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Senate Health & Welfare reviews draft to expand homelessness supports, set shelter standards and reporting deadlines
Summary
Committee staff presented Draft 5.2 of a homelessness-services bill that adds legislative intent for a continuum of supports, defines specialized shelter services, requires case management engagement, limits hotel/motel stays to 70 days per rolling year (Apr.1–Nov.30 window) and sets emergency-rule and reporting deadlines.
The Senate Health and Welfare committee met May 12 in an ad hoc session to review Draft 5.2 of legislation to reshape supports for households experiencing homelessness.
“Katie” of the Office of Legislative Council summarized the changes, saying it is “the intent of the general assembly that a continuum of supports and services be available and administered flexibly in a manner that provides a stable pathway to permanent housing, meets the specific needs of households experiencing homelessness, and supports community partners.”
The draft would require specialized shelter services to include programming delivered in highly structured shelters plus additional specialty services, and would require households to engage with a case manager to develop a housing plan unless explicitly exempt under the chapter or federal law. Katie said households may request, but are not guaranteed, a specific case manager or a change in case manager.
On temporary hotel and motel placements, the draft sets a seasonal window and a per-household cap: between April 1 and Nov. 30 eligible households may receive housing at hotels and motels with supportive services “for not more than 70 days per rolling 12 month period as calculated from the date of the eligible household’s application,” the staff summary said.
The draft also tightens notice and appeal language for reductions, suspensions or terminations of services, requiring timely written notice by email or U.S. mail that includes the effective date of the action and the right to appear at a hearing.
The bill includes new rulemaking timelines and an emergency-rules provision. Committee staff said the emergency rules period would be adjusted so emergency rules are in effect between July 1 and Aug. 31, with an emergency cutoff date changed to Sept. 1. The draft also requires submission of permanent-rule drafts to policy committees by 04/01/2027 (as stated in the transcript).
On payment structures, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) — working with partners, per the draft — is to propose a payment-rate structure and file reports on implementation. Katie said the department will submit an interim report on April 1 (year not specified in the transcript) and a final report on 11/01/2027 to JFC and JFO describing the implementation timeline and expenditures.
The chair and committee members did not vote on the draft at the May 12 session. The chair said the committee could vote but preferred to wait for fuller attendance; a committee member agreed the timing felt rushed. The chair asked staff to convene the full committee before 10 a.m. and set a reconvene time of 9:40 to attempt a vote while Legislative Council staff would be available.
The committee also briefly noted a separate bill (S02:39) had arrived earlier with incorrect language and that the corrected version is now available; the chair asked a staff member not present at the meeting to explain the differences for circulation to members.
Next steps: staff will circulate the corrected S02:39 comparison and the committee plans to reconvene at 9:40 with the goal of voting if quorum and staff availability permit.
