Rep. Mitch Bolinsky

Maddy summarySB 1150 waives the standard renewal fees for driver's licenses and identity cards for veterans. Veterans with documented veteran status on their current license can renew without paying the typical fee (e.g., $96 for an 8-year license). If a veteran applies for renewal more than six months before expiration, they receive a voucher for a free renewal during that six-month window. This policy directly affects veterans who are current license holders and need to renew, while non-veterans continue to pay standard fees.

Maddy summaryHB 6194 requires state agencies, departments, or officials managing certain state funds created by law for charitable purposes to submit electronic reports to the legislature before terminating those funds. The reports must state the intent to end the fund and estimate any remaining balance. This applies to funds established through public or special acts and administered by state entities, effective October 1, 2025. The bill has no fiscal impact on the state or municipalities, as confirmed by the fiscal analysis. It focuses solely on transparency requirements, not policy changes.

Maddy summarySB 13 establishes an Elder Abuse Task Force within the State Police and requires the Chief State's Attorney to create an Elder Justice Unit within the Division of Criminal Justice. The bill directly affects elderly residents in Connecticut who are victims of abuse by creating dedicated law enforcement units to investigate and prosecute such cases. Key provisions include authorizing the Task Force to investigate elder abuse statewide, coordinate with the Elder Justice Unit, request assistance from other agencies or states, and enter mutual cooperation agreements. The changes take effect October 1, 2025, and amend existing statutes (51-279 and 51-279b) to formalize these units and their responsibilities.

Maddy summarySB 24 prevents state employees' overtime pay from being included in retirement income calculations. The bill amends state law to exclude overtime payments when determining the base salary used for pension calculations. This directly affects all state employees who earn overtime, as their retirement benefits will now be based solely on regular pay. The policy change alters how retirement benefits are calculated for these workers.

Maddy summaryHB 6912 establishes a state Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Task Force to examine the needs of individuals with these conditions and their caregivers, along with available services and healthcare capacity. The task force must develop a comprehensive State Alzheimer's Plan covering long-term care options, family caregiver support, early detection strategies, healthcare provider availability, home-based services, and public awareness initiatives. The plan will specifically address fiscal impacts on public health programs, dementia care costs, training requirements for healthcare workers, and safety needs. The task force, composed of 11 governor-appointed members (including people living with early-stage dementia and family caregivers) plus state agency representatives, must complete its work by October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 6915 bans the use of certain second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (containing brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, or difethialone) statewide starting October 1, 2025, affecting most residential, commercial, and general pest control uses. Key exceptions allow continued use for public health activities (e.g., water infrastructure protection, mosquito control), emergency rodent infestations requiring public health approval, specific facilities like medical waste sites and food production facilities, and agricultural operations in designated locations (warehouses, slaughterhouses, etc.). The bill also requires the Environmental Protection Commissioner to develop wildlife protection regulations and submit a 2027 report analyzing impacts on public health, agriculture, and federal compliance. This policy change directly affects pest control businesses, property managers, and agricultural operations while permitting limited uses for public health and critical infrastructure needs.

Maddy summarySB 647 establishes a systems benefits charge to fund energy affordability programs, directly affecting all electricity customers in Connecticut. The bill requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to set this annual charge (effective July 1, 2025), with funds directed to specific programs like Operation Fuel for energy assistance, hardship protection measures, low-income conservation initiatives, and energy efficiency programs. It replaces an older funding mechanism and specifies exact allocations, including $2.1 million annually for energy assistance (with $200,000 for administrative costs). The bill does not change electricity rates but redirects existing funding to support vulnerable households and energy programs.

Maddy summaryHB 6441 requires Connecticut's Department of Veterans Affairs to establish an Office of Advocacy and Assistance with specific staffing and training requirements. The office must employ at least 19 staff (including 14 veterans' service officers who must be veterans or honorably discharged veterans), with at least two officers having bilingual English-Spanish proficiency and one focused on women veterans' needs. The bill mandates annual training for staff and municipal veterans representatives on veterans' benefits, outreach planning to connect veterans with services, and quarterly reporting to the Department's Board of Trustees on veterans' concerns and petitions. This bill directly affects veterans, their spouses, dependents, and municipal veterans' service providers by strengthening support systems for accessing benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 5369 allows state agencies to require employees to work on-site for up to 60% of their scheduled hours. It directly affects state agency employees by establishing a policy that mandates in-person work for a portion of their time. The bill amends state law to give agency commissioners the authority to set this requirement, with no specific exceptions mentioned. The stated purpose is to enable agencies to implement a work policy requiring in-person attendance.

Maddy summaryHB 6916 bans the use of neonicotinoid pesticides on most public and private turf (like golf courses, lawns, and municipal properties) and for corn, wheat, and soybean crops starting January 1, 2028. It also prohibits selling or distributing neonicotinoid-treated agricultural seeds for these crops after January 1, 2029, unless a waiver is granted. The bill allows temporary exceptions for environmental emergencies (approved by the Environmental Protection Commissioner) and requires farmers seeking waivers for seed treatments to undergo pest risk assessments, complete integrated pest management training, and prove less harmful alternatives aren't feasible. These provisions directly affect property managers, municipalities, and farmers in Connecticut.