CSUS Legislative Initiatives 2008

1. An Act Establishing a Sports Advisory Board
2. An Act Concerning Tuition Waiver Benefit for Children and Surviving Spouses of Armed Forces Members Killed in Action
3. An Act Concerning Security Protocol at the Constituent Units
4. An Act Making Changes to the Insurance Statutes
5. An Act Concerning the Teaching of Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
6. An Act Concerning the BEST Program

Athletics

Senate Bill 553 (Public Act 08-89), An Act Establishing a Sports Advisory Board.
This Act requires the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism's (CCCT) executive director to appoint a Sports Advisory Board within CCCT to her about the most effective ways to utilize state resources to promote, attract and market in-state professional and amateur sports and sporting events. Such board shall also advise the executive director on ways to coordinate the use of state-owned facilities in order to enhance sports-related tourism in the state and develop methods for the dissemination of information concerning in-state professional and amateur sports and sporting events to residents of the state and the northeast. The Board includes an appointment from one of the Connecticut State Universities System's athletic departments.
Effective: Upon Passage
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/PA/2008PA-00089-R00SB-00553-PA.htm

Financial Aid, Tuition Waivers and Student Fees

Senate Bill 48 (Public Act 08-71), An Act Concerning Tuition Waiver Benefit for Children and Surviving Spouses of Armed Forces Members Killed in Action.This Act requires the University of Connecticut, the Connecticut State University (CSU) system, and the regional community-technical colleges (CTC) to waive tuition for any state resident who is a dependent child or surviving spouse of a state resident killed in action while performing active military duty in the U.S. Armed forces on or after September 11, 2001.
Effective: July 1, 2008
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/PA/2008PA-00071-R00SB-00048-PA.htm

Security Plans and Public Safety

Substitute Senate Bill 467 (Public Act 08-157), An Act Concerning Security Protocol at the Constituent Units.This Act requires state higher education constituent units and private colleges and universities to submit a plan to the Department of Higher Education, by January 1, 2009, that identifies procedures to heighten, through effective educational strategies, faculty and staff awareness of students and other individuals who may pose a risk to themselves or others. The procedures must be designed to educate faculty and staff on how to recognize and respond to such individuals.
Effective: July 1, 2008
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/PA/2008PA-00157-R00SB-00467-PA.htm

Student Affairs

Substitute House Bill 5158 (Public Act 08-147), An Act Making Changes to the Insurance Statutes.Sections 8 and 9 of the Act revise the criteria for determining when a child loses coverage under a private health insurance policy that the legislature enacted in 2007 and made effective January 1, 2009. This Act requires a child's coverage under an individual policy to continue at least until the policy anniversary date on or after the date the child: (1) marries; (2) ends his or her Connecticut residency, unless he or she is (a) under age 19 or (b) a full-time student at an accredited school of higher education; (3) becomes covered under a group health plan through his or her employment; or (4) turns age 26. The Act also requires group comprehensive care plans to (1) extend coverage eligibility to unmarried children under age 26 (thus eliminating the residency requirement and related exception) and (2) to offer continuation coverage to the end of the month in which the child meets the criteria for losing coverage under an individual policy.
Effective: Upon Passage
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/PA/2008PA-00147-R00HB-05158-PA.htm

Teacher Preparation

Substitute House Bill 5590 (Special Act 08-5), An Act Concerning the Teaching of Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities.The Act requires the Commissioners of Education, Higher Education and Developmental Services, and the President of Southern Connecticut State University (or their designees), in consultation with the constituent units of the state system of higher education, independent colleges and universities, the State Education Resource Center, and the regional educational service centers to define autism and developmental disabilities, and to define a state-wide plan to incorporate methods of teaching children with autism and developmental disabilities into programs, requirements, and training. The Plan must be submitted by February 1, 2009. (It should be noted that the same language is also contained in Section 528 of Substitute Senate Bill 402 (Public Act 08-169), An Act Concerning Authorization of State Grant Commitments for School Building Projects and Concerning Changes to the Statutes Concerning School Building Projects.)
Effective: Upon Passage
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/SA/2008SA-00005-R00HB-05590-SA.htm

Substitute House Bill 5871 (Public Act 08-107), An Act Concerning the BEST Program.This Act eliminates the Beginning Educator Support and training (BEST) Program as of July 1, 2009. It also eliminates the video component from the BEST assessment for new teachers for the 2008-09 school year.Further, this Act establishes a 21-member task force to develop a new mentor assistance program to replace the BEST program starting in the 2009-2010 school year and recommend transition procedures between the old and new programs. The House Majority Leader must appoint one faculty member from CSUS that teaches in a teacher preparation program to serve on the task force.
Effective: The BEST Program repeal takes effect July 1, 2009; the elimination of the video component of the BEST assessment takes effect July 1, 2008; and the task force takes effect upon passage.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/PA/2008PA-00107-R00HB-05871-PA.htm