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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5305
February Session, 2020
LCO No. 2044
Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
Introduced by:
(HS)
AN ACT CONCERNING TH E DEPARTMENT OF AGIN G AND
DISABILITY SERVICES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 17b-660 of the 2020 supplement to the general 1
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2
(Effective July 1, 2020): 3
The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services is authorized to 4
accept and use gifts, grants, reimbursements or bequests made 5
[unconditionally] by will or otherwise for carrying out the purposes of 6
the donor or of the general statutes concerning the Department of Aging 7
and Disability Services. Gifts, grants, reimbursements or bequests made 8
under such conditions as in the judgment of the Commissioner of Aging 9
and Disability Services are proper and, consistent with the provisions of 10
[said sections] state and federal law, may be so accepted and shall be 11
held, invested, reinvested and used in accordance with the conditions 12
of the gift, grant, reimbursement or bequest. 13
Sec. 2. Section 10-298 of the 2020 supplement to the general statutes 14
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 15 Raised Bill No. 5305
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1, 2020): 16
(a) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall prepare 17
and maintain a register of persons who are blind in this state which shall 18
describe their condition, cause of blindness and capacity for education 19
and rehabilitative training. The commissioner may register cases of 20
persons who are liable to become visually impaired or blind, and may 21
take such measures in cooperation with other authorities as the 22
commissioner deems advisable for the prevention of blindness or 23
conservation of eyesight and, in appropriate cases, for the education of 24
children and for the vocational guidance of adults whose eyesight 25
approaches visual impairment or blindness. The commissioner shall 26
establish criteria for low vision care and maintain a list of 27
ophthalmologists and optometrists that are exclusively authorized to 28
receive agency funds through established and existing state fee 29
schedules for the delivery of specifically defined low vision services that 30
increase the capacity of eligible recipients of such services to maximize 31
the use of their remaining vision. 32
[(b) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may accept 33
and receive any bequest or gift of money or personal property and, 34
subject to the consent of the Governor and Attorney General as provided 35
in section 4b-22, any devise or gift of real property made to the 36
Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services, and may hold and use 37
such money or property for the purposes, if any, specified in connection 38
with such bequest, devise or gift.] 39
[(c)] (b) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall 40
provide the Department of Motor Vehicles with the names of all 41
individuals sixteen years of age or older who, on or after October 1, 2005, 42
have been determined to be blind by a physician, an advanced practice 43
registered nurse or an optometrist, as provided in section 10-305. The 44
Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall provide 45
simultaneous written notification to any individual whose name is 46
being transmitted by the Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services 47
to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The Commissioner of Aging and 48 Raised Bill No. 5305
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Disability Services shall update the list of names provided to the 49
Department of Motor Vehicles on a quarterly basis. The list shall also 50
contain the address and date of birth for each individual reported, as 51
shown on the records of the Department of Aging and Disability 52
Services. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall maintain such list on 53
a confidential basis, in accordance with the provisions of section 14-46d. 54
The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall enter into a 55
memorandum of understanding with the Commissioner of Motor 56
Vehicles to effectuate the purposes of this subsection. 57
Sec. 3. Section 17b-607 of the 2020 supplement to the general statutes 58
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 59
1, 2020): 60
(a) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services is authorized 61
to establish and administer [a fund] state financing activities as outlined 62
in the federal Assistive Technology Act of 2004, P.L. 108-364, as 63
amended from time to time, to be known as the Assistive Technology 64
[Revolving Fund. Said fund] Loan Program. The program shall be used 65
by [said] the commissioner to make and guarantee loans to persons with 66
disabilities, [senior citizens] older adults or the family members of 67
persons with disabilities or [senior citizens] older adults for the 68
purchase of assistive technology and adaptive equipment and services. 69
Each such loan shall be made for a term of not more than ten years. Any 70
loans made under this section [after July 1, 2013,] shall bear interest at a 71
fixed rate not to exceed six per cent. [Said] The commissioner is 72
authorized to expend any funds necessary for the reasonable direct 73
expenses relating to the administration of [said fund. Said] the program. 74
The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the 75
provisions of chapter 54, to implement the purposes of this section. 76
(b) The State Bond Commission shall have power from time to time 77
to authorize the issuance of bonds of the state in one or more series in 78
accordance with section 3-20 and in a principal amount necessary to 79
carry out the purposes of this section, but not in excess of an aggregate 80
amount of one million dollars. All of [said] the bonds shall (1) be payable 81 Raised Bill No. 5305
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at such place or places as may be determined by the Treasurer pursuant 82
to section 3-19, [and shall] (2) bear such date or dates, (3) mature at such 83
time or times, not exceeding five years from their respective dates, (4) 84
bear interest at such rate or different or varying rates and payable at 85
such time or times, (5) be in such denominations, (6) be in such form 86
with or without interest coupons attached, (7) carry such registration 87
and transfer privileges, (8) be payable in such medium of payment, and 88
(9) be subject to such terms of redemption with or without premium as, 89
irrespective of the provisions of [said] section 3-20, may be provided by 90
the authorization of the State Bond Commission or fixed in accordance 91
therewith. The proceeds of the sale of such bonds shall be deposited in 92
the Assistive Technology [Revolving Fund] Loan Program created by 93
this section. Such bonds shall be general obligations of the state and the 94
full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged for the 95
payment of the principal of and interest on such bonds as the same 96
become due. Accordingly, and as part of the contract of the state with 97
the holders of such bonds, appropriation of all amounts necessary for 98
punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made and the 99
Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same become due. 100
Net earnings on investments or reinvestments of proceeds, accrued 101
interest and premiums on the issuance of such bonds, after payment 102
therefrom of expenses incurred by the Treasurer or State Bond 103
Commission in connection with their issuance, shall be deposited in the 104
General Fund of the state. 105
(c) The Connecticut Tech Act Project, within the Department of Aging 106
and Disability Services and as authorized by 29 USC 3001, as amended 107
from time to time, may provide assistive technology evaluation and 108
training services upon the request of any person or any public or private 109
entity, to the extent persons who provide assistive technology services 110
are available. The project may charge a fee to any person or entity 111
receiving such assistive technology evaluation and training services to 112
reimburse the department for its costs. The Commissioner of Aging and 113
Disability Services shall establish fees at reasonable rates that will cover 114
the department's direct and indirect costs. 115 Raised Bill No. 5305
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Sec. 4. Subsection (c) of section 9-20 of the 2020 supplement to the 116
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 117
thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 118
(c) The application for admission as an elector shall include a 119
statement that (1) specifies each eligibility requirement, (2) contains an 120
attestation that the applicant meets each such requirement, and (3) 121
requires the signature of the applicant under penalty of perjury. Each 122
registrar of voters and town clerk shall maintain a copy of such 123
statement in braille, large print and audio form. The Department of 124
Aging and Disability Services shall, in consultation with the Secretary 125
of the State, produce a [videotape] video presenting such statement in 126
voice and sign language and provide the [videotape] video to the 127
Secretary of the State who shall make [copies of the videotape and 128
provide a copy] the video available to the registrars of voters of any 129
municipality. [, upon request and at a cost equal to the cost of making 130
the copy.] If a person applies for admission as an elector in person to an 131
admitting official, such admitting official shall, upon the request of the 132
applicant, administer the elector's oath. 133
Sec. 5. Section 46a-27 of the general statutes is repealed and the 134
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 135
The Advisory Board for Persons Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing is 136
hereby created to advocate, strengthen and advise the Governor and the 137
General Assembly concerning state policies affecting persons who are 138
deaf or hard of hearing and their relationship to the public, industry, 139
health care and educational opportunity. The board shall: 140
(1) Monitor services for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing; 141
(2) Periodically meet with the Commissioners of Public Health, Social 142
Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Education, 143
Developmental Services, and Children and Families and the Labor 144
Commissioner, or the commissioners' designees, to discuss best 145
practices and gaps in services for persons who are deaf or hard of 146
hearing; and 147 Raised Bill No. 5305
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[(3) Refer persons with complaints concerning the qualification and 148
registration of interpreters for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing 149
to the entity designated pursuant to section 46a-10b;] 150
[(4)] (3) Make recommendations for (A) technical assistance and 151
resources for state agencies in order to serve persons who are deaf or 152
hard of hearing; (B) public policy and legislative changes needed to 153
address gaps in services; and (C) the qualifications and registration of 154
interpreters pursuant to section 46a-33a. The board shall submit such 155
recommendations, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the Governor 156
and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 157
cognizance of matters relating to human services. 158
Sec. 6. Subsection (a) of section 46a-29 of the 2020 supplement to the 159
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 160
thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 161
(a) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may request 162
and shall receive from any department, division, board, bureau, 163
commission or agency of the state or of any political subdivision thereof 164
such assistance and data as will enable the Department of Aging and 165
Disability Services to properly carry out its activities under sections 17b-166
650e and [46a-30] 46a-33 to 46a-33b, inclusive, and to effectuate the 167
purposes therein set forth. 168
Sec. 7. Section 17a-301b of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 169
July 1, 2020) 170
Sec. 8. Section 46a-30 of the 2020 supplement to the general statutes 171
is repealed. (Effective July 1, 2020) 172
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2020 17b-660
Sec. 2 July 1, 2020 10-298
Sec. 3 July 1, 2020 17b-607
Sec. 4 July 1, 2020 9-20(c) Raised Bill No. 5305
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Sec. 5 July 1, 2020 46a-27
Sec. 6 July 1, 2020 46a-29(a)
Sec. 7 July 1, 2020 Repealer section
Sec. 8 July 1, 2020 Repealer section
Statement of Purpose:
To amend or repeal statutes concerning the Department of Aging and
Disability Services.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]