Substitute Senate Bill No. 9, known as Public Act No. 23-97, is a comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at enhancing health and wellness for Connecticut residents. The bill addresses a wide range of issues, including access to assisted reproductive technology, Medicaid reimbursement for contraceptives, harm reduction centers for substance use disorders, and the establishment of a pilot program for harm reduction centers in three municipalities. It also amends existing statutes to exempt certain healthcare facilities from the requirement of obtaining a certificate of need, such as free clinics and school-based health centers. Additionally, the bill establishes the Opioid Antagonist Bulk Purchase Fund to provide opioid antagonists to eligible entities and sets a limit on the initial prescription for outpatient use of opioid drugs to a seven-day supply.

The bill also focuses on the employment and training of healthcare professionals, creating an adjunct professor grant program and a personal care attendants career pathways program. It introduces changes to the regulation of covenants not to compete for physicians, APRNs, and physician assistants, specifying conditions under which such covenants are enforceable. Furthermore, the bill enacts the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact into law, facilitating interstate practice while preserving state regulatory authority. It outlines the terms and definitions relevant to the practice of physical therapy within member states and details the requirements for state participation in the compact. The bill does not include any marked insertions or deletions from current law, indicating that it is a standalone document detailing the proposed legal framework for the physical therapy compact.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 20-14o, 20-14p, 20-94a
PH Joint Favorable Substitute: 20-14o, 20-14p, 20-94a
File No. 507: 20-14o, 20-14p, 20-94a
APP Joint Favorable: 20-14o, 20-14p, 20-94a
Public Act No. 23-97: 20-14o, 20-14p, 20-94a