SB 157 — AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL CAMP SAFETY.

Substitute Senate GeneralBill Assembly File No.

7157 FebruaryPublic Session,Act 2026 Substitute Senate Bill No.

15726-25 Senate,AN MarchACT 9,CONCERNING 2026MUNICIPAL TheCAMP CommitteeSAFETY. on Children reported through SEN.

MAHER, C.

of the 26th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL CAMP SAFETY.

(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 licensed practical nurse, (5) any medical examiner, (6) any dentist, (7) any dental hygienist, (8) any psychologist, (9) any school employee, as defined in section 53a-65, (10)any socialworker,(11)any personwho holdsor isissuedacoaching permit by the State Board of Education, is a coach of intramural or interscholastic athletics and is eighteen years of age or older, (12) any individual who is employed as a coach or director of youth athletics and is eighteen years of age or older, (13) any individual who is employed as a coach or director of a private youth sports organization, league or sSB157team /and Fileis eighteen years of age or older, (14) any paid administrator, faculty,staff,athleticdirector,athleticcoachorathletictraineremployed by a public or private institution of higher education who is eighteen years of age or older, excluding student employees, (15) any police Substitute Senate Bill No.

7157 1officer, sSB157(16) Fileany juvenile or adult probation officer, (17) any juvenile or adult parole officer, (18) any member of the clergy, (19) any pharmacist, (20) any physical therapist, (21) any optometrist, (22) any chiropractor, (23) any podiatrist, (24) any mental health professional, (25) any physician assistant, (26) any person who is a licensed or certified emergency medical services provider, (27) any person who is a licensed or certified alcohol and drug counselor, (28) any person who is a licensed marital and family therapist, (29) any person who is a sexual assault counselor or a domestic violence counselor, as defined in section 52-146k, (30) any person who is a licensed professional counselor, (31) any person who is a licensed foster parent, (32) any person paid to care for a child in any public or private facility, child care center, group child care home or family child care home licensed by the state, (33) any employee of the Department of Children and Families or any person who, in the performance of such person's duties, has regular contact with and provides services to or on behalf of children pursuant to a contract with or credential issued by the Department of Children and Families, (34) any employee of the Office of Early Childhood who is responsible for the licensing of child care centers, group child care homes, family child care homes or youth camps, (35) any paid [youth camp] director, assistant director and staff member of a youth camp, as defined in section 19a-420, or a youth camp operated by a municipal agency, who istwenty-oneyearsofageorolder,(36)theChildAdvocate and any employee of the Office of the Child Advocate, (37) any person who is a licensed behavior analyst, (38) any family relations counselor, family relations counselor trainee or family services supervisor employed by the Judicial Department, (39) any victim services advocate employed by the Office of Victim Services within the Judicial Department, (40) any employee of a juvenile justice program operated by or pursuant to a contract with the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Department, and (41) any person employed, including any person employed under contract and any independent ombudsperson, to work at a juvenile detention facility or any other facility where Public Act No.

726-25 team2 and is eighteen years of age4 orSubstitute older,Senate (14)Bill any paid administrator, faculty,staff,athleticdirector,athleticcoachorathletictraineremployed by a public or private institution of higher education who is eighteen years of age or older, excluding student employees, (15) any police officer, (16) any juvenile or adult probation officer, (17) any juvenile or adult parole officer, (18) any member of the clergy, (19) any pharmacist, (20) any physical therapist, (21) any optometrist, (22) any chiropractor, (23) any podiatrist, (24) any mental health professional, (25) any physician assistant, (26) any person who is a licensed or certified emergency medical services provider, (27) any person who is a licensed or certified alcohol and drug counselor, (28) any person who is a licensed marital and family therapist, (29) any person who is a sexual assault counselor or a domestic violence counselor, as defined in section 52-146k, (30) any person who is a licensed professional counselor, (31) any person who is a licensed foster parent, (32) any person paid to care for a child in any public or private facility, child care center, group child care home or family child care home licensed by the state, (33) any employee of the Department of Children and Families or any person who, in the performance of such person's duties, has regular contact with and provides services to or on behalf of children pursuant to a contract with or credential issued by the Department of Children and Families, (34) any employee of the Office of Early Childhood who is responsible for the licensing of child care centers, group child care homes, family child care homes or youth camps, (35) any paid [youth camp] director, assistant director and staff member of a youth camp, as defined in section 19a-420, or a youth camp operated by a municipal agency, who istwenty-oneyearsofageorolder,(36)theChildAdvocate and any employee of the Office of the Child Advocate, (37) any person who is a licensed behavior analyst, (38) any family relations counselor, family relations counselor trainee or family services supervisor employed by the Judicial Department, (39) any victim services advocate employed by the Office of Victim Services within the Judicial Department, (40) any employee of a juvenile justice program operated by or pursuant to a contract with the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Department, and (41) any person employed, including any sSB157 / File No.

7157 2children sSB157under Fileeighteen No.years of age are detained and who has direct contact with children as part of such employment.

7 person employed under contract and any independent ombudsperson, to work at a juvenile detention facility or any other facility where children under eighteen years of age are detained and who has direct contact with children as part of such employment.

Such report shall include, but need not be limited to, a list of each municipal youth camp in the state, and details concerning (1) the operationalphysical structureenvironment and types of facilities and settings in which each such camp,camp operates, (2) the number and age range of children servedbyserved by each such camp in the prior calendar yearyear, (3) the number of individuals employed by each such camp in the prior calendar year, (4) each such camp's operating schedule, including the dates during which children attended each such camp in the prior calendar year, (5) whether each such camp requires employees to receive training in emergency first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and, if so, how often such training is required, (6) whether each such camp authorizes employees to administer medication to children and offers training to employees concerning the administration of medication, (7) whether each such camp accepts child care assistance subsidy payments.payments, (8) whether each such camp maintains written policies and procedures concerning employee hiring and training or the safety and maintenance of facilities and equipment, (9) whether each such camp conducts criminal background checks on prospective or current employees, and (10) the extent to which each such camp's written policies and procedures comport with regulatory requirements pertaining to youth camps, as defined in section 19a-420 of the general statutes, licensed by the Office of Early Childhood.

ThisPublic actAct shallNo. take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section26-25 13 Octoberof 1,4 2026Substitute 17a-101(b)Senate Sec.Bill No.

2157 fromGovernor's passageAction: New section Statement of Legislative Commissioners:

InApproved SectionMay 1(b),20, "or2026 operatedPublic byAct aNo. municipal agency" was changed to "or a youth camp operated by a municipal agency" for clarity.

KID26-25 Joint4 Favorableof Subst.4

sSB157 / File No.

7 3 sSB157 File No.

7 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill requires the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to submit a report on municipal youth camps and includes technical and conforming changes, all of which result in no fiscal impact.

The Out Years State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None sSB157 / File No.

7 4 sSB157 File No.

7 OLR Bill Analysis sSB 157 AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL CAMP SAFETY.

SUMMARY Thisbillspecifiesthat theexisting mandatedreporterrequirementfor youth camp staff applies to camps operated by a municipal agency.

By law, people in many designated occupations or professions who have contact with children are mandated reporters with a legal duty to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect (see BACKGROUND).

Currentlawdesignatesallpaidyouthcampstaff(includingadirector or assistant director) age 21 or older as mandated reporters, but it does not specify if this applies to both licensed and license-exempt municipal camps.

The bill expressly states that it does.

The bill also requires the Office of Early Childhood (OEC), in consultation with three state-wide organizations, to develop a report with details about each municipal youth camp in the state and submit it to the Committee on Children by January 1, 2027.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2026, except the youth camp report requirement is upon passage.

YOUTH CAMP REPORT The bill requires OEC, in consultation with a state-wide association advocating on behalf of municipal parks and recreation departments, a state-wide organization advocating for small towns, and a state-wide organization of municipal leaders, to submit a report on Connecticut municipalyouthcampsto the Committee onChildren.

The report isdue by January 1, 2027, and must include:

1.