Senate Democrats Lead Bipartisan Vote Strengthening Mandated Reporter Laws

Senate Democrats today led bipartisan passage of Senate Bill 244 to add licensed behavior analysts to the list of mandated reporters of suspected child abuse and neglect. Senate Bill 244 passed the Senate chamber on a unanimous vote.

“Across the country we are hearing truly tragic and horrifying stories from victims of abuse,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). “Most notable the story of current and former member of the US women’s Gymnastics team came forth with heartbreaking stories of abuse by team doctor Larry Nassar. To change our culture of abuse, one of those victims recommended that we strengthen our mandatory reporting laws. Today in the State Senate, we did exactly that. This bill will help prevent abuse and punish who fail to live up to their responsibility.”

“Adding licensed behavior analysts to the list of mandated reporters of suspected child abuse and neglect is the right thing to do and is one more step that we can take to make sure our children are protected from abuse,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “It is our hope that creating another mandated reporter will help disrupt any cycle of abuse that may be occurring.”

“Behavioral Analysts work with children in the community and those with disabilities who are most at risk for abuse and neglect. Adding them to the list of mandated reporters will help to ensure that no child falls through the cracks of abuse and neglect,” Human Services Committee Co-Chair Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) said. “Currently in Connecticut, we already require a variety of licensed and credentialed professionals to be mandated reporters including health care professionals, social workers, school employees, and child care staff. Our children need all the support they can get and this will only make that support system stronger.”

By law, people in certain professions and occupations who have contact with children or whose primary focus is children must report suspected child abuse or neglect (CGS § 17a-101). As mandated reporters they must make such a report when, in the ordinary course of their employment or profession, they have reasonable cause to believe or suspect that a child under age 18 has been abused, neglected, or placed in imminent risk of serious harm (CGS § 17a-101a). A mandated reporter who fails to report may be subject to criminal penalties.

Looney Leads Passage of Consumer Protections for Reverse Mortgage Applicants

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) today led State Senate passage of Senate Bill 150 to protect consumers applying for reverse mortgages. The bill passed the chamber unanimously.

Senator Looney’s bill expands the counseling and certification requirements for reverse annuity mortgages, a type of mortgage that allows homeowners to convert accumulated home equity into liquid assets.

“There is an alarming number of reports of reverse mortgage lenders preying on seniors in Connecticut, especially on the elderly who are having health or mental health problems,” said Senator Looney. “Those that have been taken advantaged of are left in a dire financial situation with few places to turn. This bill provides critical consumer protections for seniors hoping to utilize the equity in their homes. I want to thank Senator Doug McCrory, the Aging Committee’s co-chair, for his leadership in guiding this important legislation through the committee process.”

“Senior citizens are more vulnerable to deceptive practices so it’s important that we as policy makers take additional steps to protect them,” Aging Committee Co-chair Senator Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) said. “This bill requiring special intervention procedures for seniors applying for reverse mortgages will ensure that they are not being taken advantage of.”

“I’ve had many conversations with some of my older constituents who have had trouble navigating the requirements of a reverse mortgage,” said state Senator Terry Gerratana (D-New Britain). “Passing this bill, with its higher level of counseling, will help stop some of the abuse that is occurring when people seek to take advantage of senior citizens.”

The bill requires reverse mortgage lenders to:

• inform prospective applicants of the counseling requirements and provide them with a list of independent housing counseling agencies and intermediaries approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide counseling in accordance with federal law
• receive a signed certification from the prospective applicant or his or her authorized representative that the applicant or representative received counseling in-person or by telephone from a HUD-approved agency; and
• keep the signed certification in an accurate, reproducible, and accessible format for the term of the loan

Under the bill, the counseling certification must include the counseling date and the name, address, telephone number, and signature of both the prospective applicant or representative and counselor.

Statement of Senate President Looney

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) issued the following statement this evening praising State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), who is Senate Co-Chair of the Appropriations Committee:

“I want to praise Senator Osten for her incisive and penetrating questioning this afternoon of the Republican alternative budget proposal. With insight and honesty, Senator Osten picked a thread that unraveled the Republican budget, noting its myriad problems, beginning with its fake pension savings and their use of an extremely dubious and potentially illegal scheme to make an end-run around collective bargaining, to the Republicans’ reckless use of our Rainy Day Fund, and on and on. Senator Osten has always had an astute fiscal eye and a plainspoken manner that benefits her constituents and all the people of Connecticut.”