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Connecticut Bill No. 7502
(passed by the House and Senate on June 29, 2005 and sent
to Gov. M. Jodi Rell for signing)
Sec. 33. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this
section:
(1) "Eligible member" means a member of the Connecticut National
Guard who served in the Persian Gulf War, as defined in 38 USC 101,
or in an area designated as a combat zone by the President of the
United States during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi
Freedom;
(2) "Veteran" means a veteran, as defined in subsection (a) of section
27-103 of the general statutes, who served as an eligible member;
(3) "Military physician" includes a physician who is under contract
with the United States Department of Defense to provide physician
services to members of the armed forces; and
(4) "Depleted uranium" means uranium containing less uranium-235
than the naturally occurring distribution of uranium isotopes.
(b) On and after October 1, 2005, the Adjutant General and the
Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs shall assist any eligible member or
veteran who (1) has been assigned a risk level I, II or III for depleted
uranium exposure by his or her branch of service, (2) is referred by a
military physician, or (3) has reason to believe that he or she was
exposed to depleted uranium during such service, in obtaining federal
treatment services, including a best practice health screening test for
exposure to depleted uranium using a bioassay procedure involving
sensitive methods capable of detecting depleted uranium at low levels
and the use of equipment with the capacity to discriminate between
different radioisotopes in naturally occurring levels of uranium and
the characteristic ratio and marker for depleted uranium. No state
funds shall be used to pay for such tests or such other federal
treatment services.
(c) On or before October 1, 2005, the Adjutant General shall submit a
report to the select committee of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to military and veterans' affairs, in
accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes,
on the scope and adequacy of training received by members of the
Connecticut National Guard on detecting whether their service as
eligible members is likely to entail, or to have entailed, exposure to
depleted uranium. The report shall include an assessment of the
feasibility and cost of adding predeployment training concerning
potential exposure to depleted uranium and other toxic chemical
substances and the precautions recommended under combat and
noncombat conditions while in a combat zone.
Sec. 34. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to
study the health effects of the exposure to hazardous materials,
including, but not limited to, depleted uranium, as they relate to
military service. The task force shall, within available appropriations:
(1) With the approval of the president pro tempore of the Senate and
the speaker of the House of Representatives, and subject to the
provisions of subsection (c) of this section, commission a study to
consider the health of service members who may have been exposed to
hazardous materials since August 2, 1990, and conduct a scientific
conference on such health effects; (2) initiate a health registry for
veterans, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103 of the general
statutes, and military personnel returning from Afghanistan, Iraq or
other countries in which depleted uranium or other hazardous
materials may be found; (3) develop a plan for outreach to and follow-
up of military personnel; (4) prepare a report for service members
concerning potential exposure to depleted uranium and other toxic
chemical substances and the precautions recommended under combat
and noncombat conditions while in a combat zone; and (5) make any
other recommendations the task force considers appropriate.
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:
(1) The Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs or a designee;
(2) The Commissioner of Public Health or a designee;
(3) Six members who are members of the General Assembly,
appointed, one each, by the president pro tempore of the Senate, the
speaker of the House of Representatives and the majority and minority
leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives;
(4) Two members who are veterans with knowledge of or
experience with exposure to hazardous materials, appointed, one each,
by the president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the
House of Representatives; and
(5) Four members who are physicians or scientists with knowledge
of or experience in the detection or health effects of exposure to
depleted uranium or other hazardous materials, appointed, one each,
by the majority and minority leaders of the Senate and the House of
Representatives.
(c) The person retained to conduct the study under subdivision (1)
of subsection (a) of this section shall, prior to being retained, disclose
to the president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the
House of Representatives any research done by such person (1) on any
matters related to depleted uranium, or (2) that was funded by an
entity that is engaged in manufacturing processes that use depleted
uranium.
(d) All appointments to the task force shall be made no later than
thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be
filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the
House of Representatives shall appoint as chairpersons of the task
force one senator and one representative, respectively, from among the
members appointed under subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this
section. The chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task
force, which shall be held no later than sixty days after the effective
date of this section.
(f) The administrative staff of the select committee of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to military and
veterans' affairs shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.
(g) Not later than January 31, 2006, the task force shall submit a
report on its findings and recommendations to the select committee of
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to
military and veterans' affairs, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on
the date that it submits such report or January 31, 2006, whichever is
earlier.
Hartford Courant Story
http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/hc-29104735.apds.m0237.bc-ct-xgr--jun29,0,5113915.story
Connecticut Bill 7502 Information