Aging Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: SB-817
Title: AN ACT CONCERNING SENIOR CENTERS.
Vote Date: 2/16/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable
PH Date: 2/9/2021
File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Aging Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
This bill addresses the need for the 168 local senior centers in the State, which all operate
locally, to begin to also work in a regional manner. The need for the local senior centers is
paramount to the communities which they serve and can be bettered by development of core
competencies. Additionally, this bill addresses the necessity of coordinating support for the
senior centers in the area of a better network of communication which in turn would better
support the short and long-term needs of our senior population.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Senator Cathy Osten, CT General Assembly: Her testimony was in support of this proposal
as she had done during the last session of the General Assembly.
Commissioner Amy Porter, Dept. of Aging and Disability Services: Her testimony was in
support of this proposal. They are grateful that Section 2 refers to the federal definition of
senior centers and are confident that the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity
and Opportunity will be able to coordinate assistance, direction and advice to senior centers.
They also support the creation of a working group and their participation in this group.
Michael Werner, Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity:
They submitted testimony in support of this bill. They point out that Sections 3 and 4 call for
additional duties from their Commission and that while they are eager to lead in the work their
ability to do so is contingent on filling an Aging Policy Analyst vacancy. This bill works to
address the need for core competencies and coordinating support for senior centers.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Zachary McKeown, Senior Legislative Assoc., Connecticut Conference of
Municipalities: Their testimony is in support of this proposal as it provides the resources and
framework to establish multi-purpose senior centers.
Luelia Landis, Chair of the Cromwell Senior Center: Her e-mail testimony is in support of
this bill and that it will help in a formal way. Their ability to deal directly with state offices will
make it easier to determine what has worked with others and could help them.
Amy Saada, Director, Cromwell Senior Center: She is supportive of this legislation and
points out that they do need assistance. She believes that they need to connect with state
services and this bill would help. It is indicated that other states have networks of training and
standardization and this is an area in which we can modernize.
Dianne Stone, Co-Chair, Senior Center Task Force: She is support of this bill. Her
comments are broken down into several areas such as defining senior centers, assigns
responsibility to a state agency for assisting senior centers and the establishment of a state-
wide working group as stated in the bill. She also mentions that this is the 4 th time this bill has
been considered and given favorable action.
Task Force to Study Senior Centers, Special Act 16-7: This is the report of the Senior
Center Task Force Submitted 2/6/18.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
No opposition to the was submitted.
Reported by: Joe Perkus, Clerk Date: 3/2/21
Richard Ferrari, Assist. Clerk
Richard ONeil, Assistant Clerk
Page 2 of 2 SB-817


Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 7-127b
AGE Joint Favorable: 7-127b
File No. 16: 7-127b
Public Act No. 21-7: 7-127b, 54-261