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SB 37

AN ACT ELIMINATING THE APPLICATION FEE FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS SEEKING LICENSURE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND CAPPING THE LICENSURE FEE FOR SUCH PROFESSIONALS AT TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ryan Fazio and 1 co-sponsor

Connecticut bill eliminates health care professional licensure application fees and caps licensure fees at $200 to reduce barriers for workers seeking state credentials.

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Finance, Revenue and Bonding
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Bill Summary · SB 37

Legislative bill overview

SB 37 would eliminate application fees for health care professionals applying for licensure through Connecticut's Department of Public Health and cap the actual licensure fee at $200. Currently, applicants pay both an application fee and a separate licensure fee, with costs varying by profession. This bill consolidates costs into a single capped fee.

Why is this important

Licensing fees can create barriers to entry for health care workers, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds or career-changers, potentially affecting workforce supply in underserved specialties. Connecticut faces ongoing health care worker shortages in nursing, mental health counseling, and other fields, making licensure affordability a practical workforce development concern. The fee structure change could influence migration patterns of licensed professionals between states with different cost structures.

Potential points of contention

  • Revenue impact: Connecticut's Department of Public Health derives funding from licensure fees; eliminating application fees and capping licensure fees will reduce departmental revenue, potentially affecting licensing processing times and regulatory capacity unless alternative funding is provided.
  • Equity vs. cost-shifting: While lower fees theoretically benefit lower-income applicants, the bill doesn't specify whether the $200 cap covers all professional categories equally or whether some professions will see fee reductions while others face increases.
  • Competitive positioning: Other states' licensure fee structures aren't addressed; Connecticut might become a relative bargain for licensing, but neighboring states could respond with their own reductions, creating a race-to-the-bottom scenario that reduces regulatory resources across the region.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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