HB 5511 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSENT ORDERS.

House of Representatives General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

5511538 February Session, 2026 LCOSubstitute House Bill No.

23085511 ReferredHouse toof Representatives, April 9, 2026 The Committee on PUBLICPublic HEALTHHealth Introducedreported by:through REP.

(PH)MCCARTHY ANVAHEY ACTof CONCERNINGthe THE133rd DEPARTMENTDist., OFChairperson PUBLICof HEALTH'Sthe RECOMMENDATIONSCommittee REGARDINGon CONSENTthe ORDERS.part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSENT ORDERS.

(3) establish rules for the internal operation andsHB5511 administration/ ofFile theNo. department;

(4)538 establish1 andsHB5511 developFile LCO No.

2308538 1 of 5 Raised Bill No.5511 programs and administeradministration services to achieve the purposes of the departmentdepartment; as established by statute;

(4) establish and develop programs and administer services to achieve the purposes of the department as established by statute;

In exercisingthe anyadministration authority to issue or renewenforcement of any permit,applicable approval,statute, registration,regulation, certificatepermit or license,order, the commissionerdepartment may includeresolve any conditiondispute thatregarding the commissioner deems necessary to ensure compliance withby theagreed regulatorysettlement requirements related to such permit, approval, registration, certificate or license.consent order.

In the administration or enforcement LCO No.

2308 2 of 5 Raised Bill No.5511 of any applicable statute, regulation, permit or order, the department may resolve any dispute regarding compliance by agreed settlement or consent order.

The commissionersHB5511 may/ designateFile anyNo. person to perform any of the duties listed in subdivision (7) of this section.

538 2 sHB5511 File No.

538 commissioner may designate any person to perform any of the duties listed in subdivision (7) of this section.

but any person claiming to be aggrieved by such removal may appeal to the Superior Court which may affirm or reverse the action of thecommissionerasthepublicinterestrequires.Thecommissionershall assist and advise local directors of health and district directors of health in the commissionerperformance asof their duties, and may require the publicenforcement interestof requires.any law, regulation or ordinance relating to public health.

The commissioner shall assist and advise local directors of health and district directors of health in the performance of their duties, and may require the enforcement of any law, regulation or ordinance relating to public health.

The commissioner shall investigate nuisances and conditions affecting, or that he or she has reason to suspect may affect, the security of life and health in any locality and, for that purpose, the commissioner, or any person authorized by the commissioner, may enter and examine any ground, vehicle, apartment, building or place, and any person designated by the commissioner shall have the authority conferred by law upon LCOconstables. No.

2308Whenever 3the commissioner determines that any provision of 5the Raisedgeneral Billstatutes No.5511or constables.regulation of the Public Health Code is not being enforced effectively by alocalhealthdepartmentorhealthdistrict,heorsheshallforthwithtake such measures, including the performance of any act required of the local health department or health district, to ensure enforcement of such sHB5511 / File No.

Whenever538 the3 commissionersHB5511 determinesFile thatNo. any provision of the general statutes or regulation of the Public Health Code is not beingenforcedeffectivelybyalocalhealthdepartmentorhealthdistrict, he or she shall forthwith take such measures, including the performance of any act required of the local health department or health district, to ensure enforcement of such statute or regulation and shall inform the local health department or health district of such measures.

538 statute or regulation and shall inform the local health department or health district of such measures.

The commissioner may solicit and accept for use any gift of money or property made by will or otherwise, and any grant of or contract for money, services or property from the federal government, the state, any political subdivision thereof, any other state or any private source, and do all things necessary to cooperate with the federal governmentoranyofitsagenciesinmakinganapplicationforanygrantgovernment or any of its agencies in making an application for any grant or contract.

Section 1 October 1, 2026 19a-2a StatementPH ofJoint Purpose:Favorable Subst.

TosHB5511 allow/ theFile CommissionerNo. of Public Health to (1) impose conditions on the issuance or renewal of any permit, approval, registration, certificate orlicense,and(2)resolveenforcementactionswithanagreedsettlement or consent order without need for a formal hearing.

LCO538 4 sHB5511 File No.

2308538 4The offollowing 5Fiscal RaisedImpact Statement and Bill No.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.

5511In [Proposedgeneral, deletionsfiscal impacts are enclosedbased inupon brackets.a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

ProposedWhenever additionsapplicable, areagency indicateddata byis underline,consulted exceptas thatpart whenof the entireanalysis, texthowever offinal aproducts billdo ornot resolutionnecessarily orreflect aan sectionassessment offrom aany billspecific ordepartment. resolution is new, it is not underlined.] LCO No.

2308OFA 5Fiscal ofNote 5State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill makes procedural changes to Department of Public Health compliance dispute resolution proceedings, resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.

sHB5511 / File No.

538 5 sHB5511 File No.

538 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 5511 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSENT ORDERS.

SUMMARY This bill explicitly allows the Department of Health (DPH) to enforce compliance with DPH laws, regulations, permits, and orders with an agreed settlement or consent order.

(It appears this allows DPH to resolve cases or complaints against a licensee without holding a formal administrative hearing if the licensee agrees to a settlement or consent order.) Existing law authorizes the department to use consent orders when regulating health professionalsandinstitutions (CGS §§19a-14,19a-491, & 19a-565).

Additionally, the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act generally allows contested cases to be resolved by agreed settlement or consent order (CGS § 4-177).

EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2026 COMMITTEE ACTION Public Health Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 31 Nay 1 (03/23/2026) sHB5511 / File No.

538 6