HB 7215 requires Connecticut's Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to create a program providing prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services for individuals and families affected by Internet gaming disorder. This disorder is defined as chronic preoccupation with video games that harms personal, family, or work life. The program may partner with regional organizations and nonprofits to deliver services, and the department may charge a sliding-scale fee to participants who can afford to pay. The program becomes effective October 1, 2025.
HB 7245 requires Connecticut's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to include voter registration applications with all driver's license, license renewal, and state ID applications starting October 1, 2025. It mandates that applicants attest under penalty of perjury to eligibility requirements (like U.S. citizenship, address, and voting rights) without needing witnesses, while allowing electronic verification of some criteria. The DMV must transmit completed applications to local election officials within specific timeframes, ensuring eligible applicants are registered for upcoming elections. This directly affects all Connecticut residents applying for or renewing driver's licenses or state IDs at DMV offices.
HB 6775 increases the monthly personal needs allowance (PNA) for Medicaid recipients living in long-term care facilities, currently set at $75. Starting July 1, 2025, the allowance will automatically rise annually by 25% of the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program's cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), if any. This change directly affects residents in licensed nursing homes, chronic disease hospitals, intermediate care facilities, and state humane institutions who rely on Medicaid. The funds will be deposited into residents' personal accounts for incidental expenses like haircuts, phone calls, or newspapers, ensuring the allowance keeps pace with inflation. The bill requires annual adjustments without additional legislative action, with estimated costs of $500,000-$800,000 in fiscal year 2026.
HB 7023 requires Connecticut's Medicaid program to reimburse certified peer support specialists for providing recovery-focused help to Medicaid enrollees with mental health or substance use challenges. It defines peer support specialists as individuals with lived recovery experience who are certified by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The bill mandates Medicaid reimbursement for these services starting July 2025 and requires the Department of Social Services to report by August 2026 on how many specialists are paid, how many enrollees they serve, and treatment outcomes. This directly affects Medicaid patients seeking peer support and certified peer specialists providing these services.
HB 6091 requires Connecticut's Department of Social Services to stop denying Medicaid pharmacy reimbursements based on data extrapolation from minor clerical or technical errors in audits. It mandates that pharmacies receive confirmation of all notices (like billing alerts) and creates a real-time, accessible database showing which drugs are approved for the state's preferred drug list. The bill also establishes a formal grievance process by October 1, 2025, allowing pharmacies to challenge reimbursements that don't cover their actual cost to dispense drugs to Medicaid patients. This directly affects community pharmacies participating in Connecticut's Medicaid program.
HB 6845 expands eligibility for a special hazardous duty pension under Connecticut's State Employees Retirement System (SERS) to include investigators in the Division of Criminal Justice, Division of Public Defender Services, and Superior Court's Support Enforcement Services. It allows these employees to count their service starting October 1, 2025, toward the pension, which provides more generous benefits than regular SERS membership (e.g., potentially full retirement after fewer years without age requirements). The bill directly affects approximately 107 investigators in these roles, with the state anticipating an annual cost increase of about $1.19 million compared to their regular pension costs. This change takes effect October 1, 2025, and requires these employees to contribute an additional 3-4% of their pay to the pension fund during their service.
HB 6943 strengthens tenant protections by revising key rental laws effective July 1, 2025. It requires landlords to provide written rent increase notices at least 45 days in advance (with shorter notice for month-to-month leases), prohibits landlords from including unfair lease terms (such as waived legal rights, excessive late fees, or automatic rent hikes), and mandates receipts for rent payments and access to rental ledgers. The bill directly affects all residential tenants and landlords in the state by standardizing notice requirements, banning deceptive clauses, and ensuring transparency in billing. It does not alter federal rent regulations but aligns state law with tenant accountability measures.
HB 6987 requires nursing homes and residential care facilities to help residents find new placements during closures or evacuations, considering family proximity and support networks. It mandates facilities to create discharge plans detailing individual needs and submit them to residents and the state within seven days of transfer notices. The bill also creates a new insurance requirement (effective Oct. 2025) covering residents' lost or damaged personal property during closures, and establishes a real-time bed availability database for easier placement (effective Jan. 2026). Additionally, it forms a working group to review evacuation procedures and explore emergency management tools for facilities.
HB 6952 defines "recreational or educational children's programs" as regularly scheduled activities (like summer programs, licensed child care, or Boys & Girls Club drop-ins) for 5+ children aged 3-16, operating during school breaks or weekends. It requires unlicensed programs to avoid using "camp" in advertising without disclosing their lack of licensing (effective January 2026) and mandates comprehensive background checks for all municipal program staff working with children, including criminal records, abuse registry, and sex offender database checks. The bill also sets staffing requirements: a 1:12 staff-to-child ratio during operations and at least one CPR-trained staff member present at all times, both on-site and off-site. These rules apply to programs operated by private entities, schools, or municipal agencies.
HB 6895 requires health insurers in Connecticut to cover biomarker testing as a mandated health benefit, directly affecting all individual and group health insurance plans sold in the state. The bill establishes a mandatory review process for all new mandated health benefits passed after 2025, requiring the Insurance Commissioner to assess costs, quality impacts, and availability of coverage by independent experts. It includes a 4-year sunset provision, meaning new mandated benefits (like biomarker testing coverage) automatically expire unless the legislature reauthorizes them after a review. The law also mandates annual reports to the legislature on the impacts of mandated benefits, focusing on cost, utilization, and existing coverage options.
HB 6965 requires all businesses providing fire and catastrophic restoration services (like property repair after fires, water damage, or disasters) to obtain a license from the State Fire Marshal's office. It establishes a $150 initial license fee and $100 annual renewal fee, with fines up to $1,000 per violation for operating without a license. The bill also mandates the State Fire Marshal to maintain a public registry listing licensed businesses, their status (e.g., in good standing), and any filed complaints. This directly affects restoration companies, contractors, and service providers operating in Connecticut, effective October 1, 2025.
HB 7183 regulates long-term care insurance in Connecticut by requiring insurers to provide written notice of future premium increase risks before policy purchase (Section 3) and capping premium hikes for certain older policies - those initially bought before 1986 or held by policyholders aged 80+ or who’ve paid 400% in increases - to the Consumer Price Index (Section 4). Insurers must hold public hearings for rate increases over 10% and notify policyholders 14 days in advance (Section 2). The bill also mandates reports from the Insurance Department and Connecticut Partnership for Long-Term Care evaluating regulations and program effectiveness, with a biennial audit of the Partnership’s operations (Sections 1, 5, 6). These changes directly affect insurers selling long-term care policies and their policyholders, focusing on transparency and rate stability.
