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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 973
January Session, 2021
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE VOICE OF RESIDENTS AND FAMILY
COUNCILS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) For purposes of this 1
section, (1) "residents council" means a council elected and run by 2
residents of a long-term care facility that brings concerns to 3
management of such facility about residents' living conditions and care, 4
(2) "family council" means a council comprised of family members of 5
residents of long-term care facilities that brings concerns to 6
management of such facility about residents' living conditions and care, 7
and (3) "long-term care facility" means a nursing home facility, as 8
defined in section 19a-490 of the general statutes, or a managed 9
residential community, as defined in section 19a-693 of the general 10
statutes, with assisted living services regulated by the Department of 11
Public Health. 12
(b) Not later than seven days after introduction of any state-wide 13
policy, legislative proposal or regulation concerning living and care 14
conditions at long-term care facilities by any state agency or legislative 15
committee having cognizance of matters concerning such policy, 16
proposal or regulation, such agency or legislative committee shall 17
inform the State Ombudsman, appointed pursuant to section 17a-405 of 18 Substitute Bill No. 973
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the general statutes, and the executive director of the Commission on 19
Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, established 20
pursuant to section 2-127 of the general statutes. The State Ombudsman 21
and the executive director of the Commission on Women, Children, 22
Seniors, Equity and Opportunity shall seek testimony from the 23
Statewide Coalition of Presidents of Residents Councils and family 24
councils concerning such policy, proposal or regulation. Such agency or 25
legislative committee of cognizance shall accept such testimony in a 26
manner and format that provides for the greatest input from members 27
of residents and family councils, including, but not limited to, when 28
practicable, remote testimony by such members via technology with 29
audio or video capabilities. 30
(c) Any state task force appointed by the General Assembly or by a 31
state agency that is studying issues concerning living or care conditions 32
at long-term care facilities shall include among members 33
representatives of residents councils and family councils. The 34
chairpersons of such task force shall schedule meetings in a manner and 35
format that provides for the greatest input from members of residents 36
councils and family councils, including, but not limited to, when 37
practicable, remote testimony by such members via technology with 38
audio or video capabilities. 39
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage New section
Statement of Legislative 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.
AGE Joint Favorable Subst.