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Department of Consumer Protection seeks resources for prescription drug importation, homemaker oversight and junk‑fee enforcement; cannabis staff moving to the
Summary
DCP briefed the committee on multiple policy and budget items: a new Canadian prescription‑drug importation program (start‑up consultant funding), oversight expansion for homemaker/companion agencies, enforcement of the Connecticut Junk Fee Prevention Act, and a proposed internal move of cannabis‑funded positions into the general fund.
The Department of Consumer Protection told the Appropriations Regulation and Protection Subcommittee on Feb. 14 that Governor Lamont’s proposed budget would fund several new programs and staffing changes across the agency.
Deputy Commissioner Maureen Magnan said the governor’s budget includes startup funding to develop a prescription drug importation program that would allow the state to pursue lower‑cost prescriptions from Canada; the proposal includes $100,000 for a first‑year consultant to lay the program groundwork. “The governor’s proposed budget does provide DCP with the resources necessary to continue our work,” Magnan said.
The agency also requested two new inspector positions to expand oversight of homemaker companion agencies after the number of such agencies grew, and Magnan said the department would add a third special investigator in the unit that audits and inspects those agencies. Magnan added the agency expects to add digital licensing features for trades (QR code licenses) and is preparing to enforce the new Connecticut Junk Fee Prevention Act (Senate Bill 1248), which would require clearer fee disclosures in advertising and offers.
On cannabis, DCP officials explained the governor wants to move cannabis‑funded positions from the cannabis fund into the general fund so that the staffing follows where revenue is flowing. “The administration wants to do it because we would like to get all of, like, the cannabis functions into to match where the revenues are going and the revenues are going into the general fund,” Magnan said.
Why it matters: the prescription importation work is an early‑stage effort to reduce drug costs, the homemaker‑agency oversight expansion responds to rapidly increased provider numbers, and junk‑fee enforcement is a consumer protection priority. The cannabis staff move is an accounting/structure change meant to align positions and revenue streams, which lawmakers questioned for transparency and tracking.
Key details and follow‑up: Magnan said PS lapse and vacancy numbers would allow DCP to absorb some budget adjustments; she reported a general‑fund personal‑services lapse of about $1.3 million. The committee asked for a breakdown of cannabis fund flows across state agencies and for additional detail about the prescription‑monitoring software contract being moved to DAS (vendor named 'Bamboo' in testimony).
Ending: Lawmakers asked DCP to return details on cannabis revenues and expenditures, the homemaker‑agency oversight staffing plan and the consultant scope for the prescription importation program.
