Connecticut 2021 Regular Session Status: Enacted 1 D cosponsors

SB 955 — AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO PROVISIONS OF THE GENERAL STATUTES AFFECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND A STUDY OF PAYMENT PARITY FOR HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDERS.

Last action — SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 25, 2021. Enacted.

Prognosis

Advancing 54% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    2 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

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Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

335 added · 334 removed

335 line(s) added, 334 removed.

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Previous
Latest
Senate General Assembly File No.
Substitute Senate Bill No.
515 January Session, 2021 Substitute Senate Bill No.
955 Public Act No.
955 Senate, April 19, 2021 The Committee on Human Services reported through SEN.
21-148 AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO PROVISIONS OF THE GENERAL STATUTES AFFECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND A STUDY OF PAYMENT PARITY FOR HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDERS.
MOORE of the 22nd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO OBSOLETE PROVISIONS OF THE GENERAL STATUTES AFFECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
(A) Criteria for determining which households are to receive sSB955 / File No.
(A) Criteria for determining which households are to receive emergency [and weatherization] assistance;
515 1 sSB955 File No.
Substitute Senate Bill No.
515 emergency [and weatherization] assistance;
955 (B) A description of systems used to ensure referrals to other energy assistance programs and the taking of simultaneous applications, as required under section 16a-41;
(B) A description of systems used to ensure referrals to other energy assistance programs and the taking of simultaneous applications, as required under section 16a-41;
(C) For each state-wide office of each state agency administering the sSB955 / File No.
Public Act No.
515 2 sSB955 File No.
21-148 2 of 11 Substitute Senate Bill No.
515 program [,] and each community action agency, [and each Department of Social Services region,] administrative expenses under the program, by line item, and an estimate of outreach expenditures;
955 (C) For each state-wide office of each state agency administering the program [,] and each community action agency, [and each Department of Social Services region,] administrative expenses under the program, by line item, and an estimate of outreach expenditures;
Subsection (d) of section 17b-8 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
Subsection (d) of section 17b-8 of the general statutes is Public Act No.
(d) The commissioner shall include with any waiver application or sSB955 / File No.
21-148 3 of 11 Substitute Senate Bill No.
515 3 sSB955 File No.
955 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
515 proposed amendment submitted to the federal government pursuant to this section:
(d) The commissioner shall include with any waiver application or proposed amendment submitted to the federal government pursuant to this section:
Section 17b-306a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
Section 17b-306a of the general statutes is repealed and the Public Act No.
(a) The Commissioner of Social Services, in collaboration with the Commissioners of Public Health and Children and Families, shall establish a child health quality improvement program for the purpose of promoting the implementation of evidence-based strategies by providers participating in the HUSKY Health program to improve the sSB955 / File No.
21-148 4 of 11 Substitute Senate Bill No.
515 4 sSB955 File No.
955 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
515 delivery of and access to children's health services.
(a) The Commissioner of Social Services, in collaboration with the Commissioners of Public Health and Children and Families, shall establish a child health quality improvement program for the purpose of promoting the implementation of evidence-based strategies by providers participating in the HUSKY Health program to improve the delivery of and access to children's health services.
(b) Not later than July 1, 2008, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Social Services shall report, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services, public health and appropriations, and to the Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight on (1) the implementation of any strategies developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, and (2) the efficacy of such strategies in improving the delivery of and access to health services for children enrolled in the HUSKY Health program.
(b) Not later than July 1, 2008, and annually thereafter, the Public Act No.
[(c) The Commissioner of Social Services, in collaboration with the sSB955 / File No.
21-148 5 of 11 Substitute Senate Bill No.
515 5 sSB955 File No.
955 Commissioner of Social Services shall report, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services, public health and appropriations, and to the Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight on (1) the implementation of any strategies developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, and (2) the efficacy of such strategies in improving the delivery of and access to health services for children enrolled in the HUSKY Health program.
515 Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight, shall, subject to available appropriations, prepare, annually, a report concerning health care choices under HUSKY A.
[(c) The Commissioner of Social Services, in collaboration with the Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight, shall, subject to available appropriations, prepare, annually, a report concerning health care choices under HUSKY A.
Until such methodology is implemented, the Department of Social Services shall distribute supplemental funding, within available appropriations, to federally qualified health centers based on cost, volume and quality measures as determined by the Commissioner of Social Services.
Until such methodology is implemented, the Department of Social Services shall distribute supplemental funding, within available appropriations, to Public Act No.
21-148 6 of 11 Substitute Senate Bill No.
955 federally qualified health centers based on cost, volume and quality measures as determined by the Commissioner of Social Services.
For the purposes of this subsection, "capital costs" means expenditures for land or building purchases, fixed assets, movable equipment, capitalized financing fees and capitalized construction period interest and "major capital projects" means projects with costs sSB955 / File No.
For the purposes of this subsection, "capital costs" means expenditures for land or building purchases, fixed assets, movable equipment, capitalized financing fees and capitalized construction period interest and "major capital projects" means projects with costs exceeding two million dollars.
515 6 sSB955 File No.
515 exceeding two million dollars.
Such policies and procedures shall be valid until the time final regulations are effective.
Public Act No.
21-148 7 of 11 Substitute Senate Bill No.
955 Such policies and procedures shall be valid until the time final regulations are effective.
[The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to establish criteria to certify any such federally qualified health center, including, but not limited to, minimum reserve fund requirements.] sSB955 / File No.
[The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to establish criteria to certify any such federally qualified health center, including, but not limited to, minimum reserve fund requirements.] Sec.
515 7 sSB955 File No.
515 Sec.
Subsection (a) of section 17b-617 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall, within available Public Act No.
21-148 8 of 11 Substitute Senate Bill No.
955 appropriations, establish and operate a state-funded pilot program to allow not more than one hundred persons with disabilities (1) who are age eighteen to sixty-four, inclusive, (2) who are inappropriately institutionalizedor at risk ofinappropriate institutionalization, [and] (3) whose assets do not exceed the asset limits of the state-funded home care program for the elderly, established pursuant to subsection (i) of section 17b-342, and (4) who are not eligible for medical assistance under section 17b-261 or a Medicaid waiver pursuant to 42 USC 1396n, to be eligible to receive the same services that are provided under the state-funded home care program for the elderly.
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At the discretion of the Commissioner of Social Services, such persons may also be eligible to receive services that are necessary to meet needs attributable to disabilities in order to allow such persons to avoid institutionalization.
Sec.
9.
Subsection (c) of section 17b-59g of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(c) Any entity established or incorporated pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall have its powers vested in and exercised by a board of directors.
The board of directors shall be comprised of the following members who shall each serve for a term of two years:
(1) One member who shall have expertise as an advocate for consumers of health care, appointed by the Governor;
(2) One member who shall have expertise as aclinical medical doctor, appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;
(3) One member who shall have expertise in the area of hospital administration, appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;
(4) One member who shall have expertise in the area of corporate law or finance, appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;
Public Act No.
21-148 9 of 11 Substitute Senate Bill No.
955 (5) One member who shall have expertise in group health insurance coverage, appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
(6) The Chief Information Officer and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or their designees, who shall serve as ex- officio, voting members of the board;
[and] (7) The health information technology officer, designated in accordance with section 19a-754a, who shall serve as chairperson of the board;
[.] and (8) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's designee, who shall serve as an ex-officio, voting member of the board.
Sec.
10.
Subsection (l) of section 17b-179 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
(l) The Office of Child Support Services shall arrange to provide a single centralized automated system for the reporting of collections on all accounts established for the collection of all IV-D support orders.
SuchreportingshallbemadeavailabletotheFamilySupportMagistrate Division and to all state agencies which have a cooperative agreement with the IV-D agency.
Such automated system shall include a state case registry which complies with federal law and regulations.
The state case registry shall contain information on each support order established or modified in this state.
[The Office of Child Support Services, utilizing information containedin the state case registry, shall establish, maintain and periodically update a list of all delinquent child support obligors.
The list shall, at a minimum, contain the name, residential address and amount of the delinquent child support owed by a child support obligor, exclusive of any amount of child support owed for which an appeal is pending.
The Office of Child Support Services shall publish on Public Act No.
21-148 10 of 11 Substitute Senate Bill No.
955 the Department of Social Services' Internet web site, the names, residential addresses and amounts of delinquent child support owed by the one hundred individuals having the highest delinquent child support obligations.
For purposes of this subsection, "delinquent child support obligor" means an obligor who (1) owes overdue child support, accruing after the entry of a court order, in an amount which exceeds ninety days of periodic payments on a current child support or arrearage payment order, or (2) has failed to make court ordered medicalor dental insurance coverageavailable withinninety daysofthe issuance of a court order or fails to maintain such coverage pursuant to a court order for a period of ninety days.] Sec.
11.
(Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Social Services, in collaboration with the Commissioners of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Housing, shall study whether state-contracted providers of human services receive disparate payment rates under programs the commissioners administer in different regions of the state.
The commissioners shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, on their rate study and any resulting recommendations for rate adjustments not later than November 1, 2021, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, housing, human services and public health.
For purposes of this section, "human services" includes, but is not limited to:
(1) Physical and behavioral health services, and (2) housing and shelter services provided to homeless persons.
Sec.
12.
(Effective July 1, 2021) This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
(Effective July 1, 2021) Approved July 7, 2021 Public Act No.
July 1, 2021 Section 1 16a-41a(a) Sec.
21-148 11 of 11
2 July 1, 2021 17b-8(d) Sec.
3 July 1, 2021 17b-59a(b) Sec.
4 July 1, 2021 17b-306a Sec.
5 July 1, 2021 17b-349(a) Sec.
6 July 1, 2021 38a-479aa(n) Sec.
7 July 1, 2021 17b-608 July 1, 2021 Sec.
8 Repealer section Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
The title of the bill was changed.
HS Joint Favorable Subst.
sSB955 / File No.
515 8 sSB955 File No.
515 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 This bill makes technical, conforming and other changes that are not anticipated to result in a fiscal impact.
The Out Years State Impact:
None Municipal Impact:
None sSB955 / File No.
515 9 sSB955 File No.
515 OLR Bill Analysis sSB 955 AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO OBSOLETE PROVISIONS OF THE GENERAL STATUTES AFFECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
SUMMARY This bill makes various changes to the laws governing the Department of Social Services (DSS).
Specifically, it eliminates:
1.
references to the state’sWeatherization Assistance Program from the annual Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program reporting requirements (the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection now administers the weatherization program in partnership with community action agencies) (§ 1);
2.
the requirement that DSS include a copy of the transcript of the cognizance committees’ review proceeding when submitting to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (a) a Medicaid waiver application or renewal or (b) certain proposed amendments to the Medicaid state plan (§ 2);
3.
the requirement that DSS develop uniform regulations for the licensing of human services facilities (interpreted by the state auditors as requiring DSS to promulgate uniform regulations for the licensing of these facilities, undefined in statute, regardless of whether they are within its purview) (§ 3);
4.
an outdated requirement that DSS, in collaboration with the Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight, annually prepare a report, within available appropriations, that includes a comparison of the performance of each Medicaid managed care organization and other member service delivery choices (managed care is no longer used by the state Medicaid program) sSB955 / File No.
515 10 sSB955 File No.
515 (§ 4);
5.
references to freestanding medical clinics from a provision concerning Medicaid rate adjustments based on cost reporting (these clinics are not paid using this method and have always been paid according to a fee schedule) (§ 5);
6.
the requirement that DSS adopt regulations to certify federally qualified health centers (this component of Medicaid managed care is no longer used by the state Medicaid plan) (§ 6);
7.
three obsolete statutes regarding an inactive Temporary Family Assistance client advisory board(CGS § 17b-184), a formulary for certain generic prescription drug costs that are now reimbursed according to federal regulations (CGS § 17b-274a), and a reporting requirement on employment opportunities and training for persons with disabilities (CGS § 17b-610) (§8).
The bill additionally replaces a reference to the Connecticut Law Journal, instead requiring DSS to post notices of its intent to adopt regulations regarding community health centers on its website and the eRegulations system.
It also makes technical and conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2021 COMMITTEE ACTION Human Services Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 19 Nay 0 (03/31/2021) sSB955 / File No.
515 11
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Action History

  1. SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

  2. TRANSMITTED BY SECRETARY OF THE STATE TO GOVERNOR

  3. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF THE STATE

  4. PUBLIC ACT 21-148

  5. IN CONCURRENCE

  6. HOUSE PASSED, SEN. AMEND. SCH. A

  7. HOUSE ADOPTED SEN. AMEND. SCH. A

  8. HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER 502

  9. FAV. RPT., TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR

  10. SEN. PASSED, SEN. AMEND. SCH. A

  11. SEN. ADOPTED SEN. AMEND. SCH. A

  12. FILE NO. 515

  13. SENATE CALENDAR NUMBER 310

  14. FAV. RPT., TAB. FOR CAL., SEN.

  15. RPTD. OUT OF LCO

  16. REFERRED TO Office of Legislative Research AND Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/19/21

  17. FILED WITH LCO

  18. Joint Favorable Substitute

  19. PUBLIC HEARING 0304

  20. REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Human Services

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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2 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 185 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (185)

185 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"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.

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public-safety healthcare labor
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 955?
SB 955 is sponsored by Gucker, Kenneth M and Travis Simms (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 955?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 25, 2021. Enacted.
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