Connecticut SB 156: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE VOLUNTARY SURRENDER OF INFANTS.

Bill Text

Senate Bill No. 156 
 
Special Act No. 26-5 
 
 
AN   ACT   ESTABLISHING   A   TASK   FORCE   TO   STUDY   THE 
VOLUNTARY SURRENDER OF INFANTS. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force 
to  study  the  voluntary  surrender  of  infants  in  the  state  pursuant  to 
section 17a-58 of the general statutes. Such study shall include, but need 
not be limited to, an analysis of the (1) provisions of sections 17a-57 to 
17a-60, inclusive, of the general statutes and section 17a-61 of the general 
statutes, (2) policies and procedures of the Department of Children and 
Families  concerning  voluntarily  surrendered  infants,  and  (3)  policies 
and procedures of hospitals operating emergency rooms concerning the 
voluntary surrender of infants, with an emphasis on the ways in which 
such  provisions,  policies  and  procedures  may  create  or  perpetuate 
racial,  ethnic,  health,  economic  and  socioeconomic  disparities among 
parents who engage in such voluntary surrender. 
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 
(1)  One  appointed  by  the  speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives, 
who shall have expertise in public health policy; 
(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, who 
shall have expertise in child welfare policy; 

Senate Bill No. 156 
 
Special Act No. 26-5 2 of 3 
 
(3)   One   appointed   by   the   majority   leader   of   the   House   of 
Representatives,  who  shall  have  expertise  in  the  application  of  social 
equity principles to public policy; 
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be 
a  hospital  employee  designated  to  take  physical  custody  of  an  infant 
pursuant to section 17a-57 of the general statutes; 
(5)   One   appointed   by   the   minority   leader   of   the   House   of 
Representatives, who shall be a parent or lawful agent of a parent who 
voluntarily surrendered an infant; 
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be 
an  attorney  with  experience  representing  parents  in  termination  of 
parental rights cases following the voluntary surrender of such parents' 
infants; 
(7)    The    Commissioner    of    Children    and    Families,    or    the 
commissioner's designee; 
(8)  The  Commissioner  of  Public  Health,  or  the  commissioner's 
designee;  
(9)   The   Chief   Public   Defender,   or  the   Chief   Public   Defender's 
designee; and 
(10) A  representative  of  a  state-wide  association  of  hospitals,  who 
shall be appointed by the chairpersons of the task force. 
(c)  Any  member  of  the  task  force  appointed  under  subdivision  (1), 
(2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member 
of the General Assembly. 
(d) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later 
than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall 
be filled by the appointing authority. 

Senate Bill No. 156 
 
Special Act No. 26-5 3 of 3 
 
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 
tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from 
among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule 
the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty 
days after the effective date of this section. 
(f)  The  administrative  staff  of  the  joint  standing  committee  of  the 
General  Assembly  having  cognizance  of  matters  relating  to  children 
shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. 
(g) Not later than May 1, 2027, the task force shall submit a report on 
its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the 
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children, in 
accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 
The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or 
May 1, 2027, whichever is later. 
 
 
 
Governor's Action: 
Approved May 14, 2026