SB00192 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING PATIENT PROTECTIONS AND STANDARDS OF CARE AT CONNECTICUT VALLEY HOSPITAL.

Healthcare

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Public Health Committee
Last action: 2026-02-13
Official status: Public Hearing 02/18
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text does not define the term 'biological sex', leaving its specific application open to interpretation based on existing state definitions or future policy details.

Patient Separation Rules at Connecticut Valley Hospital

This law requires that people getting psychiatric evaluations at Connecticut Valley Hospital be separated by biological sex.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to create policies for clients living on the hospital campus, their discharge into the community, and persons undergoing psychiatric evaluation.
Mandates that persons undergoing psychiatric evaluation must be separated according to their biological sex at all times.
Ensures clients transferred from Whiting Forensic Hospital or the Department of Correction follow specific state laws before being discharged.
Creates a Connecticut Valley Hospital Advisory Council to advise on policies and review how they are implemented.

Who It Names or Affects

The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Persons undergoing psychiatric evaluation at Connecticut Valley Hospital
Clients residing on the Connecticut Valley Hospital campus
Members of the new Connecticut Valley Hospital Advisory Council

Limits and Unknowns

The law takes effect on October 1, 2026.
The text does not explain how the hospital will physically separate patients in different areas like hallways or dining rooms.

Bill History

2026-02-13 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 02/18
2026-02-11 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Public Health

Official Summary Text

To require the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to keep persons undergoing psychiatric evaluation at Connecticut Valley Hospital separated according to biological sex at all times.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO No. 1145 1 of 2

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 192
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1145

Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH

Introduced by:
(PH)

AN ACT CONCERNING PATIENT PROTECTIONS AND STANDARDS
OF CARE AT CONNECTICUT VALLEY HOSPITAL.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 17a-471a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
(a) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in 3
consultation and coordination with the advisory council established 4
under subsection (b) of this section, shall develop policies and set 5
standards [related] relating to clients residing on the Connecticut Valley 6
Hospital campus and to the discharge of such clients from the hospital 7
into the adjacent community , and persons undergoing psychiatric 8
evaluation at Connecticut Valley Hospital . Any such policies and 9
standards shall (1) ensure that no discharge of any client admitted to 10
Whiting Forensic Hospital under commitment by the Superior Court or 11
transfer from the Department of Correction shall take place without full 12
compliance with sections 17a -511 to 17a -524, inclusive, 17a-566 to 17a -13
575, inclusive, 17a-580 to 17a-603, inclusive, and 54-56d, and (2) require 14
persons undergoing psychiatric evaluation at Connecticut Valley 15

Raised Bill No. 192

LCO No. 1145 2 of 2

Hospital to be separated according to their biological sex at all times. 16
(b) There is established a Connecticut Valley Hospital Advisory 17
Council that shall advise the Commissioner of Mental Health and 18
Addiction Services on policies concerning, but not limited to, building 19
use, security, clients residing on the campus and the discharge of clients 20
from the campus into the adjacent community. In addition, the advisory 21
council shall periodically review the implementation of the policies and 22
standards established by the commissioner in consultation with the 23
advisory council. The council shall be composed of six members 24
appointed by the mayor of Middletown, eight members appointed by 25
the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services and one 26
member who shall serve as chairperson appointed by the Governor. On 27
and after January 1, 2024, at least two members appointed by the 28
Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall have lived 29
experience with a behavioral health disorder. 30
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 17a-471a

Statement of Purpose:
To require the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services
to keep persons undergoing psychiatric evaluation at Connecticut
Valley Hospital separated according to biological sex at all times.

[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.]