Table of Contents Sec. 17b-730. (Formerly Sec. 17-575). Child day care and economic opportunity acts. (a) The Commissioner of Social Services is authorized to take advantage of
any federal statutes and regulations relating to child day care and shall have the power
to administer any federally-assisted child day care program in the event that said federal
statutes or regulations require that said federally-assisted program be administered by
a single state agency. Sec. 17b-731. Reserved for future use. Sec. 17b-732. (Formerly Sec. 17-579). Papers for commitment of minors; uniform forms. Notice to Commissioner of Social Services or his designee. Uniform
forms of commitment papers or mittimus shall be used by all authorities throughout the
state in the commitment by them of minors to the Commissioner of Social Services, the
Commissioner of Children and Families or humane or reformatory institutions. Such
forms shall be prepared by the Attorney General, printed at the expense of the state and
furnished by the Commissioner of Social Services or his designee. In such forms there
shall be stated the following particulars in regard to the minor committed thereby: Name,
age or date of birth as exactly as can be determined, and the town or city and state in
which born; name, nationality and religious preference of the parents so far as known.
The age thus ascertained shall be taken as the true age of such minor with reference to
the term of commitment. The authority committing any minor to the Commissioner of
Social Services, the Commissioner of Children and Families or The Southbury Training
School shall forthwith send a notice of such commitment to the Commissioner of Social
Services or his designee in a form approved by him. The provisions of this section shall
not apply to commitment papers made pursuant to sections 18-65a or 18-73, which shall
be prepared by the Judicial Department. Sec. 17b-733. (Formerly Sec. 17-585(a)). Department designated lead agency
for child day care services. The Department of Social Services shall be the lead agency
for child day care services in Connecticut. The department shall: (1) Identify, annually,
existing child day care services and maintain an inventory of all available services; (2)
provide technical assistance to corporations and private agencies in the development
and expansion of child day care services for families at all income levels, including
families of their employees and clients; (3) study and identify funding sources available
for child day care including federal funds and tax benefits; (4) study the cost and availability of liability insurance for child day care providers; (5) provide, in conjunction
with the Departments of Education and Higher Education, ongoing training for child
day care providers including preparing videotaped workshops and distributing them to
cable stations for broadcast on public access stations, and seek private donations to fund
such training; (6) encourage child day care services to obtain accreditation; (7) develop
a range of financing options for child care services, including the use of a tax-exempt
bond program, a loan guarantee program and establishing a direct revolving loan program; (8) promote the colocation of child day care and school readiness programs pursuant to section 4b-31; (9) establish a performance-based evaluation system; (10) develop
for recommendation to the Governor and the General Assembly measures to provide
incentives for the private sector to develop and support expanded child day care services;
(11) provide, within available funds and in conjunction with the temporary family assistance program as defined in section 17b-680, child day care to public assistance recipients; (12) develop and implement, with the assistance of the Child Day Care Council and
the Departments of Public Health, Social Services, Education, Children and Families,
Economic and Community Development and Consumer Protection, a state-wide coordinated child day care training system for providers and staff in child day care centers,
group day care homes and family day care homes; (13) plan and implement a unit cost
reimbursement system for state-funded child day care services; and (14) report annually
to the Governor and the General Assembly on the status of child day care in Connecticut.
Such report shall include (A) an itemization of the allocation of state and federal funds
for child care programs; (B) the number of children served under each program so
funded; (C) the number and type of such programs, providers and support personnel;
(D) state activities to encourage partnership between the public and private sectors; (E)
average payments issued by the state for both part-time and full-time child care; (F)
range of family income and percentages served within each range by such programs;
and (G) age range of children served. Sec. 17b-734. (Formerly Sec. 17-592). Grants to municipalities and state agencies for child care facilities. The Commissioner of Social Services shall establish and
administer a program of grants to municipalities and state agencies for the purpose of
planning, site preparation, construction, renovation or acquisition of facilities for use
as child care facilities to be used primarily by the children of employees of such municipalities or state agencies and other potential participants. If openings occur for other
potential participants in such a child care facility, priority for such openings shall be
given to families at or below seventy-five per cent of the state's median income. Sec. 17b-735. (Formerly Sec. 17-593). Bonds for grants for child care facilities.
(a) For the purposes described in section 17b-734 and for the payment of any administrative expenses of the Department of Social Services related thereto the State Bond Commission shall have the power, from time to time, to authorize the issuance of bonds of
the state in one or more series and principal amounts not exceeding in the aggregate
seven million seven hundred seventy-five thousand dollars, provided one million dollars
of said authorization shall be effective July 1, 2000. Sec. 17b-736. (Formerly Sec. 17-594). Regulations. The Commissioner of Social
Services shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 to carry out the purposes
of sections 17b-734 and 17b-735. Sec. 17b-737. (Formerly Sec. 17-595). Grants program to encourage the use
of school facilities for child day care services. Regulations. The Commissioner of
Social Services shall establish a program, within available appropriations, to provide
grants to municipalities, boards of education and child care providers to encourage the
use of school facilities for the provision of child day care services before and after school.
In order to qualify for a grant, a municipality, board of education or child care provider
shall guarantee the availability of a school site which meets the standards set by the
Department of Public Health in regulations adopted under sections 19a-77, 19a-79,
19a-80 and 19a-82 to 19a-87a, inclusive, and shall agree to provide liability insurance
coverage for the program. Grant funds shall be used by the municipality, board of education or child care provider for the maintenance and utility costs directly attributable to
the use of the school facility for the day care program, for related transportation costs
and for the portion of the municipality, board of education or child care provider liability
insurance cost and other operational costs directly attributable to the day care program.
The municipality or board of education may contract with a child day care provider for
the program. The Commissioner of Social Services may adopt regulations, in accordance
with the provisions of chapter 54, for purposes of this section. The commissioner may
utilize available child care subsidies to implement the provisions of this section and
encourage association and cooperation with the Head Start program established pursuant
to section 10-16n. Sec. 17b-738. (Formerly Sec. 17-596). Loans to business firms for licensed
child care centers, family day care homes or group day care homes. The Commissioner of Social Services shall establish and administer a program of loans to business
firms, as defined in subsection (a) of section 12-631, for the purpose of planning, site
preparation, construction, renovation or acquisition of facilities, within the state, for use
as licensed child day care centers, family day care homes or group day care homes to
be used primarily by the children of employees of such corporations and children of
employees of the municipalities in which such facilities are located. Such loans shall
be made in accordance with the terms and conditions as provided in regulations adopted
by the Commissioner of Social Services, in accordance with chapter 54, shall be made
for a period not to exceed five years and shall bear interest at a rate to be determined in
accordance with subsection (t) of section 3-20. Sec. 17b-739. (Formerly Sec. 17-597). Child care facilities in state buildings.
Whenever the state (1) constructs, acquires or receives as a gift any office building
which accommodates three hundred or more state employees or (2) alters, repairs or
makes additions to an existing state building which accommodates three hundred or
more employees and such alterations, repairs or additions affect at least twenty-five per
cent of the square footage of such building, the Department of Public Works shall notify
the Department of Social Services. The Department of Social Services, with the assistance of the Department of Administrative Services, shall determine the need for child
care services for the employees in such building and other potential participants. If a
demonstrated need for child care exists for thirty or more children of such employees
and other potential participants and such care is unavailable, the Department of Public
Works shall set aside adequate space for child care facilities in such building. If openings
occur for other potential participants in such a child care facility, priority for such openings shall be given to families at or below seventy-five per cent of the state's median
income. Such facilities shall meet all state licensure requirements. The provisions of
this section shall not apply to correctional institutions. Secs. 17b-740 to 17b-742. (Formerly Secs. 17-613 to 17-615). Day care tax
credits: Definition, application; amount; approval, regulations, report. Sections
17b-740 to 17b-742, inclusive, are repealed, effective July 8, 1997, and applicable to
income years commencing on or after January 1, 1998. Sec. 17b-743. (Formerly Sec. 17-323a). Support order may direct payment to
Commissioner of Administrative Services or local welfare department. Any court
or any family support magistrate having jurisdiction to make an order for support of
any person by a legally liable relative or putative father shall have authority to direct
payment in accordance with such order to the Commissioner of Administrative Services
or to the welfare department of any political subdivision of the state for such period as
such person shall receive welfare assistance from the state or such subdivision; and such
court or family support magistrate, upon its findings of any arrearage due under any
support order, shall have authority to determine that portion of such arrearage the failure
to pay which resulted in grants of welfare assistance, and to order payment of such
portion to the Commissioner of Administrative Services or the local welfare department
which granted such assistance in reimbursement therefor, as the case may be. The provisions of this section shall apply to orders made under the provisions of sections 46b-60
and 46b-81 to 46b-87, inclusive, and 53-304. Sec. 17b-744. (Formerly Sec. 17-323b). Discontinuance of payments of support to commissioner pursuant to certain court orders. Any order payable to the
Commissioner of Administrative Services for support of any beneficiary of public assistance shall, on filing by the state Commissioner of Social Services with the court making
such order, or with the assistant clerk of the Family Support Magistrate Division where
such order was entered, of a notice of discontinuance of such assistance and on notice
to the payor by registered or certified mail, a copy of which notice shall be sent to
the Commissioner of Administrative Services, be payable directly to such beneficiary,
beginning with the effective date of discontinuance, except that the Commissioner of
Social Services may elect to continue to collect such support payments on behalf of the
beneficiaries of the temporary family assistance program for three months after the date
of discontinuance as provided in federal law and regulations. Sec. 17b-745. (Formerly Sec. 17-324). Court order for support of persons supported by state. Income withholding orders. Enforcement and modification of support orders. (a)(1) The Superior Court or a family support magistrate shall have authority to make and enforce orders for payment of support to the Commissioner of
Administrative Services or in IV-D cases, to the state acting by and through the IV-D
agency, directed to the husband or wife and, if the patient or person is under twenty-
one or, on and after October 1, 1972, under eighteen, any parent of any patient or person
being supported by the state, wholly or in part, in a state humane institution, or under
any welfare program administered by the state Department of Social Services, as said
court finds, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of section 17b-179, or
section 17a-90, 17b-81, 17b-223, 46b-129 or 46b-130, to be reasonably commensurate
with the financial ability of any such relative. Any court or family support magistrate
called upon to make or enforce such an order, including one based upon a determination
consented to by the relative, shall insure that such order is reasonable in light of the
relative's ability to pay. Sec. 17b-746. (Formerly Sec. 17-325). Appeals from support orders. Any party
to an action brought under the provisions of section 17b-745 shall have the right of appeal
as in civil actions, except that appeals from a decision of a family support magistrate shall
be taken pursuant to subsection (n) of section 46b-231. Any order for support made by
the court shall not be affected by an appeal but shall continue in effect until the appeal
is decided and thereafter, if the appeal is denied, until changed by further order of the
court. Sec. 17b-747. (Formerly Sec. 17-319). Apportionment of support cost. Any
court which commits a child to an institution or custodial agency shall determine the
pecuniary ability of either or both parents to contribute to the support of such child and
shall order such parent or parents to pay such sum for such support as is consistent with
such pecuniary ability. If such commitment is to an institution or custodial agency not
supported in whole or in part by the state, such order shall direct such parent or parents
to pay to such institution the amount specified in such order, provided such amount shall
not exceed the actual cost of the support of such child. Such institution or custodial
agency may enforce such order by civil suit or by instituting contempt proceedings in
the court issuing such order. If such commitment is to an institution or custodial agency
supported in whole or in part by the state, such order shall direct such parent or parents
to pay to the state an amount not exceeding the cost to the state of the support of such
child in such institution and the Attorney General shall enforce such order by civil suit
or by contempt proceedings. If such commitment is to an institution or custodial agency
supported in whole or in part by the state, such court shall certify such commitment to
the Commissioner of Social Services or his designee. The provisions of this section
shall not apply to any commitment to the Newington Children's Hospital. Sec. 17b-748. (Formerly Sec. 19a-78). Child Day Care Council. There is established a Child Day Care Council consisting of the Commissioner of Public Health,
the Commissioner of Social Services, the Commissioner of Children and Families, the
Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or a representative of each designated by him in writing to serve as such
representative, and sixteen other persons appointed by the Governor. Said council shall
be within the Department of Social Services for administrative purposes only. Of the
persons appointed by the Governor, one shall be from among those recommended by
the Connecticut Association for Education of Young Children; one shall be a member
of a community council; one shall be a member of a community action program; one
shall be a member of a child development or early childhood education department of
a Connecticut college or university; four shall be providers of child day care services,
two of whom shall be family day care providers, and two shall be child day care center
providers; one shall be from among those recommended by the Permanent Commission
on the Status of Women; one shall be from among those recommended by the Connecticut Commission on Children; one shall be from among those recommended by the
American Academy of Pediatrics; one shall be a member of an advocacy group concerned with young children and their families; one shall be from among those recommended by the AFL-CIO Labor Council who is a member of organized labor; one shall
be a member of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association; and two shall be
parents, each of whom shall have a child enrolled in a child day care service. The members of the council shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the course of their duties. The chairperson and the vice-chairperson of the council shall be elected by the full membership of the council from among
the persons appointed by the Governor and shall serve for a term of one year. The council
shall meet at least ten times per year. Any appointed member who fails to attend three
consecutive meetings or fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any
calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned. The council shall recommend to the
Commissioner of Public Health regulations which shall effectuate the purposes of this
section and sections 17b-733, 19a-77, 19a-79, 19a-80, 19a-82 to 19a-87, inclusive, and
19a-87b to 19a-87e, inclusive, including regulations relating to licensing, operation,
program and professional qualifications of the staff of child day care centers, group
day care homes and family day care homes and shall make recommendations to the
Commissioner of Public Health on the administration of said sections. The Child Day
Care Council shall also make recommendations to the Department of Social Services
as the lead agency for day care on grants management and the planning and development
of child day care services. In addition, the council shall provide guidelines for drop-in
supplementary child care operations. Before making such recommendations, the council
shall hold public hearings and invite suggestions from parents of children utilizing child
day care services, as defined in section 19a-77, and from providers of such services and
other interested parties. The Child Day Care Council shall study issues affecting child
day care and make recommendations to the General Assembly. The council shall serve
as an advisory committee to the Department of Social Services in the development of
the state child care plan required pursuant to the Child Care Development and Improvement Act of 1990 and shall conduct biennial public hearings on such state plan. Sec. 17b-749. (Formerly Sec. 8-210b). Child care subsidy program. Income
standards for adoptive families of children formerly in custody of department,
waiver of; regulations. (a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall establish and
operate a child care subsidy program to increase the availability, affordability and quality
of child care services for families with a parent or caretaker who is working, attending
high school or who receives cash assistance under the temporary family assistance program from the Department of Social Services and is participating in an approved education, training, or other job preparation activity. Services available under the child care
program shall include the provision of child care subsidies for children under the age
of thirteen or children under the age of nineteen with special needs. Sec. 17b-749a. Purchase of child day care services. Grants to school readiness
providers. Duties of Commissioner of Social Services and Education concerning
school readiness. (a) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the
Commissioner of Education, shall establish, within available appropriations, a program
to (1) purchase directly or provide subsidies to parents to purchase child day care services
provided by any elementary or secondary school, nursery school, preschool, day care
center, group day care home, family day care home, family resource center, Head Start
program, or local or regional board of education, provided, if the commissioner purchases such services directly, he shall give preference to purchasing from providers of
full-day and year-round programs; and (2) award grants to providers of school readiness
programs, as defined in section 10-16p, to increase the hours of operation of their programs in order to provide child care for children attending such programs. The commissioner, for purposes of subdivision (1) of this subsection, shall model the program on
the program established pursuant to section 17b-749. Sec. 17b-749b. School readiness program requirements. Section 17b-749b is
repealed, effective July 1, 1997. Sec. 17b-749c. Supplemental quality enhancement grant program. (a) The
Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education,
shall establish a program, within available appropriations, to provide, on a competitive
basis, supplemental quality enhancement grants to providers of child day care services
or providers of school readiness programs pursuant to section 10-16p and section 10-16u.
Child day care providers and school readiness programs may apply for a supplemental
quality enhancement grant at such time and on such form as the Commissioner of Social
Services prescribes. Sec. 17b-749d. Child day care provider sliding fee scale. Each licensed child
day care provider receiving funding directly from the Department of Social Services
shall adopt a sliding fee scale based on family income. The Commissioner of Social
Services shall develop a minimum sliding fee scale which may be adjusted upward by
each such licensed day care program. All income derived from such fees shall be used
to support the child day care program. Sec. 17b-749e. Regional accreditation projects. The Department of Social Services shall establish and fund five regional accreditation projects, within available appropriations. The department shall select qualified applicants for each region through
a request for proposal process. The department shall give priority to child day care
facilities where at least twenty per cent of the children live with families earning less
than seventy-five per cent of the state median income level. Sec. 17b-749f. Evaluation system for licensed child day care centers. Longitudinal study. Report. (a) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with
the Commissioner of Education, shall develop and implement a performance-based
evaluation system to evaluate licensed child day care centers, within available appropriations. Such a performance-based evaluation system shall be similar to the Head Start
Performance Standards in 45 CFR 1304. Sec. 17b-749g. Child care facilities loan guarantee program. Regulations. (a)
There is established a child care facilities loan guarantee program for the purpose of
guaranteeing loans for the expansion or development of child care and child development centers in the state. The program shall contain any moneys required by law to be
deposited in the program, including, but not limited to, any moneys appropriated by the
state, premiums and fees for guaranteeing loans, and proceeds from the sale, disposition,
lease or rental of collateral relating to loan guarantees. Any balance remaining in the
program at the end of any fiscal year shall be carried forward in the program for the
fiscal year next succeeding. The program shall be used to guarantee loans pursuant to
subsection (b) of this section and to pay reasonable and necessary expenses incurred
for administration under this section. The Commissioner of Social Services may enter
into a contract with a quasi-public agency, banking institution or nonprofit corporation
to provide for the administration of the program, provided no loan guarantee shall be
made from the program without the authorization of the commissioner as provided in
subsection (b) of this section. The total aggregate amount of guarantees from the program, with respect to the insured portions of the loan, may not exceed at any one time
an amount equal to three times the balance in the guarantee program. Sec. 17b-749h. Child care facilities direct revolving loan program. Regulations. (a) There is established a program to be known as the "child care facilities direct
revolving loan program". The program shall contain any moneys required by law to be
deposited in the program, including, but not limited to, any moneys appropriated by the
state, premiums, fees, interest payments and principal payments on direct loans and
proceeds from the sale, disposition, lease or rental of collateral relating to direct loans.
Any balance remaining in the program at the end of any fiscal year shall be carried
forward in the program for the next succeeding fiscal year. The program shall be used
to make loans pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, to make loan guarantees and
to pay reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in administering loans and loan
guarantees under this section. The Commissioner of Social Services may enter into a
contract with a quasi-public agency, banking institution or nonprofit corporation to
provide for the administration of the loan program, provided no loan or loan guarantee
shall be made from the fund without the authorization of the commissioner as provided
in subsection (b) of this section. Sec. 17b-749i. Facilities operating child care programs financed through the
Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority. Within appropriations
available to the State Treasurer for child care facilities, not already allocated toward
debt service for specific child care facilities, the Commissioner of Social Services may,
upon submission of a request by a facility operating a child care program that is financed
with tax-exempt or taxable bonds issued through the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority, allow actual debt service, comprised of principal, interest
and premium, if any, on the loan or loans, a debt service reserve fund and a reasonable
repair and replacement reserve to be paid, provided such debt service terms and amounts
are determined by the commissioner, at the time the loan is entered into, to be reasonable
in relation to the useful life and base value of the property. Sec. 17b-749j. Health and safety standards for child care subsidy program;
regulations. The Commissioner of Social Services shall establish health and safety
standards, within available appropriations, for the child care subsidy program. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, which shall include,
but not be limited to, the following: (1) A requirement for the provider or relative to
apply for reimbursement from the Department of Social Services; (2) a requirement for
the provider or relative to provide reasonable confirmation of physical premises safety
pursuant to 45 CFR Part 98.41; and (3) minimum health and safety training appropriate
to the provider setting and the prevention and control of infectious diseases, including
immunization. The commissioner shall, within available appropriations, distribute information on the availability of health and safety training and assistance. Sec. 17b-749k. Criminal records checks and child abuse registry checks for
purposes of child care subsidy program. Refusal to provide payments. (a) On and
after January 1, 1998, the Commissioner of Social Services shall, within available appropriations, request a criminal records check for any person, other than a relative, providing
child care services to a child in the child's home who receives a child care subsidy from
the Department of Social Services. Such criminal records check shall be requested from
the State Police Bureau of Identification and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The
commissioner shall also request a check of the state child abuse registry established
pursuant to section 17a-101k. A fee shall be charged by the commissioner for each such
national criminal history records check which shall be equal to the fee charged by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation for performing such check. The Department of Social
Services shall reimburse the Department of Public Safety for the actual cost for a national
criminal history records check. Sec. 17b-750. National criminal history checks of unlicensed child care providers. No child care subsidy shall be paid to an unlicensed child care provider if such
provider has been convicted of any crime involving sexual assault of a minor or serious
physical injury to a minor or any crime committed in any other state or jurisdiction the
essential elements of which are substantially the same as such crimes. If the commissioner has reason to believe that a provider of child care services has been so convicted,
he may demand that such provider be subject to state and national criminal history
checks. The commissioner shall request the state criminal history records check for such
provider from the State Police Bureau of Identification. The commissioner shall arrange
for the fingerprinting of such provider and forward the fingerprints to said bureau which
shall submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal
history records check. The commissioner may charge such provider a fee for the national
criminal history records check which shall not exceed the fee charged by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation for performing the check.
Sec. 17b-730. (Formerly Sec. 17-575). Child day care and economic opportunity acts.
Sec. 17b-731.
Sec. 17b-732. (Formerly Sec. 17-579). Papers for commitment of minors; uniform forms. Notice to Commissioner of Social Services or his designee.
Sec. 17b-733. (Formerly Sec. 17-585(a)). Department designated lead agency for child day
care services.
Sec. 17b-734. (Formerly Sec. 17-592). Grants to municipalities and state agencies for
child care facilities.
Sec. 17b-735. (Formerly Sec. 17-593). Bonds for grants for child care facilities.
Sec. 17b-736. (Formerly Sec. 17-594). Regulations.
Sec. 17b-737. (Formerly Sec. 17-595). Grants program to encourage the use of school
facilities for child day care services. Regulations.
Sec. 17b-738. (Formerly Sec. 17-596). Loans to business firms for licensed child care
centers, family day care homes or group day care homes.
Sec. 17b-739. (Formerly Sec. 17-597). Child care facilities in state buildings.
Secs. 17b-740 to 17b-742. (Formerly Secs. 17-613 to 17-615). Day care tax credits: Definition, application; amount; approval, regulations, report.
Sec. 17b-743. (Formerly Sec. 17-323a). Support order may direct payment to Commissioner
of Administrative Services or local welfare department.
Sec. 17b-744. (Formerly Sec. 17-323b). Discontinuance of payments of support to commissioner pursuant to certain court orders.
Sec. 17b-745. (Formerly Sec. 17-324). Court order for support of persons supported by
state. Income withholding orders. Enforcement and modification of support orders.
Sec. 17b-746. (Formerly Sec. 17-325). Appeals from support orders.
Sec. 17b-747. (Formerly Sec. 17-319). Apportionment of support cost.
Sec. 17b-748. (Formerly Sec. 19a-78). Child Day Care Council.
Sec. 17b-749. (Formerly Sec. 8-210b). Child care subsidy program. Income standards for
adoptive families of children formerly in custody of department, waiver of; regulations.
Sec. 17b-749a. Purchase of child day care services. Grants to school readiness providers.
Duties of Commissioner of Social Services and Education concerning school readiness.
Sec. 17b-749b. School readiness program requirements.
Sec. 17b-749c. Supplemental quality enhancement grant program.
Sec. 17b-749d. Child day care provider sliding fee scale.
Sec. 17b-749e. Regional accreditation projects.
Sec. 17b-749f. Evaluation system for licensed child day care centers. Longitudinal study.
Report.
Sec. 17b-749g. Child care facilities loan guarantee program. Regulations.
Sec. 17b-749h. Child care facilities direct revolving loan program. Regulations.
Sec. 17b-749i. Facilities operating child care programs financed through the Connecticut
Health and Educational Facilities Authority.
Sec. 17b-749j. Health and safety standards for child care subsidy program; regulations.
Sec. 17b-749k. Criminal records checks and child abuse registry checks for purposes of
child care subsidy program. Refusal to provide payments.
Sec. 17b-750. National criminal history checks of unlicensed child care providers.
Secs. 17b-751 to 17b-789.
(b) The Commissioner of Social Services is authorized to take advantage of Title
V of Public Law 88-452, entitled "Economic Opportunity Act of 1964", with respect
to providing work training, aid and assistance to persons eligible for general assistance
or public assistance, and to administer the same in such manner as is required for the
receipt of federal funds therefor.
(February, 1965, P.A. 357, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 759, S. 1(h); 768, S. 2; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; P.A. 77-614, S. 521, 610; P.A.
93-262, S. 1, 87.)
History: 1967 acts created section in present form by designating Subsec. (h) (originally Subsec. (b) of Sec. 17-12b)
as Subsec. (a) and making subsection added in second act Subsec. (b); P.A. 75-420 replaced welfare commissioner with
commissioner of social services; P.A. 77-614 replaced social services commissioner with commissioner of human resources, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 17-12b transferred to Sec. 17-31f in 1979; Sec. 17-31f transferred to Sec. 17-575
in 1991; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and
department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-575 transferred to Sec. 17b-730 in 1995.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(1949 Rev., S. 2846; 1955, S. 1588d; 1967, P.A. 118, S. 1; P.A. 74-251, S. 4; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; P.A. 77-344, S. 2;
77-614, S. 521, 610; P.A. 91-278, S. 5, 9; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; 93-262, S. 1, 87.)
History: 1967 act changed name of Mansfield State Training School and Hospital; P.A. 74-251 included commitments
to commissioner of children and youth services, deleted reference to commitments to the House of the Good Shepherd
and allowed designee to act for welfare commissioner; P.A. 75-420 replaced welfare commissioner with commissioner of
social services; P.A. 77-344 replaced provision that Sec. 18-73 unaffected by this section with provision that section does
not affect commitment papers pursuant to 18-65a or 18-73 thus clarifying meaning; P.A. 77-614 replaced social services
commissioner with commissioner of human resources, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 17-14 transferred to Sec. 17-31j in
1979; Sec. 17-31j transferred to Sec. 17-579 in 1991; P.A. 91-278 made technical changes to remove references to Mansfield
Training School; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and
department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner
and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-
579 transferred to Sec. 17b-732 in 1995.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(P.A. 82-261, S. 2, 6; P.A. 85-495, S. 3, 7; P.A. 86-417, S. 6, 15; P.A. 87-77; 87-110; P.A. 88-160, S. 2, 3; P.A. 91-
292, S. 2; 91-327, S. 5, 8; 91-371, S. 1; 91-406, S. 25, 29; P.A. 93-20, S. 2; 93-91, S. 1, 2; 93-118; 93-262, S. 44, 87; 93-
381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 94-181, S. 1, 7; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 97-259, S. 26, 41.)
History: P.A. 85-495 inserted new provisions designated as Subsec. (a) re human resources department's duties re child
day care services, and designated previously existing provisions as Subsecs. (b) to (d), inclusive; P.A. 86-417 amended
Subsec. (a) by requiring the department to provide, in conjunction with the department of education, training for day care
providers and requiring department of human resources to provide day care to assistance recipients in the WIN program,
amended Subsec. (b) by requiring that family day care homes be registered instead of licensed and adding requirements
for registration and inspection and made technical changes in Subsec. (c); P.A. 87-77 amended Subsec. (b) to require
inspections to include an inspection for evident sources of lead poisoning and to require the department to provide a
chemical analysis of any paint chips found on such premises; P.A. 87-110 amended Subsec. (b) to require that the department
investigation include a visit and inspection of the premises and changed the percentage of homes for unannounced visits
from "ten" to "thirty-three and one-third"; P.A. 88-160 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that a registered family day care
home shall not be subject to any conditions other than those imposed by the department as long as the home complies with
applicable local codes and ordinances; Sec. 17-31q transferred to Sec. 17-585 in 1991; P.A. 91-292 in Subsec. (a) inserted
new Subdiv. (8) re development and implementation of child day care training system, renumbering the remaining Subdiv.
and specifying information to be included in report to general assembly re day care; P.A. 91-327 amended Subsec. (c) to
direct the department of human resources to establish regulations to require immunizations according to the schedule
established by the department of health services before a child may attend a family day care home, and amended Subsec.
(d) to require registrants to certify that children enrolled are immunized; P.A. 91-371 in Subsec. (a) inserted new Subdiv.
(9) re cost reimbursement system for state-funded child day care services and renumbered the remaining Subdiv. accordingly; P.A. 91-406 substituted "JOBS" for "WIN incentive" program in Subdiv. (7) of Subsec. (a); P.A. 93-20 amended
Subsec. (c) to require that the regulations specify standards for the extended care and overnight care provided by family
day care homes; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and
department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-118 amended Subsec. (c) to require regulations
re family day care home providers' administering certain medicinal preparations; P.A. 93-262 replaced references to
commissioners and departments of income maintenance and human resources with commissioner and department of social
services and changed the word "registration" to "license" or "licensure", effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-381 replaced
department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-181
transferred the licensure program of family day care homes to the department of public health and addiction services from
the department of social services, effective July 1, 1994, as a result of which Subsecs. (b), (c) and (d) were transferred
editorially by the Revisors to Sec. 19a-87b in 1995; Sec. 17-585(a) transferred to Sec. 17b-733 in 1995; P.A. 95-250
replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic
and Community Development; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 97-259 amended Subdiv. (5)
to add the Department of Higher Education, added new Subdivs. (6) to (9), inclusive, renumbered existing Subdivs., and
in Subdiv. (11) substituted temporary family assistance program for JOBS program, effective July 1, 1997.
Annotation to former section 17-585:
Cited. 31 CA 359, 362.
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(P.A. 84-443, S. 14, 20; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; P.A. 96-262, S. 3, 11.)
History: Sec. 17-31x transferred to Sec. 17-592 in 1991; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and
department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-592
transferred to Sec. 17b-734 in 1995; P.A. 96-262 added "other potential participants" to the list of persons eligible to use
child care facilities and required priority to be given to families at or below seventy-five per cent of the state's median
income if openings occur for other potential participants, effective July 1, 1996.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(b) All provisions of section 3-20, or the exercise of any right or power granted
thereby which are not inconsistent with the provisions of sections 17b-734 to 17b-736,
inclusive, are hereby adopted and shall apply to all bonds authorized by the State Bond
Commission pursuant to said sections, and temporary notes in anticipation of the money
to be derived from the sale of any such bonds so authorized may be issued in accordance
with said section 3-20 and from time to time renewed. Such bonds shall mature at such
time or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates as may be provided
in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the State Bond Commission authorizing
such bonds. None of said bonds shall be authorized except upon a finding by the State
Bond Commission that there has been filed with it a request for such authorization,
which is signed by or on behalf of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management
and states such terms and conditions as said commission, in its discretion, may require.
Said bonds issued pursuant to sections 17b-734 to 17b-736, inclusive, shall be general
obligations of the state and the full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged
for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds as the same become due,
and accordingly and as part of the contract of the state with the holders of said bonds,
appropriation of all amounts necessary for punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made, and the Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same
become due.
(P.A. 84-443, S. 15, 20; P.A. 85-558, S. 12, 17; P.A. 86-396, S. 17, 25; P.A. 87-405, S. 16, 26; P.A. 88-343, S. 10, 32;
P.A. 89-331, S. 17, 30; P.A. 90-297, S. 8, 24; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-7, S. 11, 36; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; June Sp. Sess.
P.A. 93-1, S. 24, 45; P.A. 99-241, S. 11, 66.)
History: P.A. 85-558 increased the bond authorization limit from three hundred fifty thousand dollars to four hundred
fifty thousand dollars; P.A. 86-396 increased bond authorization from four hundred fifty thousand dollars to nine hundred
fifty thousand dollars; P.A. 87-405 increased the bond authorization from nine hundred fifty thousand dollars to one million
three hundred twenty-five thousand dollars; P.A. 88-343 increased the bond authorization from one million three hundred
twenty-five thousand dollars to three million three hundred twenty-five thousand dollars; P.A. 89-331 increased the bond
authorization from three million three hundred twenty-five thousand dollars to four million three hundred twenty-five
thousand dollars; P.A. 90-297 decreased the bond authorization from four million three hundred twenty-five thousand
dollars to four million two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars; Sec. 17-31y transferred to Sec. 17-593 in 1991; May
Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-7 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the bond authorization from four million two hundred seventy-five
thousand dollars to five million two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars and amended Subsec. (b) to provide for the
signing of the request for authorization by the secretary of the office of policy and management rather than the commissioner
of human resources; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 93-1 amended Subsec. (a) to increase
bond authorization from five million two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars, to five million seven hundred seventy-
five thousand dollars, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-593 transferred to Sec. 17b-735 in 1995; P.A. 99-241 amended Subsec.
(a) to increase authorization from $5,775,000 to $7,775,000, effective July 1, 1999, provided $1,000,000 is effective July
1, 2000.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(P.A. 84-443, S. 16, 20; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87.)
History: Sec. 17-31z transferred to Sec. 17-594 in 1991; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and
department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-594
transferred to Sec. 17b-736 in 1995.
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(P.A. 86-417, S. 11, 15; P.A. 87-435, S. 5, 6; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-
360, S. 18, 32; P.A. 96-262, S. 4, 11; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 00-2, S. 23, 53.)
History: P.A. 87-435 (1) made the pilot program permanent and added "within available appropriations", (2) expanded
eligibility to include boards of education and child care providers, (3) allowed grants to be used for "related transportation
costs" and (4) removed language specifying that a contract be entered into after a competitive bidding process; Sec. 17-
31aa transferred to Sec. 17-595 in 1991; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social
services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-381 replaced department
of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-595 transferred
to Sec. 17b-737 in 1995; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services
with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-360 substituted reference to Sec.
19a-82 for Sec. 19a-81, effective July 13, 1995; P.A. 96-262 added a provision allowing the commissioner to utilize
available child care subsidies to implement the provisions of section and encourage association and cooperation with the
Head Start program, effective July 1, 1996; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 00-2 allowed grant funds to be used for "other operational
costs", deleted provision requiring contract to limit amount provider may charge to provider's base cost per capita plus a
percentage of the base cost, and made a technical change, effective July 1, 2000.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(P.A. 84-443, S. 17, 20; P.A. 87-416, S. 17, 24; 87-435, S. 1; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; P.A. 96-262, S. 5, 11.)
History: P.A. 87-416 provided that the interest rates on loans would be determined in accordance with Subsec. (t) of
Sec. 3-20; P.A. 87-435 transferred authority to administer loan program from economic development commissioner to
human resources commissioner, specified that facilities be "within the state" and made technical changes and deleted
former Subsec. (b) which had required loan authorization by Connecticut development authority; Sec. 32-9hh transferred
to Sec. 17-31ee in 1989; Sec. 17-31ee transferred to Sec. 17-596 in 1991; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993;
Sec. 17-596 transferred to Sec. 17b-738 in 1995; P.A. 96-262 replaced "corporations" with "business firms, as defined in
Subsec. (a) of Sec. 12-631" and replaced "child care facilities" with "licensed child day care centers, family day care homes
or group day care homes", effective July 1, 1996.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(P.A. 89-248; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; P.A. 96-262, S. 6, 11.)
History: P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and
department of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-597 transferred to Sec. 17b-739 in 1995; P.A. 96-262
required priority be given to families at or below seventy-five per cent of the state's median income if openings occur for
other potential participants, effective July 1, 1996.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(P.A. 89-364, S. 1−3, 7; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-381, S. 9, 39; May 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 20, 130; P.A. 95-257,
S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 96-262, S. 7, 11; P.A. 97-259, S. 27, 41; 97-295, S. 19, 24, 25; P.A. 98-262, S. 14, 22.)
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(1959, P.A. 115, S. 1, 2; 1967, P.A. 314, S. 10; 656, S. 15; P.A. 73-373, S. 33; P.A. 77-614, S. 70, 610; P.A. 86-359,
S. 28, 44.)
History: 1967 acts deleted state welfare department and substituted commissioner of finance and control and added
reference to Sec. 53-308; P.A. 73-373 replaced reference to Secs. 46-20, 46-21, 46-26 and 53-308 with reference to
Secs. 46-50 to 46-57, later transferred to Secs. 46b-60 and 46b-81 to 46b-87 and to Sec. 53-304; P.A. 77-614 replaced
commissioner of finance and control with commissioner of administrative services; P.A. 86-359 added references to family
support magistrates; Sec. 17-323a transferred to Sec. 17b-743 in 1995.
Annotations to former section 17-323a:
Cited. 5 Conn. Cir. Ct. 78.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(1963, P.A. 25; 1967, P.A. 314, S. 11; 656, S. 16; 1972, P.A. 294, S. 21; P.A. 73-373, S. 34; P.A. 74-338, S. 24, 94;
P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; P.A. 76-334, S. 6, 12; P.A. 77-614, S. 70, 608, 610; P.A. 86-359, S. 29, 44; P.A. 93-262, S. 39, 87;
June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 81, 165.)
History: 1967 acts added chapter 911 (paternity proceedings) and Sec. 53-308 (forfeited bonds) to section, substituted
commissioner of finance and control for welfare commissioner and provided copy of notice be sent to finance commissioner;
1972 act replaced reference to Sec. 53-308 with reference to Sec. 53-304; P.A. 73-373 replaced reference to Secs. 46-21
and 46-26 with reference to Sec. 46-57; P.A. 74-338 made technical correction; P.A. 75-420 replaced welfare commissioner
with commissioner of social services; P.A. 76-334 deleted reference to specific provisions of statutes, referred to by section
and chapter, replaced "certificate" with "notice" and added exception re continued collection of payments by social services
commissioner; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with commissioner of administrative services
and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced commissioner of social services with commissioner of income maintenance; P.A.
86-359 authorized filing of notice with assistant clerk of family support magistrate division and to substitute human
resources commissioner for income maintenance commissioner in provision authorizing collection of support payments
after discontinuance as provided in federal law; P.A. 93-262 replaced references to commissioners of income maintenance
and human resources with commissioner of social services, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-323b transferred to Sec. 17b-
744 in 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 replaced a reference to aid to families with dependent children with temporary
family assistance, effective July 1, 1997.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(2) (A) The court or family support magistrate shall include in each support order
in a IV-D support case a provision for the health care coverage of the child which
provision may include an order for either parent to name any child under eighteen as a
beneficiary of any medical or dental insurance or benefit plan carried by such parent or
available to such parent on a group basis through an employer or a union. If such insurance coverage is unavailable at reasonable cost, the provision for health care coverage
may include an order for either parent to apply for and maintain coverage on behalf of
the child under the HUSKY Plan, Part B. The noncustodial parent shall be ordered to
apply for the HUSKY Plan, Part B only if such parent is found to have sufficient ability
to pay the appropriate premium. In any IV-D support case in which the noncustodial
parent is found to have insufficient ability to provide medical insurance coverage and
the custodial party is the HUSKY Plan, Part A or Part B applicant, the provision for
health care coverage may include an order for the noncustodial parent to pay such amount
as is specified by the court or family support magistrate to the state or the custodial
party, as their interests may appear, to offset the cost of any insurance payable under
the HUSKY Plan, Part A or Part B. In no event may such order include payment to
offset the cost of any such premium if such payment would reduce the amount of current
support required under the child support guidelines.
(B) When a parent is ordered to provide insurance coverage in accordance with
subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, the court or family support magistrate shall order
the employer of such parent to withhold from such employee's compensation the employee's share, if any, of premiums for health coverage, except for certain circumstances
under which an employer may withhold less than such employee's share of such premiums, as may be provided by regulation of the Secretary of the United States Department
of Health and Human Services and pay such share of premiums to the insurer. The
amount withheld shall not exceed the maximum amount permitted to be withheld as set
forth in 15 USC 1673(b). Whenever an order of the Superior Court or family support
magistrate is issued against a parent to cover the cost of such medical or dental insurance
or benefit plan for a child who is eligible for Medicaid benefits, and such parent has
received payment from a third party for the costs of such services but such parent has
not used such payment to reimburse, as appropriate, either the other parent or guardian
or the provider of such services, the Department of Social Services shall have the authority to request the court or family support magistrate to order the employer of such parent
to withhold from the wages, salary or other employment income, of such parent to the
extent necessary to reimburse the Department of Social Services for expenditures for
such costs under the Medicaid program. However, any claims for current or past due
child support shall take priority over any such claims for the costs of such services.
(3) Said court or family support magistrate shall also have authority to make and
enforce orders directed to the conservator or guardian of any such patient or person, or
the payee of Social Security or other benefits to which such patient or person is entitled,
to the extent of the income or estate held or received by such fiduciary or payee in any
such capacity.
(4) For purposes of this section, the term "father" shall include a person who has
acknowledged in writing paternity of a child born out of wedlock, and the court or family
support magistrate shall have authority to determine, order and enforce payment of any
accumulated sums due under a written agreement to support such child in accordance
with the provisions of this section.
(5) (A) Said court or family support magistrate shall also have authority to make
and enforce orders for the payment by any person named herein of unpaid support
contributions for which any such person is liable in accordance with the provisions of
subsection (b) of section 17b-179, or section 17a-90, 17b-81, 17b-223, 46b-129 or 46b-
130 or, in IV-D cases, to order such person, provided such person is not incapacitated,
to participate in work activities which may include, but shall not be limited to, job search,
training, work experience and participation in the job training and retraining program
established by the Labor Commissioner pursuant to section 31-3t.
(B) In the determination of support due based on neglect or refusal to furnish support
prior to the action, the support due for periods of time prior to the action shall be based
upon the obligor's ability to pay during such prior periods. The state shall disclose to
the court any information in its possession concerning current and past ability to pay.
With respect to such orders entered on or after October 1, 1991, if no information is
available to the court concerning past ability to pay, the court may determine the support
due for periods of time prior to the action as if past ability to pay is equal to current
ability to pay if known or, if not known, based upon assistance rendered to the child.
(C) Any finding as to support due for periods of time prior to the action which is
made without information concerning past ability to pay shall be entered subject to
adjustment when such information becomes available to the court. Such adjustment
may be made upon motion of any party within four months from the date upon which
the obligor receives notification of (i) the amount of such finding of support due for
periods of time prior to the action, and (ii) the right within four months of receipt of
such notification to present evidence as to such obligor's past ability to pay support for
such periods of time prior to the action.
(6) All payments ordered by the court or family support magistrate under this section
shall be made to the Commissioner of Administrative Services or, in IV-D cases, to the
state acting by and through the IV-D agency, as the court or family support magistrate
may determine, for the period during which the supported person is receiving assistance
or care from the state, provided, in the case of beneficiaries of any program of public
assistance, upon the discontinuance of such assistance, payments shall be distributed to
the beneficiary, beginning with the effective date of discontinuance. Any order of payment made under this section may, at any time after being made, be set aside or altered
by the court or a family support magistrate.
(7) (A) Proceedings to obtain orders of support under this section shall be commenced by the service on the liable person or persons of a verified petition of the Commissioner of Administrative Services, the Commissioner of Social Services or their
designees. The verified petition shall be filed by any of said commissioners or their
designees in the judicial district of the court or Family Support Magistrate Division in
which the patient, applicant, beneficiary, recipient or the defendant resides. The judge
or family support magistrate shall cause a summons, signed by such judge or magistrate,
by the clerk of said court, or by a commissioner of the Superior Court to be issued,
requiring such liable person or persons to appear before the court or a family support
magistrate at a time and place as determined by the clerk but not more than ninety days
after the issuance of the summons to show cause, if any, why the request for relief in
such petition should not be granted. The verified petition, summons and order shall be
on forms prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator.
(B) Service of process issued under this section may be made by a state marshal,
any proper officer or any investigator employed by the Department of Social Services
or by the Commissioner of Administrative Services. The state marshal, proper officer
or investigator shall make due return of process to the court not less than twenty-one
days before the date assigned for hearing. Upon proof of the service of the summons to
appear before the court or a family support magistrate, at the time and place named for
hearing upon such petition, the failure of the defendant to appear shall not prohibit the
court or family support magistrate from going forward with the hearing.
(8) Failure of any defendant to obey an order of the court or Family Support Magistrate Division made under this section may be punished as contempt of court. If the
summons and order is signed by a commissioner of the Superior Court, upon proof of
service of the summons to appear in court or before a family support magistrate and
upon the failure of the defendant to appear at the time and place named for hearing
upon the petition, request may be made by the petitioner to the court or family support
magistrate for an order that a capias mittimus be issued. Except as otherwise provided,
upon proof of the service of the summons to appear in court or before a family support
magistrate at the time and place named for a hearing upon the failure of the defendant
to obey the court order as contempt of court, the court or the family support magistrate
may order a capias mittimus to be issued and directed to some proper officer to arrest
such defendant and bring such defendant before the Superior Court for the contempt
hearing. The costs of commitment of any person imprisoned therefor shall be paid by
the state as in criminal cases. When any such defendant is so found in contempt, the
court or family support magistrate may award to the petitioner a reasonable attorney's
fee and the fees of the officer serving the contempt citation, such sums to be paid by
the person found in contempt.
(9) In addition to or in lieu of contempt proceedings, the court or family support
magistrate, upon a finding that any person has failed to obey any order made under this
section, may issue an order directing that an income withholding order issue against
such amount of any debt accruing by reason of personal services due and owing to such
person in accordance with section 52-362, or against such lesser amount of such excess
as said court or family support magistrate deems equitable, for payment of accrued and
unpaid amounts due under such order and all amounts which thereafter become due
under such order. On presentation of such income withholding order by the officer to
whom delivered for service to the person or persons or corporation from whom such
debt accruing by reason of personal services is due and owing, or thereafter becomes
due and owing, to the person against whom such support order was issued, such income
withholding order shall be a lien and a continuing levy upon such debt to the amount
specified therein, which shall be accumulated by the debtor and paid directly to the
Commissioner of Administrative Services or, in IV-D cases, to the state acting by and
through the IV-D agency, in accordance with section 52-362, until such income withholding order and expenses are fully satisfied and paid, or until such income withholding
order is modified.
(10) No entry fee, judgment fee or any other court fee shall be charged by the court
to either party in actions under this section.
(11) Written statements from employers as to property, insurance, wages, indebtedness and other information obtained by the Commissioner of Social Services, or the
Commissioner of Administrative Services under authority of section 17b-137, shall be
admissible in evidence in actions under this section.
(b) Except as provided in sections 46b-212 to 46b-213v, inclusive, any court or
family support magistrate, called upon to enforce a support order, shall insure that such
order is reasonable in light of the obligor's ability to pay. Except as provided in sections
46b-212 to 46b-213v, inclusive, any support order entered pursuant to this section, or
any support order from another jurisdiction subject to enforcement by the state of Connecticut, may be modified by motion of the party seeking such modification, including
the Support Enforcement Division in TANF support cases as defined in subdivision
(14) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, upon a showing of a substantial change in the
circumstances of either party or upon a showing that the final order for child support
substantially deviates from the child support guidelines established pursuant to section
46b-215a, unless there was a specific finding on the record that the application of the
guidelines would be inequitable or inappropriate, provided the court or family support
magistrate finds that the obligor or the obligee and any other interested party have received actual notice of the pendency of such motion and of the time and place of the
hearing on such motion. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that any deviation of
less than fifteen per cent from the child support guidelines is not substantial and any
deviation of fifteen per cent or more from the guidelines is substantial. Modification
may be made of such support order without regard to whether the order was issued
before, on or after May 9, 1991. In any hearing to modify any support order from another
jurisdiction the court or the family support magistrate shall conduct the proceedings in
accordance with the procedure set forth in sections 46b-213o to 46b-213q, inclusive.
No such support orders may be subject to retroactive modification except that the court
or family support magistrate may order modification with respect to any period during
which there is a pending motion for a modification of an existing support order from
the date of service of notice of such pending motion upon the opposing party pursuant
to section 52-50.
(c) In IV-D support cases, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section
46b-231, a copy of any support order established or modified pursuant to this section
or, in the case of a motion for modification of an existing support order, a notice of
determination that there should be no change in the amount of the support order, shall
be provided to each party and the state case registry within fourteen days after issuance
of such order or determination.
(1953, 1955, S. 1445d; 1951, 1953, 1955, S. 1461d; 1957, P.A. 28; 1959, P.A. 42, S. 1; 1963, P.A. 73, S. 2; 1967, P.A.
314, S. 12; 746, S. 5; 1972, P.A. 127, S. 30; 294, S. 22; June, 1972, P.A. 1, S. 11; P.A. 74-183, S. 217, 291; P.A. 75-420,
S. 4, 6; P.A. 76-334, S. 7, 12; 76-435, S. 20, 82; 76-436, S. 186, 681; P.A. 77-594, S. 4, 7; 77-614, S. 70, 608, 610; P.A.
79-206; P.A. 80-70, S. 2; 80-149, S. 1, 3; P.A. 84-159, S. 3; 84-205, S. 2; P.A. 86-359, S. 30, 44; P.A. 87-316, S. 9; 87-
421, S. 10, 13; P.A. 87-589, S. 32, 87; P.A. 90-188, S. 2; 90-213, S. 19, 56; P.A. 91-76, S. 2, 7; 91-391, S. 1; P.A. 92-253,
S. 3; P.A. 93-187, S. 1; 93-262, S. 40, 89; 93-396, S. 1; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-5, S. 7, 30; P.A. 95-305, S. 2, 6; June 18
Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-1, S. 51, 75; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 82, 165; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-7, S. 11, 38; P.A. 99-279,
S. 28, 45; P.A. 00-99, S. 56, 154.)
History: 1959 act specified statute applies to persons supported in state institutions or under state welfare programs,
added references to Secs. 17-62, 17-90 and 17-119, included payee of social security or other benefits, added provisions
re father of child born out of wedlock, method of making payments and dependents found in contempt, provided for
accumulation of debt owed under lien and that no fees shall be charged and changed technical language; 1963 act placed
jurisdiction in circuit rather than common pleas court, provided for payments through family relations division of court
and for service by investigator in welfare department, made statement as to wages admissible in evidence and added Subsec.
(b); 1967 acts restricted liability to parents of a child under twenty-one and children of a parent under sixty-five, substituted
commissioner of finance and control for welfare commissioner and raised amount exempt from execution from twenty-
five to fifty dollars per week; 1972 acts changed age of patients for which parent is liable from under twenty-one to under
eighteen, reflecting changed age of majority and deleted reference to Sec. 17-82d; P.A. 74-183 replaced circuit court with
court of common pleas, "county" with "geographical area" and family relations "division" with "office"; P.A. 75-420
replaced welfare commissioner and department with social services commissioner and department; P.A. 76-334 included
references to Secs. 17-62a and 17-295a, required court making or enforcing order to insure that order is reasonable in light
of relative's ability to pay, replaced "certificate" with "notice", added exception re continued collection of payments by
social services commissioner, allowed commissioner of social services to file petition for institution of proceedings and
replaced executions against debts exceeding fifty dollars per week which are owed to person violating order with executions
as provided in Secs. 52-362 and 52-362a; P.A. 76-435 made technical changes; P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common
pleas with superior court, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-594 allowed commissioners' designees to file petitions and
allowed filing in geographical area where patient, applicant, beneficiary or recipient lives and added provisions re failure
to appear after summons served; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with commissioner of administrative services and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced commissioner and department of social services with commissioner
and department of income maintenance; P.A. 79-206 included commissioner and department of human resources in provisions re petitions, service of summons and evidence; P.A. 80-70 added reference to Subsec. (b) of Sec. 17-31i; P.A. 80-
149 required lien payments at one-month, rather than three-month, intervals; P.A. 84-159 removed the authority of the
court to order children to contribute to the support of parents who are under sixty-five years of age; P.A. 84-205 added the
language concerning orders for medical or dental insurance; P.A. 86-359 applied provisions to family support magistrates
and authorized filing of notice and petitions with assistant clerk of family support magistrate division; P.A. 87-316 added
Subsec. (b) requiring any court or family support magistrate called upon to enforce a support order to insure that order is
reasonable in light of obligor's ability to pay, and permitting modification of support order entered pursuant to this section
or from another jurisdiction subject to enforcement in this state, provided obligor or obligee or other interested party
receives actual notice of pendency of motion and hearing, which shall be conducted in accordance with Sec. 46b-197; P.A.
87-421 removed references to Sec. 17-295a which was repealed by the same act; P.A. 87-589 made technical change in
Subsec. (b); P.A. 90-188 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision permitting modification of child support orders upon
showing of substantial change of circumstances or substantial deviation from child support guidelines established under
P.A. 89-203 unless inequitable or inappropriate, and prohibiting retroactive modification of order of periodic payment or
permanent alimony or support, except during period of pending motion for modification; P.A. 90-213 in Subsec. (a) replaced
family division with the support enforcement division, deleted provision allowing the commissioner of income maintenance
to collect certain support payments and in Subsec. (b) authorized the commissioner of human resources to seek to modify
AFDC support cases; P.A. 91-76 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re rebuttable presumption that deviation of
less than fifteen per cent from child support guidelines is not substantial and any deviation of more than fifteen per cent
is substantial and permitting modification of support order without regard to whether order issued before on or after May
9, 1991; P.A. 91-391 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions requiring that determination of support due shall be based
upon obligor's ability to pay during such prior periods, requiring that state disclose to court information re current and
past ability to pay, and that if no information is available on orders entered on or after October 1, 1991, such order shall
be subject to adjustment when information becomes available to court upon motion of any party within four months of
notification of amount of such order and of right to present evidence of past ability to pay; P.A. 92-253 amended Subsec.
(a) by granting authority to court or magistrate to make and enforce orders to employer of parent to withhold premiums
necessary for medical or dental insurance for minor child; P.A. 93-187 made technical changes to Subsec. (a) re commencement of support proceedings, summons and order, service of process and wage withholding orders; P.A. 93-262 replaced
references to commissioners and departments of income maintenance and human resources with commissioner and department of social services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-396 changed references to "execution" to "withholding order" or
"wage withholding" and deleted reference to filing of discontinuance notice with court or assistant clerk of family support
magistrate division where order was entered and in Subsec. (b) removed the reference to the commissioner of human
resources and substituted "support enforcement division" thereby superseding the reference to the commissioner of social
services which was added by P.A. 93-262, since P.A. 93-396 passed later than P.A. 93-262; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-5
amended Subsec. (a) to provide that if an order is issued against a parent, and such parent has received payment from a
third party for the costs of such insurance, and the parent fails to reimburse the other parent or the party providing the
insurance, the court may order a wage withholding of an amount necessary to reimburse the department of social services
if the child is covered by the Medicaid program or the guardian or other parent in other cases for expenditures made or to
be made on behalf of such child, effective July 1, 1994; Sec. 17-324 transferred to Sec. 17b-745 in 1995; P.A. 95-305
amended Subsec. (a) by requiring the court or family support magistrate to order the employer of a parent with a medical
or dental insurance or benefit plan to withhold from such parent's compensation the amount of a premium for health
coverage, except such employer may be required to withhold less than the full cost of such premium under regulation of
the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, effective July 1, 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess.
P.A. 97-1 made technical changes to Subsec. (b), effective January 1, 1998; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 amended Subsec.
(b) to replace a reference to "AFDC" with "TANF", effective July 1, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-7 amended Subsec.
(a) to require order in IV-D case to include provision for health care coverage of child, to permit magistrate, in IV-D cases,
to order person to participate in work activities, provided such person is not incapacitated and to make other technical
changes, including changing "wage" to "income", made a technical change in Subsec. (b) and added Subsec. (c) re copy
of order and any modification shall be provided to each party and to state case registry within fourteen days of order in
IV-D cases, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-279 amended Subsec. (a) by dividing it into eleven Subdivs. and Subparas.,
making technical changes and adding to Subdiv. (2) provisions re insurance coverage under Husky Plan in cases where
insurance is unavailable under a parent's group coverage through an employer or union, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 00-
99 replaced references to sheriff with state marshal in Subsec. (a)(7)(B), effective December 1, 2000.
See Sec. 17b-222 for definition of "humane institution".
See Sec. 17b-223 re support in humane institutions.
See Sec. 17b-228 re court action by state to recover unpaid portion of charges for support in humane institution.
Annotations to former section 17-324:
The order for payments is subject to rescission or modification and is not a fixed liability absolutely owing within the
meaning of dischargeable debts under the bankruptcy act. 142 C. 329. Cited. 152 C. 55. Defendant's unsworn but written
acknowledgment of paternity in earlier contract to support child is sufficient to meet requirements of this section. History
of state law concerning illegitimate children reviewed. 156 C. 199. Cited. 166 C. 642. Cited. 180 C. 114, 120.
Cited. 34 CS 187, 189. Cited. 35 CS 603−605. Cited. 37 CS 566, 567; id., 745, 747, 749, 750. While defendant correctly
interprets statute, Sec. 52-362a applies, allowing wage execution to be issued concurrently with a support order. Id., 840−
844. Cited. Id., 891, 895. Cited. 38 CS 503, 504.
Commissioner may proceed under this statute or section 17-298 to secure collection of support for patient in state
humane institution. 4 Conn. Cir. Ct. 81. Cited. 4 Conn. Cir. Ct. 401, 402. In proceeding under this section defendant can
present defense of desertion by mother with whose support he was charged by order of commissioner. Although he did
appeal under sections 17-2a and 17-2b, state had not pleaded his failure to do so. 4 Conn. Cir. Ct. 645.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(1957, P.A. 536; 1959, P.A. 42, S. 2; P.A. 86-359, S. 31, 44.)
History: 1959 act deleted provision granting appeal to party to action brought under section 17-323; P.A. 86-359 added
exception for appeals from decision of family support magistrate; Sec. 17-325 transferred to Sec. 17b-746 in 1995.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(1949 Rev., S. 2844; 1955, S. 1587d; 1961, P.A. 324; 425, S. 4; P.A. 74-251, S. 18; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; P.A. 77-614,
S. 608, 610; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87.)
History: 1961 acts deleted obsolete provisions requiring payment by town where child has a settlement; P.A. 74-
251 allowed certification of commitment to commissioner's designee; P.A. 75-420 replaced welfare commissioner with
commissioner of social services; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of social services with commissioner of income
maintenance, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social
services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17-319 transferred to Sec.
17b-747 in 1995.
Annotations to former section 17-319:
Cited. 115 C. 596.
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(1967, P.A. 696, S. 4; P.A. 73-415; P.A. 74-3; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; 75-527, S. 3, 5; P.A. 76-38, S. 1, 3; P.A. 77-157,
S. 2, 11; 77-614, S. 302, 323, 521, 529, 610; P.A. 81-471, S. 68, 71; P.A. 84-361, S. 4, 7; P.A. 85-495, S. 1, 7; 85-613, S.
40, 154; P.A. 87-435, S. 4, 6; P.A. 88-182, S. 1, 3; P.A. 91-292, S. 3, 5; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; 93-262, S. 13, 87; 93-381, S.
9, 39; P.A. 94-181, S. 5, 7; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-360, S. 19, 32; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6.)
History: P.A. 73-415 included commissioner of community affairs as council member and increased members who are
not state officials from four to six with one additional member to be parent of child enrolled in tax-supported facility and
one to be parent of child enrolled in privately-supported facility; P.A. 74-3 made chairman the commissioner of community
affairs or his designee rather than commissioner of health in odd-numbered years alternating with secretary of the state
board of education in even-numbered years; P.A. 75-420 replaced welfare commissioner with social services commissioner;
P.A. 75-527 included commissioner of children and youth services as council member; P.A. 76-38 removed commissioner
of mental health as council member and added director of the office of child day care as member and chairman replacing
commissioner of community affairs as chairman; P.A. 77-157 added reference to regulation of group day care homes,
added provision re council's duties with regard to family day care homes and supplementary child care operations, made
hearings mandatory rather than optional, substituted day care "services" for "centers" and "administrators" for "operators"
and established council as advisory body; P.A. 77-614 replaced secretary of the state board of education with commissioner
of education, commissioner of health with commissioner of health services and commissioner of social services with
commissioner of human resources, removed commissioner of community affairs as council member, deleted reference to
two-year terms, required that recommendations be submitted to commissioner of health services rather than to public health
council and placed council within human resources department for administrative purposes, effective January 1, 1979;
P.A. 81-471 added the commissioner of income maintenance and a provider of child day care services to the council's
membership; Sec. 19-43c transferred to Sec. 19a-78 in 1983; P.A. 84-361 (1) added the commissioner of consumer protection to the council, (2) changed the number of persons appointed by the governor from seven to eight and specified that one
of the persons be recommended by the permanent commission on the status of women, (3) added the language concerning the
election of the chairperson, provided for a one-year term and deleted language that the director of the office of child day
care be the chairman, (4) stated that the office of child day care serve as staff, (5) added the language on meeting and
attendance requirements, (6) required the council to study issues affecting child day care and added the requirement that
recommendations be made to the general assembly; P.A. 85-495 removed references to the office of child day care, provided
for the permanent commission on the status of women to serve as staff to the council and added "grants management and
the planning and development of child day care services" as areas for recommendations by the council; P.A. 85-613 made
technical changes; P.A. 87-435 removed language requiring the permanent commission on the status of women to serve as
staff to the council; P.A. 88-182 added the commissioner of economic development to the council, increased the governor's
appointments to the council to sixteen and specified required characteristics of additional members; P.A. 91-292 added
provision re council serving as an advisory committee to the department in developing state child care plan; P.A. 93-91
substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-262 replaced commissioner of human resources with commissioner of social
services and deleted reference to council membership of the commissioner of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993;
P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective
July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-181 deleted the commissioner of consumer protection from the membership of the council and placed
family day care homes under the department of public health and addiction services rather than department of social
services, effective July 1, 1994; Sec. 19a-78 transferred to Sec. 17b-748 in 1995; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced
Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with
Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-360 substituted reference to Sec. 19a-82
for Sec. 19a-81, effective July 13, 1995.
See title 2c re termination under "Sunset Law".
See Sec. 4-38f for definition of "administrative purposes only".
See chapter 54 re uniform administrative procedure.
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(b) The commissioner shall establish income standards for applicants and recipients
at a level to include a family with gross income up to fifty per cent of the state-wide
median income, except the commissioner (1) may increase the income level to up to
seventy-five per cent of the state-wide median income, and (2) upon the request of the
Commissioner of Children and Families, may waive the income standards for adoptive
families so that children adopted on or after October 1, 1999, from the Department of
Children and Families are eligible for the child care subsidy program. The commissioner
may adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 to establish income criteria and
durational requirements for such waiver of income standards.
(c) The commissioner shall establish eligibility and program standards including,
but not limited to: (1) A priority intake and eligibility system with preference given to
serving teen parents, low-income working families, adoptive families of children who
were adopted from the Department of Children and Families and who are granted a
waiver of income standards under subdivision (2) of subsection (b), and working families
who are at risk of welfare dependency; (2) health and safety standards for child care
providers not required to be licensed; (3) a reimbursement system for child care services
which account for differences in the age of the child, number of children in the family,
the geographic region and type of care provided by licensed and unlicensed caregivers,
the cost and type of services provided by licensed and unlicensed caregivers, successful
completion of fifteen hours of annual in-service training or credentialing of child care
directors and administrators, and program accreditation; (4) supplemental payment for
special needs of the child and extended nontraditional hours; (5) an annual rate review
process which assures that reimbursement rates are maintained at levels which permit
equal access to a variety of child care settings; (6) a sliding reimbursement scale for
participating families; (7) an administrative appeals process; (8) an administrative hearing process to adjudicate cases of alleged fraud and abuse and to impose sanctions and
recover overpayments; and (9) a waiting list for the child care subsidy program that
reflects the priority and eligibility system set forth in subdivision (1) of subsection (c)
of this section, which is reviewed periodically, with the inclusion of this information in
the annual report required to be issued annually by the Department of Social Services
to the Governor and the General Assembly in accordance with subdivision (10) of section
17b-733. Such action will include, but not be limited to, family income, age of child,
region of state and length of time on such waiting list.
(d) On or after January 1, 1998, a provider under the child care subsidy program
that qualifies for eligibility and subsequently receives payment for child care services
for recipients under this section shall be reimbursed for such services until informed by
the Department of Social Services of the parent's ineligibility.
(e) All licensed child care providers and those providers exempt from licensing
shall provide the Department of Social Services with the following information in order
to maintain eligibility for reimbursement: (1) The name, address, appropriate identification, Social Security number and telephone number of the provider and all adults who
work for or reside at the location where care is provided; (2) the name and address of
the child's doctor, primary care provider and health insurance company; (3) whether
the child is immunized and has had health screens pursuant to the federal Early and
Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Services Program under 42 USC 1396d;
and (4) the number of children cared for by the provider.
(f) On or after January 1, 1998, the commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section.
(P.A. 74-206, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-614, S. 532, 610; P.A. 86-417, S. 2, 15; P.A. 87-412, S. 1, 2; P.A. 88-160, S. 1, 3; P.A.
91-292, S. 1, 5; P.A. 92-223; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; P.A. 97-259, S. 28, 41; P.A. 99-166, S. 7; 99-230, S. 6, 10; 99-252, S.
5; P.A. 00-187, S. 5, 75.)
History: P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of human resources for commissioner of community affairs, effective
January 1, 1979; P.A. 86-417 expanded the list of day care providers from which the commissioner could purchase services
to include group day care homes, family day care homes, providers serving in child's home and relatives, required the
commissioner to adopt regulations on eligibility and level of payment and required the commissioner to pay the same
amount for each child in the same family; P.A. 87-412 added provision authorizing the purchase of services from a relative
of a child giving day care in the relative's home and redefined the standard of eligibility; P.A. 88-160 authorized the
commissioner to provide day care subsidies to parents for day care services and increased the standard of eligibility to
seventy per cent; P.A. 91-292 changed eligibility level for day care subsidies from seventy to fifty per cent of the state-
wide median income; required regulations re subsidies and specified the factors to determine the level of subsidy; P.A.
92-223 provided that the commissioner may increase the standard of initial eligibility to include children in families with
income up to seventy-five per cent of the state-wide median income and provided that participating families with income
less than seventy-five per cent of the median shall at a minimum be eligible until the child attends school for a full day;
P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department
of human resources, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 8-210b transferred to Sec. 17b-749 in 1995; P.A. 97-259 deleted existing
language and added new provisions re child care subsidy program, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-166 amended Subsec.
(b) by permitting commissioner to waive income standards for adoptive families of children who were in custody of
department and amended Subsec. (c) by adding adoptive families of children who were in custody of department to list of
services preferences; P.A. 99-230 amended Subsec. (e) to make a technical change, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 99-252
amended Subsec. (b)(2) to allow commissioner to waive the income standards for adoptive families so that children adopted
on or after October 1, 1999, from the Department of Children and Families are eligible for the child care subsidy program,
deleting reference to children who were in the custody of the department, and to authorize adoption of regulations to
establish income criteria and durational requirements for such waiver of income standards and amended Subsec. (c)(1) to
give preference to adoptive families of children who were adopted from the Department of Children and Families and who
are granted a waiver of income standards under Subsec. (b)(2), deleting reference to children who were in the custody of
the department; P.A. 00-187 amended Subsec. (c)(3) to add requirement for successful completion of fifteen hours of
annual in-service training or credentialing of child care directors and administrators, effective July 1, 2000.
See Sec. 8-222b re municipal powers with respect to private day care facilities.
See Sec. 8-226 re use of prior bond proceeds for purposes of this section.
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(b) No funds received by a provider pursuant to this section shall be used to supplant
federal funding received for early childhood education on behalf of children in an early
childhood education program.
(c) The Commissioners of Social Services and Education shall: (1) Coordinate the
development of a range of alternative programs to meet the needs of all children; (2)
foster partnerships between school districts and private organizations; (3) provide information and assistance to parents in selecting an appropriate school readiness program;
and (4) work to ensure, to the extent possible, that school readiness programs allow
open enrollment for all children and allow families receiving benefits for such a program
to choose a public or accredited private program.
(P.A. 95-226, S. 26, 30; P.A. 96-213, S. 2, 5; P.A. 97-259, S. 5, 41.)
History: P.A. 95-226 effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-213 added the definitions as Subsec. (a) and relettered existing
Subsecs., transferring responsibility for the administration of the program from the State Board of Education to the Commissioner of Social Services, adding provision for the collaboration of other departments, changing the design of the program
so that it was no longer a grant program for boards of education and requiring the program to be modeled after the program
established pursuant to Sec. 17b-749, and adding duties of the council, effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 97-259 deleted former
Subsecs. (a) and (d) re definitions and School Readiness Council and redesignated remaining subsecs., in new Subsec. (a)
changed the program from a school readiness program modeled after the program established pursuant to Sec. 17b-749 to
a program to provide for the purchase of child day care services and grants to providers of school readiness programs,
in Subsec. (c) made the duties previously the responsibility of the School Readiness Council the responsibility of the
Commissioners of Social Services and Education, and made technical changes, effective July 1, 1997.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(P.A. 95-226, S. 27, 30; P.A. 96-213, S. 3, 5; P.A. 97-259, S. 40, 41.)
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(b) Priority for such grants shall be given to programs that are: (1) Included in a
local school readiness plan; (2) full-day, year-round programs; and (3) accredited, as
defined in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 10-16p.
(c) The grants shall be used to:
(1) Help providers who are not accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children to obtain such accreditation;
(2) Provide comprehensive services, such as enhanced access to health care, nutrition, family support services, parent education, literacy and parental involvement, and
community and home outreach programs;
(3) Purchase educational equipment;
(4) Provide scholarships for training to obtain a child development associate certificate;
(5) Provide training for persons who are mentor teachers, as defined in federal regulations for the Head Start program, and provide a family service coordinator or a family
service worker as such positions are defined in such federal regulations;
(6) Repair fire, health and safety problems in existing facilities and conduct minor
remodeling to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act;
(7) Create a supportive network with family day care homes;
(8) Provide for educational consultation and staff development;
(9) Provide for program quality assurance personnel;
(10) Provide technical assistance services to enable providers to develop child care
facilities pursuant to sections 17b-749g, 17b-749h and 17b-749i; and
(11) Establish a single point of entry system.
(P.A. 97-259, S. 7, 41; P.A. 99-230, S. 7, 10; P.A. 00-187, S. 6, 12, 75.)
History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-230 amended Subsec. (c) to add Subdivs. (8) to (10), inclusive,
re educational consultation and staff development, program quality assurance personnel and technical assistance, effective
July 1, 1999; P.A. 00-187 amended Subsec. (a) to add reference to Sec. 10-16u and amended Subsec. (c) to add Subdiv.
(11) re single point of entry system, effective July 1, 2000.
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(P.A. 97-259, S. 8, 41.)
History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997.
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(P.A. 97-259, S. 10, 41.)
History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997.
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(b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall conduct, within available appropriations, a longitudinal study that examines the developmental progress of children and
their families both during and following participation in a child day care program.
(c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall report to the General Assembly, in
accordance with section 11-4a, on or before January 1, 1998, on the implementation of
the performance-based evaluation system and on the longitudinal study, and annually
thereafter on the cumulative results of the evaluations.
(P.A. 97-259, S. 11, 41.)
History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(b) The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Social Services,
may guarantee the repayment of loans, including, but not limited to, principal and interest, to a lending institution that has provided funding for the construction, reconstruction,
rehabilitation or improvement of child care and child development facilities. The total
aggregate of any loan guarantee under this section shall be not less than twenty per cent
and shall not exceed fifty per cent of the principal amount of the obligation, as determined
by approved underwriting standards approved by the commissioner, and upon such
terms and conditions as the commissioner may prescribe. The term of any loan guarantee
shall be determined by the useful life of the improvement but in no event shall exceed
thirty years. The commissioner shall arrange by contract with each lending institution
or the borrower to safeguard the interests of the program in the event of a default by the
borrower, including, at the discretion of the commissioner, provision for notice to the
program of default by the borrower, for foreclosure or other realization upon any security
for the loan, for the time and conditions for payment to the lending institution by the
program of the amount of any loss to the lending institution guaranteed by the program
and for the disposition of the proceeds realized from any security for the loan guaranteed.
When it appears desirable for a temporary period upon default or threatened default by
the borrower, the commissioner may authorize payments of installments of principal or
interest, or both, from the program to the lending institution, and of taxes and insurance,
which payments shall be repaid under such conditions as the program may prescribe
and the program may also agree to revise terms of financing when such appears pertinent.
Upon request of the lending institution, the commissioner may at any time, under such
equitable terms and conditions as it may prescribe, consent to the release of the borrower
from his liability under the loan or consent to the release of parts of any secured property
from the lien of the lending institution.
(c) Priority for loan guarantees shall be given to financing child care centers and
child development centers that (1) have obtained accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children or have an application pending for such
accreditation, and (2) are included in a local school readiness plan, and (3) shall promote
the colocation of programs endorsed by the Commissioners of Education and Social
Services pursuant to section 4b-31. School readiness programs, licensed child care providers or nonprofit developers of a child care center operating under a legally enforceable
agreement with child care providers are eligible for such guaranteed loans.
(d) The Commissioner of Social Services may adopt regulations, in accordance with
the provisions of chapter 54, to establish procedures and qualifications for application for
guarantees under this section.
(P.A. 97-259, S. 14, 41.)
History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997.
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(b) The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Social Services,
may enter into a contract to provide financial assistance in the form of interest-free loans,
deferred loans or guaranteed loans to child care providers or to nonprofit developers of
a child care facility operating under a legally enforceable agreement with a child care
provider, for costs or expenses incurred and directly connected with the expansion,
improvement or development of child care facilities. Such costs and expenses may include: (1) Advances of loan proceeds for direct loans; (2) expenses incurred in project
planning and design, including architectural expenses; (3) legal and financial expenses;
(4) expenses incurred in obtaining required permits and approvals; (5) options to purchase land; (6) expenses incurred in obtaining required insurance; (7) expenses incurred
in meeting state and local child care standards; (8) minor renovations and upgrading
child care facilities to meet such standards and loans for the purpose of obtaining licensure under section 19a-77; (9) purchase and installation of equipment, machinery and
furniture, including equipment needed to accommodate children with special needs;
and (10) other preliminary expenses authorized by the commissioner. Loan proceeds
shall not be used for the refinancing of existing loans, working capital, supplies or
inventory.
(c) The amount of a direct loan under this section may be up to eighty per cent of
the total amount of investment but shall not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars for
such facility as determined by the commissioner except that if an applicant for a loan
under this section has an existing loan that is guaranteed by the Child Care Facilities
Loan Guarantee Program, established under section 17b-749g, the direct loan provided
under this section shall not exceed twenty per cent of the investment. The amount of
any guarantee and a direct loan under this section shall not exceed eighty per cent.
(d) Each provider applying for a loan under this section shall submit an application,
on a form provided by the commissioner that shall include, but is not limited to, the
following information: (1) A detailed description of the proposed or existing child care
facility; (2) an itemization of known and estimated costs; (3) the total amount of investment required to expand or develop the child care facility; (4) the funds available to the
applicant without financial assistance from the department; (5) the amount of financial
assistance sought from the department; (6) information relating to the financial status
of the applicant, including, if available, a current balance sheet, a profit and loss statement and credit references; and (7) evidence that the loan applicant shall, as of the loan
closing, own, have an option to purchase or have a lease for the term of the loan. Security
for the loan may include an assignment of the lease or other subordination of any mortgage and the borrower shall be in default if the loan is not used for the intended purpose.
(e) Payments of principal and interest on such loans shall be paid to the State Treasurer for deposit in the child care facilities direct revolving loan program established in
subsection (a) of this section.
(f) The Commissioner of Social Services may adopt regulations, in accordance with
chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this section. Such regulations may clarify loan
procedures, repayment terms, security requirements, default and remedy provisions,
and such other terms and conditions as said commissioner shall deem appropriate.
(P.A. 97-259, S. 16, 41; P.A. 99-230, S. 8, 10.)
History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-230 amended Subsec. (c) to increase the cap from ten thousand
to twenty-five thousand dollars, effective July 1, 1999.
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(P.A. 97-259, S. 29, 41; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-1, S. 15, 51.)
History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-1 added provision that payments are to be made
within available appropriations to the Treasurer for child care facilities, not already allocated toward debt service for
specific child care facilities, effective July 1, 1999.
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(P.A. 97-259, S. 30, 41.)
History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997.
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(b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall have the discretion to refuse payments for child care under any financial assistance program administered by him if the
person providing such child care has been convicted in this state or any other state of a
felony, as defined in section 53a-25, involving the use, attempted use or threatened use
of physical force against another person, of cruelty to persons under section 53-20, injury
or risk of injury to or impairing morals of children under section 53-21, abandonment of
children under the age of six years under section 53-23 or any felony where the victim
of the felony is a child under eighteen years of age, or of a violation of section 53a-70,
53a-70a, 53a-70b, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a, or has a criminal record or was
the subject of a substantiated report of child abuse in this state or any other state that the
commissioner reasonably believes renders the person unsuitable to provide child care.
(P.A. 97-259, S. 38, 41.)
History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997.
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(P.A. 96-262, S. 10, 11.)
History: P.A. 96-262 effective July 1, 1996.
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