HB05485 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING STUDY.

Healthcare Privacy

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Human Services Committee
Last action: 2026-06-02
Official status: Signed by the Governor
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is not explicitly stated as a calendar date in the provided text; it states the law is effective from passage.

Act Concerning a Study on Supported Decision-Making

This law defines supported decision-making terms and creates a working group to study how these agreements work in areas like finance, health privacy, and guardianship alternatives.

What This Bill Does

Defines key legal terms including 'adult,' 'decision-maker,' 'supporter,' 'supported decision-making,' and 'supported decision-making agreement.'
Requires the chairs of the Human Services Committee to appoint a working group to study supported decision-making issues.
Directs the group to study financial transaction documentation, health privacy laws like HIPAA, conflict of interest protections, and alternatives to guardianship or conservatorship.
Sets specific membership rules for the working group including representatives from banks, hospitals, nursing homes, courts, doctors, and individuals who use these agreements.
Requires the working group to hold its first meeting within 30 days after the law takes effect.

Who It Names or Affects

The House and Senate chairpersons of the Human Services Committee
Members appointed to the new working group, including representatives from financial institutions, hospitals, nursing homes, courts, physicians, and individuals with decision-making needs

Terms To Know

Decision-maker: An adult who wants help making personal or financial choices by entering into a supported decision-making agreement.
Supporter: A person named in an agreement to provide specific assistance to a decision-maker, such as gathering information and communicating decisions.
Supported decision-making agreement: A written, dated document signed by the decision-maker, supporters, and two adult witnesses that describes how supporters can help with specific decisions.

Limits and Unknowns

The law creates a study group but does not immediately require businesses or agencies to recognize supported decision-making agreements.
The final recommendations from the working group are due by December 31, 2026, so no new rules exist yet.

Bill History

2026-06-02 Connecticut General Assembly
Signed by the Governor
2026-05-29 Connecticut General Assembly
Transmitted to the Secretary of State
2026-05-29 Connecticut General Assembly
Transmitted by Secretary of the State to Governor
2026-05-20 LCO
Special Act 26-12
2026-05-05 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Adopted House Amendment Schedule A
2026-05-05 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Passed as Amended by House Amendment Schedule A
2026-05-05 Connecticut General Assembly
In Concurrence
2026-05-02 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
2026-05-02 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Calendar Number 517
2026-05-01 Connecticut General Assembly
House Adopted House Amendment Schedule A 5639
2026-05-01 Connecticut General Assembly
House Passed as Amended by House Amendment Schedule A
2026-05-01 Connecticut General Assembly
Immediate Transmittal to the Senate
2026-04-20 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-20 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-20 Connecticut General Assembly
No New File by Committee on Appropriations
2026-04-20 Connecticut General Assembly
Tabled for the Calendar, House
2026-04-17 APP
Joint Favorable
2026-04-14 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred by House to Committee on Appropriations
2026-04-07 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-07 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
2026-04-07 Connecticut General Assembly
House Calendar Number 313
2026-04-07 LCO
File Number 429
2026-03-30 LCO
Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/07/26 12:00 PM
2026-03-20 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-19 HS
Joint Favorable
2026-03-06 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 03/10
2026-03-05 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Human Services

Official Summary Text

To require businesses, government agencies, organizations, medical providers, educational institutions and any entity with whom a decision-maker interacts to obtain goods and services to recognize a supported decision-making agreement.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Substitute House Bill No. 5485

Special Act No. 26-12

AN ACT CONCERNING SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING STUDY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Adult" means a natural person who is eighteen years of age or
older;
(2) "Decision-maker" means an adult who seeks to enter into, or has
entered into, a supported decision-making agreement with one or more
supporters pursuant to this section;
(3) "Supported decision -making" means a process utilized by a
decision-maker to retain decision -making authority through assistance
from one or more supporters of the decision -maker's choosing to help
the decision -maker understand the nature and consequenc es of
potential personal and financial decisions and communicate such
decisions;
(4) "Supported decision -making agreement" means an agreement
entered into by a decision-maker and one or more supporters that (A) is
in writing, (B) is dated, (C) is entered into by the decision -maker
voluntarily without undue influence or coercion and understanding the
nature and effect of the agreement, (D) is signed by the decision-maker,
Substitute House Bill No. 5485

Special Act No. 26-12 2 of 3

one or more supporters and two identified adult witnesses, and (E)
describes the types of decisions that a supporter may help the decision-
maker to make; and
(5) "Supporter" means a person who is named in a supported
decision-making agreement to provide specified person -centered and
direct assistance to a decision-maker to gather and access information,
make informed decisions and communicate decisions.
(b) The House and Senate chairpersons of the joint standing
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to human services shall appoint a working group to study and
make recommendations concerning supported decision -making,
including, but not limited to: (1) Documentation necessary for a
decision-maker to conduct financial transactions with the help of a
supporter; (2) how a supporter could best assist in conjunction with
other legally recognized decision -making authorities who a re
commonly present in long -term care and other health -care settings; (3)
how to protect health information under the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, P.L. 104 -191, educational
records under the Family Educational Rights and Pri vacy Act of 1974,
20 USC 1232g, and information protected by 42 USCA 290dd -2 or 42
CFR Part 2, as such federal laws or regulations are amended from time
to time; (4) methods to protect a decision -maker against a supporter's
financial or ethical conflicts o f interest; and (5) how a supported
decision-making agreement can be used as an alternative to a
conservatorship or guardianship.
(c) The working group shall be comprised of state -based
organizations and individuals, including, but not limited to: (1) Two
representatives each from organizations representing the interests of
financial institutions and hospitals; (2) one representing nursing homes;
(3) one designee of the Probate Court Administrator; (4) one
representing physicians in private practice; and (5) six representing
Substitute House Bill No. 5485

Special Act No. 26-12 3 of 3

persons who may benefit from the use of supported decision -making
agreements in making financial, health or other decisions, all of whom
shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. The House and
Senate chairpersons of said committee shall appoint a chairperson of the
working group from among its members and schedule the first meeting
not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section.
(d) The working group shall file a report with its recommendations,
in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes,
not later than December 31, 2026, with the joint standing committees of
the General Assembly having cognizance o f matters relating to human
services, government oversight, banking, the judiciary and public
health.