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sSB501 / File No. 490 1
General Assembly File No. 490
February Session, 2026 Substitute Senate Bill No. 501
Senate, April 7, 2026
The Committee on Human Services reported through SEN.
LESSER of the 9th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the
part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT CONCERNING THE COMPLEX REHABILITATION
TECHNOLOGY AND WHEELCHAIR REPAIR ADVISORY COUNCIL.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 42 -339 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2
(a) There is established a complex rehabilitation technology and 3
wheelchair repair advisory council to monitor repairs of wheelchairs, 4
including complex rehabilitation technology wheelchairs, as defined in 5
section 42 -337, and to make recommendations concerning improving 6
repair times. 7
(b) The advisory council shall consist of the following members: 8
(1) [Two] Three appointed by the House and Senate chairpersons of 9
the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 10
cognizance of matters relating to human services, [one of whom is a 11
consumer who uses] two of whom are consumers who use a complex 12
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rehabilitation technology wheelchair purchased, leased or repaired 13
under the Medicaid program, and one of whom is a representative of 14
the state advocacy system for persons with disabilities, established 15
pursuant to section 46a-10b; 16
(2) Two appointed by the House and Senate ranking members of the 17
joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 18
matters relating to human services, one of whom is a consumer who 19
uses a complex rehabilitation technology wheelchair purchased, leased 20
or repaired under a private health insurance policy, and one of whom is 21
an authorized wheelchair dealer, as defined in section 42-337; 22
(3) Two appointed by the House and Senate chairpersons of the joint 23
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 24
matters relating to general law, each of whom is a representative of an 25
organization that represents persons with physical disabilities; 26
(4) Two appointed by the House and Senate ranking members of the 27
joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 28
matters relating to general law, [each] one of whom is a consumer who 29
privately pays for complex rehabilitation technology wheelchairs and 30
one of whom is an authorized wheelchair dealer, as defined in section 31
42-337; 32
(5) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services, or the 33
commissioner's designee; 34
(6) The Insurance Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee; 35
(7) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 36
designee; 37
(8) The Healthcare Advocate, or the Healthcare Advocate's designee; 38
and 39
(9) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the commissioner's 40
designee. 41
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(c) Any member of the advisory council appointed under subdivision 42
(1), (2), (3) or (4) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the 43
General Assembly and shall serve two-year terms at the pleasure of the 44
appointing authority. 45
(d) All initial appointments to the advisory council shall be made not 46
later than August 1, 2024. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing 47
authority. The advisory council shall meet at least monthly. 48
(e) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services, or the 49
commissioner's designee, and a member of the advisory council chosen 50
by a majority of members of the advisory council, shall serve as 51
chairpersons. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the 52
advisory council not later than September 1, 2024. 53
(f) The administrative staff of the [joint standing committee of the 54
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human 55
services] Office of the Healthcare Advocate shall serve as administrative 56
staff of the advisory council. 57
(g) Not later than January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the 58
advisory council shall submit a report on its findings and 59
recommendations to the joint standing committees of the General 60
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to aging, general law, 61
human services and insurance, in accordance with the provisions of 62
section 11-4a. 63
Sec. 2. Section 42 -338 of the general statutes is repealed and the 64
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 65
(a) An authorized wheelchair dealer shall timely repair a wheelchair, 66
including a complex rehabilitation technology wheelchair, sold or 67
leased by such dealer in the state. An authorized wheelchair dealer who 68
sells or leases a complex rehabilitation technology wheelchair in the 69
state shall provide timely repair of such wheelchair at a consumer's 70
home upon request. 71
(b) An authorized wheelchair dealer shall maintain an electronic mail 72
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address and a phone line for consumer repair requests that are 73
accessible each business day and capable of receiving and recording 74
messages. The authorized wheelchair dealer shall (1) respond to a 75
request for wheelchair repair not later than one business day after the 76
date of request, and (2) order parts for a repair not later than three 77
business days after assessing the need for the repair or after receiving 78
prior authorization from an insurer for the repair. 79
(c) On and after July 1, 2024, the Office of the Healthcare Advocate, 80
in consultation with the Department of Consumer Protection, shall 81
maintain a phone number and electronic mail address to be posted 82
conspicuously on the Internet web sites of the Office of the Healthcare 83
Advocate and the department, to receive and record complaints 84
regarding timely repair issues. Not later than January 1, 2025, and 85
annually thereafter, the Healthcare Advocate shall submit a report to the 86
joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance 87
of matters relating to general law, human services and insurance 88
regarding the complaints received and recorded pursuant to this 89
subsection. 90
(d) Not later than December 31, 2024, and [annually] monthly 91
thereafter, an authorized wheelchair dealer that contracts with the 92
Department of Social Services to sell or lease wheelchairs to Medicaid 93
recipients shall submit a report to the Commissioner of Social Services 94
and the advisory council established pursuant to section 42 -339, as 95
amended by this act, regarding repair of such wheelchairs. The report 96
shall include, but need not be limited to, minimum, maximum and 97
average times from the date and time of a repair request for the 98
authorized wheelchair dealer to (1) respond; (2) conduct a repair 99
assessment (A) in the home or other community location, (B) remotely, 100
or (C) at a repair facility; (3) request any necessary prior authorization 101
from the Department of Social Services and receive a decision from the 102
department on such request; (4) order any wheelchair parts needed; (5) 103
receive delivery of any needed repair parts; and (6) complete repairs (A) 104
in the home or other community location, (B) remotely, or (C) at a repair 105
facility. 106
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(e) An authorized wheelchair dealer shall notify a consumer of such 107
consumer's rights to timely repair, including a repair at the consumer's 108
home upon the consumer's request, and other rights pursuant to this 109
section in writing at the time of purchase or lease by the consumer of a 110
wheelchair from the authorized wheelchair dealer and on such dealer's 111
Internet web site and any mailings to the consumer. Except for data 112
exempted from disclosure pursuant to section 1 -210, an authorized 113
wheelchair dealer shall provide data requested by the council 114
established pursuant to section 42-339, as amended by this act. 115
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2026 42-339
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 42-338
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 1(b)(1), the underlined language was redrafted for clarity.
HS Joint Favorable Subst.
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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 makes various changes to certain requirements concerning
wheelchair dealers and the advisory council, resulting in no fiscal
impact to the state.
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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 501
AN ACT CONCERNING THE COMPLEX REHABILITATION
TECHNOLOGY AND WHEELCHAIR REPAIR ADVISORY COUNCIL.
SUMMARY
This bill requires wheelchair dealers to (1) provide data to the
Complex Rehabilitation Technology and Wheelchair Repair Advisory
Council; (2) report monthly, rather than annually, to the council and the
Department of Social Services (DSS); and (3) provide a written notice to
consumers on their right to timely repair.
The bill changes the council’s membership and requires the Office of
the Healthcare Advocate, rather than the Human Services Committee
administrative staff, to serve a s the council’s administrative staff. The
bill also requires appointed council members to serve two-year terms at
the pleasure of the appointing authority.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026
WHEELCHAIR DEALER REPORT AND NOTICE
Data Requests
An authorized wheelchair dealer is any company doing business in
the state selling or leasing wheelchairs, including complex rehabilitation
technology wheelchairs. The bill requires authorized wheelchair dealers
to provide data the council requests, excluding data that is exempt from
disclosure under the state’s Freedom of Information Act, which
exempts, among other things, trade secrets and certain commercial or
financial information (CGS § 1-210).
Monthly Report
The bill requires authorized DSS-contracted wheelchair dealers to
report monthly, rather than annually, on wheelchair repairs to the
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council and the DSS commissioner. By law, this report includes
information on minimum, maximum, and average time s from when a
repair is requested to when the dealer responds and makes the repair,
among other things.
Consumer Notice
The bill requires authorized wheelchair dealers to notify consumers
of their rights to timely repair, including repair at the consumer’s home
if requested, and other rights under the law. Dealers must provide the
notice (1) in writing when a consumer lease s or buys a wheelchair, (2)
in any mailings to the consumer, and (3) on the dealer’s website.
COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP CHANGES
Under current law, the wheelchair membership council has eight
appointed members and several ex -officio members. The bill requires
one of the members appointed by the General Law Committee ranking
members to be an authorized dealer, rather than a consume r who
privately pays for complex rehabilitation technology.
The bill adds a member to the council by requiring the Human
Services Committee chairpersons to appoint two consumers who use a
complex rehabilitation technology wheelchair that is leased or repaired
under the Medicaid program, rather than one.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Human Services Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 21 Nay 2 (03/19/2026)