CHAPTER 16
GENERAL ASSEMBLY

      Sec. 2-13. Records of legislative proceedings. Legislative record index. (a) The clerk of either house may employ such number of qualified persons as are necessary to make a record of the proceedings in the Senate and the House of Representatives and to transcribe the same without unnecessary delay. A copy of such record of each day's proceedings shall be filed in the State Library not later than two days after the transcript has been completed and shall be available to the public.

      (b) The clerks of the Senate and House shall, during sessions of the General Assembly, publish at such times during the session, as may be determined by said clerks, a legislative record index which shall report the status of each bill and resolution pending in or acted upon by the General Assembly. Said clerks shall make not more than twenty-five printed copies of the legislative record index and shall make the legislative record index available electronically to representatives of the press, the State Library, the Governor, the Secretary of the State, the Attorney General and such other persons as the speaker of the House or the president of the Senate may designate.

      (1949 Rev., S. 19, 36; March, 1950, 1951, 1955, S. 8d; 1961, P.A. 2; P.A. 76-188, S. 1, 2; P.A. 11-150, S. 1.)

      History: 1961 act eliminated requirement of weekly publication of legislative record and added requirement publication include status of bills and resolutions acted upon as well as pending; P.A. 76-188 changed "legislative record" to "legislative record index" and gave clerks power to publish it "at such times" as they determine during a session, deleting requirement that it be published at least nine but no more than twelve times; P.A. 11-150 made a technical change in Subsec. (a) and amended Subsec. (b) to require not more than 25 printed copies of the index and that the index be made available electronically, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-23. Copies of bills, resolutions, calendars, journals and other legislative publications. Furnishing of publications to public and municipalities. The Joint Committee on Legislative Management shall provide for the printed and electronic reproduction of copies of each bill and each resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution and other substantive resolutions introduced in both houses, the calendars and journals of both houses on regular session days and other legislative publications, in number sufficient to supply the needs of the legislature and the public. Such reproduction shall be under the supervision of the clerks of the Senate and the House. To carry out the provisions of this section, said committee is authorized to hire necessary personnel and acquire supplies and equipment. The Joint Committee on Legislative Management shall set aside in a building under the supervision and control of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management a room for use as a legislative bill room for distribution of printed and electronic copies under the supervision of the clerks of the Senate and House. The clerks of the Senate and House shall, during each session of the General Assembly, keep copies of all bills and resolutions reproduced as above provided, in such room, for the convenience of the members of the legislature and the public. A file of such bills and resolutions and the records of hearings of committees and the proceedings of each house, suitably indexed, shall be kept in the State Library for public inspection, and the clerks of the Senate and House shall furnish copies of such bills and resolutions for this purpose. The State Librarian is authorized to hire not more than two additional employees and to secure supplies and equipment necessary to make said index. Copies of bills and resolutions printed after favorable report by a committee or the amendment on the third reading, i.e., files, not needed by members of the General Assembly or for other official use shall be delivered to the legislative bill room for distribution. After adjournment of the General Assembly, distribution of such bills, resolutions and files shall be made from the office of the clerks. To carry out the provisions of this section, said clerks are authorized to hire additional employees for distribution of such copies. The public may obtain printed or electronic copies of bills, resolutions, journals, bulletins, legislative indexes and other legislative publications by calling for the same at the State Capitol or the Legislative Office Building, provided the clerks may, in their discretion, limit the number of printed copies to be furnished to any one person and may, with the approval of the committee, fix reasonable charges for furnishing printed copies in quantities which the clerks believe cannot be furnished free of charge without undue expense to the state. The clerks shall, at the request of the chief executive officer of any town, city or borough, send an electronic copy of each legislative bulletin and of the legislative record index to such office of such municipality as such chief executive officer shall designate. A limited number of printed copies of engrossed bills and resolutions shall be distributed from the Legislative Commissioners' Office.

      (1949 Rev., S. 18; 1953, 1955, S. 7d; November, 1955, S. N1; 1957, P.A. 1, S. 3; 1959, P.A. 1, S. 4; 4, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 113; P.A. 73-394; P.A. 78-237, S. 1, 5; P.A. 79-631, S. 25, 111; P.A. 84-48, S. 4, 17; P.A. 89-82, S. 2, 11; P.A. 90-17, S. 1, 4; P.A. 11-150, S. 2.)

      History: 1959 acts added provision specifying method by which the public may obtain copies of bills, resolutions journals, etc.; 1961 act provided for distribution of engrossed bills and resolutions by legislative commissioners rather than from legislative bill room during session and from clerks' office thereafter; P.A. 73-394 replaced reference to public works commissioner with "joint committee on legislative management" and required clerks to send copies of bulletin and legislative record index to town offices upon request; P.A. 78-237 transferred duties of comptroller under section to the joint committee on legislative management; P.A. 79-631 amended section to include resolutions proposing constitutional amendments and other substantive resolutions and provided that required reproduction of bills and resolutions be supervised by house and senate clerks; P.A. 84-48 provided the bill room shall be in a building under the supervision and control of the joint committee on legislative management rather than in state capitol; P.A. 89-82 provided for furnishing of legislative publications at legislative office building; P.A. 90-17 deleted provision requiring bill and resolution reproduction process to be by photo-offset and added provision requiring legislative management committee to provide process for reproduction of copies of calendars, journals and other legislative publications; (Revisor's note: In 1995 the phrase "office of the legislative commissioners" was replaced editorially by the Revisors with "Legislative Commissioners' Office" to conform section with Sec. 2-54); P.A. 11-150 deleted language requiring a contract, purchase or lease for reproduction of copies of each bill and resolution, required printed and electronic reproduction of such copies, limited printing of calendars and journals to regular session days, added references to printed or electronic copies throughout, required clerks to send an electronic copy of bulletin or index to a municipality, rather than a copy by first class mail, and required a limited number of printed copies of engrossed bills to be available from the Legislative Commissioners' Office, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-24. Style of printing bills; endorsements; file number; fiscal note. The words "State of Connecticut" shall be printed at the head of each bill and document printed by order of the General Assembly, or either house thereof, and on its title page or cover, if any. Before printed, electronic or photographic copies of an original bill are made, the bill shall be endorsed with (1) the date of its introduction; (2) its number; (3) the name of the member or committee introducing it; and (4) the name of the committee to which it was referred. Copies of bills or resolutions printed or produced electronically after favorable report by a committee or reprinted or produced electronically after amendment on the third reading, i.e., files, shall bear the file number of such bill or resolution, placed conspicuously at the head of the same, which file number shall be assigned by the Legislative Commissioners' Office in the order printed or produced, the number and title of the bill, the name of the committee to which it was referred, the date and nature of the committee's report, and, in any case where the bill, if passed, would require the expenditure of state or municipal funds or affect state or municipal revenue, a fiscal note, including an estimate of the cost or of the revenue impact shall be appended thereto. When a bill or resolution is accompanied with a report of a committee, other than a recommendation that it ought or ought not to pass, it shall then have an additional endorsement, as follows: "Accompanied by special report, No.-". Bills shall be designated in the calendar of each house by their file numbers, as well as by the titles and numbers of the bills.

      (1949 Rev., S. 21, 22; 1953, S. 9d; 1957, P.A. 1, S. 4; P.A. 74-108, S. 1; P.A. 78-176, S. 1, 4; P.A. 11-150, S. 3.)

      History: P.A. 74-108 required fiscal notes on bills affecting state revenue; P.A. 78-176 further required fiscal notes on bills affecting municipal revenue; P.A. 11-150 added references to electronic production of bills or resolutions, replaced reference to "printer" with "Legislative Commissioners' Office" re assigning of file number and deleted "printed" re calendar of each house, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-26. Printing and electronic availability of bills prior to passage. At each regular or special session of the General Assembly no bill shall be passed or become a law unless it has been printed in its final form, as prescribed by section 2-24, with the exception of germane amendments, and made available in electronic version on the Internet web site of the General Assembly at least two legislative days prior to its final passage, unless the president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives have certified, in writing, the facts which in their opinion necessitate an immediate vote on such bill, in which case it shall nevertheless be upon the desks of the members or available electronically to the members in final form, accompanied by the fiscal note required by section 2-24 when applicable, with the exception of germane amendments, but not necessarily printed, before its final passage.

      (1955, June, 1955, S. 10d; P.A. 74-108, S. 2; P.A. 11-150, S. 4.)

      History: P.A. 74-108 amended section to include fiscal notes where applicable; P.A. 11-150 replaced requirement that bills be upon desks of the members prior to passage with requirement that bills be available electronically on the Internet prior to passage and added provision re bills available electronically to members, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-27. Printing and distribution of file bills. Copies of each bill for an act reported favorably by a committee shall be made available electronically on the Internet web site of the General Assembly and shall be printed in sufficient numbers, as determined by the clerks of the House and Senate, for use by the General Assembly. A greater number of copies of any bill shall be printed upon order of either legislative commissioner. Two copies of each printed bill shall be reserved for the use of the Secretary of the State who shall distribute one copy to the State Library and one to the law library of The University of Connecticut.

      (1949 Rev., S. 32; 1957, P.A. 368; 627; 1959, P.A. 478, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 285; P.A. 93-180; P.A. 11-150, S. 5.)

      History: 1959 act made technical change required by appointment of two legislative commissioners instead of one; 1961 act removed mandatory quantities of file copies to be printed and left the number within the discretion of the clerks and reduced from 20 to 7 the number of copies to be given the secretary; P.A. 93-180 deleted provision requiring that private-nature bills be printed at the expense of the party applying therefor before being finally considered and substituted reference to "Quinnipiac College" for reference to "the University of Bridgeport"; P.A. 11-150 required copies of bills to be available electronically on the Internet, reduced number of copies distributed and deleted requirements that Secretary bind bills in volumes and that copies be distributed to certain libraries, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-30a. Explanatory texts concerning proposed constitutional amendments; preparation, approval, printing, distribution, posting at polls. (a) At such time as a proposed constitutional amendment and its concomitant ballot question are approved by the General Assembly for presentation to the electors of the state for their consideration at a general election, the Office of Legislative Research shall prepare a concise explanatory text as to the content and purpose of the proposed constitutional amendment subject to the approval of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of constitutional amendments. Upon such approval, the Secretary of the State shall cause such proposed amendment and such explanatory text to be printed and transmitted to the town clerk, and to the registrars of voters in each town in the state in sufficient supply for public distribution.

      (b) The Secretary of the State shall print the explanations of proposed constitutional amendments, as required by subsection (a) of this section, on posters of a size to be determined by said Secretary and shall mail at least three such posters for every polling place within a town, to the registrars of voters. Said registrars shall cause at least three such posters to be posted at each polling place at which electors shall be voting on such proposed constitutional amendments. Any posters received by the registrars in excess of the number required by this subsection to be so posted may be displayed by said registrars at their discretion at locations which are frequented by the public. No expenditure of state funds shall be made to influence electors to vote for or against any such proposed constitutional amendment.

      (1967, P.A. 303, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 610, S. 2; P.A. 73-404; P.A. 79-31, S. 8, 17; P.A. 82-314, S. 7, 63; P.A. 83-335, S. 2; P.A. 84-94, S. 1; P.A. 11-173, S. 53.)

      History: 1971 act deleted reference to the committee on constitutional amendments, giving the secretary of the state responsibility for preparing explanation of amendment, subject to approval of committee on government administration and policy; P.A. 73-404 added Subsec. (b) concerning poster-sized copies of the explanations for display at polling places; P.A. 79-31 changed committee name to committee on government administration and elections; P.A. 82-314 transferred responsibility for approval of constitutional amendments from government administration and elections committee to committee having cognizance of constitutional amendments; P.A. 83-335 transferred the responsibility for preparing an explanatory text for proposed constitutional amendments from the office of the secretary of state to the office of legislative research; P.A. 84-94 prohibited expenditure of state funds to influence vote on constitutional amendments; P.A. 11-173 added language re concomitant ballot question and registrars in Subsec. (a) and replaced references to clerks with references to registrars in Subsec. (b), effective July 13, 2011.

      Sec. 2-35. Requirements for appropriation bills and acts. Requirements for revenue estimates. State budget act to specify budgeted reductions by branch of government. (a) All bills carrying or requiring appropriations and favorably reported by any other committee, except for payment of claims against the state, shall, before passage, be referred to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, unless such reference is dispensed with by a vote of at least two-thirds of each house of the General Assembly. Resolutions paying the contingent expenses of the Senate and House of Representatives shall be referred to said committee. Said committee may originate and report any bill which it deems necessary and shall, in each odd-numbered year, report such appropriation bills as it deems necessary for carrying on the departments of the state government and for providing for such institutions or persons as are proper subjects for state aid under the provisions of the statutes, for the ensuing biennium. In each even-numbered year, the committee shall originate and report at least one bill which adjusts expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year in such manner as it deems appropriate. Each appropriation bill shall specify the particular purpose for which appropriation is made and shall be itemized as far as practicable. The state budget act may contain any legislation necessary to implement its appropriations provisions, provided no other general legislation shall be made a part of such act.

      (b) The state budget act passed by the legislature for funding the expenses of operations of the state government in the ensuing biennium shall contain a statement of estimated revenue, based upon the most recent consensus revenue estimate or the revised consensus revenue estimate issued pursuant to section 2-36c, itemized by major source, for each appropriated fund. The statement of estimated revenue applicable to each such fund shall include, for any fiscal year, an estimate of total revenue with respect to such fund, which amount shall be reduced by (1) an estimate of total refunds of taxes to be paid from such revenue in accordance with the authorization in section 12-39f, and (2) an estimate of total refunds of payments to be paid from such revenue in accordance with the provisions of sections 3-70a and 4-37. Such statement of estimated revenue, including the estimated refunds of taxes to be offset against such revenue, shall be supplied by the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to state finance, revenue and bonding. The total estimated revenue for each fund, as adjusted in accordance with this section, shall not be less than the total net appropriations made from each fund plus, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount necessary to extinguish any unreserved negative balance in each fund as reported in the most recently audited comprehensive annual financial report issued by the Comptroller prior to the start of the fiscal year. On or before July first of each fiscal year said committee shall, if any revisions in such estimates are required by virtue of legislative amendments to the revenue measures proposed by said committee, changes in conditions or receipt of new information since the original estimate was supplied, meet and revise such estimates and, through its cochairpersons, report to the Comptroller any such revisions.

      (c) If the state budget act passed by the legislature for funding the expenses of operations of the state government in the ensuing biennium or making adjustments to a previously adopted biennial budget contains state-wide budgeted reductions not allocated by a budgeted agency, such act shall specify the amount of such budgeted reductions to be achieved in each branch of state government.

      (1949 Rev., S. 27; 1955, S. 12d; 1957, P.A. 1, S. 8; 1971, P.A. 1, S. 3; P.A. 74-174; P.A. 79-31, S. 2, 17; P.A. 82-227, S. 2, 3; 82-314, S. 1, 63; 82-470, S. 1, 2; P.A. 84-546, S. 150, 173; P.A. 85-356, S. 2, 9; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3, S. 32, 168; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-14, S. 29, 30; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-17, S. 47, 48, 59; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6, S. 7, 85; P.A. 09-214, S. 4; P.A. 10-179, S. 32; P.A. 11-6, S. 122; 11-48, S. 43.)

      History: 1971 act limited appropriation bill to one year; P.A. 74-174 required that appropriations act for funding state government contain statements of estimated revenue for appropriated funds and that appropriations not exceed estimated revenue; P.A. 79-31 changed formal designation of finance committee; P.A. 82-227 replaced provision that no general legislation shall be made a part of the appropriation bill with provision that such bill may contain any legislation necessary to implement its appropriations provisions; P.A. 82-314 deleted specific reference to appointment of appropriations committee and changed formal committee name; P.A. 82-470 added provision requiring chairpersons of committee having cognizance of finance, revenue and bonding to report to comptroller any revisions in the committee's revenue estimates due to amendments to committee's proposed revenue measures; P.A. 84-546 made technical change, substituting "house" for "branch" in reference to general assembly; P.A. 85-356 added provision requiring that the estimate of total revenue applicable to each fund be reduced by an estimate of total refunds of taxes to be paid from such revenue; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3 amended language to reflect change from annual to biennial budget, required committee to report budget bill in odd-numbered year and to report at least one bill adjusting expenditures in even-numbered year and replaced reference to "appropriations act" with reference to "state budget act"; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-14 changed effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3, S. 32 from August 22, 1991, to July 1, 1992, and first applicable to biennium commencing July 1, 1993; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-17 included changes in conditions or receipt of new information as reasons for a revision and clarified that the committee must meet in order to make such a revision; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6 made a technical change and provided that revenue estimates in the budget act be reduced by an estimate of total refunds of payments to be paid in accordance with Sec. 4-37, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 09-214 divided existing provisions into Subsecs. (a) and (b) and added requirement in Subsec. (b) that estimated revenue be based upon consensus revenue estimate, effective July 20, 2009; P.A. 10-179 added Subsec. (c) re budgeted reductions, effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 11-6 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that revenue estimates in budget be reduced by claims for abandoned property in accordance with Sec. 3-70a, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-48 amended Subsec. (b) by requiring that, for fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount necessary to extinguish unreserved negative balances, plus appropriations, not exceed estimated revenue, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-49. Preparation, printing and distribution of assembly journals. Not later than three months after the adjournment of each General Assembly, the clerk of the Senate and the clerk of the House of Representatives shall prepare a full and accurate alphabetical subject-index to the journals, and shall cause to be printed copies of each of said journals with the index, in sufficient numbers, as determined by the Joint Committee on Legislative Management, in consultation with the clerks of the Senate and the House. One copy of each journal so indexed shall be certified by the clerk of the Senate or the clerk of the House, as the case may be, to be a true record of the proceedings of such house and shall be deposited in the office of the Secretary as the official journal thereof. They shall cause to be transmitted directly to the Secretary and to the State Library copies of each journal, in sufficient numbers, as determined by the Joint Committee on Legislative Management, in consultation with the clerks of the Senate and the House, to each incorporated or associated library in the state, to each county bar library, to each state officer and to each member of the General Assembly requesting the same, one copy and to each town, at the request of the town clerk of such town, one copy, and the remainder shall be deposited with the Secretary, who, upon receiving the certified copies as above provided, shall certify to the Comptroller that said journals have been indexed and distributed in accordance with this section; and the Comptroller shall thereupon draw an order on the Treasurer in favor of the persons whose duty it is to index and distribute the same, for the sum of three hundred dollars each for their services and expenses.

      (1949 Rev., S. 48; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 2; P.A. 76-306, S. 1, 2; P.A. 11-150, S. 6.)

      History: P.A. 76-306 changed number of copies to be printed and to be distributed to state library and provided that journals be provided to towns at request of town clerk; P.A. 11-150 made technical changes, deleted requirements for a specific number of copies to be printed or distributed, required Joint Committee on Legislative Management, in consultation with clerks, to determine number of copies made and distributed to the State Library and provided that copies be distributed upon request, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-53g. Duties. Confidentiality of information. (a) The Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee shall: (1) Direct its staff and other legislative staff available to the committee to conduct program reviews and investigations to assist the General Assembly in the proper discharge of its duties; (2) produce its reports electronically and post such reports on the Internet web site of the committee; (3) review staff reports submitted to the committee and, when necessary, confer with representatives of the state departments and agencies reviewed in order to obtain full and complete information in regard to programs, other activities and operations of the state, and may request and shall be given access to and copies of, by all public officers, departments, agencies and authorities of the state and its political subdivisions, such public records, data and other information and given such assistance as the committee determines it needs to fulfill its duties. Any statutory requirements of confidentiality regarding such records, data and other information, including penalties for violating such requirements, shall apply to the committee, its staff and its other authorized representatives in the same manner and to the same extent as such requirements and penalties apply to any public officer, department, agency or authority of the state or its political subdivisions. The committee shall act on staff reports and recommend in its report, or propose, in the form of a raised committee bill, such legislation as may be necessary to modify current operations and agency practices; (4) consider and act on requests by legislators, legislative committees, elected officials of state government and state department and agency heads for program reviews. The request shall be submitted in writing to the Program Review and Investigations Committee and shall state reasons to support the request. The decision of the committee to grant or deny such a request shall be final; (5) conduct investigations requested by joint resolution of the General Assembly, or, when the General Assembly is not in session, (A) requested by a joint standing committee of the General Assembly or initiated by a majority vote of the Program Review and Investigations Committee and approved by the Joint Committee on Legislative Management, or (B) requested by the Joint Standing Committee on Legislative Management. In the event two or more investigations are requested, the order of priority shall be determined by the Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee; (6) retain, within available appropriations, the services of consultants, technical assistants, research and other personnel necessary to assist in the conduct of program reviews and investigations; (7) originate, and report to the General Assembly, any bill it deems necessary concerning a program, department or other matter under review or investigation by the committee, in the same manner as is prescribed by rule for joint standing committees of the General Assembly; and (8) review audit reports after issuance by the Auditors of Public Accounts, evaluate and sponsor new or revised legislation based on audit findings, provide means to determine compliance with audit recommendations and receive facts concerning any unauthorized, illegal, irregular or unsafe handling or expenditures of state funds under the provisions of section 2-90.

      (b) The identity of a public employee providing information to the committee shall not be disclosed. In the course of an investigation, all information, records of interviews, reports, statements, notes, memoranda or other data in the custody of or obtained or prepared by the Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee or its staff shall not be subject to the provisions of section 1-210 until the investigation is completed.

      (1972, P.A. 90, S. 4; P.A. 75-388, S. 4; P.A. 82-472, S. 2, 183; P.A. 85-559, S. 7; P.A. 93-250, S. 1, 5; P.A. 11-150, S. 7.)

      History: P.A. 75-388 included "and investigations" in committee name and added conducting investigations to committee's duties accordingly; P.A. 82-472 corrected a reference to program review and investigations committee; P.A. 85-559 designated prior provisions as Subsec. (a), authorized committee to propose, in the form of a raised committee bill, agency modifications, added Subdivs. (7) and (8) regarding programs, departments or other matters under investigation and audits and added Subsec. (b) concerning confidentiality of information; P.A. 93-250 amended Subsec. (a)(3) to provide that committee be given access to and copies of public records and other information and given such assistance as it determines it needs to fulfill its duties, and also provided that the committee, its staff and its other authorized agents are subject to any statutory requirements of confidentiality re records, data and other information, including penalties for violating such requirements in the same manner and to the same extent as any public officer, department, agency or authority of the state or its political subdivisions, effective June 23, 1993; P.A. 11-150 amended Subsec. (a)(2) to replace requirement for establishing procedures re printing and distribution of reports with requirement for committee to produce electronic reports and to post them on the Internet, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-53h. Corrective action by agency officials. Report to General Assembly. (a) In any instance in which a program review cites inadequate operating or administrative system controls or procedures, inaccuracies, waste, extravagance, unauthorized or unintended activities or programs, or other deficiencies, the head of the state department or agency or the appropriate program officer or official to which the report pertained shall take the necessary corrective actions and when the committee deems the action taken to be not suitable, the committee shall report the matter to the General Assembly together with its recommendations.

      (b) The committee shall report electronically the results of each investigation together with its recommendations for any further action to the General Assembly.

      (1972, P.A. 90, S. 5; P.A. 75-388, S. 5; P.A. 11-150, S. 8.)

      History: P.A. 75-388 added Subsec. (b) requiring report to general assembly; P.A. 11-150 amended Subsec. (b) to require report to be electronic, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-53j. Reports. The Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee shall report electronically annually to the General Assembly on or before February fifteenth and may, from time to time, make additional electronic reports.

      (1972, P.A. 90, S. 7; P.A. 75-388, S. 7; P.A. 11-150, S. 9.)

      History: P.A. 75-388 added "and investigations" to committee name; P.A. 11-150 required reports to be electronic, effective July 1, 2011.

      Sec. 2-53m. Annual report card on policies and programs affecting children. (a) The select committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children, in consultation with the Office of Fiscal Analysis, the Office of Legislative Research and the Commission on Children, shall maintain an annual report card that evaluates the progress of state policies and programs in promoting the result that all Connecticut children grow up in a stable living environment, safe, healthy and ready to lead successful lives. Progress shall be measured by primary indicators of progress, including, but not limited to, indicators established in the final report of the Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee prepared pursuant to the provisions of section 1 of public act 09-166*, of state-wide rates of child abuse, child poverty, low birth weight, third grade reading proficiency, and the annual social health index developed pursuant to section 46a-131a. For each indicator, the data shall also be presented according to ethnicity or race, gender, geography and, where appropriate, age and other relevant characteristics. Said committee shall prepare the report card on or before January 15, 2012, and annually thereafter. On or before January 15, 2012, and annually thereafter, said committee shall make the report card available to the public on the Internet and on the web site of the General Assembly and shall transmit the report card electronically to (1) members of the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies and human services, (2) the Commissioners of Children and Families, Education and Public Health, (3) the Child Advocate, (4) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, and (5) the Chief Court Administrator.

      (b) On or before January 15, 2012, the select committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children, in consultation with a working group of representatives of state agencies and departments, community organizations, private provider agencies operating programs that impact the well-being of children and families, parents and other caretakers of children, child advocacy organizations, health care professionals that serve children and families, schools, and child care providers, shall identify or develop (1) an indicator for measuring whether children are living with their families and have stability in their living environments, (2) secondary indicators for measuring progress within each area of children's well-being related to measuring progress in their health, safety, stability, education and future success, including, but not limited to, food security, and (3) key measures of performance of the state child welfare system, including, but not limited to, (A) rates of repeat maltreatment among victims of child abuse and neglect; (B) placement in out-of-home care among children at risk of abuse and neglect; (C) child fatalities involving child abuse or neglect; (D) rates of reunification and permanency for children removed from their homes; and (E) the developmental and health status and educational progress of children served by the child welfare system and other appropriate measures of well-being and preparation for success in life. Not less than annually, said committee shall: (i) With the assistance of the working group, review the adequacy of primary and secondary indicators, system-level performance measures, and related data resources for such indicators and measures, and determine whether there are more appropriate alternatives to monitoring progress in achieving the result that all Connecticut children grow up in a stable living environment, safe, healthy and ready to lead successful lives, and (ii) in consultation with the results-based accountability subcommittee of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, identify programs within the child welfare system that make a significant contribution to achieving such result and require the entities administering such programs to prepare annual report cards employing the results-based format developed by said subcommittee.

      (P.A. 11-109, S. 1.)

      *Note: Section 1 of public act 09-166 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force and effect according to its terms.

      History: P.A. 11-109 effective July 1, 2011.