Connecticut SB 451: AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN ADVISORY COUNCIL ON CHIMERIC ANTIGEN RECEPTOR T-CELL THERAPY AND OTHER GENE THERAPIES.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 451
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 2735

Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH

Introduced by:
(PH)

AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN ADVISORY COUNCIL ON CHIMERIC
ANTIGEN RECEPTOR T-CELL THERAPY AND OTHER GENE
THERAPIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) There is established an 1
advisory council on chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and other 2
gene therapies. The council shall advise and make recommendations to 3
the Department of Public Health and other state agencies, as 4
appropriate, regarding (1) the availability of chimeric antigen receptor 5
T-cell therapy and other gene therapies in the state for the treatment of 6
cancer, (2) safe, equitable and financially sustainable delivery of such 7
therapies, (3) advanced training for clinical providers of such therapies, 8
(4) long-term follow-up and vector safety for patients receiving such 9
therapies, (5) the development of referral and management protocols for 10
such therapies, (6) education for clinicians, patients and patients' 11
relatives and caregivers regarding such therapies and such protocols, (7) 12
advising patients and their relatives and caregivers regarding the cost 13
and availability of insurance coverage for such therapies, (8) 14
opportunities for coordinating with research collaborations, 15

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government agencies, including, but not limited to, the Centers for 16
Medicare and Medicaid Services, accrediting bodies and national 17
registries regarding such therapies, (9) the development of centers of 18
excellence in the state for the delivery of such therapies, including, but 19
not limited to, requiring accreditation of such centers, (10) the 20
development of a state-wide referral network to ensure all eligible 21
patients are matched with a center of excellence in the state, (11) the 22
development of safety protocols to address complications experienced 23
by patients receiving such therapies and other safety concerns, (12) 24
methods of providing psychosocial support to patients receiving such 25
therapies and their relatives and caregivers, and (13) methods of 26
tracking patient outcomes with a focus on equity as it relates to 27
diagnosis, race, ethnicity, geography and income. 28
(b) The council may perform the following functions: 29
(1) Consult with experts on chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy 30
and other gene therapies for the treatment of cancer to develop policy 31
recommendations for improving patient access to such therapies in the 32
state; 33
(2) Hold public hearings and otherwise make inquiries of and solicit 34
comments from the general public to assist with a study or survey of 35
persons living with cancer who have received such therapies, such 36
persons' caregivers and health care providers and patient advocates; 37
and 38
(3) Research and make recommendations to the Department of Public 39
Health and other state agencies. 40
(c) The council shall consist of the following members: 41
(1) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's 42
designee; 43
(2) The Insurance Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, 44
who may be the representative of a health carrier; 45

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(3) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 46
designee; 47
(4) The health information technology officer, designated in 48
accordance with section 19a-754a of the general statutes, or the officer's 49
designee; 50
(5) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing 51
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 52
relating to public health, or their designees; 53
(6) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing 54
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 55
relating to human services, or their designees; 56
(7) Four appointed by the Senate chairperson of the joint standing 57
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 58
relating to public health, one of whom shall be a hematologist or 59
oncologist providing services to adults, one of whom shall be a specialist 60
in emerging cellular and genetic therapy, one of whom shall be an 61
expert in pharmacology and one of whom shall be an advocate for 62
patients with a condition that is treated by gene therapy; 63
(8) Four appointed by the House chairperson of the joint standing 64
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 65
relating to public health, one of whom shall be a patient who has 66
received chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, one of whom shall be 67
a representative of an association of hospitals in the state, one of whom 68
shall be a pediatric hematologist or oncologist and one of whom shall be 69
a community health equity advocate; 70
(9) Four appointed by the Senate ranking member of the joint 71
standing committee of t