Substitute Senate Bill No. 973
Public Act No. 21-194
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
section, (1) "residents council" means a council elected and run by
residents of a long-term care facility that brings concerns to
management of such facility about residents' living conditions and care,
(2) "family council" means a council comprised of family members of
residents of long-term care facilities that brings concerns to
management of such facility about residents' living conditions and care,
and (3) "long-term care facility" means a nursing home facility, as
defined in section 19a-490 of the general statutes, or a managed
residential community, as defined in section 19a-693 of the general
statutes, with assisted living services regulated by the Department of
Public Health.
(b) Not later than three days after a state agency submits 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 conditions at long-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. 973
Public Act No. 21-194 2 of 2
Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, established
pursuant to section 2-127 of the general statutes. The State Ombudsman
and the executive director shall seek testimony from the Statewide
Coalition of Presidents of Residents Councils and from family councils
concerning such legislative proposal or proposed regulation. For
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
coalition and family councils that the agency will be required to hold a
public hearing upon the request of fifteen or more persons not later than
fourteen days after the date such notice of intent is posted on the
eRegulations System. Such agency or legislative committee of
cognizance shall accept testimony in a manner and format that provides
for the greatest input from members of residents councils and family
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 facilities shall include among members (1)
representatives of residents councils, (2) representatives of family
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. The chairpersons of such
task force shall schedule meetings in a manner and format that provides
for the greatest input from members of residents councils and family
councils, including, but not limited to, when practicable, remote
testimony by such members via technology with audio or video
capabilities.