Governor Lamont Signs Bills Into Law Affecting Hospitals and Health Systems

As of Wednesday, May 29, 2024, Governor Ned Lamont has signed 69 bills and vetoed one bill of the 2024 Regular Session.  Over the last week, he has signed into law the following bills related to healthcare policy:

• PA 24-19 (SB 1), An Act Concerning The Health And Safety Of Connecticut Residents

This bill contains a wide range of changes to public health laws affecting almost every type of provider.  The bill includes sections related to:

• Home health safety policies, protections, and training
• Establishment of working groups on staff safety issues for home health agencies and hospice organizations, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, health issues for nail salon workers, loneliness and isolation, and pediatric hospice services
• Requirements on gun safety educational material during primary care visits
• A study on prescription drug shortages
• Maintenance of certification changes
• The promotion of opioid deactivation and disposal systems promotion
• Insurance coverage of coronary calcium scans
• Cybersecurity disruption audit requirements
• Changes to operations and oversight of the statewide health information exchange
• Establishment of a healthy brain initiative
• Establishment of a Parkinson’s disease registry
• Creation of program providing treatment for people with recent-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorder
• Policies related to minimum nursing home staffing levels
• Prohibition on health insurers requiring prior authorization for ambulance transport to a hospital when medically necessary
• Establishment of a peer run respite center
• Parameters on record keeping related to time it takes to process prior authorizations and pre-certifications

• PA 24-30 (HB 5197), An Act Concerning Social Workers

This bill, supported by CHA, will adopt the multi-state social work licensure compact. Participation in licensure compacts is one tool to address workforce shortage issues.

• PA 24-39 (HB 5001), An Act Supporting Connecticut Seniors And The Improvement Of Nursing And Home-Based Care

This legislation makes a host of changes to various institutional and at-home elder care services, including requiring additional oversight of home care workers, allowing for presumptive eligibility in the Medicaid program for homecare services, and creating a registry to find caregivers.

• PA 24-68 (HB 5290) An Act Concerning Various Revisions To The Public Health Statutes

This legislation will, among other provisions:

• Eliminate the witness requirement from the Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment  (MOLST) form
• Authorize the Department of Public Health (DPH) to impose a civil penalty of up to $25,000 against a hospital for noncompliance with statutory or regulatory requirements starting 7/1/24
• Add a staff member of a children’s hospital or a pediatric health care clinician to the School Based Health Center Advisory Committee
• Amend the licensure process for birth centers
• Allow a military spouse to be deemed licensed by DPH for the duration of instate military service
• Allow an APRN to use fluoroscopy for guidance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in collaboration with a physician

• PA 24-73 (SB 133) An Act Concerning Regulation Of Prescription Drugs and Related Professions

This bill, supported by CHA, will make several changes to state statutes related to prescription drugs, pharmacies, and pharmacists, including creation and oversight of advanced pharmacy technicians and the registration of pharmacy clerks  

To learn more about the bills signed into law by Governor Lamont, visit the Governor’s bill notification website here.