Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

General Assembly                       Raised Bill No. 5488
       February Session, 2020                LCO No. 2729
     Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH
     Introduced by:
       (PH)
 AN ACT CONCERNING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS' SCOPE OF
 PRACTICE.
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
 Assembly convened:
       Section 1. Subdivision (5) of section 3-39j of the general statutes is
    repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
    1, 2020):
      (5) "Disability certification" means, with respect to an individual, a
   certification to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury of the
   United States by the individual or the parent or guardian of the
   individual that (A) certifies that (i) the individual has a medically
   determinable physical or mental impairment, that results in marked and
   severe functional limitations, and that can be expected to result in death
   or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of
   not less than twelve months, or is blind within the meaning of Section
   1614(a)(2) of the Social Security Act, and (ii) such impairment or
   blindness occurred before the date on which the individual attained the
   age of twenty-six, and (B) includes a copy of the individual's diagnosis
   relating to the individual's relevant impairment or blindness that is
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 signed by a physician who is licensed pursuant to chapter 370 or, to the
 extent permitted by federal law, (i) an advanced practice registered
 nurse who is licensed pursuant to chapter 378, [or] (ii) a physician
 assistant who is licensed pursuant to chapter 370, or (iii) if the
 individual's impairment is blindness, an optometrist licensed pursuant
 to chapter 380.
    Sec. 2. Subsection (b) of section 3-123aa of the 2020 supplement to the
 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
 thereof (Effective October 1, 2020):
    (b) There is established the Connecticut Homecare Option Program
 for the Elderly, to allow individuals to plan for the cost of services that
 will allow them to remain in their homes or in a noninstitutional setting
 as they age. The Comptroller shall establish the Connecticut Home Care
 Trust Fund, which shall be comprised of individual savings accounts for
 those qualified home care expenses not covered by a long-term care
 insurance policy and for those qualified home care expenses that
 supplement the coverage provided by a long-term care policy or
 Medicare. Withdrawals from the fund may be used for qualified home
 care expenses, upon receipt by the fund of a certification signed by a
 licensed physician, a licensed physician assistant or a licensed advanced
 practice registered nurse that the designated beneficiary is in need of
 services for the instrumental activities of daily living. Upon the death of
 a designated beneficiary, any available funds in such beneficiary's
 account shall be an asset of the estate of such beneficiary.
    Sec. 3. Subdivision (16) of section 10-183b of the 2020 supplement to
 the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
 thereof (Effective October 1, 2020):
    (16) "Formal application of retirement" means the member's
 application, birth certificate or notarized statement supported by other
 evidence satisfactory to the board, in lieu thereof, records of service
 when required by the board to determine a salary rate or years of
 creditable service, statement of payment plan and, in the case of an
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 application for a disability benefit, a physician's, a physician assistant's
 or an advanced practice registered nurse's statement of health.
    Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 10a-155 of the general statutes is
 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
 1, 2020):
    (a) Each institution of higher education shall require each full-time or
 matriculating student born after December 31, 1956, to provide proof of
 adequate immunization against measles, rubella and on and after
 August 1, 2010, to provide proof of adequate immunization against
 mumps and varicella as recommended by the national Advisory
 Committee for Immunization Practices before permitting such student
 to enroll in such institution. Any such student who (1) presents a
 certificate from a physician, a physician assistant or an advanced
 practice registered nurse stating that in the opinion of such physician,
 physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse such
 immunization is medically contraindicated, (2) provides a statement
 that such immunization would be contrary to his religious beliefs, (3)
 presents a certificate from a physician, a physician assistant, an
 advanced practice registered nurse or the director of health in the
 student's present or previous town of residence, stating that the student
 has had a confirmed case of such disease, (4) is enrolled exclusively in a
 program for which students do not congregate on campus for classes or
 to participate in institutional-sponsored events, such as students
 enrolled in distance learning programs for individualized home study
 or programs conducted entirely through electronic media in a setting
 without other students present, or (5) graduated from a public or
 nonpublic high school in this state in 1999 or later and was not exempt
 from the measles, rubella and on and after August 1, 2010, the mumps
 vaccination requirement pursuant to subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection
 (a) of section 10-204a shall be exempt from the appropriate provisions
 of this section.
    Sec. 5. Section 10a-155a of the general statutes is repealed and the
 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2020):
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    When a public health official has reason to believe that the continued
 presence in an institution of higher education of a student who has not
 been immunized against measles or rubella presents a clear danger to
 the health of others, the public health official shall notify the chief
 administrative officer of such institution. Such chief administrative
 officer shall cause the student to be excluded from the institution, or
 confined in an infirmary or other medical facility at the institution, until
 the student presents to such chief administrative officer a certificate
 from a physician, a physician assistant or an advanced practice
 registered nurse stating that, in the opinion of such physician, physician
 assistant or advanced practice registered nurse, the presence in the
 institution of the student does not present a clear danger to the health of
 others.
    Sec. 6. Section 12-94 of the general statutes is repealed and the
 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2020):
    The exemptions granted in sections 12-81 and 12-82 to soldiers,
 sailors, marines and members of the Coast Guard and Air Force, and
 their spouses, widows, widowers, fathers and mothers, and to blind or
 totally disabled persons and their spouses shall first be made in the town
 in which the person entitled thereto resides, and any person asking such
 exemption in any other town shall annually make oath before, or
 forward his or her affidavit to, the assessors of such town, deposing that
 such exemptions, except the exemption provided in subdivision (55) of
 section 12-81, if allowed, will not, together with any other exemptions
 granted under sections 12-81 and 12-82, exceed the amount of
 exemption thereby allowed to such person. Such affidavit shall be filed
 with the assessors within the period the assessors have to complete their
 duties in the town where the exemption is claimed. The assessors of each
 town shall annually make a certified list of all persons who are found to
 be entitled to exemption under the provisions of said sections, which list
 shall be filed in the town clerk's office, and shall be prima facie evidence
 that the persons whose names appear thereon and who are not required
 by law to give annual proof are entitled to such exemption as long as
 they continue to reside in such town; but such assessors may, at any
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 time, require any such person to appear before them for the purpose of
 furnishing additional evidence, provided, any person who by reason of
 such person's disability is unable to so appear may furnish such
 assessors a statement from such person's attending physician, physician
 assistant or an advanced practice registered nurse certifying that such
 person is totally disabled and is unable to make a personal appearance
 and such other evidence of total disability as such assessors may deem
 appropriate.
    Sec. 7. Subsection (a) of section 12-129c of the general statutes is
 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
 1, 2020):
    (a) No claim shall be accepted under section 12-129b unless the
 taxpayer or authorized agent of such taxpayer files an application with
 the assessor of the municipality in which the property is located, in
 affidavit form as provided by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
 Management, during the period from February first to and including
 May fifteenth of any year in which benefits are first claimed, including
 such information as is necessary to substantiate said claim in accordance
 with requirements in such application. A taxpayer may make
 application to the secretary prior to August fifteenth of the claim year
 for an extension of the application period. The secretary may grant such
 extension in the case of extenuating circumstance due to illness or
 incapacitation as evidenced by a certificate signed by a physician, a
 physician assistant or an advanced practice registered nurse to that
 extent, or if the secretary determines there is good cause for doing so.
 The taxpayer shall present to the assessor a copy of such taxpayer's
 federal income tax return and the federal income tax return of such
 taxpayer's spouse, if filed separately, for such taxpayer's taxable year
 ending immediately prior to the submission of the taxpayer's
 application, or if not required to file a federal income tax return, such
 other evidence of qualifying income in respect to such taxable year as
 the assessor may require. Each such application, together with the
 federal income tax return and any other information submitted in
 relation thereto, shall be examined by the assessor and if the application
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 is approved by the assessor, it shall be forwarded to the secretary on or
 before July first of the year in which such application is approved,
 except that in the case of a taxpayer who received a filing date extension
 from the secretary, such application shall be forwarded to the secretary
 not later than ten business days after the date it is filed with the assessor.
 After a taxpayer's claim for the first year has been filed and approved
 such taxpayer shall be required to file such an application biennially. In
 respect to such application required after the filing and approval for the
 first year the tax assessor in each municipality shall notify each such
 taxpayer concerning application requirements by regular mail not later
 than February first of the assessment year in which such taxpayer is
 required to reapply, enclosing a copy of the required application form.
 Such taxpayer may submit such application to the assessor by mail,
 provided it is received by the assessor not later than April fifteenth in
 the assessment year with respect to which such tax relief is claimed. Not
 later than April thirtieth of such year the assessor shall notify, by mail
 evidenced by a certificate of mailing, any such taxpayer for whom such
 application was not received by said April fifteenth concerning
 application requirements and such taxpayer shall be required not later
 than May fifteenth to submit such application personally or for
 reasonable cause, by a person acting on behalf of such taxpayer as
 approved by the assessor.
    Sec. 8. Subsection (f) of section 12-170aa of the 2020 supplement to the
 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
 thereof (Effective October 1, 2020):
     (f) Any homeowner, believing such homeowner is entitled to tax
 reduction benefits under this section for any assessment year, shall
 make application as required in subsection (e) of this section, to the
 assessor of the municipality in which the homeowner resides, for such
 tax reduction at any time from February first to and including May
 fifteenth of the year in which tax reduction is claimed. A homeowner
 may make application to the secretary prior to August fifteenth of the
 claim year for an extension of the application period. The secretary may
 grant such extension in the case of extenuating circumstance due to
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 illness or incapacitation as evidenced by a certificate signed by a
 physician, a physician assistant or an advanced practice registered nurse
 to that extent, or if the secretary determines there is good cause for doing
 so. Such application for tax reduction benefits shall be submitted on a
 form prescribed and furnished by the secretary to the assessor. In
 making application the homeowner shall present to such assessor, in
 substantiation of such homeowner's application, a copy of such
 homeowner's federal income tax return, including a copy of the Social
 Security statement of earnings for such homeowner, and that of such
 homeowner's spouse, if filed separately, for such homeowner's taxable
 year ending immediately prior to the submission of such application, or
 if not required to file a return, such other evidence of qualifying income
 in respect to such taxable year as may be required by the assessor. When
 the assessor is satisfied that the applying homeowner is entitled to tax
 reduction in accordance with this section, such assessor shall issue a
 certificate of credit, in such form as the secretary may prescribe and
 supply showing the amount of tax reduction allowed. A duplicate of
 such certificate shall be delivered to the applicant and the tax collector
 of the municipality and the assessor shall keep the fourth copy of such
 certificate and a copy of the application. Any homeowner who, for the
 purpose of obtaining a tax reduction under this section, wilfully fails to
 disclose all matters related thereto or with intent to defraud makes false
 statement shall refund all property tax credits improperly taken and
 shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars. Applications filed
 under this section shall not be open for public inspection.
    Sec. 9. Subsection (a) of section 12-170f of the general statutes is
 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
 1, 2020):
    (a) Any renter, believing himself or herself to be entitled to a grant
 under section 12-170d for any calendar year, shall apply for such grant
 to the assessor of the municipality in which the renter resides or to the
 duly authorized agent of such assessor or municipality on or after April
 first and not later than October first of each year with respect to such
 grant for the calendar year preceding each such year, on a form
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 prescribed and furnished by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
 Management to the assessor. A renter may apply to the secretary prior
 to December fifteenth of the claim year for an extension of the
 application period. The secretary may grant such extension in the case
 of extenuating circumstance due to illness or incapacitation as
 evidenced by a certificate signed by a physician, a physician assistant or
 an advanced practice registered nurse to that extent, or if the secretary
 determines there is good cause for doing so. A renter making such
 application shall present to such assessor or agent, in substantiation of
 the renter's application, a copy of the renter's federal income tax return,
 and if not required to file a federal income tax return, such other
 evidence of qualifying income, receipts for money received, or cancelled
 checks, or copies thereof, and any other evidence the assessor or such
 agent may require. When the assessor or agent is satisfied that the
 ap