You asked for brief summaries of bills that the Public Health Committee reported favorably to the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee.

SB 471, AN ACT PROVIDING BOND FUNDS FOR THE DATAHR REHABILITATION INSTITUTE

This bill authorizes bonding up to $ 937,600 to the Department of Mental Rehabilitation for a grant to Datahr Rehabilitation Institute in Danbury for capital improvements and heating and air conditioning.

SB 551, AN ACT CONCERNING CRITICAL CARE HELICOPTERS

This bill adds an additional fee on all motor vehicle registrations ($ 2 for a biennial registration, $ 1 annually), known as the "critical care helicopter fee. " Fees collected must be credited to a separate, nonlapsing General Fund account. The Department of Public Health (DPH) must use the account to make grants to one or more hospitals in the state to acquire and operate critical care helicopters. DPH must submit an annual operating budget for the account to OPM within 90 days before the beginning of the next fiscal year. OPM must approve the budget within 30 days of the start of the fiscal year, with any changes agreed to by DPH and OPM.

HB 5656, AN ACT CONCERNING THE RENOVATION OF THE CHARTER OAK HEALTH CENTER

This bill authorizes bonding of up to $ 1. 8 million for renovating and expanding the Charter Oak Health Center in Hartford.

HB 5706, AN ACT CONCERNING THE STATE LABORATORY

This bill authorizes bonding of up to $ 50 million for use by DPH for building and locating a Level 3 capacity public health laboratory at the University of Connecticut Health Center.

JK: ro