(a) There is established a Council on Developmental Services which shall consist of fifteen members appointed as follows: Eight shall be appointed by the Governor, for two-year terms, one of whom shall be a doctor of medicine, one of whom shall be a person with intellectual disability who is receiving services from the Department of Developmental Services and at least two of whom shall be a relative or a guardian of a person with intellectual disability; six shall be appointed by members of the General Assembly for two-year terms, one of whom shall be a relative or guardian of a person with intellectual disability, appointed by the speaker of the House, one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House, one of whom shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be a relative or guardian of a person with intellectual disability appointed by the majority leader of the House, one of whom shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, and one of whom shall be a relative or guardian of a person with intellectual disability, appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; and one of whom 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 of the council may serve more than three consecutive terms, except that a member may continue to serve until a successor is appointed. 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 engaged in the care or training of persons with intellectual disability 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 six times per year 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 intellectual disability. 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 intellectual disability.

(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; P.A. 10-93, S. 7; P.A. 11-16, S. 22; P.A. 14-143, S. 2; P.A. 17-9, S. 1.)

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; P.A. 10-93 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “six consecutive years” with “three consecutive terms”, by providing that council member may continue to serve until successor is appointed, by deleting provision that prohibited employee of a state institution from being eligible for appointment to council and by making technical changes; P.A. 11-16 substituted “intellectual disability” for “mental retardation”, effective May 24, 2011; P.A. 14-143 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing number of members from 13 to 15, replacing references to parent with references to relative, increasing appointments by General Assembly from 4 to 6, adding members appointed by majority leader of House and majority leader of Senate, replacing provision requiring council to meet bimonthly with provision requiring council to meet 6 times per year and making technical changes; P.A. 17-9 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing appointment by majority leader of the House of person with autism spectrum disorder with appointment of relative or guardian of person with intellectual disability.