SB00154 • 2026

AN ACT REQUIRING CERTAIN AGENCIES TO REPORT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROGRAMS SERVING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

Budget Children

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Committee on Children
Last action: 2026-04-14
Official status: Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, though an executive signature or veto action is not shown.

Report on Costs for Programs Serving Children and Families

This law requires the Department of Social Services and the Department of Developmental Services to submit reports by January 1, 2027, detailing current program costs and estimating costs if eligibility were expanded.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Social Services and the Department of Developmental Services to submit reports to specific state legislative committees.
Asks agencies to list programs where eligibility or fees depend on family income compared to the federal poverty level.
Requests estimates for the total cost of running each listed program under current rules.
Orders agencies to calculate costs if they allowed families with incomes above the federal poverty level but below the ALICE Threshold to join.
Requires an estimate of how many extra children or families would qualify if income limits were raised.
Asks agencies to discuss whether it is possible to use the ALICE Threshold for deciding who can join these programs.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Social Services
The Department of Developmental Services
State lawmakers on committees for children, human services, public health, and appropriations

Terms To Know

Federal Poverty Level: A yearly income amount set by the federal government used to decide if a family qualifies for certain programs.
ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival: An income level determined by United Way that shows how much money families need to cover basic costs, which is higher than the federal poverty level.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not change any program rules or funding; it only asks for a report on what changes might cost.
The law takes effect immediately upon passage, but no specific calendar date is listed in the provided text.

Bill History

2026-04-14 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-14 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-14 Connecticut General Assembly
No New File by Committee on Appropriations
2026-04-14 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
2026-04-13 APP
Joint Favorable
2026-04-08 Connecticut General Assembly
Immediate Transmittal to Committee on Appropriations
2026-03-10 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-10 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
2026-03-10 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Calendar Number 42
2026-03-10 LCO
File Number 8
2026-03-04 LCO
Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/09/26 5:00 PM
2026-02-25 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-02-24 KID
Joint Favorable
2026-02-13 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 02/17
2026-02-11 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Children

Official Summary Text

To require the Department of Social Services and the Department of Developmental Services to submit reports describing current costs associated with programs serving children and families and anticipated costs associated with utilizing different eligibility criteria for participation in such programs.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO 1 of 2

General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 154
February Session, 2026

AN ACT REQUIRING CERTAIN AGENCIES TO REPORT COSTS
ASSOCIATED WITH PROGRAMS SERVING CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. ( Effective from passage ) Not later than January 1, 2027, the 1
Department of Social Services shall submit a report, in accordance with 2
the provisions of section 11 -4a of the general statutes, to the joint 3
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 4
matters relating to children, human services and appropriations. Such 5
report shall (1) describe each program administered by the department 6
that serves children or families, where eligibility for participation in 7
such program or the sliding fee for participation in such program is 8
based on a comparison between annual family income and the federal 9
poverty level, (2) estimate the total cost associated with the 10
administration of each such program, (3) estimate the anticipated total 11
cost associated with the administration of each such program if 12
eligibility for participation was expanded to include children and 13
families with an annual family income above the federal poverty level 14
and below the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival for the state, as 15
determined by the United Way of Connecticut, (4) estimate how many 16
additional children or families would be eligible for participation in 17
each such program if participation was expanded in the manner 18
described in subdivision (3) of this section, and (5) discuss the feasibility 19
Substitute Bill No. 154

LCO 2 of 2

of adopting the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival in making 20
eligibility determinations for each such program. 21
Sec. 2. ( Effective from passage ) Not later than January 1, 2027, the 22
Department of Developmental Services shall submit a report, in 23
accordance with the provisions of section 11 -4a of the general statutes, 24
to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having 25
cognizance of matters relating to children, public health and 26
appropriations. Such report shall (1) describe each program 27
administered by the department that serves children or families, where 28
eligibility for participation in such program or the sliding fee for 29
participation in such program is based on a comparison between annual 30
family income and the federal poverty level, (2) estimate the total cost 31
associated with the administration of each such program, (3) estimate 32
the anticipated total cost associated with the administration of each such 33
program if eligibility for participation was expanded to include children 34
and families with an annual family income above the federal poverty 35
level and below the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival for the state, 36
as determined by the United Way of Connecticut, (4) estimate how 37
many additional children or families would be eligible for participation 38
in each such program if participation was expanded in the manner 39
described in subdivision (3) of this section, and (5) discuss the feasibility 40
of adopting the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival in making 41
eligibility determinations for each such program. 42
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 from passage New section
Sec. 2 from passage New section

KID Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
APP Joint Favorable