HB 5519 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING ON-SITE WASTEWATER SPECIALISTS AND WATER OPERATOR APPRENTICES.

5519 (28) Radiologist assistant, subject to the provisions of section 20-74tt;

sHB5519Sec. / File No.

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544 Sec.

(c)LCO No9 boardof shall19 existSubstitute forBill theNo. following professions that are licensed or otherwise regulated by the Department of Public Health:

5519 (c) No board shall exist for the following professions that are licensed or otherwise regulated by the Department of Public Health:

sHB5519(17) /Asbestos Fileabatement No.site supervisor;

544 10 sHB5519 File No.

544 (17) Asbestos abatement site supervisor;

(19)LCO Professional10 counselorof and19 professionalSubstitute counselorBill associate;No.

5519 (19) Professional counselor and professional counselor associate;

sHB5519(33) /Behavior Fileanalyst; No.

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544 (33) Behavior analyst;

(35)LCO Esthetician;11 of 19 Substitute Bill No.

5519 (35) Esthetician;

sHB5519(2) /Each Fileperson holding a license or certificate issued under section 19a-514, and chapters 384a, 384c, 384d, 386, 387, 388 and 398 shall apply for renewal of such license or certificate once every two years, during LCO 12 of 19 Substitute Bill No.

5445519 12the sHB5519month Fileof No.such person's birth, giving such person's name in full, such person's residence and business address and such other information as the department requests.

544 (2) Each person holding a license or certificate issued under section 19a-514, and chapters 384a, 384c, 384d, 386, 387, 388 and 398 shall apply for renewal of such license or certificate once every two years, during the month of such person's birth, giving such person's name in full, such person's residence and business address and such other information as the department requests.

sHB5519(8) /Each Fileperson holding a certificate pursuant to section 1 of this act shall, on or before three years after the date of issuance of an initial or renewal certification, apply for renewal of such certificate to the LCO 13 of 19 Substitute Bill No.

5445519 13department. sHB5519 File No.

544 (8) Each person holding a certificate pursuant to section 1 of this act shall, on or before three years after the date of issuance of an initial or renewal certification, apply for renewal of such certificate to the department.

(4) Each person holding a license or certificate issued pursuant to chapter 400c shall, annually, during the month of such person's birth, sHB5519apply /for Filerenewal No.of such license or certificate to the department.

544Each lead training provider certified pursuant to chapter 400c and each asbestos training provider certified pursuant to chapter 400a shall, LCO 14 sHB5519of File19 Substitute Bill No.

5445519 annually, during the anniversary month of such training provider's initial certification, apply for renewal of such license or certificate to the department.

Each lead training provider certified pursuant to chapter 400c and each asbestos training provider certified pursuant to chapter 400a shall, annually, during the anniversary month of such training provider's initial certification, apply for renewal of such certificate to the department.

(n) (1) On and after the effective date of regulations adopted under this subsection, no person shall operate any water treatment plant, water distribution system or small water system that treats or supplies water used or intended for use by the public, test any backflow prevention device, perform a cross connection survey without a certificate issued by the commissioner under this subsection or operate sHB5519any /water Filetreatment No.plant or water distribution system as an operator- in-training unless such person is issued a certificate by the commissioner under this subsection.

544The commissioner shall adopt LCO 15 sHB5519of File19 Substitute Bill No.

5445519 anyregulations, waterinaccordance treatmentwith plantchapter or54,to waterprovide:(A)Standardsfor distributiontheoperationofsuch systemwater astreatment anplants,water operator-distributionsystems in-trainingand unlesssmall suchwater personsystems; is issued a certificate by the commissioner under this subsection.

The commissioner shall adopt regulations, inaccordance with chapter 54,to provide:(A)Standardsfor theoperationofsuch water treatment plants,water distributionsystems and small water systems;

(A) Fraud sHB5519or /material Filedeception No.in procuring a certificate, the renewal of a certificate or the reinstatement of a certificate;

544(B) fraud or material LCO 16 sHB5519of File19 Substitute Bill No.

5445519 or material deception in procuring a certificate, the renewalperformance of athe certificatecertified operator's or thecertified reinstatementoperator-in-training's ofprofessional aactivities; certificate;

(B) fraud or material deception in the performance of the certified operator's or certified operator-in-training's professional activities;

(4) (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (3) of sHB5519this /subsection, Filethe commissioner may issue a certification to an applicant for water treatment plant operator, water distribution system LCO 17 of 19 Substitute Bill No.

5445519 17operator sHB5519or Filesmall No.water system operator under this subsection upon receiving such applicant's written application, in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, if the applicant (i) is an apprentice registered with the Labor Department, (ii) has successfully completed an apprenticeship approved by the Labor Department and conducted in accordance with sections 31-22m to 31-22u, inclusive, for the type of system for which the apprentice is seeking certification, and (iii) has passed a written examination prescribed in the regulations of Connecticut state agencies after completion of an approved registered apprenticeship program for the classification level sought for certification.

544 this subsection, the commissioner may issue a certification to an applicant for water treatment plant operator, water distribution system operator or small water system operator under this subsection upon receiving such applicant's written application, in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, if the applicant (i) is an apprentice registered with the Labor Department, (ii) has successfully completed an apprenticeship approved by the Labor Department and conducted in accordance with sections 31-22m to 31-22u, inclusive, for the type of system for which the apprentice is seeking certification, and (iii) has passed a written examination prescribed in the regulations of Connecticut state agencies after completion of an approved registered apprenticeship program for the classification level sought for certification.

sHB5519Section /1 Filefrom No.passage New section Sec.

5442 from passage 19a-14(c) LCO 18 sHB5519of File19 Substitute Bill No.

5445519 Section 1 from passage New section Sec.

2 from passage 19a-14(c) Sec.

sHB5519APP /Joint FileFavorable No.LCO 19 of 19

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544 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 27 $ FY 28 $ Public Health, Dept.

GF - Cost 58,200 72,000 State Comptroller - Fringe GF - Cost 22,600 30,100 Benefits1 Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill establishes an apprenticeship program for certain water operators, resulting in a General Fund cost of $80,800 in FY 27 and $102,100 annually thereafter as described below.

The bill additionally establishes certification for wastewater specialists, which has no fiscal impact as there are no associated fees.

Section 6 requires the Department of Public Health (DPH), in consultation with the Department of Labor and an international nonprofit association dedicated to the improvement of drinking water, to develop and implement an apprenticeship program for certain water operators.

DPH requires a health program associate with an annualized salary of $72,000 (and $30,100 fringe benefits) to coordinate and administer the new training program, with partial-year costs in FY 27 and full-year The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts administered by the Comptroller.

The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost associated with most personnel changes is 41.82% of payroll in FY 27.

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544 costs beginning in FY 28.

An additional one-time Other Expenses cost of $4,200 in FY 27 will provide a laptop and office supplies for the new position.

The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.

In FY 27, salary costs will be $54,000 (and $22,600 fringe benefits), reflecting an October 1, 2026 start date.

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544 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 5519 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING ON-SITE WASTEWATER SPECIALISTS AND WATER OPERATOR APPRENTICES.

SUMMARY This bill creates a three-phase certification program for on-site wastewater specialists who perform inspections and similar work related to subsurface sewage disposal systems (septic systems).

Starting on October 1, 2026, it generally requires anyone performing the duties of an on-site wastewater specialist to (1) become certified by the Department of Public Health (DPH) and (2) be appointed by a local health director as the local department’s or district’s employee or contractor.

It provides a grace period for people currently approved under existing regulations to serve in this role.

Separately, the bill allows DPH to certify apprentice operators for water treatment plants, water distribution systems, or small water systems.

To qualify, an applicant must complete a state Department of Labor(DOL)-approvedapprenticeshipandpassawrittenexam.Thebill requires DPH, in consultation with DOL and a water-focused nonprofit, to develop and implement an apprenticeship program for this purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Upon passage, except the apprenticeship provisions and certain conforming changes relating to the bill’s other provisions are effective July 1, 2026.

§§ 1-5 — ON-SITE WASTEWATER SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION Certification Requirement and Exceptions Starting October 1, 2026, the bill generally requires anyone (including a licensed environmental health specialist) working as an on-site wastewater specialist to be (1) certified by DPH and (2) appointed by a sHB5519 / File No.

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544 local health director to perform these duties as the local health department’s or district’s employee or contractor.

It requires the local health director to keep records of these appointments and give DPH, upon request, a copy of the records or access to them.

But under the bill, if a local health director’s agent is already approved under existing regulations to investigate, inspect, and approve plans for subsurface sewage disposal systems, the agent may work as an on-site wastewater specialist before getting certified.

To continue working in this role, these agents must apply for certification by October 1, 2027.

Once the commissioner begins granting certifications under the bill, she is barred from issuing approvals under the existing regulation.

The bill allows applicants, before getting certified, to work as on-site wastewater specialists as part of a DPH-developed training course taught by department staff or an approved training provider holding the appropriate certification level (see below).

Also, the bill allows DPH employees or contractors, without getting certified, to perform regulatory inspections and investigate complaints about subsurface sewage disposal systems.

Scope of Duties Under the bill, an on-site wastewater specialist can do the following tasks relating to subsurface sewage disposal systems within the local health director’s jurisdiction:

(1) review and approve plans, (2) conduct regulatory inspections, (3) investigate complaints, and (4) perform other related duties the commissioner requires.

The bill creates a three-phase certification program, with the phases corresponding to different buildings and systems, as follows.

Table:

Certification Phases sHB5519 / File No.

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544 Certification System Type and Maximum Size (Based on Building Design Flow) Phase I Subsurface sewage disposal system (under 2,000 gallons per day), but not systems serving buildings designed by a state-credentialed professional engineer, centralized sewage disposal systems (central systems), or small community sewerage systems.

(A central system serves (1) a residential building and at least one outbuilding or nonresidential building or (2) multiple nonresidential buildings or outbuildings.

A small community system serves multiple residential buildings on the same lot and is not connected to a municipal system;

it is not a (1) central system or (2) system serving only a principal dwelling unit and an accessory apartment.) Phase II Subsurface sewage disposal system (2,000 to 10,000 gallons per day).

Phase III Alternative on-site sewage treatment system (up to 10,000 gallons per day).

The bill allows someone to hold only one phase of certification at a time, and each phase allows the holder to perform activities at that phase or lower phases (for example, a Phase II specialist can perform activities associated with Phase I or II).

Application Process The bill requires DPH to develop applications for:

1.

initial certification as a Phase I, II, or III on-site wastewater specialist;

2.

initialcertificationasa Phase I or II specialist for agentsapproved under existing regulations before October 1, 2026 (and the application must attest to that approval);

3.

renewal certification;

and 4.

training providers (see below).

The bill prohibits anyone from applying for Phase II certification unless the person was previously certified at Phase I or served as an approved agent beforeOctober 1,2026.It bars anyonefromapplying for Phase III certification (1) unless the person was previously certified at Phase II and (2) until DPH sets the minimum requirements for alternative on-site sewage treatment systems, as existing law requires.

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544 Under the bill, an agent approved under the existing regulation must seek initial certification at Phase I or II, depending on the specifics of their prior approval.

After initially becoming certified, these agents must renew their certification in the same way as other certificate holders.

There is no fee for an initial or renewal certification, and certifications must be renewed every three years.

Before applying for initial certification, a person (other than an agent approved under the existing regulation) must first complete a training course and pass an exam at the appropriate phase, with DPH setting the course and exam.

Conferences, Training Courses, and Examinations Under the bill, the DPH commissioner may require on-site wastewater specialists to attend conferences providing information and updates on on-site sewage treatment systems, such as a review of the department’s technical standards for the siting, design, and installation of subsurface sewage disposal systems.

The bill allows the commissioner to hold up to two of these conferences per calendar year andspecifiesthat they may bein-personor online (live or pre-recorded).

The bill requires the commissioner to develop training courses (which may include a practical component, plan reviews, and homework) and corresponding exams for the three specialist phases.

She may approve training providers to teach the courses, with approval expiring after three years.

To be approved, a training provider must show that the course and its materials are consistent with the department’s technical standards for subsurface sewage disposal systems.

The commissioner may administer training courses or certification exams or contract with a testing center to do so.

Regulations;

Policies and Procedures The bill allows the commissioner to adopt regulations on the certificationofon-sitewastewater specialists.

Ifadopted,theregulations must include:

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544 1.

the scope of duties performed with each specialist certification, 2.

requirements and procedures for initial and renewal certifications, 3.

exam standards and procedures, 4.

required training standards for initial and renewal certification, and 5.

standards and procedures for approving training providers and courses.

The commissioner may adopt implementing policies and procedures while in the process of adopting the regulations, as long as she posts her intent to adopt regulations in the eRegulations System within 20 days after adopting the policies and procedures.

The policies and procedures are valid until the final regulations are adopted.

The bill specifies that no new regulatory board is created for on-site wastewater specialists.

Disciplinary Actions The bill allows the commissioner to take disciplinary actions available to her (other than assessing a civil penalty) against an on-site wastewater specialist for:

1.

fraud or material deception in obtaining initial, renewal, or reinstated certification;

2.

fraudulent practices, including accepting bribes in performing professional activities;

3.

incompetent, negligent, or illegal performance of duties;

4.

a felony conviction;

or 5.

failure to complete mandatory training or attend mandatory conferences.

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544 The bill also allows the commissioner to take disciplinary action (other than assessing a civil penalty) against a training provider if she determines that (1) a training course’s hours or materials were inconsistent with DPH’s technical standards for subsurface sewage disposal systems or (2) the provider engaged in incompetent, negligent, or illegal activities in providing training courses.

By law, disciplinary actions available to DPH include, among other things, (1) revoking or suspending a credential, (2) censuring the violator, (3) issuing a letter of reprimand, or (4) placing the violator on probationary status (CGS § 19a-17).

§ 6 — APPRENTICE WATER SYSTEM OPERATORS The bill allows DPH, as an exception to existing certification requirements, to certify apprentice operatorsfor water treatment plants, water distribution systems, or small water systems.

The bill requires DPH, in consultation with DOL and an international nonprofit focused on improving drinking water and supply, to develop and implement an apprenticeship program for this purpose.

To qualify for certification under the bill, an applicant must (1) be a DOL-registered apprentice who completed a DOL-approved apprenticeship for the applicable system type and (2) have passed a written exam (set in state regulations) after completing the apprenticeship.

Unlike the standard certification process, there is no application fee.

Under the bill, the apprentice must notify DPH in writing, in a way the commissioner sets, at least 10 days before participating in the apprenticeship program.

The notification must include information on the entity providing the program and the certified water operator or operators directly supervising it.

The apprentice must (1) be directly supervised by a certified water operator of the system type for which the apprentice is seeking certification and (2) not make any process or system integrity decisions about water quality or quantity that affect public health.

If the certified operator fails to provide the apprentice sHB5519 / File No.

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544 with the required supervision or training, the operator may be subject to disciplinary action (such as suspension of their certificate).

COMMITTEE ACTION Public Health Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 32 Nay 0 (03/23/2026) sHB5519 / File No.

544 28