Researcher: MF Page 1 3/20/25
OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 1158
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEPARTMENT
ON AGING.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a Department on Aging and transfers powers and
duties related to providing services to older people (age 62 and older)
and their families from the current Department of Aging and Disability
Services (ADS) to the new department. The bill renames ADS as the
“Department of Disability Services.”
To transfer provisions on older people from ADS to the new
department, the bill:
1. designates the new department as the State Unit on Aging under
the federal Older Americans Act;
2. requires the new department to study older people’s needs (e.g.,
nutrition, transportation, and home care);
3. requires the new department to administer a comprehensive and
integrated social service delivery system for older people;
4. designates the new department as the state agency for various
programs serving older people (e.g., the elderly nutrition
program);
5. transfers the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman from
ADS to the new department.
The bill transfers ADS personnel, functions, duties, and powers
related to the above topics to the new department and makes the new
department a successor department to ADS for these programs. Under
the bill, ADS regulations on aging topics remain in force as the new
department’s regulations until final regulations are effective. Similarly, 2025SB-01158-R000153-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MF Page 2 3/20/25
the bill requires ADS regulations on disability topics to remain in force
as the Department of Disability Service’s regulations. The bill authorizes
the governor to transfer funds between ADS and the new department,
with the Finance Advisory Committee’s approval.
The bill establishes a commissioner on aging to supervise the new
department as a full-time position appointed by the governor. It
requires the commissioner to have experience and knowledge of older
people’s needs and grants the commissioner powers and duties
applicable to department heads. The bill reassigns the ADS
commissioner’s duties on various existing councils and working groups
between the new aging commissioner and the renamed disability
services commissioner, depending on subject matter. Under the bill,
both the aging commissioner and the disability services commissioner
are department heads and both departments are executive branch
departments. The bill also expands the membership of certain councils
to include both the aging commissioner and the disability services
commissioner.
Lastly, the bill makes conforming changes throughout the statutes
and technical changes to remove obsolete provisions.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026
COMMISSIONER ON AGIN G
The bill establishes a commissioner on aging to supervise the new
department and requires the governor to appoint the commissioner
under existing laws on department heads. These laws generally require
the governor to submit department head nominees to the Executive and
Legislative Nominations Committee to be approved by either the House
or Senate.
Powers and Duties
The bill requires the commissioner to administer all laws under the
new department’s jurisdiction and employ the most efficient and
practical means to provide care for and protect older people. The bill
gives the aging commissioner the following powers and duties to 2025SB-01158-R000153-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MF Page 3 3/20/25
achieve the department’s purposes:
1. administer, coordinate, and direct the department’s operation;
2. adopt and enforce regulations;
3. set rules for the department’s internal operation and
administration;
4. establish and develop programs and administer services;
5. contract for facilities, services, and programs;
6. act as an advocate for needed additional comprehensive and
coordinated programs for older people;
7. help and advise all appropriate state, federal, local, and area
planning agencies for older people perform their functions and
duties as required by federal laws and regulations;
8. plan services and programs for older people;
9. coordinate outreach activities by public and private agencies
serving older people, including area agencies on aging; and
10. consult and cooperate with area and private planning agencies.
The bill also requires the aging commissioner to appoint the state
ombudsman, who heads the Office of the Long -Term Care
Ombudsman, when the position becomes vacant.
DESIGNATED STATE AGE NCY FOR VARIOUS PROGRAMS
The bill transfers to the new Department on Aging the statutory
authority and framework to implement policies and programs that
serve older people and are currently assigned to ADS. It does so mainly
by replacing ADS with the new Department on Aging as the state
agency for the following aging programs and activities:
1. state responsibilities under the federal Older Americans Act; 2025SB-01158-R000153-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MF Page 4 3/20/25
2. nutrition programs for elderly people;
3. fall prevention programs;
4. the CHOICES program, which provides free information and
assistance related to health insurance issues;
5. the Aging and Disability Resource Center Program; and
6. the Alzheimer’s Respite Program.
The bill makes the Department on Aging a successor department to
ADS for services, duties, and functions related to services for older
people.
The bill requires the Department on Aging, rather than ADS, to
continuously study needs and conditions of older people in the state
concerning nutrition, transportation, home care, housing, income,
employment, health, recreation, and other matters. It makes the
Department on Aging, rather than ADS, responsible for planning,
developing, and administrating a comprehensive and integrated social
service delivery system for older people, in cooperation with federal,
state, and local area agencies on aging.
The bill makes conforming changes, replacing ADS with the
Department on Aging in laws on programs for older people. It similarly
replaces ADS with the Department on Aging in laws that:
1. allow the Department of Social Services to adopt regulations, in
conjunction with the department, on nursing home financial
solvency and quality of care (§ 58); and
2. require the department to publish informational letters to be
issued when a facility petitions for closure (§ 62).
DEPARTMENT OF DISABI LITY SERVICES
Under the bill, the renamed Department of Disability Services retains
ADS’s responsibilities for programs serving people who are deaf,
deafblind, or hard of hearing, people who are blind or visually 2025SB-01158-R000153-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MF Page 5 3/20/25
impaired, and rehabilitation services for people with disabilities. The
bill makes the Department of Disability Services a successor authority
to ADS with respect to these programs and services. The bill makes
conforming changes throughout the statutes, renaming the department
and removing references to programs and services for older people.
RESOURCE AND PERSONN EL TRANSFER
The bill transfers ADS’s functions, powers, duties, and personnel
related to services and programs for older people to the new
Department on Aging. It does so in keeping with a process established
in existing law for transferring an agency’s duties to a successor agency.
Among other things, this law addresses pending actions and
proceedings, completion of unfinished business, records and property,
federal aid, and state appropriations. Under existing law if the duties of
any employee relate to functions that are divided and assigned to two
or more departments, the department heads must determine where the
employee is assigned and, if they cannot agree, the governor decides.
The bill also authorizes the governor, subject to the Finance Advisory
Committee’s approval, to transfer funds between ADS and the
Department on Aging during FY 27.
REGULATIONS AND ORDERS
Under the bill, any ADS regulation or order related to programs and
services for older people in force on July 1, 2026, must continue in force
and effect as a Department on Aging regulation or order until it is
amended, repealed, or superseded. The bill allows the new aging
commissioner to implement policies and procedures while in the
process of adopting regulations as long as the commissioner’s intention
to adopt regulations is posted on the department’s website and on the
eRegulations system within 20 days after implementing the policies or
procedures, which are valid until the final regulations are effective.
The bill establishes the same requirements for ADS regulations and
orders related to programs and services for people who are deaf,
deafblind, or hard of hearing, people who are blind or visually
impaired, and rehabilitation services for people with disabilities 2025SB-01158-R000153-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MF Page 6 3/20/25
continuing in force as Department of Disability Services regulations or
orders.
APPOINTMENTS AND CONSULTATIONS W ITH OTHER AGENCIES
For most council, commission, board, and other appointments, the
bill replaces the ADS commissioner with the disability services
commissioner, with some exceptions. The bill replaces the ADS
commissioner with the aging commissioner on the:
1. Medical Assistance Program Oversight Committee (§ 59),
2. Long-Term Care Planning Committee (§ 61), and
3. Connecticut Homecare Program for the Elderly Advisory
Committee (§ 79).
The bill replaces (1) ADS with both departments in laws that require
the Chief Workforce Officer to plan for and establish a Human Services
Career Pipeline Program (§ 85) and (2) the ADS commissioner with both
the aging and disability services commissioners on the Connecticut
Alcohol and Drug Policy Council (§ 111).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Human Services Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 16 Nay 7 (03/04/2025)