HB05560 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING COSTS AND RATES OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENTS OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES.

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: 2026-03-13
Official status: Public Hearing 03/17
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text includes a requirement to estimate costs if the state provided services instead of contracting with nonprofits; this was not included in the candidate explanation's 'what_it_does' section but is supported by Section 1(b)(4).

Equal Pay for Nonprofit Service Providers

This law requires two state departments to pay the same amount to nonprofit groups that provide identical services.

What This Bill Does

Requires commissioners of Developmental Services and Social Services to compare payment rates they give to nonprofits for the same services.
Mandates that if one department pays less for the same service, it must raise its rate to match the higher one.
Orders a joint report by October 1, 2026, listing services provided under contract with each department.
Requires the report to show current payment rates before any increases happen.
Asks the report to estimate how much it will cost the state to equalize these payments.

Who It Names or Affects

The Commissioner of Developmental Services
The Commissioner of Social Services
Nonprofit organizations that provide services under contract with either department

Terms To Know

Payment parity: Paying the same amount for the exact same service.
Reimbursement rates: The specific dollar amounts paid to organizations after they provide a service.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not state how much money the departments must spend to reach equal pay.
The text does not list which specific services will be compared or changed.
The report is due in October 2026, but it may take time for actual payment changes to happen after that.

Bill History

2026-03-13 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 03/17
2026-03-12 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Human Services

Official Summary Text

To establish payment parity for nonprofit organizations providing the same services to the Departments of Developmental and Social Services.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO No. 2732 1 of 2

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5560
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 2732

Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES

Introduced by:
(HS)

AN ACT CONCERNING COSTS AND RATES OF REIMBURSEMENT
FOR PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENTS OF
DEVELOPMENTAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) ( Effective July 1, 2026 ) (a) The Commissioners of 1
Developmental Services and Social Services shall evaluate and share 2
with each other rates of payment each pay to nonprofit provider 3
organizations for the same services. To the extent such rates are lower 4
for the same services at the Department of Developmental Services or 5
the Department of Social Services, the commissioner paying such lower 6
rates shall increase such rates to achieve payment parity. 7
(b) Not later than October 1, 2026, the commissioners shall file a joint 8
report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 9
statutes, with the joint standing committees of the General Assembly 10
having cognizance of matters relating to human services and public 11
health. The report shall include, but need not be limited to: (1) A list of 12
services provided by nonprofit organizations by contract with each 13
department, (2) rates of payment by each department for each such 14

Raised Bill No. 5560

LCO No. 2732 2 of 2

service before any rate increase pursuant to this section, (3) costs to the 15
state to increase such rates to achieve payment parity , and (4) costs to 16
the state if the departments provided such services instead of 17
contracting with a nonprofit provider to provide the services. 18
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section

Statement of Purpose:
To establish payment parity for nonprofit organizations providing the
same services to the Departments of Developmental and Social Services.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]