HB 5040 updates cash assistance rates for the state's general assistance program, setting monthly payments at $269 for unemployable individuals, $200 for transitional people paying shelter costs, and $50 for others not paying shelter. It creates a new "working persons with disabilities" Medicaid program allowing disabled workers earning under $85,000 annually to qualify for medical assistance, with asset limits of $20,000 for singles and $30,000 for couples, plus specific income disregards. The bill also modifies drug formulary rules to require prior authorization for nonpreferred drugs (except mental health drugs filled recently) and excludes antiretroviral drugs from preferred lists. These changes directly affect low-income residents, disabled workers seeking Medicaid, and Medicaid patients using prescription drugs.
HB 5341 requires Connecticut’s Office of Policy and Management to create a single online portal by July 1, 2027, for all state-funded municipal grant applications and reimbursement forms. The portal, called the Municipal State Grant Portal, will host searchable listings of all state grant programs, application forms, and related information on the agency’s website. This change directly affects municipalities and other applicants seeking state grants by replacing paper-based or fragmented application processes with a centralized digital system. The bill mandates the portal’s development within available funding and aims to streamline access to grant opportunities.
HB 5356 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Social Services to identify geographic areas where competitive bidding for nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) services for Medicaid recipients could save state costs. It mandates that providers meeting state licensure/certification standards must compete for contracts to offer these services, with payment only made for actual transport provided. The bill also requires annual review of reimbursement rates to ensure they maintain an adequate driver pool and includes provisions for pilot programs before statewide implementation. This directly affects Medicaid recipients needing nonemergency medical transport and transportation providers contracted to serve them.
HB 5301 excludes income earned by a spouse who provides over 25% of daily care for their partner from income calculations when determining eligibility for home and community-based Medicaid services. It directly affects spouses caring for a partner receiving such services under Medicaid waiver programs. The bill requires the Social Services Commissioner to seek a federal Medicaid waiver or amend the state plan to disregard this spousal income, effective October 1, 2026. This change modifies how income is assessed for Medicaid eligibility under specific home and community-based service programs.
This bill increases the asset limits for Connecticut's HUSKY C health program, which provides coverage to low-income residents. It raises the maximum allowable assets from $1,600 to $5,000 for unmarried individuals and from $2,400 to $7,500 for married couples. The change, effective July 1, 2026, directly affects current and future HUSKY C beneficiaries who previously exceeded the lower thresholds. The Commissioner of Social Services must also report by July 2027 on eligibility changes and any increased state costs resulting from the new limits.
HB 5299 allows trained assisted living aides employed by an assisted living agency to administer medication to residents, directly affecting residents who receive care in these facilities. The bill permits registered nurses (RNs) to delegate medication administration to these trained aides, provided the aides have completed specific training. Agencies must indemnify RNs against liability for non-wanton negligence during this delegated task, and the Public Health Commissioner will create implementing regulations. This changes current practice by expanding aides' responsibilities under RN supervision, without altering prescription authority.
HB 5253 requires all fire district meetings in Connecticut to use paper ballots for voting on officers and business, with only in-person voters allowed (no absentee ballots). It directly affects fire district voters and officers, mandating in-person voting at all meetings starting July 2027. The bill creates a complaint process where voters can report voting rule violations to the State Elections Enforcement Commission, which gains new authority to investigate, impose penalties, and order re-votes if violations occur. The Commission can also hold fire district officers personally liable for knowingly violating these rules, with courts able to award fines and legal costs.
This bill requires the Connecticut Department of Transportation to create and update guidelines for managing vegetation along state highways, balancing environmental protection with public safety and maintenance needs. The guidelines will cover activities like mowing, herbicide use, replanting with native species, and protecting pollinator habitats, while excluding emergency removals needed for public safety or weather-related emergencies. Additionally, the bill mandates a study by the University of Connecticut to assess carbon sequestration by roadside vegetation, with results to be reviewed by the transportation commissioner and reported to legislative committees by October 1, 2026.
This bill modifies Connecticut's unemployment insurance rules to allow striking workers to receive benefits after a labor dispute has lasted for 14 consecutive days, starting in 2027. Currently, workers who lose jobs due to strikes are generally ineligible for unemployment benefits, but this change would apply only to disputes beginning on or after December 14, 2027. The law already permits benefits for workers locked out by employers or those not involved in the strike, such as non-union employees at a temporarily closed business. The bill requires workers to meet standard eligibility criteria like being able and available to work, and it would require updates to the state's unemployment insurance system to track strike duration.
This bill establishes a new fund to provide a one-time $100,000 death benefit to the surviving families of correction officers and investigators from specific state agencies who are killed in the line of duty. The fund is financed through available appropriations and interest earnings, with payments distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible survivors including spouses, dependent children, and other family members listed on beneficiary forms. The bill also defines key terms such as "killed in the line of duty" and "dependent child," and requires the Comptroller to submit annual reports on fund expenditures and balances to relevant legislative committees. Additionally, the legislation repeals an existing tax provision related to income derived from the death benefit.
This bill requires the Department of Correction and other state facilities that detain offenders to adopt and follow national standards for preventing, detecting, and responding to sexual abuse. It mandates specific policies including zero tolerance for abuse, enhanced privacy protections for transgender individuals, improved surveillance coverage, and specialized training for staff and volunteers. The legislation also establishes reporting requirements, mandates investigations within 30 days of abuse reports, and requires regular compliance certifications to be submitted to state oversight committees.
This bill restricts the enforceability of noncompete agreements in Connecticut by limiting which workers can be bound by such contracts. It directly affects employees and independent contractors by establishing wage thresholds that determine whether a noncompete is valid. Under the new rules, noncompete agreements are automatically unenforceable for workers earning less than twice the state minimum wage, and for independent contractors earning less than five times the minimum wage. Additionally, noncompetes cannot restrict workers from working in geographic areas or performing job types where they had no significant presence or activity in the two years before leaving their job. The law also clarifies that certain agreements like nonsolicitation, nondisclosure, and business sale contracts are not considered noncompetes and remain unaffected.
