and has the power to recommend policy changes while remaining independent from departmental control.
This bill directs state officials to establish working groups focused on eating disorder treatment and food insecurity, requiring them to compile public resources and develop best practice guidelines by July 2026. It also mandates a feasibility study for a new inpatient psychiatric facility serving children and young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, with results due by January 2027. Additionally, the bill increases Temporary Family Assistance benefits to at least 55% of the federal poverty level and requires annual cost-of-living adjustments tied to consumer price index increases when funding lapses.
This bill creates a dedicated state fund called the "health care facility durable medical equipment account" to provide grants for healthcare facilities. It appropriates $1 million from the General Fund for fiscal year 2027 to help facilities purchase equipment like wheelchairs, hospital beds, and patient lifts for elderly patients or people with disabilities. The Department of Public Health will manage the fund and issue grants, deducting no more than 2% of the account balance annually for administrative costs. The account will hold ongoing state appropriations, gifts, and investment earnings, with funds available starting July 1, 2026.
This bill updates Connecticut's public health statutes to clarify which facilities are considered "institutions" and expands the state's investigation process for abuse and neglect involving people with intellectual disabilities. It redefines "institution" to include various healthcare and care facilities while explicitly excluding most state-operated mental health and substance use disorder facilities, with specific exceptions. The bill also strengthens the Department of Developmental Services' authority to investigate abuse reports by allowing record reviews without full psychological exams, granting subpoena powers, and requiring electronic record-keeping of abuse reports. Additionally, it establishes protocols for investigating deaths of individuals with intellectual disabilities where abuse or neglect may be involved and clarifies confidentiality rules for investigation reports.
This bill requires healthcare facilities and schools to cover medical costs and pay full salary for staff injured during work-related assaults or aggressive incidents. It creates a system for reporting patient violence in digital health records (with patient appeal options) and ensures absences due to such incidents don’t count against paid leave. Directly affects healthcare workers, teachers, and school staff who face workplace violence while performing job duties.
SB 89 requires all state and local correctional facilities (including jails, prisons, and juvenile detention centers) to adopt and follow the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act standards effective January 1, 2024, directly affecting incarcerated individuals and staff. Key provisions include a strict zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse, mandatory staff and contractor training, enhanced protections for vulnerable detainees, standardized reporting protocols for incidents, and access to medical/mental health services for victims. Facilities must annually certify compliance to the state, and the Corrections Commissioner must report yearly on training, incident data, and investigation outcomes starting January 2027. The bill mandates specific mechanisms like cross-gender search limits, risk screening, and victim support services to prevent, detect, and respond to sexual abuse. (Effective July 1, 2026)
SB 259 prohibits performing female genital mutilation (FGM) on minors under 18, defining it as a class D felony except for medically necessary procedures performed by licensed professionals during childbirth or for health reasons. The bill creates a civil remedy allowing victims to sue perpetrators for damages in superior court, removes parental immunity in such cases, and extends the statute of limitations to 30 years after the victim turns 18. It also mandates child-friendly testimony procedures in FGM-related cases, including closed-circuit testimony and accommodations to reduce trauma. The law directly affects minors under 18, medical providers, and parents or guardians who could face criminal or civil liability. The provisions take effect October 1, 2026.
HB 5127 prohibits healthcare and veterinary providers in Connecticut from promoting or facilitating medical credit cards to patients. Specifically, it bans providers from advertising these cards using their name/logo, receiving financial incentives for doing so, helping patients apply for them, or charging medical credit cards for services before they’re provided or for add-on products without written consent. The law also prevents providers from charging medical credit cards for services that are covered by insurance (like HUSKY Health) unless the patient has declined coverage. These provisions take effect on January 1, 2027, directly affecting providers who previously offered or promoted such credit options.
HB 5044 establishes Connecticut's official vaccine standards for children and infants, requiring the Commissioner of Public Health to create and maintain a standard of care based on CDC and medical association guidelines. This standard, posted online, will guide vaccination schedules and safety protocols, and must be updated as needed. The bill also mandates a state immunization program that provides free vaccines to healthcare providers for children, distributes vaccination schedules to parents at hospital discharge, and develops outreach to help children who fall behind on immunizations. It directly affects children (especially infants), healthcare providers, hospitals, and public health departments. The program must use available state and federal funds to support these services without creating new state regulations.
This bill requires health insurance plans and Medicaid to cover a twelve-month supply of prescription contraception and hormone therapy at one time, effective January 1, 2027. It applies to individuals with private insurance and Medicaid enrollees, allowing them to receive up to one year of medication and administration supplies in a single dispensation unless they or their provider request less. The law excludes certain drugs like glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists from hormone therapy coverage and permits health plans to use standard drug management rules, including limiting refills near the end of a plan year if the full supply was already provided.
