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 from three hours to 3.6 hours per resident per day, effective July 1, 2026. The bill repeals and replaces Section 19a-563h, establishing this new requirement and also introduces a fixed staffing level for social work, mandating one full-time social worker for every sixty residents. Additionally, the bill raises the minimum staffing requirements for recreational staff beyond the previous standards set before 2024.

To ensure compliance with these new staffing levels, the bill classifies violations as Class B offenses, which may incur civil penalties of up to $10,000 and allow for disciplinary actions, including license suspension or citation issuance by the Commissioner of Public Health. The Commissioner is also required to adopt regulations to implement these changes. The estimated fiscal impact of the bill is significant, with a projected 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: