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Senate
SB401 / File No. 660 1
General Assembly File No. 660
February Session, 2026 Senate Bill No. 401
Senate, April 16, 2026
The Committee on Appropriations reported through SEN.
OSTEN of the 19th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the
part of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.
AN ACT CONCERNING A BRIDGE PROGRAM TO ALLOW ACCESS
TO FOOD, HOUSING AND HEALTH CARE BENEFITS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. ( Effective from passage ) (a) As used in this section, 1
"vulnerable persons" means veterans, homeless persons or persons at 2
risk of homelessness, adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, 3
young adults aging out of the foster care system and persons age fifty -4
five to sixty-four who are at risk of losing benefits under the Medicaid 5
and supplemental nutrition assistance programs and permanent 6
supportive housing assistance due to changes in work requirements 7
pursuant to P.L. 119 -21 and proposed changes to United States 8
Department of Housing and Urban Development regulations. 9
(b) Not later than October 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Social 10
Services, in collaboration with the Commissioners of Aging and 11
Disability Services, Children and Families, Housing and Mental Health 12
and Addiction Services and the Labor Commissioner, shall develop a 13
plan for a bridge program to provide state -funded medical assistance, 14
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nutrition assistance, supportive housing and employment assistance 15
programs to vulnerable persons. The program shall: 16
(1) Supplement (A) current job support programs administered by 17
the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services within the Department of Aging 18
and Disability Services, (B) the Jobs First Employment Services program 19
for recipients of temporary family assistance, and (C) other employment 20
services offered by the state Labor Department for veterans and other 21
vulnerable persons to help such persons meet federal work 22
requirements and transition from permanent supportive housing 23
programs; 24
(2) Provide transitional state -funded medical assistance, nutrition 25
assistance and housing assistance equivalent to such assistance 26
vulnerable persons would have received until changes in federal law 27
and proposed changes in federal regulations; 28
(3) Recommend long-term housing solutions for vulnerable persons, 29
including, but not limited to, an inventory of state-owned property that 30
may be suitable for renovation and repurposing to provide housing 31
assistance; and 32
(4) Require uniform documentation of employability of vulnerable 33
persons after they receive employment assistance for purposes of 34
submission to the federal government for potential federal waivers of 35
work requirements. 36
(c) Not later than January 1, 2027, the Commissioner of Social Services 37
shall submit the plan for the bridge program, together with a calculation 38
of the amount of state appropriations needed to implement the bridge 39
program and a timeline for implementation, to the joint standing 40
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 41
relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, human 42
services, housing and labor. 43
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
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Section 1 from passage New section
APP Joint Favorable
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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, which requires the Department of Social Services to
collaborate with various agencies to develop a plan for a bridge program
to provide state-funded medical, nutrition, and employment assistance
as well as supportive housing to vulnerable persons and report to
relevant committees by 1/1/27, has no fiscal impact as the agency has
the necessary expertise to do so.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
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OFA Bill Analysis
SB 401
AN ACT CONCERNING A BRIDGE PROGRAM TO ALLOW ACCESS
TO FOOD, HOUSING AND HEALTH CARE BENEFITS.
SUMMARY:
The bill requires the Commissioner of the Department of Social
Services (DSS), in collaboration with the Departments of Aging and
Disability Services, Children and Families, Housing, Mental Health and
Addiction Services and Labor, to develop a plan for a bridge program
to provide state -funded medical assistance, nutrition assistance,
supportive housing and employment assistance programs to vulnerable
persons. DSS must submit the plan, a calculation of state appropriations
necessary for implementation and the associated timeline for such, to
the Appropriations, Human Services, Housing and Labor committees
by January 1, 2027.
EFFECTIVE DATE: from passage
State-Funded Bridge Program
The bill requires that the bridge program serve vulnerable persons
and do the following:
1. Supplement job training and employment services offered by the
state to assist with meeting federal work requirements and
transitions from permanent supportive housing programs;
2. Provide transitional state -funded medical assistance, nutrition
assistance and housing assistance at the same level as prior to
changes in federal law and proposed changes in federal
regulations;
3. Recommend long-term housing solutions, including an inventory
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of state-owned property that may be suitable for renovation and
repurposing to provide housing assistance; and
4. Require uniform documentation of employability after receiv ing
employment assistance, for purposes of submission to the federal
government for potential federal waivers of work requirements.
Vulnerable Persons
Under the bill, “vulnerable persons” include veterans, homeless
persons or persons at risk of homelessness, adults diagnosed with
autism spectrum disorder, young adults aging out of the foster care
system and persons age fifty-five to sixty-four who are at risk of losing
benefits under the Medicaid a nd supplemental nutrition assistance
programs and permanent supportive housing assistance due to changes
in work requirements pursuant to P.L. 119-21 and proposed changes to
United States Department of Housing a nd Urban Development
regulations.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Appropriations Committee
Joint Favorable Report
Yea 43 Nay 8 (04/01/2026)