Saud Anwar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe O’Leary | Joe.OLeary@cga.ct.gov | 508-479-4969

May 1, 2026
 

 
Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee, led the final Senate passage of legislation implementing a number of key changes benefitting public health in Connecticut.

These range from creating advisory councils and working groups to better monitor conditions like chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and endometriosis, ensuring high school athletes are screened for serious cardiac conditions, and developing better extreme weather protocols to aid members of the public in crisis.

“With numerous pressures constantly impacting public health in Connecticut, we need to take strong action to support our residents,” said Sen. Anwar. “This bill includes a number of updates to state standards, allowing for increased care access, new studies of important issues and vital connections seeking to save and improve lives and care alike. I’m excited to see its changes aid state residents for years to come.”

House Bill 5514 includes a number of key advances for Connecticut public health including:

• The creation of an advisory council on Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy, or CAR T-cell therapy, to advise and make recommendations on expanding access to the emerging cancer treatment therapy
• Creates working groups considering issues including managed residential communities’ licensing, veterinary telehealth options and endometriosis
• Establishes a bridge program for hospitals to administer opioid antagonists to someone who visits the emergency department experiencing symptoms of opioid use disorder, and offering them prescriptions and referrals to outpatient care
• Requiring public school students to have an annual athletics health assessment to screen for serious cardiac conditions before playing interscholastic sports
• Expands the nurse’s aide registry to include aides working at any licensed health care institution
• Requires the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to develop guidance on extreme hot and cold weather protocols and improvements to public communication and the Department of Housing to increase outreach to unhoused people during extreme weather events
• Requires hospitals to consider nutritional needs of community members with diabetes and congestive heart failure in community health needs assessments

The bill previously passed the House by a 142-4 tally on April 28, the Public Health Committee by a 29-3 vote on March 23 and the Appropriations Committee by a 44-9 vote on April 17. With today’s Senate approval, it now heads to Governor Lamont’s desk to be signed into law.