Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01080 Compare Versions

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7		-	General Assembly ~~Substitute~~ Bill No. 1080
	5	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1080
8	6		January Session, 2023
	7	+	LCO No. 4717
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	9	+
	10	+	Referred to Committee on TRANSPORTATION
	11	+
	12	+
	13	+	Introduced by:
	14	+	(TRA)
	15	+
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11	18
12	19		AN ACT CONCERNING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR
13	20		PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL
14	21		DISABILITIES.
15	22		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
16	23		Assembly convened:
17	24
18	25		Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) On and after July 1, 2023, 1
19	26		the Department of Transportation shall provide for fare-free bus public 2
20	27		transportation services for persons with intellectual or developmental 3
21		-	disabilities who receive services from the Department of 4
22		-	Developmental Services. The cost of such transportation services shall 5
23		-	be paid from the funds appropriated to the Department of 6
24		-	Transportation. The Department of Transportation, in coordination 7
25		-	with the Department of Developmental Services , shall make 8
26		-	applications for a fare-free transit identification card available to such 9
27		-	persons. Any such identification card shall include a photograph of 10
28		-	such person. 11
29		-	(b) On and after July 1, 2023, the Department of Transportation shall 12
30		-	provide for reduced fares for intrastate rail service by commuter 13
31		-	railroad systems for persons with intellectual or developmental 14
32		-	disabilities who receive services from the Department of 15
33		-	Developmental Services. Such reduced fares shall be one-half the 16
34		-	amount of the fare charged for such rail service by a commuter 17
35		-	railroad system. The cost of such reduced fares shall be paid from the 18
36		-	funds appropriated to the Department of Transportation. The 19 Substitute Bill No. 1080
	28	+	disabilities who receive services from the Department of Developmental 4
	29	+	Services. The cost of such transportation services shall be paid from the 5
	30	+	funds appropriated to the Department of Transportation. The 6
	31	+	Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Department of 7
	32	+	Developmental Services, shall make applications for a fare-free transit 8
	33	+	identification card available to such persons. Any such identification 9
	34	+	card shall include a photograph of such person. 10
	35	+	(b) On and after July 1, 2023, the Department of Transportation shall 11
	36	+	provide for reduced fares for intrastate rail service by commuter 12
	37	+	railroad systems for persons with intellectual or developmental 13
	38	+	disabilities who receive services from the Department of Developmental 14 Raised Bill No. 1080
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43		-	Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Department of 20
44		-	Developmental Services, shall make applications for an identification 21
45		-	card for reduced fare rail services available to such persons. Any such 22
46		-	identification card shall include a photograph of such person. 23
47		-	Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) The Commissioners of Transportation 24
48		-	and Developmental Services, in conjunction with each transit district 25
49		-	established under chapter 103a of the general statutes or any special 26
50		-	act, shall study the demand and need for state-wide and local 27
51		-	transportation services for persons with intellectual or developmental 28
52		-	disabilities. Such study shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) 29
53		-	expanding the hours of operation, including the evening hours, for rail 30
54		-	service on commuter railroad systems and state-owned or controlled 31
55		-	bus public transportation services, (2) determining the daily 32
56		-	transportation needs of such persons, including traveling to and from 33
57		-	work, educational facilities, medical appointments, stores and other 34
58		-	places in order to enjoy life's amenities, and (3) a specific analysis of 35
59		-	the transit services provided by each transit district that identifies 36
60		-	locations underserved by such transit district and specific routes for 37
61		-	possible expansion to meet the demand and needs for such transit 38
62		-	services and the costs associated with servicing such locations and 39
63		-	expanding such routes. On or before February 1, 2024, the 40
64		-	commissioners shall submit the results of such study and 41
65		-	recommendations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a 42
66		-	of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General 43
67		-	Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation and 44
68		-	human services. 45
69		-	Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Not later than January 1, 2024, 46
70		-	each transit district established under chapter 103a of the general 47
71		-	statutes or any special act shall develop a process by which an 48
72		-	employer who employs at least ten employees with intellectual or 49
73		-	developmental disabilities or a provider of community-based services 50
74		-	for at least ten persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities 51
75		-	may request the district to construct and maintain a bus stop or shelter 52 Substitute Bill No. 1080
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	43	+
	44	+	Services. Such reduced fares shall be one-half the amount of the fare 15
	45	+	charged for such rail service by a commuter railroad system. The cost of 16
	46	+	such reduced fares shall be paid from the funds appropriated to the 17
	47	+	Department of Transportation. The Department of Transportation, in 18
	48	+	coordination with the Department of Developmental Services, shall 19
	49	+	make applications for an identification card for reduced fare rail services 20
	50	+	available to such persons. Any such identification card shall include a 21
	51	+	photograph of such person. 22
	52	+	Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) The Commissioners of Transportation 23
	53	+	and Developmental Services, in conjunction with each transit district 24
	54	+	established under chapter 103a of the general statutes or any special act, 25
	55	+	shall study the demand and need for state-wide and local transportation 26
	56	+	services for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Such 27
	57	+	study shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) expanding the hours 28
	58	+	of operation, including the evening hours, for rail service on commuter 29
	59	+	railroad systems and state-owned or controlled bus public 30
	60	+	transportation services, (2) determining the daily transportation needs 31
	61	+	of such persons, including traveling to and from work, educational 32
	62	+	facilities, medical appointments, stores and other places in order to 33
	63	+	enjoy life's amenities, and (3) a specific analysis of the transit services 34
	64	+	provided by each transit district that identifies locations underserved by 35
	65	+	such transit district and specific routes for possible expansion to meet 36
	66	+	the demand and needs for such transit services and the costs associated 37
	67	+	with servicing such locations and expanding such routes. On or before 38
	68	+	February 1, 2024, the commissioners shall submit the results of such 39
	69	+	study and recommendations, in accordance with the provisions of 40
	70	+	section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of 41
	71	+	the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 42
	72	+	transportation and human services. 43
	73	+	Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Not later than January 1, 2023, 44
	74	+	each transit district established under chapter 103a of the general 45
	75	+	statutes or any special act shall develop a process by which an employer 46
	76	+	who employs at least ten employees with intellectual or developmental 47
	77	+	disabilities or a provider of community-based services for at least ten 48 Raised Bill No. 1080
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82		-	at or near such employer's or provider's location. Each transit district 53
83		-	shall post such process in a conspicuous plan on the district's Internet 54
84		-	web site. 55
85		-	Sec. 4. (Effective from passage) On or before October 1, 2023, the 56
86		-	Department of Developmental Services shall issue a request for 57
87		-	proposals for the provision of nonmedical transportation services for 58
88		-	persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities whose 59
89		-	transportation needs are not currently served by public transportation 60
90		-	in the state. Such nonmedical transportation services shall provide 61
91		-	transportation to and from work, educational facilities, medical 62
92		-	appointments, stores and other places in order for such persons to 63
93		-	enjoy life's amenities. 64
94		-	Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The Department of 65
95		-	Transportation, in consultation with the Department of Developmental 66
96		-	Services, shall ensure persons with intellectual or developmental 67
97		-	disabilities who receive services from the Depa rtment of 68
98		-	Developmental Services have access to any travel training program 69
99		-	funded by the Department of Transportation that provides instruction 70
100		-	on how to safely use commuter railroad systems and bus public 71
101		-	transportation services. 72
102		-	Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective from passage) For the purposes of this section, 73
103		-	"carrier" has the same meaning as provided in section 14-212 of the 74
104		-	general statutes and "school bus driver" has the same meaning as 75
105		-	provided in section 14-276b of the general statutes. The Department of 76
106		-	Developmental Services, in consultation with the Department of Motor 77
107		-	Vehicles, shall develop and make available to carriers and school bus 78
108		-	drivers online training resources or videos that provide instruction and 79
109		-	best practices concerning ways to appropriately interact with persons 80
110		-	with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The departments shall 81
111		-	post such training resources or videos in a conspicuous place on their 82
112		-	respective Internet web sites. 83
113		-	Sec. 7. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Not later than October 1, 2023, 84 Substitute Bill No. 1080
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	82	+
	83	+	persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities may request the 49
	84	+	district to construct and maintain a bus stop or shelter at or near such 50
	85	+	employer's or provider's location. Each transit district shall post such 51
	86	+	process in a conspicuous plan on the district's Internet web site. 52
	87	+	Sec. 4. (Effective from passage) On or before October 1, 2023, the 53
	88	+	Department of Developmental Services shall issue a request for 54
	89	+	proposals for the provision of nonmedical transportation services for 55
	90	+	persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities whose 56
	91	+	transportation needs are not currently served by public transportation 57
	92	+	in the state. Such nonmedical transportation services shall provide 58
	93	+	transportation to and from work, educational facilities, medical 59
	94	+	appointments, stores and other places in order for such persons to enjoy 60
	95	+	life's amenities. 61
	96	+	Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The Department of 62
	97	+	Transportation, in consultation with the Department of Developmental 63
	98	+	Services, shall ensure persons with intellectual or developmental 64
	99	+	disabilities who receive services from the Department of Developmental 65
	100	+	Services have access to any travel training program funded by the 66
	101	+	Department of Transportation that provides instruction on how to 67
	102	+	safely use commuter railroad systems and bus public transportation 68
	103	+	services. 69
	104	+	Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective from passage) For the purposes of this section, 70
	105	+	"carrier" has the same meaning as provided in section 14-212 of the 71
	106	+	general statutes and "school bus driver" has the same meaning as 72
	107	+	provided in section 14-276b of the general statutes. The Department of 73
	108	+	Developmental Services, in consultation with the Department of Motor 74
	109	+	Vehicles, shall develop and make available to carriers and school bus 75
	110	+	drivers online training resources or videos that provide instruction and 76
	111	+	best practices concerning ways to appropriately interact with persons 77
	112	+	with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The departments shall 78
	113	+	post such training resources or videos in a conspicuous place on their 79
	114	+	respective Internet web sites. 80 Raised Bill No. 1080
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120		-	the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall offer appointments to 85
121		-	students with disabilities, including, but not limited to, students with 86
122		-	intellectual or developmental disabilities, for the on-the-road skills test 87
123		-	portion of the examination for a motor vehicles operator's license at 88
124		-	drivers' schools, licensed in accordance with the provisions of section 89
125		-	14-69 of the general statutes. The on-the-road skills test shall be 90
126		-	administered by a motor vehicle inspector agent or an agent of the 91
127		-	commissioner and shall be made available to such students of such 92
128		-	schools who are otherwise eligible to take such test. 93
129		-	Sec. 8. Subsection (b) of section 14-253a of the general statutes is 94
130		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 95
131		-	1, 2023): 96
132		-	(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall accept applications 97
133		-	and renewal applications for removable windshield placards from (1) 98
134		-	any person who is blind, as defined in section 1-1f; (2) any person with 99
135		-	disabilities; (3) any parent or guardian of any person who is blind or 100
136		-	any person with disabilities, if such person is under eighteen years of 101
137		-	age at the time of application; (4) any parent or guardian of any person 102
138		-	who is blind or any person with disabilities, if such person is unable to 103
139		-	request or complete an application; and (5) any organization which 104
140		-	meets criteria established by the commissioner and which certifies to 105
141		-	the commissioner's satisfaction that the vehicle for which a placard is 106
142		-	requested is primarily used to transport persons who are blind or 107
143		-	persons with disabilities. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this 108
144		-	section, on and after October 1, 2011, the commissioner shall not accept 109
145		-	applications for special license plates, but shall accept renewal 110
146		-	applications for such plates that were issued prior to October 1, 2011. 111
147		-	No person shall be issued a placard in accordance with this section 112
148		-	unless such person is the holder of a valid motor vehicle operator's 113
149		-	license, or identification card issued in accordance with the provisions 114
150		-	of section 1-1h. The commissioner is authorized to adopt regulations 115
151		-	for the issuance of placards to persons who, by reason of hardship, do 116
152		-	not hold or cannot obtain an operator's license or identification card. 117 Substitute Bill No. 1080
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	120	+	Sec. 7. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Not later than October 1, 2023, 81
	121	+	the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall offer appointments to 82
	122	+	students with disabilities, including, but not limited to, students with 83
	123	+	intellectual or developmental disabilities, for the on-the-road skills test 84
	124	+	portion of the examination for a motor vehicles operator's license at 85
	125	+	drivers' schools, licensed in accordance with the provisions of section 86
	126	+	14-69 of the general statutes. The on-the-road skills test shall be 87
	127	+	administered by a motor vehicle inspector agent or an agent of the 88
	128	+	commissioner and shall be made available to such students who are 89
	129	+	otherwise eligible to take such test. 90
	130	+	Sec. 8. Subsection (b) of section 14-253a of the general statutes is 91
	131	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 92
	132	+	2023): 93
	133	+	(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall accept applications 94
	134	+	and renewal applications for removable windshield placards from (1) 95
	135	+	any person who is blind, as defined in section 1-1f; (2) any person with 96
	136	+	disabilities; (3) any parent or guardian of any person who is blind or any 97
	137	+	person with disabilities, if such person is under eighteen years of age at 98
	138	+	the time of application; (4) any parent or guardian of any person who is 99
	139	+	blind or any person with disabilities, if such person is unable to request 100
	140	+	or complete an application; and (5) any organization which meets 101
	141	+	criteria established by the commissioner and which certifies to the 102
	142	+	commissioner's satisfaction that the vehicle for which a placard is 103
	143	+	requested is primarily used to transport persons who are blind or 104
	144	+	persons with disabilities. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this 105
	145	+	section, on and after October 1, 2011, the commissioner shall not accept 106
	146	+	applications for special license plates, but shall accept renewal 107
	147	+	applications for such plates that were issued prior to October 1, 2011. 108
	148	+	No person shall be issued a placard in accordance with this section 109
	149	+	unless such person is the holder of a valid motor vehicle operator's 110
	150	+	license, or identification card issued in accordance with the provisions 111
	151	+	of section 1-1h. The commissioner is authorized to adopt regulations for 112
	152	+	the issuance of placards to persons who, by reason of hardship, do not 113
	153	+	hold or cannot obtain an operator's license or identification card. The 114 Raised Bill No. 1080
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159		-	The commissioner shall maintain a record of each placard issued to 118
160		-	any such person. Such applications and renewal applications shall be 119
161		-	on a form prescribed by the commissioner. The application and 120
162		-	renewal application shall include: (A) Certification by a licensed 121
163		-	physician, a physician assistant, an advanced practice registered nurse 122
164		-	licensed in accordance with the provisions of chapter 378, or a member 123
165		-	of the driver training unit for persons with disabilities established 124
166		-	pursuant to section 14-11b, that the applicant meets the definition of a 125
167		-	person with a disability which limits or impairs the ability to walk, as 126
168		-	defined in 23 CFR Section 1235.2; or (B) certification by a psychiatrist 127
169		-	who is employed by, or under contract with, the United States 128
170		-	Department of Veterans Affairs that the applicant (i) is a veteran, as 129
171		-	defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, who has post-traumatic 130
172		-	stress disorder certified as service-connected by the United States 131
173		-	Department of Veterans Affairs, and (ii) meets the definition of a 132
174		-	person with a disability which limits or impairs the ability to walk, as 133
175		-	defined in 23 CFR Section 1235.2. In the case of persons who are blind, 134
176		-	the application or renewal application shall include certification of 135
177		-	legal blindness made by the Department of Aging and Disability 136
178		-	Services, an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. Any person who 137
179		-	makes a certification required by this subsection shall sign the 138
180		-	application or renewal application under penalty of false statement 139
181		-	pursuant to section 53a-157b. The commissioner, in said 140
182		-	commissioner's discretion, may accept the discharge papers of a 141
183		-	disabled veteran, as defined in section 14-254, in lieu of such 142
184		-	certification. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may require 143
185		-	additional certification at the time of the original application or at any 144
186		-	time thereafter. If a person who has been requested to submit 145
187		-	additional certification fails to do so within thirty days of the request, 146
188		-	or if such additional certification is deemed by the Commissioner of 147
189		-	Motor Vehicles to be unfavorable to the applicant, the commissioner 148
190		-	may refuse to issue or, if already issued, suspend or revoke such 149
191		-	special license plate or placard. The commissioner shall not issue more 150
192		-	than one placard per applicant, except the commissioner shall issue 151
193		-	one placard to each applicant who is a parent, [or] guardian or 152 Substitute Bill No. 1080
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	158	+
	159	+	commissioner shall maintain a record of each placard issued to any such 115
	160	+	person. Such applications and renewal applications shall be on a form 116
	161	+	prescribed by the commissioner. The application and renewal 117
	162	+	application shall include: (A) Certification by a licensed physician, a 118
	163	+	physician assistant, an advanced practice registered nurse licensed in 119
	164	+	accordance with the provisions of chapter 378, or a member of the driver 120
	165	+	training unit for persons with disabilities established pursuant to 121
	166	+	section 14-11b, that the applicant meets the definition of a person with a 122
	167	+	disability which limits or impairs the ability to walk, as defined in 23 123
	168	+	CFR Section 1235.2; or (B) certification by a psychiatrist who is 124
	169	+	employed by, or under contract with, the United States Department of 125
	170	+	Veterans Affairs that the applicant (i) is a veteran, as defined in 126
	171	+	subsection (a) of section 27-103, who has post-traumatic stress disorder 127
	172	+	certified as service-connected by the United States Department of 128
	173	+	Veterans Affairs, and (ii) meets the definition of a person with a 129
	174	+	disability which limits or impairs the ability to walk, as defined in 23 130
	175	+	CFR Section 1235.2. In the case of persons who are blind, the application 131
	176	+	or renewal application shall include certification of legal blindness 132
	177	+	made by the Department of Aging and Disability Services, an 133
	178	+	ophthalmologist or an optometrist. Any person who makes a 134
	179	+	certification required by this subsection shall sign the application or 135
	180	+	renewal application under penalty of false statement pursuant to section 136
	181	+	53a-157b. The commissioner, in said commissioner's discretion, may 137
	182	+	accept the discharge papers of a disabled veteran, as defined in section 138
	183	+	14-254, in lieu of such certification. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles 139
	184	+	may require additional certification at the time of the original 140
	185	+	application or at any time thereafter. If a person who has been requested 141
	186	+	to submit additional certification fails to do so within thirty days of the 142
	187	+	request, or if such additional certification is deemed by the 143
	188	+	Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to be unfavorable to the applicant, the 144
	189	+	commissioner may refuse to issue or, if already issued, suspend or 145
	190	+	revoke such special license plate or placard. The commissioner shall not 146
	191	+	issue more than one placard per applicant, except the commissioner 147
	192	+	shall issue one placard to each applicant who is a parent, [or] guardian 148
	193	+	or caregiver of any person who is blind or any person with disabilities, 149 Raised Bill No. 1080
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200		-	caregiver of any person who is blind or any person with disabilities, 153
201		-	provided no more than [two] three such placards shall be issued on 154
202		-	behalf of such person. The fee for the issuance of a temporary 155
203		-	removable windshield placard shall be five dollars. Any person whose 156
204		-	application has been denied or whose special license plate or placard 157
205		-	has been suspended or revoked shall be afforded an opportunity for a 158
206		-	hearing in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54. 159
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	198	+
	199	+	provided no more than [two] three such placards shall be issued on 150
	200	+	behalf of such person. The fee for the issuance of a temporary removable 151
	201	+	windshield placard shall be five dollars. Any person whose application 152
	202	+	has been denied or whose special license plate or placard has been 153
	203	+	suspended or revoked shall be afforded an opportunity for a hearing in 154
	204	+	accordance with the provisions of chapter 54. 155
207	205		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
208	206		sections:
209	207
210	208		Section 1 from passage New section
211	209		Sec. 2 from passage New section
212	210		Sec. 3 from passage New section
213	211		Sec. 4 from passage New section
214	212		Sec. 5 from passage New section
215	213		Sec. 6 from passage New section
216	214		Sec. 7 from passage New section
217	215		Sec. 8 July 1, 2023 14-253a(b)
218	216
219		-	Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
220		-	In Section 3, "January 1, 2023" was changed to "January 1, 2024" for
221		-	accuracy; and in Section 7, "of such schools" was added for clarity.
222		-
223		-	TRA Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
	217	+	Statement of Purpose:
	218	+	To increase transportation services for persons with intellectual or
	219	+	developmental disabilities who receive services from the Department of
	220	+	Developmental Services by providing fare -free bus public
	221	+	transportation services and reduced fares for intrastate rail services,
	222	+	requiring a request for proposals for nonmedical transportation services
	223	+	for such persons, expanding access to travel training programs and
	224	+	issuing removable windshield placards to the caregivers of such
	225	+	persons.
	226	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	227	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	228	+	underlined.]
224	229