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Board adds ‘legal support of the board’ to agenda; DPH legal to resume day‑to‑day meeting representation
Summary
The Board voted to add a chair-update agenda item on legal support. DPH told members that the DPH hearing office and in‑house legal staff will provide day‑to‑day meeting representation going forward; Assistant Attorneys General remain available for specific legal advice.
The Connecticut Board of Nursing voted to add “legal support of the board” to the chair‑update section of its agenda and discussed switching day‑to‑day meeting representation from the Attorney General’s Office to DPH legal staff.
Addition to agenda: Chair Gina Reiner proposed adding the item under chair updates to discuss legislative-process matters and legal support. Board member Mary Dieteman moved to add legal support of the board under chair updates after the item on regulation revisions; Cindy Arpin seconded the motion. The board recorded a voice vote of all yays and the item was added to the agenda.
Why it matters: Assistant Attorneys General Liz Bannon and Alina Brooklyn Goldstein had been providing legal support while DPH rebuilt its legal capacity. DPH told the board that its hearing office and DPH legal staff are now able to resume routine representation at board meetings, allowing AG attorneys to focus on other public‑health priorities.
Operational change described: Attorney Ryan Burns said the public‑health hearing office had historically provided meeting legal support and, after a period of staffing transitions, has regained that capacity. Burns said that Liz Bannon and Alina Goldstein remain the board’s AAGs and are available for legal questions, but day‑to‑day representation and hearing coverage at Wednesday meetings will generally be provided by the DPH hearing office (Burns, Stacy Shulman or other DPH designees).
Board reaction: Board members thanked the AAGs for their past support. Both AAGs confirmed they remain available for specialized legal questions. Attorney Bannon said she appreciated the opportunity to work with the board and encouraged members to reach out to the AG’s Office for legal advice as needed.
Ending: The board added the agenda item formally by voice vote, and DPH confirmed that Burns or a DPH hearing‑office attorney will typically provide routine meeting representation going forward; AAGs remain accessible for specific legal advice.
