Connecticut 2024 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB05241 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3		-	LCO \\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05241-R01-
4		-	HB.docx
5		-	1 of 7
	3	+	LCO No. 1729 1 of 4
6	4
7		-	General Assembly ~~Substitute~~ Bill No. 5241
	5	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5241
8	6		February Session, 2024
	7	+	LCO No. 1729
	8	+
	9	+
	10	+	Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
	11	+
	12	+
	13	+	Introduced by:
	14	+	(HS)
9	15
10	16
11	17
12	18
13	19		AN ACT ESTABLISHING A BUREAU COORDINATING SERVICES FOR
14	20		DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR DEAFBLIND PERSONS.
15	21		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
16	22		Assembly convened:
17	23
18	24		Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2024) (a) There is established a 1
19	25		Bureau of Services for Persons Who Are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or 2
20	26		Deafblind which shall be within the Department of Aging and Disability 3
21		-	Services ~~for administrative purposes only~~. 4
	27	+	Services. 4
22	28		(b) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services, in 5
23	29		consultation with the Advisory Board for Persons who are Deaf, Hard 6
24	30		of Hearing or Deafblind, shall, not later than October 1, 2024, appoint an 7
25		-	executive director of the bureau, which shall be an independent office 8
26		-	within the Department of Aging and Disability Services. The executive 9
27		-	director shall (1) have professional experience in serving the needs of 10
28		-	deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind persons, and (2) be (A) able to 11
29		-	communicate in American Sign Language, and (B) familiar with 12
30		-	effective interpretation methods to assist deafblind persons. The 13
31		-	commissioner shall also hire an administrative assistant for the 14
32		-	executive director. 15
33		-	(c) The executive director shall: 16
34		-	(1) Oversee Department of Aging and Disability Services' employees 17
35		-	who provide counseling, interpreting and other assistance to persons 18 Substitute Bill No. 5241
	31	+	executive director of the bureau, who shall (1) have professional 8
	32	+	experience in serving the needs of deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind 9
	33	+	persons, and (2) be (A) able to communicate in American Sign 10
	34	+	Language, and (B) familiar with effective interpretation methods to 11
	35	+	assist deafblind persons. The commissioner shall also hire an 12
	36	+	administrative assistant for the executive director. 13
	37	+	(c) The executive director shall: 14 Raised Bill No. 5241
36	38
37	39
38		-	LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05241-
39		-	R01-HB.docx }
40		-	2 of 7
41	40
42		-	who are deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind, except for federally funded 19
43		-	vocational rehabilitation employees; 20
44		-	(2) Annually update and publish on the department's Internet web 21
45		-	site a resource guide for persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or 22
46		-	deafblind; 23
47		-	(3) Maintain and publish on the department's Internet web site a list 24
48		-	provided by the Connecticut Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf of 25
49		-	registered interpreters, categorized by the setting in which such 26
50		-	interpreters are qualified to provide interpreting services; 27
51		-	(4) Assist each state agency, as defined in section 1-79 of the general 28
52		-	statutes, in appointing an employee of each such agency to serve as a 29
53		-	point of contact for concerns related to persons who are deaf, hard of 30
54		-	hearing or deafblind, pursuant to section 4 of this act, and coordinate 31
55		-	efforts to resolve such concerns with such employees serving as a point 32
56		-	of contact; 33
57		-	(5) Coordinate efforts of the department to provide information and 34
58		-	referral services to deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind persons on 35
59		-	resources available to such persons, including, but not limited to, 36
60		-	working with the Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services to 37
61		-	establish an Internet web site for departmental and bureau services for 38
62		-	such persons that is accessible to all such persons; 39
63		-	(6) Assist the commissioner in administration of the department unit 40
64		-	that registers qualified interpreters and issues identification cards to 41
65		-	state registered interpreters in accordance with section 17a-838 of the 42
66		-	general statutes; 43
67		-	(7) Coordinate responses to consumer concerns, requests for 44
68		-	assistance and referrals to resources; 45
69		-	(8) Coordinate education and training initiatives, including, but not 46
70		-	limited to, working with (A) local and state public safety and public 47
71		-	health officials and first responders on best practices for serving and 48 Substitute Bill No. 5241
	41	+	LCO No. 1729 2 of 4
	42	+
	43	+	(1) Coordinate efforts of the Department of Aging and Disability 15
	44	+	Services to provide information and referral services to deaf, hard of 16
	45	+	hearing or deafblind persons on resources available to such persons, 17
	46	+	including, but not limited to, working with the Commissioner of Aging 18
	47	+	and Disability Services to establish an Internet web site for departmental 19
	48	+	and bureau services for such persons that is accessible to all such 20
	49	+	persons; 21
	50	+	(2) Assist the commissioner in administration of the department unit 22
	51	+	that registers qualified interpreters and issues identification cards to 23
	52	+	state registered interpreters in accordance with section 17a-838 of the 24
	53	+	general statutes; 25
	54	+	(3) Coordinate responses to consumer concerns, requests for 26
	55	+	assistance and referrals to resources; 27
	56	+	(4) Coordinate education and training initiatives, including, but not 28
	57	+	limited to, working with (A) local and state public safety and public 29
	58	+	health officials and first responders on best practices for serving and 30
	59	+	communicating with deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind persons, and (B) 31
	60	+	sign language interpreters, oral interpreters and interpreters who are 32
	61	+	trained to interpret for deafblind persons to maintain or enhance the 33
	62	+	skills of such interpreters in a variety of settings; 34
	63	+	(5) Collaborate with interpreting services providers and training 35
	64	+	organizations to increase opportunities for mentorships, internships, 36
	65	+	apprenticeships and specialized training in interpreting services for 37
	66	+	deafblind persons; 38
	67	+	(6) Partner with civic and community organizations serving deaf, 39
	68	+	hard of hearing or deafblind persons on workshops and information 40
	69	+	sessions regarding new laws, regulations or developments regarding 41
	70	+	services, programs or health care needs of such persons; 42
	71	+	(7) Raise public awareness of programs and services available to deaf, 43
	72	+	hard of hearing or deafblind persons; 44 Raised Bill No. 5241
72	73
73	74
74		-	LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05241-
75		-	R01-HB.docx }
76		-	3 of 7
77	75
78		-	communicating with deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind persons, and (B) 49
79		-	sign language interpreters, oral interpreters and interpreters who are 50
80		-	trained to interpret for deafblind persons to maintain or enhance the 51
81		-	skills of such interpreters in a variety of settings; 52
82		-	(9) Collaborate with interpreting services providers and training 53
83		-	organizations to increase opportunities for mentorships, internships, 54
84		-	apprenticeships and specialized training in interpreting services for 55
85		-	deafblind persons; 56
86		-	(10) Partner with civic and community organizations serving deaf, 57
87		-	hard of hearing or deafblind persons on workshops and information 58
88		-	sessions regarding new laws, regulations or developments concerning 59
89		-	services, programs or health care needs of such persons; 60
90		-	(11) Raise public awareness of programs and services available to 61
91		-	deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind persons; 62
92		-	(12) Assist the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in implementing 63
93		-	telecommunication relay service programs for deaf, hard of hearing or 64
94		-	deafblind persons, utilizing assistive devices for telecommunications 65
95		-	that include, but are not limited to, telecommunication relay services, 66
96		-	telephone captioning services and other captioning services; 67
97		-	(13) Work with the Governor and Connecticut television stations on 68
98		-	ways to make television broadcasts more accessible to persons who are 69
99		-	deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind; and 70
100		-	(14) In consultation with the Advisory Board for Persons who are 71
101		-	Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafblind, identify the needs of deaf, hard of 72
102		-	hearing or deafblind persons and address policy changes that may be 73
103		-	necessary to better serve such persons. 74
104		-	(d) Not later than July 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the executive 75
105		-	director shall file a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 76
106		-	11-4a of the general statutes, with the joint standing committees of the 77
107		-	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 78 Substitute Bill No. 5241
	76	+	LCO No. 1729 3 of 4
	77	+
	78	+	(8) Assist the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in implementing 45
	79	+	telecommunication relay service programs for deaf, hard of hearing or 46
	80	+	deafblind persons, utilizing assistive devices for telecommunications 47
	81	+	that include, but are not limited to, telecommunication relay services, 48
	82	+	telephone captioning services and other captioning services; 49
	83	+	(9) Work with the Governor and Connecticut television stations on 50
	84	+	ways to make television broadcasts more accessible to persons who are 51
	85	+	deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind; and 52
	86	+	(10) In consultation with the Advisory Board for Persons who are 53
	87	+	Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafblind, identify the needs of deaf, hard of 54
	88	+	hearing or deafblind persons and address policy changes that may be 55
	89	+	necessary to better serve such persons. 56
	90	+	(d) Not later than July 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the executive 57
	91	+	director shall file a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 58
	92	+	11-4a of the general statutes, with the Commissioner of Aging and 59
	93	+	Disability Services and the joint standing committees of the General 60
	94	+	Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and 61
	95	+	public health on the activities of the Bureau of Services for Deaf, Hard 62
	96	+	of Hearing or Deafblind Persons in the previous calendar year. The 63
	97	+	report shall include, but need not be limited to, recommendations to 64
	98	+	improve services for such persons. 65
	99	+	Sec. 2. (Effective July 1, 2024) (a) Not later than thirty days following 66
	100	+	the date on which the executive director of the Bureau of Services for 67
	101	+	Persons Who Are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafblind is appointed, the 68
	102	+	executive director shall convene a working group on access to health 69
	103	+	care by persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind. 70
	104	+	(b) The executive director shall invite participation in the working 71
	105	+	group from organizations representing Connecticut hospitals and other 72
	106	+	health care facilities and advocates of persons who are deaf, hard of 73
	107	+	hearing or deafblind. The executive director shall serve as chairperson 74
	108	+	of the working group. 75 Raised Bill No. 5241
108	109
109	110
110		-	LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05241-
111		-	R01-HB.docx }
112		-	4 of 7
113	111
114		-	appropriations, aging, human services and public health on the 79
115		-	activities of the Bureau of Services for Deaf, Hard of Hearing or 80
116		-	Deafblind Persons in the previous calendar year. The report shall 81
117		-	include, but need not be limited to, recommendations to improve 82
118		-	services for such persons. 83
119		-	Sec. 2. Section 17a-836 of the general statutes is repealed and the 84
120		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2024): 85
121		-	The Advisory Board for Persons Who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or 86
122		-	Deafblind is hereby created to advocate, strengthen and advise the 87
123		-	Governor and the General Assembly concerning state policies affecting 88
124		-	persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind and their 89
125		-	relationship to the public, industry, health care and educational 90
126		-	opportunity. The board shall: 91
127		-	(1) Monitor services for persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or 92
128		-	deafblind; 93
129		-	(2) [Periodically meet with the] Establish an annual leadership 94
130		-	roundtable meeting with the Board of Regents for Higher Education, the 95
131		-	Commissioners of Public Health, Social Services, Mental Health and 96
132		-	Addiction Services, Education, Developmental Services, [and] Children 97
133		-	and Families, Early Childhood and Economic and Community 98
134		-	Development, and the Labor Commissioner, or the commissioners' and 99
135		-	regents' designees, to discuss best practices and gaps in services for 100
136		-	persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind; 101
137		-	(3) Refer persons with complaints concerning the qualification and 102
138		-	registration of interpreters for persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or 103
139		-	deafblind to the entity designated pursuant to section 46a-10b; 104
140		-	(4) Make recommendations for (A) technical assistance and resources 105
141		-	for state agencies in order to serve persons who are deaf, hard of hearing 106
142		-	or deafblind; (B) public policy and legislative changes needed to address 107
143		-	gaps in services; and (C) the qualifications and registration of 108
144		-	interpreters pursuant to section 17a-838. The board shall submit such 109 Substitute Bill No. 5241
	112	+	LCO No. 1729 4 of 4
145	113
146		-
147		-	LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05241-
148		-	R01-HB.docx }
149		-	5 of 7
150		-
151		-	recommendations, in accordance with section 11-4a, not later than 110
152		-	January 15, 2025, and annually thereafter, to the Governor and the joint 111
153		-	standing [committee] committees of the General Assembly having 112
154		-	cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, aging, human services 113
155		-	and public health. 114
156		-	Sec. 3. Section 17a-836a of the general statutes is repealed and the 115
157		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2024): 116
158		-	(a) The Advisory Board for Persons Who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing 117
159		-	or Deafblind shall consist of the following members: (1) The consultant 118
160		-	appointed by the State Board of Education in accordance with section 119
161		-	10-316a, or the consultant's designee; (2) the president of the 120
162		-	Connecticut Council of Organizations Serving the Deaf, or the 121
163		-	president's designee; (3) the president of the Connecticut Association of 122
164		-	the Deaf, or the president's designee; (4) the president of the Connecticut 123
165		-	Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, or the president's designee; (5) the 124
166		-	[Commissioner] human services advocate for the Department of Aging 125
167		-	and Disability Services; [, or the commissioner's designee;] (6) the 126
168		-	executive director of the American School for the Deaf, or the executive 127
169		-	director's designee; (7) the director of the Connecticut Chapter of We the 128
170		-	Deaf People; [and] (8) the executive director of the Bureau of Services 129
171		-	for Persons Who Are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafblind, appointed 130
172		-	pursuant to section 1 of this act; (9) a representative of an organization 131
173		-	representing interpreters for persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or 132
174		-	deafblind, appointed by the executive director of the Bureau of Services 133
175		-	for Persons Who Are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafblind; (10) a 134
176		-	representative of the nonprofit entity designated by the Governor 135
177		-	pursuant to section 46a-10b to serve as the Connecticut protection and 136
178		-	advocacy system for persons with disabilities, appointed by the 137
179		-	Governor; (11) a representative of an organization representing 138
180		-	Connecticut hospitals, appointed by the speaker of the House of 139
181		-	Representatives; (12) a representative of the Connecticut Tech Act 140
182		-	Project within the Department of Aging and Disability Services and 141
183		-	authorized pursuant to 29 USC 3001, as amended from time to time, 142 Substitute Bill No. 5241
184		-
185		-
186		-	LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05241-
187		-	R01-HB.docx }
188		-	6 of 7
189		-
190		-	appointed by the Connecticut Tech Act Project Advisory Council; (13) 143
191		-	the executive director of the Office of Health Strategy, or the executive 144
192		-	director's designee; (14) the chairperson of the Public Utilities 145
193		-	Regulatory Authority, or the chairperson's designee; (15) a 146
194		-	representative of a telecommunication relay service program for deaf, 147
195		-	hard of hearing or deafblind persons, appointed by the entity contracted 148
196		-	with the state to provide telecommunication relay services; and (16) 149
197		-	eight members appointed by the Governor as follows: (A) A person who 150
198		-	is deaf; (B) a person who is hard of hearing; (C) a person who is 151
199		-	deafblind; (D) an interpreting professional who serves deaf, hard of 152
200		-	hearing or deafblind persons; (E) a healthcare professional who works 153
201		-	with persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind; (F) a parent of 154
202		-	a student in a predominantly oral education program; (G) an educator 155
203		-	who works with children who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind; 156
204		-	and (H) a parent of a student at the American School for the Deaf. [The 157
205		-	members of the advisory board shall elect two chairpersons of the 158
206		-	advisory board from among the members of the advisory board.] On 159
207		-	and after October 1, 2024, the chairpersons of the advisory board shall 160
208		-	be the executive director of the Bureau of Services for Persons Who Are 161
209		-	Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafblind and a member of the advisory board 162
210		-	elected by the members of the advisory board. 163
211		-	(b) The advisory board shall meet at least quarterly or more often at 164
212		-	the call of the chairpersons or a majority of the members. A majority of 165
213		-	members in office but not less than [nine] thirteen voting members shall 166
214		-	constitute a quorum. 167
215		-	(c) Any appointed member who fails to attend three consecutive 168
216		-	meetings or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during 169
217		-	any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned. Vacancies 170
218		-	occurring otherwise than by expiration of term in the membership of the 171
219		-	advisory board shall be filled by the Governor or the appointing 172
220		-	authority, as the case may be. 173
221		-	Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2024) (a) As used in this section, 174
222		-	"state agency" has the same meaning as provided in section 1-79 of the 175 Substitute Bill No. 5241
223		-
224		-
225		-	LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05241-
226		-	R01-HB.docx }
227		-	7 of 7
228		-
229		-	general statutes. 176
230		-	(b) Each state agency shall appoint an employee to serve as a point of 177
231		-	contact for concerns related to persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or 178
232		-	deafblind and require such employee to collaborate with the executive 179
233		-	director of the Bureau of Services for Persons Who Are Deaf, Hard of 180
234		-	Hearing or Deafblind, appointed pursuant to section 1 of this act, to 181
235		-	resolve such concerns. Each state agency shall identify the name and 182
236		-	contact information of such person in a prominent place on such 183
237		-	agency's Internet web site. 184
	114	+	(c) The executive director shall file a report, in accordance with the 76
	115	+	provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, not later than July 1, 77
	116	+	2025, with the Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services and the 78
	117	+	joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance 79
	118	+	of matters relating to human services and public health. The report shall 80
	119	+	include (1) data on compliance by health care facilities with federal law 81
	120	+	requiring meaningful access to health care by deaf, hard of hearing and 82
	121	+	deafblind persons, (2) reported obstacles to compliance, and (3) 83
	122	+	recommendations to improve such access. 84
238	123		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
239	124		sections:
240	125
241	126		Section 1 July 1, 2024 New section
242		-	Sec. 2 October 1, 2024 17a-836
243		-	Sec. 3 October 1, 2024 17a-836a
244		-	Sec. 4 October 1, 2024 New section
	127	+	Sec. 2 July 1, 2024 New section
245	128
246		-	Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
247		-	In Section 1(c)(1), "department" was changed to "Department of Aging
248		-	and Disability Services'" for clarity; in Section 1(c)(5), "Department of
249		-	Aging and Disability Services" was changed to "department" for
250		-	consistency; and in Section 1(c)(10), "regarding services" was changed to
251		-	"concerning services" for clarity.
252		-
253		-	HS Joint Favorable Subst.
	129	+	Statement of Purpose:
	130	+	To establish a bureau to coordinate services and information for persons
	131	+	who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind.
	132	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	133	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	134	+	underlined.]
254	135