SB00281 • 2026

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY MEANS OF ENCOURAGING MORE NURSING HOMES IN THE STATE TO CONTRACT WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

Taxes

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Veterans' and Military Affairs Committee
Last action: 2026-02-20
Official status: Public Hearing 02/24
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the task force terminates when it submits its report or January 1, 2027, whichever is later; this implies a potential extension beyond the initial deadline if work continues.

Task Force to Study Nursing Home Contracts for Veterans

This law creates a temporary group to study how to get more nursing homes in the state to sign contracts with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a task force to find ways to encourage nursing homes to become federally contracted veterans facilities and increase care availability for eligible veterans.
Requires the task force to consider financial incentives, such as help to supplement reimbursement payments and tax credits.
Sets rules for who sits on the task force, including members appointed by House and Senate leaders and the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs or their designee.
Mandates that all initial appointments be made by August 1, 2026, and the first meeting must happen by September 1, 2026.
Requires the group to submit a final report with findings and recommendations by January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

Nursing homes in the state that may contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans who are eligible for nursing home care covered by the VA
Legislators and leaders from the House of Representatives and Senate who appoint task force members
The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs

Terms To Know

Task Force: A temporary group created to study a specific issue, make recommendations, and submit a report.
Federally Contracted Veterans Nursing Home: A nursing home that has an official agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide care to veterans.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not say exactly which financial incentives will be used, only that the task force should study them.
This bill creates a group to study options but does not immediately change laws or spend money on new contracts.
The specific number of nursing homes expected to join the program is unknown until after the report.

Bill History

2026-02-20 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 02/24
2026-02-19 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Veterans' and Military Affairs

Official Summary Text

To study ways to encourage more nursing homes in the state to contract with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for the provision of care to veterans.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO No. 1550 1 of 3

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 281
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1550

Referred to Committee on VETERANS' AND MILITARY
AFFAIRS

Introduced by:
(VA)

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY MEANS OF
ENCOURAGING MORE NURSING HOMES IN THE STATE TO
CONTRACT WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) There is established a task force to 1
study available means of encouraging nursing homes in the state to 2
become federally contracted veterans nursing homes and increase the 3
availability of nursing home care to veterans eligible for and in need of 4
such care. The task force shall consider financial incentives, including, 5
but not limited to, assistance to supplement reimbursement for such 6
care and tax credits, and other manners of promoting such nursing 7
homes to veterans eligible for care that is covered by the United States 8
Department of Veterans Affairs. As used in this section, "nursing home" 9
and "federally contracted veterans nursing home" have the same 10
meanings as provided in section 19a-533 of the general statutes. 11
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 12

Raised Bill No. 281

LCO No. 1550 2 of 3

(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; 13
(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; 14
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 15
Representatives; 16
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; 17
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 18
Representatives; 19
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; and 20
(7) The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, or the commissioner's 21
designee. 22
(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), 23
(2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member 24
of the General Assembly. 25
(d) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later 26
than August 1, 2026. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing 27
authority. 28
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 29
tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from 30
among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule 31
the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than 32
September 1, 2026. 33
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 34
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to veterans' 35
and military affairs shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. 36
(g) Not later than January 1, 2027, the task force shall submit a report 37
on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of 38
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to veterans' 39

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and military affairs, in accordance with the provisions of section 11 -4a 40
of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it 41
submits such report or January 1, 2027, whichever is later. 42
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section

Statement of Purpose:
To study ways to encourage more nursing homes in the state to contract
with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for the provision
of care to veterans.

[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.]