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Substitute House Bill No. 5163
Special Act No. 26-11
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY METHODS
AND PROGRAMS FOR IMPROVING AFFORDABILITY FOR
CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force
to (1) study methods and programs for improving the affordability of
the state for children, families and young professionals, including, but
not limited to, cash assistance programs, educational and employment
training programs and programs to assist families in paying for and
reducing costs associated with child care services, (2) analyze the
efficacy of such methods and programs and provide recommendations
for the implementation of such methods and programs on a state -wide
basis, (3) study systemic barriers that prevent improvements to
affordability, including, but not limited to, housing policies,
transportation access, health care access, child care access and racial
disparities, (4) study the ways in which inflation and regional cost
differences impact affordability across the state, (5) develop a method
for tracking improvements in income, home ownership, job retention
and other markers of economic mobility in areas of the state with low
affordability, (6) study the availability of educational, employment and
child care programs in areas of the state with low affordability and
analyze gaps in such availability to determine where and how to meet
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the need for such programs, (7) identify any policies and programs,
including, but not limited to, programs described in subdivision (1) of
this subsection, that may be implemented in the short term to improve
affordability and any structural reforms neces sary to improve
affordability into the future, (8) identify funding sources for programs
that may improve affordability, including, but not limited to, state
budget allocations, federal grants and philanthropic support, and (9)
identify ways in which state agencies may collaborate to create
efficiencies in the delivery of programs and services to improve
affordability.
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:
(1) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's
designee;
(2) The Commissioner of Children and Families, or the
commissioner's designee;
(3) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's
designee;
(4) The Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the
commissioner's designee;
(5) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's
designee;
(6) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee;
(7) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to children, human services and appropriations, or the
chairpersons' and ranking members' designees; and
(8) Not more than ten members jointly appointed by the
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cochairpersons of the task force, each of whom shall (A) have expertise
in nonprofit administration, business administration, economics,
education, housing, child welfare, child care, labor, workforce
development or social services administration, or (B) be a representative
of a faith-based or municipal organization or entity.
(c) Any member of the task force described or appointed under
subdivision (7) or (8) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member
of the General Assembly.
(d) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later
than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall
be filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The chairpersons of the joint standing committees of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and
appropriations, or the chairpersons' designees, shall serve as
cochairpersons of the task force. Such cochairpersons shall s chedule
each meeting of the task force, the first of which shall be held not later
than thirty days after the effective date of this section.
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children
shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.
(g) Not later than June 1, 2027, the cochairpersons shall submit a
preliminary report on the findings and recommendations of the task
force to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to children, human se rvices and
appropriations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the
general statutes.
(h) Not later than July 1, 2027, the cochairpersons shall hold a public
forum, at which the cochairpersons shall present the preliminary report
submitted pursuant to subsection (g) of this section and solicit public
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comment.
(i) Not later than June 1, 2028, the cochairpersons shall submit a final
report on the findings and recommendations of the task force to the joint
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of
matters relating to children, human services and appropriations, in
accordance with the provisions of section 11 -4a of the general statutes.
The task force shall terminate on the date the cochairpersons submit
such final report or June 1, 2028, whichever is later.
Governor's Action:
Approved June 4, 2026