Bill Text: CT SB00439 | 2018 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Technical Revisions To Human Services Statutes.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Passed) 2018-06-01 - Signed by the Governor [SB00439 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2018-SB00439-Chaptered.html
Substitute Senate Bill No. 439
AN ACT CONCERNING TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO HUMAN SERVICES STATUTES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 17a-303a of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
(b) In awarding any grants or entering into any [agreements or contracts] contracts or agreements pursuant to this section, after October 1, 2017, the Commissioner of Social Services shall determine appropriate data and program outcome measures, including fall prevention program outcome measures, as applicable, that the recipient organization, institution or consortia of organizations and institutions shall collect and report to the commissioner and the frequency of such reports.
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 17b-451 of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
(a) A mandatory reporter, as defined in this section, who has reasonable cause to suspect or believe that any elderly person has been abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned, or is in a condition that is the result of such abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment, or is in need of protective services, shall, not later than seventy-two hours after such suspicion or belief arose, report such information or cause a report to be made in any reasonable manner to the Commissioner of Social Services or to the person or persons designated by the commissioner to receive such reports. The term "mandatory reporter" means (1) any physician or surgeon licensed under the provisions of chapter 370, (2) any resident physician or intern in any hospital in this state, whether or not so licensed, (3) any registered nurse, (4) any nursing home administrator, nurse's aide or orderly in a nursing home facility or residential care home, (5) any person paid for caring for a resident in a nursing home facility or residential care home, (6) any staff person employed by a nursing home facility or residential care home, (7) any residents' advocate, other than a representative of the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, as [defined in] established under section 17a-405, including the State Ombudsman, (8) any licensed practical nurse, medical examiner, dentist, optometrist, chiropractor, podiatrist, social worker, clergyman, police officer, pharmacist, psychologist or physical therapist, (9) any person paid for caring for an elderly person by any institution, organization, agency or facility, including without limitation, any employee of a community-based services provider, senior center, home care agency, homemaker and companion agency, adult day care center, village-model community and congregate housing facility, and (10) any person licensed or certified as an emergency medical services provider pursuant to chapter 368d or chapter 384d, including any such emergency medical services provider who is a member of a municipal fire department. Any mandatory reporter who fails to make such report within the prescribed time period shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, except that, if such person intentionally fails to make such report within the prescribed time period, such person shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor for the first offense and a class A misdemeanor for any subsequent offense. Any institution, organization, agency or facility employing individuals to care for persons sixty years of age or older shall provide mandatory training on detecting potential abuse, neglect, exploitation and abandonment of such persons and inform such employees of their obligations under this section. For purposes of this subsection, "person paid for caring for an elderly person by any institution, organization, agency or facility" includes an employee of a community-based services provider, senior center, home health care agency, homemaker and companion agency, adult day care center, village-model community and congregate housing facility.
Sec. 3. Section 5-175a of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
(a) Vending stand operators, operating stands under permits held by the Department of Rehabilitation Services pursuant to section 10-303, shall be members of the state employees retirement system, part A, exclusive of the Social Security option and benefits in the state employees' retirement system dependent thereon. Each such person shall annually, on or before June thirtieth, pay five per cent of his adjusted gross income, arising out of the operation of such stand, as determined under the Internal Revenue Code, during the calendar year preceding to the Department of Rehabilitation Services which shall, as the state administering agency for such persons, certify such payment and pay it over to the State Retirement Commission, provided membership of such persons in said system shall be exclusive of disability retirement upon the grounds of defects of vision.
(b) Any member of the state employees retirement system who operated vending stands under permits held by the State Board of Education and Services for the Blind pursuant to section 10-303, prior to October 1, 1971, may obtain credit for such period or periods of service for retirement purposes, provided such member has been in the active full-time employment of the state continuously for twelve months next preceding such member's written request to the Retirement Commission for such credit, and by making retirement contributions of five per cent of such member's adjusted gross income arising out of the operation of such stands for each of such years with interest thereon at the rate of five per cent per year from the time of such operation to the date of payment, all as certified by the State Board of Education and Services for the Blind or, its successor agency, the Department of Rehabilitative Services. Such payments may be made in twelve equal monthly installments but such service credit shall not be granted unless payment of installments is completed.
Sec. 4. Subsection (b) of section 17a-4a of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
(b) The Children's Behavioral Health Advisory Committee shall be composed of the following ex-officio voting members: (1) The Commissioner of Children and Families or the commissioner's designee; (2) the Commissioner of Social Services or the commissioner's designee; (3) the executive director of the Children's Health Council or [said] the executive director's designee; (4) the Chief Court Administrator or said administrator's designee; (5) the Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee; (6) the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services or the commissioner's designee; (7) the Commissioner of Developmental Services or the commissioner's designee; (8) the executive director of the nonprofit entity designated by the Governor in accordance with section 46a-10b to serve as the Connecticut protection and advocacy system, or the executive director's designee; and the following public members: (A) Two members appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be a parent of a child who receives behavioral health services and one of whom shall be a provider of behavioral health services; (B) six members, one of whom shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of whom shall be appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate and one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, and all of whom shall be knowledgeable on issues relative to children in need of behavioral health services and family supports; and (C) sixteen members appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families. The membership of the advisory committee shall fairly and adequately represent parents of children who have a serious emotional disturbance. At least fifty-one per cent of the members of the advisory committee shall be persons who are parents or relatives of a child who has or had a serious emotional disturbance or persons who had a serious emotional disturbance as children and no more than half the members of the committee shall be persons who receive income from a private practice or any public or private agency that delivers behavioral health services.
Sec. 5. Subsection (c) of section 17a-60 of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
(c) Possession of a bracelet linking the parent or lawful agent to an infant surrendered to a designated employee if parental rights have not been terminated creates a presumption the parent or lawful agent has standing to participate in a custody hearing for the infant under chapter 319a but does not create a presumption of maternity, paternity or custody.
Sec. 6. Subsection (a) of section 10-76i of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
(a) There shall be an Advisory Council for Special Education which shall advise the General Assembly, State Board of Education and the Commissioner of Education, and which shall engage in such other activities as described in this section. On and after July 1, 2012, the advisory council shall consist of the following members: (1) Nine appointed by the Commissioner of Education, (A) six of whom shall be (i) the parents of children with disabilities, provided such children are under the age of twenty-seven, or (ii) individuals with disabilities, (B) one of whom shall be an official of the Department of Education, (C) one of whom shall be a state or local official responsible for carrying out activities under Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 USC 11431 et seq., as amended from time to time, and (D) one of whom shall be a representative of an institution of higher education in the state that prepares teacher and related services personnel; (2) one appointed by the Commissioner of Developmental Services who shall be an official of the department; (3) one appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families who shall be an official of the department; (4) one appointed by the Commissioner of Correction who shall be an official of the department; (5) one appointed by the director of the Parent Leadership Training Institute within the Commission on Women, Children and Seniors who shall be (A) the parent of a child with a disability, provided such child is under the age of twenty-seven, or (B) an individual with a disability; (6) a representative from the parent training and information center for Connecticut established pursuant to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1400 et seq., as amended from time to time; (7) the Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services, or the commissioner's designee; (8) five who are members of the General Assembly who shall serve as nonvoting members of the advisory council, one appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; (9) one appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate who shall be a member of the Connecticut Speech-Language-Hearing Association; (10) one appointed by the majority leader of the Senate who shall be a public school teacher; (11) one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate who shall be a representative of a vocational, community or business organization concerned with the provision of transitional services to children with disabilities; (12) one appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives who shall be a member of the Connecticut Council of Special Education Administrators and who is a local education official; (13) one appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives who shall be a representative of charter schools; (14) one appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives who shall be a member of the Connecticut Association of Private Special Education Facilities; (15) one appointed by the Chief Court Administrator of the Judicial Department who shall be an official of such department responsible for the provision of services to adjudicated children and youth; (16) seven appointed by the Governor, all of whom shall be (A) the parents of children with disabilities, provided such children are under the age of twenty-seven, or (B) individuals with disabilities; (17) the executive director of the nonprofit entity designated by the Governor in accordance with section 46a-10b to serve as the Connecticut protection and advocacy system, or the executive director's designee; and (18) such other members as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1400 et seq., as amended from time to time, appointed by the Commissioner of Education. Appointments made pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be representative of the ethnic and racial diversity of, and the types of disabilities found in, the state population. The terms of the members of the council serving on June 8, 2010, shall expire on June 30, 2010. Appointments shall be made to the council by July 1, 2010. Members shall serve two-year terms, except that members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this subsection whose terms commenced July 1, 2010, shall serve three-year terms and the successors to such members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this subsection shall serve two-year terms.
Sec. 7. Subsection (c) of section 17a-411 of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
(c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall have authority to seek funding for the purposes contained in this section from public and private sources, including, but not limited to, any federal or state funded programs.
Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 17b-338 of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
(a) There is established a Long-Term Care Advisory Council which shall consist of the following: (1) The executive director of the Commission on Women, Children and Seniors, or the executive director's designee; (2) the State Nursing Home Ombudsman, or the ombudsman's designee; (3) the president of the Coalition of Presidents of Resident Councils, or the president's designee; (4) the executive director of the Legal Assistance Resource Center of Connecticut, or the executive director's designee; (5) the state president of AARP, or the president's designee; (6) one representative of a bargaining unit for health care employees, appointed by the president of the bargaining unit; (7) the president of LeadingAge Connecticut, Inc., or the president's designee; (8) the president of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities, or the president's designee; (9) the president of the Connecticut Association of Residential Care Homes, or the president's designee; (10) the president of the Connecticut Hospital Association or the president's designee; (11) the executive director of the Connecticut Assisted Living Association or the executive director's designee; (12) the executive director of the Connecticut Association for Homecare or the executive director's designee; (13) the president of Connecticut Community Care, Inc. or the president's designee; (14) one member of the Connecticut Association of Area Agencies on Aging appointed by the agency; (15) the president of the Connecticut chapter of the Connecticut Alzheimer's Association; (16) one member of the Connecticut Association of Adult Day Centers appointed by the association; (17) the president of the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Health Care Administrators, or the president's designee; (18) the president of the Connecticut Council for Persons with Disabilities, or the president's designee; (19) the president of the Connecticut Association of Community Action Agencies, or the president's designee; (20) a personal care attendant appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; (21) the president of the Family Support Council, or the president's designee; (22) a person who, in a home setting, cares for a person with a disability and is appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; (23) three persons with a disability appointed one each by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate and the minority leader of the House of Representatives; (24) a legislator who is a member of the Long-Term Care Planning Committee; (25) one member who is a nonunion home health aide appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; and (26) the executive director of the nonprofit entity designated by the Governor in accordance with section 46a-10b to serve as the Connecticut protection and advocacy system or the executive director's designee.
Sec. 9. Section 46a-27 of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
The Advisory Board for Persons Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing is hereby created to advocate, strengthen and advise the Governor and the General Assembly concerning state policies affecting persons who are deaf or hard of hearing [individuals] and their relationship to the public, industry, health care and educational opportunity. The board shall:
(1) Monitor services for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing; [persons;]
(2) Periodically meet with the Commissioners of Public Health, Social Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Education, Developmental Services, and Children and Families and the Labor Commissioner, or the commissioners' designees, to discuss best practices and gaps in services for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing;
(3) Refer [individuals] persons with complaints concerning the qualification and registration of interpreters for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing to the entity designated pursuant to section 46a-10b;
(4) Make recommendations for (A) technical assistance and resources for state agencies in order to serve persons who are deaf or hard of hearing; (B) public policy and legislative changes needed to address gaps in services; and (C) the qualifications and registration of interpreters pursuant to section 46a-33a. The board shall submit such recommendations, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services.
Sec. 10. Subsection (a) of section 17a-215d of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
(a) There is established the Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council. The council shall consist of the following members: (1) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's designee; (2) the Commissioner of Children and Families, or the commissioner's designee; (3) the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; (4) the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or the commissioner's designee; (5) the Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee; (6) the Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services, or the commissioner's designee; (7) the Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the commissioner's designee; (8) the Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's designee; (9) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee; (10) two persons with autism spectrum disorder, one each appointed by the Governor and the speaker of the House of Representatives; (11) two persons who are parents or guardians of a child with autism spectrum disorder, one each appointed by the Governor and the minority leader of the Senate; (12) two persons who are parents or guardians of an adult with autism spectrum disorder, one each appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and the majority leader of the House of Representatives; (13) two persons who are advocates for persons with autism spectrum disorder, one each appointed by the Governor and the speaker of the House of Representatives; (14) two persons who are licensed professionals working in the field of autism spectrum disorder, one each appointed by the Governor and the majority leader of the Senate; (15) two persons who provide services for persons with autism spectrum disorder, one each appointed by the Governor and the minority leader of the House of Representatives; (16) two persons who shall be representatives of an institution of higher education in the state with experience in the field of autism spectrum disorder, one each appointed by the Governor and the president pro tempore of the Senate; (17) the executive director of the nonprofit entity designated by the Governor in accordance with section 46a-10b to serve as the Connecticut protection and advocacy system, or the executive director's designee; and (18) one person who is a physician who treats or diagnoses persons with autism spectrum disorder, appointed by the Governor.
Sec. 11. Section 17b-613 of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):
As used in this section and sections 17b-614 [to] and 17b-615: [, inclusive:]
(1) "Center for independent living" means a consumer-controlled, community-based, nonprofit corporation which provides consumers or their families with independent living services, as identified by community residents with disabilities and service providers. A center shall provide program information to all community residents about the needs of people with disabilities. Personal care assistant services arranged for or provided by independent living centers shall not be required to be licensed or certified;
(2) "Independent living services" shall include, but not be limited to, advocacy, peer counseling, independent living skills assessment, counseling and training information and referral, and other programs and services which would promote the independence, productivity and quality of life for people with disabilities;
(3) "Consumer" means an individual with a significant physical or mental impairment whose ability to function independently in the family or community or whose ability to obtain, maintain or advance in employment is substantially limited and for whom the delivery of independent living services will improve the ability to function, continue functioning, or move toward functioning independently in the family or community or to continue in employment, respectively;
(4) "Consumer-controlled" means that at least fifty-one per cent of the members of the board of directors of a center for independent living are consumers.