Connecticut SB 195: AN ACT REQUIRING THAT HEALTH CARRIERS COLLECT OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES FOR COVERED BENEFITS.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 195
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 545

Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH

Introduced by:
(PH)

AN ACT CONCERNING THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTAL
OVERDOSE DEATHS AND IMPROVING ACCESS TO TREATMENT
AND RECOVERY SERVICES FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
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
(1) "Overdose prevention center" means a community-based facility 2
where a person with a substance use disorder may (A) (i) receive 3
substance use disorder and other mental health counseling, (ii) use a test 4
strip or any other drug testing technology to test a substance prior to 5
consuming the substance, (iii) receive educational information 6
regarding opioid antagonists, as defined in section 17a-714a of the 7
general statutes, and the risks of contracting diseases from sharing 8
hypodermic needles and syringes and other drug paraphernalia, (iv) 9
receive referrals to substance use disorder treatment services, and (v) 10
receive access to basic support services, including, but not limited to, 11
laundry machines, a bathroom, a shower and a place to rest, and (B) in 12
a separate location within the facility, safely consume controlled 13
substances under the observation of licensed health care providers who 14

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are present to provide necessary medical treatment in the event of an 15
overdose of a controlled substance; and 16
(2) "Test strip" means a product that a person may use to test any 17
substance, prior to injection, inhalation or ingestion of the substance, for 18
traces of any component recognized by the Commissioner of Mental 19
Health and Addiction Services as having a high risk of causing an 20
overdose to help prevent an accidental overdose by injection, inhalation 21
or ingestion of such component. 22
(b) The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in 23
consultation with the Department of Public Health, may establish a pilot 24
program to prevent drug overdoses through the establishment of 25
overdose prevention centers in four municipalities in the state selected 26
by the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, subject 27
to the approval of the governing body of each municipality selected by 28
said commissioner. 29
(c) Each overdose prevention center established pursuant to 30
subsection (b) of this section shall (1) employ persons, who may include, 31
but need not be limited to, licensed health care providers, with 32
experience treating persons with a substance use disorder, in a number 33
determined sufficient by the Commissioner of Mental Health and 34
Addiction Services, to provide substance use disorder or other mental 35
health counseling and monitor persons utilizing the overdose 36
prevention center for the purpose of providing medical treatment to any 37
person who experiences symptoms of an overdose, (2) provide persons 38
with test strips or any other drug testing technology at the request of 39
such persons, and (3) provide (A) referrals for substance use disorder, 40
or (B) other mental health counseling or other mental health or medical 41
treatment services that may be appropriate for persons utilizing the 42
overdose prevention center. A licensed health care provider who is 43
participating in the pilot program may administer an opioid antagonist 44
to any person to treat or prevent an opioid-related drug overdose. Such 45
licensed health care provider who administers an opioid antagonist in 46
accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall not be liable for 47

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damages in a civil action or subject to criminal prosecution for 48
administration of such opioid antagonist and shall not be deemed to 49
have violated the standard of care for such licensed health care provider. 50
A licensed health care provider's participation in the pilot program shall 51
not be grounds for disciplinary action by the Department of Public 52
Health pursuant to section 19a-17 of the general statutes or by any board 53
or commission listed in subsection (b) of section 19a-14 of the general 54
statutes. 55
(d) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services may 56
establish an advisory committee to provide recommendations to the 57
Departments of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Public 58
Health concerning the overdose prevention pilot program in accordance 59
with subsection (e) of this section. If the commissioner establishes the 60
advisory committee, the commissioner shall serve as chairperson of the 61
advisory committee and the advisory committee shall consist of the 62
following additional members: (1) The Attorney General, or the 63
Attorney General's designee; (2) a representative of a medical society in 64
the state; (3) a representative of an association of hospitals in the state; 65
(4) a representative of the Co