Connecticut HB 5379: AN ACT REQUIRING MEDICAL EMERGENCY DRILLS AT CERTAIN CHILD CARE FACILITIES AND YOUTH CAMPS.

Bill Text

LCO 1 of 7

General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5379
February Session, 2026

AN ACT REQUIRING MEDICAL EMERGENCY DRILLS AT CERTAIN
CHILD CARE FACILITIES AND YOUTH CAMPS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 19a-79 of the 2026 supplement to 1
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 3
(a) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall adopt regulations, in 4
accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the purposes 5
of sections 19a-77 to 19a-80, inclusive, and 19a-82 to 19a-87, inclusive, 6
and to assure that child care centers and group child care homes meet 7
the health, educational and social needs of children utilizing such child 8
care centers and group child care homes. Such regulations shall (1) 9
specify that before being permitted to attend any child care center or 10
group child care home, each child shall be protected as age-appropriate 11
by adequate immunization against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, 12
poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, haemophilus influenzae type B 13
and any other vaccine required by the schedule of active immunization 14
adopted pursuant to section 19a-7f, (2) specify conditions under which 15
child care center directors and teachers and group child care home 16
providers may administer tests to monitor glucose levels in a child with 17
diagnosed diabetes mellitus, and administer medicinal preparations, 18
including controlled drugs specified in the regulations by the 19

Substitute Bill No. 5379

LCO 2 of 7

commissioner, to a child receiving child care services at such child care 20
center or group child care home pursuant to the written order of a 21
physician licensed to practice medicine or a dentist licensed to practice 22
dental medicine in this or another state, or an advanced practice 23
registered nurse licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 20-94a, 24
or a physician assistant licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 25
20-12d, and the written authorization of a parent or guardian of such 26
child, (3) specify that an operator of a child care center or group child 27
care home, licensed before January 1, 1986, or an operator who receives 28
a license after January 1, 1986, for a facility licensed prior to January 1, 29
1986, shall provide a minimum of thirty square feet per child of total 30
indoor usable space, free of furniture except that needed for the 31
children's purposes, exclusive of toilet rooms, bathrooms, coatrooms, 32
kitchens, halls, isolation room or other rooms used for purposes other 33
than the activities of the children, (4) specify that a child care center or 34
group child care home licensed after January 1, 1986, shall provide 35
thirty-five square feet per child of total indoor usable space, (5) establish 36
appropriate child care center staffing requirements for employees 37
certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the American Red Cross, 38
the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, American 39
Safety and Health Institute, Medic First Aid International, Inc. or an 40
organization using guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 41
emergency cardiovascular care published by the American Heart 42
Association and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, (6) 43
specify that a child care center or group child care home (A) shall not 44
deny services to a child on the basis of a child's known or suspected 45
allergy or because a child has a prescription for an automatic prefilled 46
cartridge injector or similar automatic injectable equipment, nasal spray 47
or any other medical equipment approved by the United States Food 48
and Drug Administration that is used to treat an allergic reaction, or for 49
injectable equipment, nasal spray or any other medical equipment 50
approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration that is 51
used to administer glucagon, (B) shall, not later than three weeks after 52
such child's enrollment in such a center or home, have staff trained in 53
the use of such equipment on-site during all hours when such a child is 54

Substitute Bill No. 5379

LCO 3 of 7

on-site, (C) shall require such child's parent or guardian to provide the 55
equipment and a copy of the prescription for such medication upon 56
enrollment of such child, and (D) shall require a parent or guardian 57
enrolling such a child to replace such medication and equipment prior 58
to its expiration date, (7) specify that a child care center or group child 59
care home (A) shall not deny services to a child on the basis of a child's 60
diagnosis of asthma or because a child has a prescription for an inhalant 61
medication to treat asthma, and (B) shall, not later than three weeks after 62
such child's enrollment in such a center or home, have staff trained in 63
the administration of such medication on-site during all