Lawmakers debate AI, healthcare worker loan reimbursement bills

Hartford Business Journal – Monday, May 12, 2025
By David Krechevsky

The state legislature’s Appropriations Committee is scheduled to consider action on 19 bills on Monday, including a major artificial intelligence bill and another that would provide loan-reimbursements to health care workers.

Senate Bill 2 seeks to regulate a broad array of AI-related issues. In particular the 61-page bill proposes a regulatory framework for the private sector’s use of AI technology.

The bill, which was drafted and approved by the General Law Committee and then went through some revisions, has also been approved by the Judiciary Committee in a 28-11 vote along party lines, with all 11 votes against cast by Republicans.

Gov. Ned Lamont derailed a similar bill during last year’s short legislative session, and so far has not given any indication that he has changed his mind. Lamont and other administration officials, including Department of Economic Development Commissioner Dan O’Keefe, have raised concerns about the bill’s potential to stifle innovation.

Several business organizations in the state, including the Connecticut Business & Industry Association and the Connecticut Hospital Association, also opposed the bill.

Also on the committee’s agenda is a bill (SB 1450, now known as File No. 611) that, in part, requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to create a program providing loan reimbursement grants to full-time licensed healthcare providers. It also prohibits the state from limiting the grants to only those working for nonprofit organizations.

The DPH commissioner would also be mandated to develop eligibility requirements for grant recipients that may include, but not limited to, awarding not less than 20% of the grants to those employed full-time as primary care providers and not less than 20% to those employed full-time as healthcare providers.

The legislation also requires the commissioner to consider areas experiencing healthcare workforce shortages when developing eligibility requirements.

In addition to the reimbursement grants, the bill requires DPH to create a pilot program, in collaboration with a nonprofit organization, providing home-based virtual education for people seeking to become a nurse’s aide or emergency medical technician (EMT).

Also included in the bill is a requirement for the state Department of Education to promote specific healthcare professions through various educational programs in middle schools and high schools.

Lastly, the bill creates a program providing relocation assistance grants to athletic trainers who relocate to and become licensed in Connecticut to work in rural or underserved areas. That program also would be administered by DPH.

During a public hearing on the bill held by the Public Health Committee in March, the Connecticut Hospital Association submitted testimony in favor of the bill.

“Loan repayment programs for healthcare providers are aligned with CHA’s ongoing work and advocacy,” the CHA stated. “They serve as a critical tool to alleviate the financial burden for healthcare workers, helping to address staffing shortages, and improve healthcare access in underserved areas.”

The CHA said it also appreciates the proposal to create a virtual learning option for anyone seeking certification as a nurse’s aide or EMT, saying “it creates more flexibility for those pursuing a career in these fields.”

Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of DPH, also submitted testimony during the hearing and cautioned legislators about the virtual learning proposal, stating that existing state laws and regulations require in-person, hands-on training for both nurses aides and EMTs.

For nurse’s aid certification, Juthani said, “Supervised practical training is clearly defined to include training in a laboratory or other setting in which the trainee demonstrates knowledge while performing tasks on an individual under the supervision of a nurse.”

Similarly, for EMTs, the existing standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and approved by DPH, “require actual hands-on skills development and entry-level competence. An EMT program that is entirely virtual would not adequately meet these requirements.”

Despite the DPH commissioner’s objections, the Public Health Committee overwhelmingly approved the revised bill 29-3, with three Republicans voting against it.

The Appropriations Committee was scheduled to meet at 11:30 a.m. Monday in Room 2C of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

Access this article at its original source.