Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01373 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3		-	LCO 4759 1 of 8
	3	+	LCO No. 4759 1 of 8
4	4
5	5		General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1373
6	6		January Session, 2025
7	7		LCO No. 4759
8	8
9	9
10	10		Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH
11	11
12	12
13	13		Introduced by:
14	14		(PH)
	15	+
15	16
16	17
17	18
18	19		AN ACT REQUIRING THE LICENSURE OF LACTATION
19	20		CONSULTANTS.
20	21		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
21	22		Assembly convened:
22	23
23	24		Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) As used in this section and 1
24	25		sections 2 to 4, inclusive, of this act: 2
25	26		(1) "Lactation consultant" means a person who holds and maintains 3
26	27		certification in good standing as an international board certified 4
27	28		lactation consultant with the International Board of Lactation 5
28	29		Consultant Examiners and is licensed pursuant to section 3 of this act; 6
29	30		and 7
30	31		(2) "Lactation consulting" means clinical application of scientific 8
31	32		principles and a multidisciplinary body of evidence for evaluation, 9
32	33		problem identification, treatment, education and consultation to 10
33	34		families regarding the course of lactation and feeding, including, but not 11
34	35		limited to, the following services: 12
35		-	(A) Taking maternal, child and feeding histories; 13 Raised Bill No. 1373
	36	+	(A) Taking maternal, child and feeding histories; 13
	37	+	Raised Bill No. 1373
36	38
37	39
38		-	LCO 4759 2 of 8
	40	+
	41	+	LCO No. 4759 2 of 8
39	42
40	43		(B) Performing clinical assessments related to breastfeeding and 14
41	44		human lactation through the systematic collection of subjective and 15
42	45		objective information; 16
43	46		(C) Analyzing relevant information and data; 17
44	47		(D) Developing an unbiased lactation management and child feeding 18
45	48		plan with demonstration and instruction to parents; 19
46	49		(E) Providing lactation and feeding education, including, but not 20
47	50		limited to, recommendations for and training in the use of assistive 21
48	51		devices for lactation and breastfeeding; 22
49	52		(F) Communicating to a primary health care practitioner and 23
50	53		referring to other health care practitioners, as necessary; 24
51	54		(G) Conducting appropriate follow-up appointments and evaluating 25
52	55		outcomes; and 26
53	56		(H) Documenting patient encounters in a patient record. 27
54	57		Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) No person may practice 28
55	58		lactation consulting, for compensation, unless licensed pursuant to 29
56	59		section 3 of this act. 30
57	60		(b) No person shall (1) hold himself or herself out to the public as 31
58	61		being licensed as a lactation consultant, (2) use, in connection with such 32
59	62		person's name or business, the title "licensed lactation consultant" or 33
60	63		"lactation consultant" or the designation "IBCLC" or "L.C.", or (3) make 34
61	64		use of any title, words, letters, abbreviations or insignia that may 35
62	65		reasonably be confused with licensure as a lactation consultant, unless 36
63	66		such person is licensed pursuant to section 3 of this act. 37
64	67		(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to a person who (1) 38
65	68		is licensed or certified by the Department of Public Health pursuant to 39
66	69		title 20 of the general statutes or by the Department of Consumer 40
67	70		Protection pursuant to chapter 400j of the general statutes and providing 41
68		-	~~lactation consulting while acting within the scope of practice of the 42~~ Raised Bill No. 1373
	71	+	Raised Bill No. 1373
69	72
70	73
71		-	LCO 4759 3 of 8
72	74
	75	+	LCO No. 4759 3 of 8
	76	+
	77	+	lactation consulting while acting within the scope of practice of the 42
73	78		person's license or certification, provided the person does not refer to 43
74	79		himself or herself by the term "lactation consultant", (2) is a student 44
75	80		enrolled in a lactation consulting educational program or an accredited 45
76	81		education program the completion of which is required for licensure or 46
77	82		certification by the Department of Public Health pursuant to title 20 of 47
78	83		the general statutes or by the Department of Consumer Protection 48
79	84		pursuant to chapter 400j of the general statutes, lactation consulting is a 49
80	85		part of the student's course of study and the student is performing such 50
81	86		consulting under appropriate program supervision, provided the 51
82	87		student does not refer to himself or herself by the term "lactation 52
83	88		consultant", (3) provides lactation education and support through the 53
84	89		federal Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and 54
85	90		Children, administered pursuant to section 19a-59c of the general 55
86	91		statutes, or any other federally funded nutrition assistance program 56
87	92		administered in the state, to participants in such program while acting 57
88	93		within the person's job description and training, provided the person 58
89	94		does not refer to himself or herself by the term "lactation consultant", (4) 59
90	95		is certified as a community health worker, as defined in section 20-195ttt 60
91	96		of the general statutes, and providing lactation support to a HUSKY 61
92	97		Health program member, provided the community health worker does 62
93	98		not refer to himself or herself by the term "lactation consultant", (5) 63
94	99		provides education, social support, peer support, peer counseling or 64
95	100		nonclinical services relating to lactation and feeding, provided the 65
96	101		person does not refer to himself or herself by the term "lactation 66
97	102		consultant", (6) is a doula or midwife and providing services within the 67
98	103		doula's or midwife's scope of practice and for which the doula or 68
99	104		midwife is trained, provided the doula or midwife does not refer to 69
100	105		himself or herself by the term "lactation consultant", or (7) is a public 70
101	106		health professional and engaging in outreach, engagement, education, 71
102	107		coaching, informal counseling, social support, advocacy, care 72
103	108		coordination or research related to social determinants of health or a 73
104	109		basic screening or assessment of any risk associated with social 74
105	110		determinants of health, provided the professional does not refer to 75
106		-	~~himself or herself by the term "lactation consultant". 76~~ Raised Bill No. 1373
	111	+	Raised Bill No. 1373
107	112
108	113
109		-	LCO 4759 4 of 8
110	114
	115	+	LCO No. 4759 4 of 8
	116	+
	117	+	himself or herself by the term "lactation consultant". 76
111	118		Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) The Commissioner of Public 77
112	119		Health shall grant a license as a lactation consultant to any applicant 78
113	120		who furnishes evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that such 79
114	121		applicant has earned a certification as an international board certified 80
115	122		lactation consultant from the International Board of Lactation 81
116	123		Consultant Examiners, or any successor of said board. The 82
117	124		commissioner shall develop and provide application forms. The 83
118	125		application fee shall be two hundred dollars. 84
119	126		(b) Any license issued under this section shall expire in accordance 85
120	127		with the provisions of section 19a-88 of the general statutes, as amended 86
121	128		by this act, and may be renewed every two years, for a fee of one 87
122	129		hundred dollars. Each licensed lactation consultant applying for license 88
123	130		renewal shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the commissioner of 89
124	131		having a current certification as an international board certified lactation 90
125	132		consultant with the International Board of Lactation Consultant 91
126	133		Examiners, or any successor of said board, and having obtained 92
127	134		continuing education units for such certification as required by said 93
128	135		board. 94
129	136		Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) The Commissioner of Public 95
130	137		Health may deny an application of an individual or take any 96
131	138		disciplinary action set forth in section 19a-17 of the general statutes 97
132	139		against a lactation consultant for any of the following reasons: (1) 98
133	140		Failure to conform to the accepted standards of the profession; (2) 99
134	141		conviction of a felony, provided any action taken is based upon (A) the 100
135	142		nature of the conviction and its relationship to the license holder's ability 101
136	143		to safely or competently practice as a lactation consultant, (B) 102
137	144		information pertaining to the degree of rehabilitation of the license 103
138	145		holder, and (C) the time elapsed since the conviction or release; (3) fraud 104
139	146		or deceit in obtaining or seeking reinstatement of a license to practice 105
140	147		lactation consulting; (4) fraud or deceit in the practice of lactation 106
141	148		consulting; (5) negligent, incompetent or wrongful conduct in 107
	149	+	Raised Bill No. 1373
	150	+
	151	+
	152	+
	153	+	LCO No. 4759 5 of 8
	154	+
142	155		professional activities; (6) physical, mental or emotional illness or 108
143	156		disorder resulting in an inability to conform to the accepted standards 109
144		-	of the profession; (7) alcohol or substance abuse; (8) wilful falsification 110 Raised Bill No. 1373
145		-
146		-
147		-	LCO 4759 5 of 8
148		-
	157	+	of the profession; (7) alcohol or substance abuse; (8) wilful falsification 110
149	158		of entries in any hospital, patient or other record pertaining to lactation 111
150	159		consulting; or (9) failure to maintain certification in good standing as an 112
151	160		international board certified lactation consultant with the International 113
152	161		Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. The commissioner may order 114
153	162		a license holder to submit to a reasonable physical or mental 115
154	163		examination if his or her physical or mental capacity to practice safely is 116
155	164		the subject of an investigation. The commissioner may petition the 117
156	165		superior court for the judicial district of Hartford to enforce such order 118
157	166		or any action taken pursuant to section 19a-17 of the general statutes. 119
158	167		The commissioner shall give notice and an opportunity to be heard on 120
159	168		any contemplated action under section 19a-17 of the general statutes. 121
160	169		Sec. 5. Subsection (c) of section 19a-14 of the general statutes is 122
161	170		repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 123
162	171		2026): 124
163	172		(c) No board shall exist for the following professions that are licensed 125
164	173		or otherwise regulated by the Department of Public Health: 126
165	174		(1) Speech and language pathologist and audiologist; 127
166	175		(2) Hearing instrument specialist; 128
167	176		(3) Nursing home administrator; 129
168	177		(4) Environmental health specialist; 130
169	178		(5) Subsurface sewage system installer or cleaner; 131
170	179		(6) Marital and family therapist and marriage and family therapist 132
171	180		associate; 133
172	181		(7) Nurse-midwife; 134
	182	+	Raised Bill No. 1373
	183	+
	184	+
	185	+
	186	+	LCO No. 4759 6 of 8
	187	+
173	188		(8) Licensed clinical social worker; 135
174	189		(9) Respiratory care practitioner; 136
175		-	(10) Asbestos contractor, asbestos consultant and asbestos training 137 Raised Bill No. 1373
176		-
177		-
178		-	LCO 4759 6 of 8
179		-
	190	+	(10) Asbestos contractor, asbestos consultant and asbestos training 137
180	191		provider; 138
181	192		(11) Massage therapist; 139
182	193		(12) Registered nurse's aide; 140
183	194		(13) Radiographer; 141
184	195		(14) Dental hygienist; 142
185	196		(15) Dietitian-Nutritionist; 143
186	197		(16) Asbestos abatement worker; 144
187	198		(17) Asbestos abatement site supervisor; 145
188	199		(18) Licensed or certified alcohol and drug counselor; 146
189	200		(19) Professional counselor and professional counselor associate; 147
190	201		(20) Acupuncturist; 148
191	202		(21) Occupational therapist and occupational therapist assistant; 149
192	203		(22) Lead abatement contractor, lead consultant contractor, lead 150
193	204		consultant, lead abatement supervisor, lead abatement worker, lead 151
194	205		training provider, lead inspector, lead inspector risk assessor and lead 152
195	206		planner-project designer; 153
196	207		(23) Emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical 154
197	208		technician, emergency medical responder and emergency medical 155
198	209		services instructor; 156
199	210		(24) Paramedic; 157
	211	+	Raised Bill No. 1373
	212	+
	213	+
	214	+
	215	+	LCO No. 4759 7 of 8
	216	+
200	217		(25) Athletic trainer; 158
201	218		(26) Perfusionist; 159
202		-	(27) Master social worker subject to the provisions of section 20-195v; 160 Raised Bill No. 1373
203		-
204		-
205		-	LCO 4759 7 of 8
206		-
	219	+	(27) Master social worker subject to the provisions of section 20-195v; 160
207	220		(28) Radiologist assistant, subject to the provisions of section 20-74tt; 161
208	221		(29) Homeopathic physician; 162
209	222		(30) Certified water treatment plant operator, certified distribution 163
210	223		system operator, certified small water system operator, certified 164
211	224		backflow prevention device tester and certified cross connection survey 165
212	225		inspector, including certified limited operators, certified conditional 166
213	226		operators and certified operators in training; 167
214	227		(31) Tattoo technician; 168
215	228		(32) Genetic counselor; 169
216	229		(33) Behavior analyst; 170
217	230		(34) Art therapist; 171
218	231		(35) Esthetician; 172
219	232		(36) Eyelash technician; [and] 173
220	233		(37) Nail technician; and 174
221	234		(38) Lactation consultant. 175
222	235		The department shall assume all powers and duties normally vested 176
223	236		with a board in administering regulatory jurisdiction over such 177
224	237		professions. The uniform provisions of sections 1 to 4, inclusive, of this 178
225	238		act, this chapter and chapters 368v, 369 to 381a, inclusive, 383 to 388, 179
226	239		inclusive, 393a, 395, 398, 399, 400a and 400c, including, but not limited 180
227	240		to, standards for entry and renewal; grounds for professional discipline; 181
228	241		receiving and processing complaints; and disciplinary sanctions, shall 182
	242	+	Raised Bill No. 1373
	243	+
	244	+
	245	+
	246	+	LCO No. 4759 8 of 8
	247	+
229	248		apply, except as otherwise provided by law, to the professions listed in 183
230	249		this subsection. 184
231	250		Sec. 6. Subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of section 19a-88 of the general 185
232	251		statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 186
233		-	(Effective July 1, 2026): 187 Raised Bill No. 1373
234		-
235		-
236		-	LCO 4759 8 of 8
237		-
	252	+	(Effective July 1, 2026): 187
238	253		(2) Each person holding a license or certificate issued under section 188
239	254		19a-514, sections 1 to 4, inclusive, of this act and chapters 384a, 384c, 189
240	255		384d, 386, 387, 388 and 398 shall apply for renewal of such license or 190
241	256		certificate once every two years, during the month of such person's 191
242	257		birth, giving such person's name in full, such person's residence and 192
243	258		business address and such other information as the department 193
244	259		requests. 194
245	260		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
246	261		sections:
247	262
248	263		Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section
249	264		Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 New section
250	265		Sec. 3 July 1, 2026 New section
251	266		Sec. 4 July 1, 2026 New section
252	267		Sec. 5 July 1, 2026 19a-14(c)
253	268		Sec. 6 July 1, 2026 19a-88(e)(2)
254	269
255		-	PH Joint Favorable
	270	+	Statement of Purpose:
	271	+	To require the licensure of lactation consultants.
	272	+
	273	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	274	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	275	+	underlined.]
256	276