Connecticut HB 5485: AN ACT CONCERNING SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING STUDY.

Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5485 
 
Special Act No. 26-12 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING STUDY. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section: 
(1)  "Adult"  means  a  natural  person  who  is  eighteen  years  of  age  or 
older; 
(2) "Decision-maker" means an adult who seeks to enter into, or has 
entered into, a supported decision-making agreement with one or more 
supporters pursuant to this section; 
(3)  "Supported  decision-making"  means  a  process  utilized  by  a 
decision-maker to retain decision-making authority through assistance 
from one or more supporters of the decision-maker's choosing to help 
the   decision-maker   understand   the   nature   and   consequences   of 
potential   personal   and   financial   decisions   and   communicate   such 
decisions; 
(4)  "Supported  decision-making  agreement"  means  an  agreement 
entered into by a decision-maker and one or more supporters that (A) is 
in  writing,  (B)  is  dated,  (C)  is  entered  into  by  the  decision-maker 
voluntarily without undue influence or coercion and understanding the 
nature and effect of the agreement, (D) is signed by the decision-maker, 

Substitute House Bill No. 5485 
 
Special Act No. 26-12 2 of 3 
 
one  or  more  supporters  and  two  identified  adult  witnesses,  and  (E) 
describes the types of decisions that a supporter may help the decision-
maker to make; and 
(5)  "Supporter"  means  a  person  who  is  named  in  a  supported 
decision-making  agreement  to  provide  specified  person-centered  and 
direct assistance to a decision-maker to gather and access information, 
make informed decisions and communicate decisions. 
(b)   The   House   and   Senate   chairpersons   of   the   joint   standing 
committee  of  the  General  Assembly  having  cognizance  of  matters 
relating to human services shall appoint a working group to study and 
make    recommendations    concerning    supported    decision-making, 
including,   but   not   limited   to:   (1)   Documentation   necessary   for   a 
decision-maker  to  conduct  financial  transactions  with  the  help  of  a 
supporter;  (2)  how  a  supporter  could  best  assist  in  conjunction  with 
other    legally    recognized    decision-making    authorities    who    are 
commonly present in long-term care and other health-care settings; (3) 
how   to   protect   health   information   under   the   Health   Insurance 
Portability  and  Accountability  Act  of  1996,  P.L.  104-191,  educational 
records under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 
20  USC  1232g,  and  information  protected  by  42  USCA  290dd-2  or  42 
CFR Part 2, as such federal laws or regulations are amended from time 
to  time;  (4)  methods  to  protect  a  decision-maker  against  a  supporter's 
financial  or  ethical  conflicts  of  interest;  and  (5)  how  a  supported 
decision-making   agreement   can   be   used   as   an   alternative   to   a 
conservatorship or guardianship. 
(c)    The    working    group    shall    be    comprised    of    state-based 
organizations  and  individuals,  including,  but  not  limited  to:  (1)  Two 
representatives  each  from  organizations  representing  the  interests  of 
financial institutions and hospitals; (2) one representing nursing homes; 
(3)   one   designee   of   the   Probate   Court   Administrator;   (4)   one 
representing  physicians  in  private  practice;  and  (5)  six  representing 

Substitute House Bill No. 5485 
 
Special Act No. 26-12 3 of 3 
 
persons  who  may  benefit  from  the  use  of  supported  decision-making 
agreements in making financial, health or other decisions, all of whom 
shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. The House and 
Senate chairpersons of said committee shall appoint a chairperson of the 
working group from among its members and schedule the first meeting 
not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. 
(d) The working group shall file a report with its recommendations, 
in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, 
not later than December 31, 2026, with the joint standing committees of 
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human 
services,  government  oversight,  banking,  the  judiciary  and  public 
health. 
 
 
 
Governor's Action: 
Approved June 2, 2026