SB 973 — AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE VOICE OF RESIDENTS AND FAMILY COUNCILS.

Substitute Senate GeneralBill Assembly File No.

192973 JanuaryPublic Session,Act 2021 Substitute Senate Bill No.

97321-194 Senate,AN MarchACT 29,STRENGTHENING 2021THE TheCommitteeonAgingreportedthroughSEN.MILLERoftheVOICE 27thOF Dist.,RESIDENTS ChairpersonAND ofFAMILY theCOUNCILS. Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE VOICE OF RESIDENTS AND FAMILY COUNCILS.

(b) Not later than seventhree days after introductiona ofstate anyagency state-widesubmits policy,a legislative proposal to the General Assembly or posts a notice of intent on the eRegulations System proposing a new or revised regulation concerning living and care sSB973conditions /at Filelong-term care facilities, such agency shall inform the State Ombudsman, appointed pursuant to section 17a-405 of the general statutes, and the executive director of the Commission on Substitute Senate Bill No.

192973 1Women, sSB973Children, FileSeniors, No.Equity and Opportunity, established pursuant to section 2-127 of the general statutes.

192The conditionsState atOmbudsman long-termand carethe facilitiesexecutive bydirector anyshall stateseek agencytestimony orfrom legislative committee having cognizance of matters concerning such policy, proposal or regulation, such agency or legislative committee shall inform the StateStatewide Ombudsman,Coalition appointed pursuant to section 17a-405 of thePresidents general statutes, and the executive director of theResidents CommissionCouncils on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity,from establishedfamily pursuantcouncils toconcerning sectionsuch 2-127legislative ofproposal theor generalproposed statutes.regulation.

TheFor regulations other than those proposed pursuant to subsections (g) and (h) of section 4-168 of the general statutes, the State Ombudsman and the executive director shall immediately inform the members of the Commissioncoalition onand Women,family Children,councils Seniors,that Equitythe andagency Opportunitywill shallbe seekrequired testimonyto fromhold thea Statewidepublic Coalitionhearing ofupon Presidentsthe request of Residentsfifteen Councilsor andmore familypersons councilsnot concerninglater than fourteen days after the date such policy,notice proposalof orintent regulation.is posted on the eRegulations System.

Such agency or legislative committee of cognizance shall accept such testimony in a manner and format that provides for the greatest input from members of residents councils and family councils,councils including, but not limited to, when permissible under the rules of such agency or committee and when practicable, remote testimony by such members via technology with audio or audio and video capabilities.

(c) Any state task force appointed by the General Assembly or by a state agency that is studying issues concerning living or care conditions at long-term care facilitiesshallfacilities shall include among members (1) representatives of residents councilscouncils, and(2) representatives of family councils.councils, and (3) the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to aging, or their designees.

ThisApproved actJuly shall13, take2021 effectPublic asAct followsNo. and shall amend the following sections:

Section21-194 12 from passage New section Statement of Legislative2 Commissioners:

In Section 1(b), "any state agency" was changed to "by any state agency" and "regulation shall" was changed to "regulation, such agency or legislative committee shall" for clarity.

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192 AGE Joint Favorable Subst.

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192 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 which makes various changes, including requiring impacted agencies and legislative committees to provide notification to the state long-term care ombudsman and Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, is not anticipated to result in a fiscal impact.

The Out Years State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None sSB973 / File No.

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192 OLR Bill Analysis sSB 973 AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE VOICE OF RESIDENTS AND FAMILY COUNCILS.

SUMMARY This bill requires state agencies or legislative committees of cognizance to inform the (1) state long-term care ombudsman and (2) Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity executive director about statewide policies, legislative proposals, or regulations on long-term care facility living and care conditions.

They must do this within sevendaysafter suchpolicy,proposal,orregulation is introduced.

The bill then requires the ombudsman and executive director to seek testimony from family councils and the Statewide Coalition of Presidents of Resident Councils on these policies, legislative proposals, or regulations.

It requires state agencies and legislative committees of cognizance to accept this testimony in a manner and format that provides for the greatest input from resident and family council members, including remote testimony via audio-video technology.

The bill also requires any state task force on long-term care facility care or living conditions that is appointed by the legislature or a state agency to include as members representatives of resident and family councils.

The task force chairperson must schedule meetings in a way that provides for the greatest input from resident and family council members, in a similar manner as described above.

Under the bill, long-term care facilities include nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

The bill defines “resident councils” as those elected and run by long-term care facility residents that bring to facility management concerns about resident living and care conditions.

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192 “Family councils” are those comprised of family members of long-term care facility residents that bring concerns to facility management on resident living and care conditions.