Substitute House Bill No. 7107 establishes a task force dedicated to studying the expansion of employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. This task force will analyze best practices from across the nation and assess the costs and benefits of implementing such programs within the state. It will include appointed members such as experts in disability employment, advocacy organization representatives, and state officials, with initial appointments required within thirty days of the bill's passage. The task force is tasked with submitting a report containing findings and recommendations by January 1, 2027, after which it will dissolve.

The bill also updates the Connecticut Achieving A Better Life Experience (ABLE) Trust statutes, aligning them with federal standards by redefining key terms and streamlining the process for establishing ABLE accounts. Notably, it replaces the term "federal ABLE Act" with "Section 529A" of the Internal Revenue Code and removes the previous section on "disability certification." The bill allows an "authorized individual" to establish an ABLE account on behalf of an eligible individual and mandates annual reporting by the State Treasurer on the trust's operations. Additionally, it protects the assets in individual ABLE accounts from being counted as resources for state-administered public assistance eligibility and introduces a new driver training unit within the Department of Motor Vehicles to support individuals with disabilities in operating vehicles.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
HS Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 469:
Public Act No. 25-148: 3-39j, 3-39k, 3-39l, 3-39p, 3-39q, 3-39r, 14-11b