Rep. Morris Champions New Legislation Affecting Children
State Rep. Bruce Morris
July 16, 2007

Legislation sponsored by State Representative Bruce Morris (D-Norwalk) that positively impacts the state's children was approved by the Connecticut General Assembly as part of the state budget and recently signed into law by Governor M. Jodi Rell.

The new laws make more guardians eligible for additional subsidies when they assume guardianship of the child's half or step-siblings to whom they are not related through the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Subsidized Guardianship Program; and, to require group and individual health insurance policies to cover specialized formulas for the therapeutic treatment of inherited metabolic diseases for children up to age 12 instead of up to age eight.

"I am excited that these bills have been signed into law," said Rep. Morris. "In today's society, family doesn't always mean the traditional model of married parents with biological offspring. In fact, less than half of America's children live in a traditional ‘nuclear' family. We often have siblings that share only one parent in common. Moreover, grandparents are raising siblings in order to keep families intact. This law eliminates the need, in the event a parent has died or DCF has custody for more than 6 months, for siblings to be separated simply because they do not share all relatives in common, provided a non-relative guardian is willing to raise the child. This law allows us to reduce the number of children who potentially would remain in foster care by providing a guardianship subsidy to a non-relative guardian. These vulnerable children have a greater chance at success when allowed to remain in a familiar home where they are wanted. No one can underestimate the lifelong emotional impact upon a child who is relegated to foster care while their sibling's guardianship is assumed by a family member. The state pays the cost in either event, so why not provide for the best placement," Rep Morris said.

Additionally, the law provides for a relative caregiver, foster parent or a prospective adoptive parent to be heard in Superior Court and comment on the best interests of a child in any legal proceeding regarding said child.

Under current law, DCF's program must provide relative caregivers with information about state services and benefits for which they may be eligible, in particular, for households with children under the age of 18.

The expansion of insurance coverage for specialized formulas mandated in the new law requires health insurance policies to cover medically necessary specialized formulas administered under a physician's direction for children up to age 12, instead of age eight. The act applies to group and individual insurance policies delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in Connecticut after September 30, 2007 that cover (1) basic hospital expenses; (2) basic medical-surgical expenses; (3) major medical expenses; (4) accidents only; and (5) hospital or medical services, including HMO contracts. The bill would not apply to municipalities, like Norwalk, that have self-insured benefit plans, which are regulated under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

"Families with children who possess an inherited metabolic disease such as cystic fibrosis have enough challenges to face. They shouldn't have to pay out of pocket for medically necessary nutrition therapy just because their child has turned nine years old," said Rep. Morris.

These new laws will be effective on October 1, 2007

Rep. Morris is serving his first term in the Connecticut General Assembly. He is a member of the Select Committee on Housing, Human Services, and Judiciary committees.

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