Substitute House Bill No. 7049 aims to enhance the collaboration between the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Office of the Child Advocate regarding the Infant Mortality Review Program. The bill allows the DPH commissioner to disclose confidential information and data obtained from the Infant Mortality Review Program to the Child Advocate when deemed necessary for the Advocate to fulfill her statutory duties. In return, the Child Advocate is permitted to share information about infant deaths with the DPH commissioner for the same purpose. The bill emphasizes that any data exchanged between the two entities remains confidential and is not subject to further disclosure or admissible in court proceedings.

The bill also includes specific legal language changes, repealing and substituting certain subsections in the general statutes. Notably, it repeals subsection (f) of section 19a-59j and subsection (a) of section 46a-13n, replacing them with provisions that clarify the confidentiality of the information shared between the DPH and the Child Advocate. The new language ensures that any information disclosed for the purposes of the Infant Mortality Review Program is used solely for medical or scientific research and maintains the confidentiality of the data in accordance with existing laws. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.