State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Connecticut > Title17a > Chap319c > Sec17a-270

      Sec. 17a-270. (Formerly Sec. 19a-445). Council on Developmental Services. (a) There is established a Council on Developmental Services which shall consist of thirteen members appointed as follows: Eight shall be appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be a doctor of medicine, one of whom shall be a person with mental retardation who is receiving services from the Department of Developmental Services and at least two of whom shall be parents or guardians of persons with mental retardation, to serve for terms of two years each; four shall be appointed by members of the General Assembly for two-year terms, one who shall be a parent or guardian of a person with mental retardation, appointed by the speaker of the House, one appointed by the minority leader of the House, one appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and one who shall be a parent or guardian of a person with mental retardation, appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; and one who shall be a member of the board of trustees of the Southbury Training School, appointed by said board for a term of one year. No member may serve more than six consecutive years. The members of the council shall serve without compensation except for necessary expenses incurred in performing their duties. The Commissioner of Developmental Services or the commissioner's designee shall be an ex-officio member of the Council on Developmental Services without vote and shall attend its meetings. No employee of any state agency or institution engaged in the care or training of persons with mental retardation shall be eligible for appointment to the council. The council shall appoint annually, from among its members, a chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary. The council may make rules for the conduct of its affairs. The council shall meet at least bimonthly and at other times upon the call of the chair or the written request of any two members.

      (b) The council shall consider and advise on such matters as its members, the board of trustees of the training school and the Commissioner of Developmental Services may request. The council shall consult with the Commissioner of Developmental Services on the administration of the state program for persons with mental retardation. The council shall recommend to the Governor and to the General Assembly such legislation as will in its judgment improve the care and training of persons with mental retardation.

      (1959, P.A. 148, S. 23, 24; 1967, P.A. 118, S. 3; 1969, P.A. 43, S. 1; P.A. 75-638, S. 3, 23; P.A. 85-363, S. 1, 2; P.A. 89-99; P.A. 90-59; P.A. 91-278, S. 1; P.A. 07-73, S. 2(a), (b); P.A. 08-7, S. 3.)

      History: 1967 act changed name of Mansfield State Training School and Hospital; 1969 act increased council membership from 7 to 11 and provided for appointment of additional members; P.A. 75-638 replaced deputy commissioner on mental retardation in health department with commissioner of mental retardation, reflecting creation of independent mental retardation agency and deleted reference to council's consultation with commissioner of health; Sec. 17-172a transferred to Sec. 19-569a in 1977; Sec. 19-569a transferred to Sec. 19a-445 in 1983; P.A. 85-363 reduced the number of appointments made by the governor from 9 to 5, required 2 of such 5 to be parents or guardians of mentally retarded persons, provided for 4 members to be appointed by members of the general assembly and precluded any member from serving more than 6 consecutive years; P.A. 89-99 increased number of council members from 11 to 13, and increased number appointed by governor from 5 to 7; P.A. 90-59 removed requirement that the doctor of medicine be a pediatrician and added a person with mental retardation as a member; Sec. 19a-445 transferred to Sec. 17a-270 in 1991; P.A. 91-278 amended section to change council membership from 14 to 13 eliminating member representing Mansfield Training School and removing all other references to Mansfield Training School; pursuant to P.A. 07-73 "Commissioner of Mental Retardation" and "Department of Mental Retardation" were changed editorially by the Revisors to "Commissioner of Developmental Services" and "Department of Developmental Services", effective October 1, 2007; P.A. 08-7 amended Subsec. (a) by renaming Council on Mental Retardation as Council on Developmental Services, adding provision permitting Commissioner of Developmental Services to designate an individual to serve on committee and making technical changes and amended Subsec. (b) by substituting "persons with mental retardation" for "mentally retarded", effective April 29, 2008.

      See Sec. 17a-210 re Department and Commissioner of Developmental Services.

      See Sec. 19a-24 re liability of council members for damages.