Connecticut 2026 Session Status: In Committee

HB 5513 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH STATUTES.

Last action — FILE NO. 539

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced March 05, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Not enough signal yet

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

Not enough signal yet to read this bill's trajectory — we surface a likelihood only once there's real movement (stage, sponsorship, committee, or votes) to point to.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

137 added · 24 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to House Bill 5513 primarily involved the addition of formal headings and references that clarify the bill's progression through the legislative process. Specifically, it now includes the designation of the committee reporting the bill and a clearer identification of its status, which enhances transparency. These changes are important as they help ensure that the public and other stakeholders are well-informed about the bill’s journey and approval status within the General Assembly.

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Latest
General Assembly Raised Bill No.
House of Representatives General Assembly File No.
5513 February Session, 2026 LCO No.
539 February Session, 2026 House Bill No.
2311 Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH Introduced by:
5513 House of Representatives, April 9, 2026 The Committee on Public Health reported through REP.
(PH) AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH STATUTES.
MCCARTHY VAHEY of the 133rd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the bill ought to pass.
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH STATUTES.
A dead human body or cremated remains of a dead human body shall be deemed to be abandoned, for the purposes of this section, when a licensed or formerly licensed funeral director or embalmer voluntarily or improperly relinquishes custody of such human body or cremated remains in violation of the requirements of state law, including, but not limited to, LCO 2311 1 of 10 Raised Bill No.
A dead human body or cremated remains of a dead human body shall be deemed to be abandoned, for the purposes of this section, when a licensed or formerly licensed funeral director or embalmer voluntarily or improperly relinquishes custody of such human body or cremated remains in HB5513 / File No.
5513 when a funeral director or embalmer ceases to operate a funeral home and fails to arrange for the transfer or disposition of such dead human body or cremated remains in the funeral director or embalmer's possession prior to ceasing operations.
539 1 HB5513 File No.
539 violation of the requirements of state law, including, but not limited to, when a funeral director or embalmer ceases to operate a funeral home and fails to arrange for the transfer or disposition of such dead human body or cremated remains in the funeral director or embalmer's possession prior to ceasing operations.
LCO 2311 2 of 10 Raised Bill No.
HB5513 / File No.
5513 [(d)] (e) The registrar of vital statistics of any town or city in this state that hasaccess to anelectronicvitalrecordssystem,asauthorizedby the department, may use such system to issue certified copies of birth, death, fetal death or marriage certificates that are electronically filed in such system.
539 2 HB5513 File No.
539 [(d)] (e) The registrar of vital statistics of any town or city in this state that hasaccess to anelectronicvitalrecordssystem,asauthorizedby the department, may use such system to issue certified copies of birth, death, fetal death or marriage certificates that are electronically filed in such system.
LCO 2311 3 of 10 Raised Bill No.
HB5513 / File No.
5513 (3) "Class 1 food establishment" means a retail food establishment that does not serve a population that is highly susceptible to food borne illnesses and only offers (A) commercially packaged food in its original commercial package that is time or temperature controlled for safety, or (B) commercially prepackaged, precooked food that is time or temperature controlled for safety and heated, hot held and served in its original commercial package not later than four hours after heating, or (C) food prepared in the establishment that is not time or temperature controlled for safety;
539 3 HB5513 File No.
539 (3) "Class 1 food establishment" means a retail food establishment that does not serve a population that is highly susceptible to food borne illnesses and only offers (A) commercially packaged food in its original commercial package that is time or temperature controlled for safety, or (B) commercially prepackaged, precooked food that is time or temperature controlled for safety and heated, hot held and served in its original commercial package not later than four hours after heating, or (C) food prepared in the establishment that is not time or temperature controlled for safety;
LCO 2311 4 of 10 Raised Bill No.
HB5513 / File No.
5513 (9) "Contact hour" means a minimum of fifty minutes of a training activity;
539 4 HB5513 File No.
539 (9) "Contact hour" means a minimum of fifty minutes of a training activity;
(16) "Food-borne illness" means illness, including, but not limited to, LCO 2311 5 of 10 Raised Bill No.
(16) "Food-borne illness" means illness, including, but not limited to, illness due to heavy metal intoxications, staphylococcal food poisoning, HB5513 / File No.
5513 illness due to heavy metal intoxications, staphylococcal food poisoning, botulism, salmonellosis, shigellosis, Clostridium perfringens intoxication and hepatitis A, acquired through the ingestion of a common-source food or water contaminated with a chemical, infectious agent or the toxic products of a chemical or infectious agent;
539 5 HB5513 File No.
539 botulism, salmonellosis, shigellosis, Clostridium perfringens intoxication and hepatitis A, acquired through the ingestion of a common-source food or water contaminated with a chemical, infectious agent or the toxic products of a chemical or infectious agent;
LCO 2311 6 of 10 Raised Bill No.
HB5513 / File No.
5513 (b) The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section, [and] sections 19a-36i to 19a-36m, inclusive, and section 19a-36r.
539 6 HB5513 File No.
539 (b) The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section, [and] sections 19a-36i to 19a-36m, inclusive, and section 19a-36r.
(2) any procedures and forms developed for recording medical orders for life- LCO 2311 7 of 10 Raised Bill No.
(2) any procedures and forms developed for recording medical orders for life- HB5513 / File No.
5513 sustaining treatment require the signature of the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative on the medical order for life- sustaining treatment and the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative is given [the original order immediately after signing such] a copy of or access to the order and a copy of such order is immediately placed in the patient's medical record;
539 7 HB5513 File No.
539 sustaining treatment require the signature of the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative on the medical order for life- sustaining treatment and the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative is given [the original order immediately after signing such] a copy of or access to the order and a copy of such order is immediately placed in the patient's medical record;
[(d)] (e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the LCO 2311 8 of 10 Raised Bill No.
[(d)] (e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the HB5513 / File No.
5513 authority of the Commissioner of Developmental Services under subsection (g) of section 17a-238 concerning orders applied to persons receiving services under the direction of said commissioner.
539 8 HB5513 File No.
539 authority of the Commissioner of Developmental Services under subsection (g) of section 17a-238 concerning orders applied to persons receiving services under the direction of said commissioner.
4 from passage 19a-36g LCO 2311 9 of 10 Raised Bill No.
4 from passage 19a-36g Sec.
5513 Sec.
5 from passage 19a-36h(b) HB5513 / File No.
5 from passage 19a-36h(b) Sec.
539 9 HB5513 File No.
539 Sec.
8 from passage 19a-112h(a) PH Joint Favorable LCO 2311 10 of 10
8 from passage 19a-112h(a) PH Joint Favorable HB5513 / File No.
539 10 HB5513 File No.
539 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:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 26 $ FY 27 $ Public Health, Dept.
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GF - Cost See Below See Below Note:
GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:
None Explanation The bill expands how AIDS Services funding may be used, resulting in a General Fund cost beginning in FY 26 as described below.
The cost will reduce the AIDS Services account's recurring lapse.
The other provisions of the bill have no fiscal impact.
Section 8 allows the Department of Public Health's (DPH’s) contracted program for HIV pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP) drug assistance to also provide funding for associated lab testing and related costs, resulting in a cost to DPH beginning in FY 26.
The expansion of eligible program expenditures will increase spending in the AIDS Services account.
The account has lapsed an average of approximately $1.2 million annually over the past three fiscal years, and additional expenditures as allowed by the bill will decrease the amount of funding that returns to the General Fund.
The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.
HB5513 / File No.
539 11 HB5513 File No.
539 OLR Bill Analysis HB 5513 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH STATUTES.
SUMMARY This bill makes various changes in Department of Public Health (DPH)-related statutes and programs.
It:
1.
allows DPH to appoint an embalmer to dispose of an abandoned dead body or abandoned cremated remains after a funeral director or embalmer has voluntarily or improperly relinquished control of the body or remains in violation of state law (§ 1);
2.
requires DPH, upon request, to issue death records electronically regardless of when the death occurred (with the Social Security number (SSN) generally redacted), instead of only just for deaths since July 1, 1997, as under current law (§ 2);
3.
makes minor and clarifying changes to laws related to the food code, such as updating terminology and specifying that the DPH commissioner’sauthoritytoadoptregulationstoimplementfood code-related laws includes a law on audits of local health department food protection programs (§§ 4-6);
4.
requires that regulations for the Medical Orders for Life- Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) program allow providers to give patients a signed copy of the order rather than the original, and providesthat aMOLSTisinvalidunlessit iscompleted ona DPH form and executed in line with statutory and regulatory requirements (see BACKGROUND) (§ 7);
and 5.
allows DPH’s contracted program for HIV pre- and post- HB5513 / File No.
539 12 HB5513 File No.
539 exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP) drug assistance to also provide funding for associated lab testing and related costs (§ 8).
It also makes other minor, technical, and conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Upon passage § 1 — DISPOSAL OF ABANDONED BODIES OR REMAINS The bill allows the DPH commissioner to appoint a willing licensed embalmer to dispose of an abandoned dead body or abandoned cremated remains.
The embalmer may request any records needed to identify the body or remains and must notify the commissioner, within seven days after the disposition of the body or remains, of when and how it was done.
Under the bill, a body or remains is deemed abandoned when a licensed or formerly licensed funeral director or embalmer voluntarily or improperly relinquishes custody in violation of the law’s requirements.
This includes when they stop operating a funeral home and do not provide for the transfer or disposition of the bodies or remains they had custody of at the time.
Existing law sets various requirements for funeral directors and embalmers as to the disposition of dead bodies and cremated remains, including the requirement to carry out the person’s documented wishes or, in cases where there is a dispute as to who has the right to custody over the remains, the probate court’s final decision.
§ 2 — ELECTRONIC DEATH RECORDS Current law sets various requirements for death certificates, including that (1) for deaths on or after July 1, 1997, the SSN be included in an “administrative purposes” section of the certificate that can be disclosed only to certaineligibleparties(such asthefuneraldirectorand surviving spouse) and (2) DPH disclose the record or (for deaths since that date) information in it upon the request of any other person, researcher, or state or federal agency, with the SSN redacted.
HB5513 / File No.
539 13 HB5513 File No.
539 The bill removes the 1997 start date from these provisions and specifically requires DPH, for deaths that occurred at any time, to give these other parties information from the death certificate in electronic form.
It requires the SSN to be redacted, removed, or omitted unless the requesterisastateorfederalagencyauthorizedbyfederallawtoreceive it.
The bill also makes related minor and technical changes.
BACKGROUND MOLST Program By law, a MOLST is a medical order to carry out a patient’s request for life-sustaining treatment when the patient is approaching the end stage of a serious, life-limiting illness or is in a condition of advanced, chronic progressive frailty.
Patient participation is voluntary.
To agree to participate, a patientorthepatient’slegally authorizedrepresentative must sign the MOLST form.
COMMITTEE ACTION Public Health Committee Joint Favorable Yea 22 Nay 10 (03/23/2026) HB5513 / File No.
539 14
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Action History

  1. FILE NO. 539

  2. HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER 358

  3. FAV. RPT., TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR

  4. RPTD. OUT OF LCO

  5. REFERRED TO Office of Legislative Research AND Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/08/26

  6. FILED WITH LCO

  7. Joint Favorable

  8. PUBLIC HEARING 0313

  9. REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Public Health

Sponsorship breakdown

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0 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 187 not signed on

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (187)

187 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 187 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety healthcare
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

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This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced March 05, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
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