AN ACT CONCERNING CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING.

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: 2026-03-11
Official status: File Number 18
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about the expected changes or impacts beyond requiring a study.

Act to Improve Child Welfare

This act requires the Commissioner of Children and Families to study ways to improve policies and procedures that affect children in state care.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Commissioner of Children and Families to conduct a study on improving child welfare policies and procedures within the Department of Children and Families.
The commissioner must report findings to a joint standing committee by January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

Children in the care of the Department of Children and Families
The Commissioner of Children and Families

Terms To Know

Commissioner of Children and Families: A state official responsible for overseeing child welfare services.
Department of Children and Families: The government agency that provides support and services to children in need.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what changes might be made, only that a study will look into ways to improve child welfare.
No new funding is provided for the study, so it relies on existing resources within the Department of Children and Families.

Bill History

2026-03-11 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-11 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
2026-03-11 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Calendar Number 46
2026-03-11 LCO
File Number 18
2026-03-05 LCO
Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/10/26 5:00 PM
2026-03-04 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-03 KID
Joint Favorable
2026-02-20 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 02/24
2026-02-19 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Children

Official Summary Text

To require the Commissioner of Children and Families to conduct a study to determine whether policy and procedural changes within the Department of Children and Families may improve the well-being of children.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Senate
SB264 / File No. 18 1

General Assembly File No. 18
February Session, 2026 Senate Bill No. 264

Senate, March 11, 2026

The Committee on Children reported through SEN. MAHER,
C. of the 26th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part
of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Children and 1
Families shall conduct a study to determine whether policy and 2
procedural changes within the Department of Children and Families 3
may improve the well -being of children in the care and custody of the 4
commissioner. The commissioner shall report, in accordance with the 5
provisions of section 11 -4a of the general statutes, the findings of such 6
study to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 7
cognizance of matters relating to children on or before January 1, 2027. 8
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 from passage New section

KID Joint Favorable

SB264 File No. 18

SB264 / File No. 18 2

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 requires the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to
conduct a study which results in no fiscal impact, as it is anticipated
DCF has the necessary expertise to do so.

SB264 File No. 18

SB264 / File No. 18 3

OLR Bill Analysis
SB 264

AN ACT CONCERNING CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING.

SUMMARY
The Office of Legislative Research does not analyze Special Acts.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Committee on Children
Joint Favorable
Yea 12 Nay 5 (03/03/2026)