AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSENT ORDERS.

House of Representatives
sHB5511 / File No. 538 1

General Assembly File No. 538
February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No. 5511

House of Representatives, April 9, 2026

The Committee on Public Health reported through REP.
MCCARTHY VAHEY of the 133rd Dist., Chairperson of the
Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill
ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSENT ORDERS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 19a -2a of the 2026 supplement to the general 1
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2
(Effective October 1, 2026): 3
The Commissioner of Public Health shall employ the most efficient 4
and practical means for the prevention and suppression of disease and 5
shall administer all laws under the jurisdiction of the Department of 6
Public Health and the Public Health Code. The commissioner shall have 7
responsibility for the overall operation and administration of the 8
Department of Public Health. The commissioner shall have the power 9
and duty to: (1) Administer, coordinate and direct the operation of the 10
department; (2) adopt and enforce regulations, in accordance with 11
chapter 54, as are necessary to carry out the purposes of the department 12
as established by statute; (3) establish rules for the internal operation 13
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and administration of the department; (4) establish and develop 14
programs and administer services to achieve the purposes of the 15
department as established by statute; (5) enter into a contract, including, 16
but not limited to, a contract with another state, for facilities, services 17
and programs to implement the purposes of the department as 18
established by statute; (6) designate a deputy commissioner or other 19
employee of the department to sign any license, certificate or permit 20
issued by said department; (7) conduct a hearing, issue subpoenas, 21
administer oaths, compel testimony and render a final decision in any 22
case when a hearing is required or authorized under the provisions of 23
any statute dealing with the Department of Public Health; (8) with the 24
health authorities of this and other states, secure information and data 25
concerning the prevention and control of epidemics and conditions 26
affecting or endangering the public health, and compile such 27
information and statistics and shall disseminate among health 28
authorities and the people of the state such information as may be of 29
value to them; (9) annually issue a list of reportable diseases, emergency 30
illnesses and health conditions and a list of reportable laboratory 31
findings and amend such lists as the commissioner deems necessary and 32
distribute such lists as well as any necessary forms to each licensed 33
physician, licensed physician assistant, licensed advanced practice 34
registered nurse and clinical laboratory in this state. The commissioner 35
shall prepare printed forms for reports and returns, with such 36
instructions as may be necessary, for the use of directors of health, 37
boards of health and registrars of vital statistics; and (10) specify 38
uniform methods of keeping statistical information by public and 39
private agencies, organizations and individuals, including a client 40
identifier system, and collect and make available relevant statistical 41
information, including the number of persons treated, frequency of 42
admission and readmission, and frequency and duration of treatment. 43
In the administration or enforcement of any applicable statute, 44
regulation, permit or order, the department may resolve any dispute 45
regarding compliance by agreed settlement or consent order. The client 46
identifier system shall be subject to the confidentiality requirements set 47
forth in section 17a -688 and regulations adopted thereunder. The 48
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commissioner may designate any person to perform any of the duties 49
listed in subdivision (7) of this section. The commissioner shall have 50
authority over directors of health and may, for cause, remove any such 51
director; but any person claiming to be aggrieved by such removal may 52
appeal to the Superior Court which may affirm or reverse the action of 53
the commissioner as the public interest requires. The commissioner shall 54
assist and advise local directors of health and district directors of health 55
in the performance of their duties, and may require the enforcement of 56
any law, regulation or ordinance relating to public health. In the event 57
the commissioner reasonably suspects impropriety on the part of a local 58
director of health or district director of health, or employee of such 59
director, in the performance of his or her duties, the commissioner shall 60
provide notification and any evidence of such impropriety to the 61
appropriate governing authority of the municipal health authority, 62
established pursuant to section 19a -200, or the district department of 63
health, established pursuant to section 19a -244, for purposes of 64
reviewing and assessing a director's or an employee's compliance with 65
such duties. Such governing authority shall provide a written report of 66
its findings from the review and assessment to the commissioner not 67
later than ninety days after such review and assessment. When 68
requested by local directors of health or district directors of health, the 69
commissioner shall consult with them and investigate and advise 70
concerning any condition affecting public health within their 71
jurisdiction. The commissioner shall investigate nuisances and 72
conditions affecting, or that he or she has reason to suspect may affect, 73
the security of life and health in any locality and, for that purpose, the 74
commissioner, or any person authorized by the commissioner, may 75
enter and examine any ground, vehicle, apartment, building or place, 76
and any person designated by the commissioner shall have the 77
authority conferred by law upon constables. Whenever the 78
commissioner determines that any provision of the general statutes or 79
regulation of the Public Health Code is not being enforced effectively by 80
a local health department or health district, he or she shall forthwith take 81
such measures, including the performance of any act required of the 82
local health department or health district, to ensure enforcement of such 83
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statute or regulation and shall inform the local health department or 84
health district of such measures. In September of each year the 85
commissioner shall certify to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 86
Management the population of each municipality. The commissioner 87
may solicit and accept for use any gift of money or property made by 88
will or otherwise, and any grant of or contract for money, services or 89
property from the federal government, the state, any political 90
subdivision thereof, any other state or any private source, and do all 91
things necessary to cooperate with the federal government or any of its 92
agencies in making an application for any grant or contract. The 93
commissioner may enter into any contracts or agreements, in 94
accordance with any established procedures, as may be necessary for 95
the distribution or use of such money, services or property in 96
accordance with any requirements to fulfill any conditions of a gift, 97
grant or contract. The commissioner may establish state -wide and 98
regional advisory councils. For purposes of this section, "employee of 99
such director" means an employee of, a consultant employed or retained 100
by or an independent contractor retained by a local director of health, a 101
district director of health, a local health department or a health district. 102
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 19a-2a

PH Joint Favorable Subst.

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The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill makes procedural changes to Department of Public Health
compliance dispute resolution proceedings, resulting in no fiscal impact
to the state or municipalities.

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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5511

AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSENT ORDERS.

SUMMARY
This bill explicitly allows the Department of Health (DPH) to enforce
compliance with DPH laws, regulations, permits, and orders with a n
agreed settlement or consent order . (It appears this allow s DPH to
resolve cases or complaints against a licensee without holding a formal
administrative hearing if the licensee agrees to a settlement or consent
order.)
Existing law authorizes the department to use consent orders when
regulating health professionals and institutions (CGS §§ 19a-14, 19a-491,
& 19a -565). Additionally, t he Uniform Administrative Procedure Act
generally allows contested cases to be resolved by agreed settlement or
consent order (CGS § 4-177).
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Health Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 31 Nay 1 (03/23/2026)