Substitute Senate Bill No. 1279 seeks to enhance the staffing requirements for nursing homes in Connecticut by increasing the minimum hours of direct care provided to residents. The bill repeals and replaces Section 19a-563h, establishing that, effective July 1, 2026, nursing homes must provide at least 3.6 hours of direct care per resident per day, an increase from the previous requirement of 3 hours. Additionally, the bill sets a new standard for social work staffing, requiring one full-time social worker for every sixty residents, and mandates higher staffing levels for recreational staff compared to prior standards.

To ensure compliance with these new requirements, the bill classifies violations as Class B violations, which may result in civil penalties of up to $10,000 and potential disciplinary actions, including license suspension or citation issuance by the Commissioner of Public Health. The Commissioner is also tasked with adopting regulations to implement these changes. The estimated fiscal impact of the bill is significant, with an anticipated cost of $24.2 million for nursing homes to meet the new staffing levels, alongside potential revenue from civil penalties that could contribute to the General Fund starting in FY 27.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
AGE Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 101: