Rep. Mary Welander

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Connecticut Department of Transportation to transfer approximately 1.5 acres of state-owned land in Derby to the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority for redevelopment purposes. The transfer will only occur after the State Properties Review Board approves the agreement, and the land will remain under state control until the formal deed is executed. The Municipal Development Authority must then issue a request for proposals to develop the land for mixed-use projects, with all proceeds from any sales or leases going to the state's Special Transportation Fund. If the authority fails to develop the land within ten years, ownership will revert back to the state.

Maddy summarySB 282 requires Connecticut towns and cities to establish veteran oversight committees by January 2027 to monitor the care of veterans' graves from pre-1776 conflicts through modern U.S. military service. It mandates electronic complaint systems for both public cemeteries (managed by towns) and private cemeteries (e.g., nonprofit associations), with towns posting complaint addresses online. The bill also creates a grant program through the Department of Consumer Protection, providing funds to municipalities for grave maintenance costs starting October 2026. These provisions directly affect local governments, cemetery operators, and the ongoing upkeep of veterans' graves across Connecticut.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new consumer protections for long-term care insurance policies in Connecticut, affecting insurance companies, policyholders, and state agencies. It requires the Office of Policy and Management to create an outreach program educating consumers about long-term care options, financing, and asset protection rules. The bill mandates that insurance policies must offer home and community-based services, include inflation protection, and cannot tie executive compensation to rate increases. Additionally, insurers must maintain a minimum 60% loss ratio, and any premium increases of 20% or more must be spread over at least three years.

Maddy summaryHB 5374 requires individual health insurance policies in Connecticut that cover chemotherapy to also provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used to prevent hair loss during treatment. This applies to policies delivered, renewed, or continued on or after January 1, 2027, and mandates coverage "at least equivalent to such coverage provided under Medicare." The bill specifically targets policies covering certain chemotherapy-related treatments, directly affecting patients receiving chemotherapy who may use scalp cooling systems. It does not apply to group plans or other insurance types, focusing solely on individual health insurance policies meeting the specified coverage criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinator within the Office of Policy and Management to oversee state efforts to prevent human trafficking. The coordinator will work with various state agencies and law enforcement to develop prevention strategies, create a confidential database for reporting trafficking incidents, and maintain a directory of victim service providers. Additionally, the bill requires the coordinator to develop training programs for state agencies, healthcare facilities, and other organizations on identifying and responding to trafficking cases. A Trafficking in Persons Council will also be updated to include the new coordinator and representatives from multiple state departments to coordinate statewide response activities.

Maddy summarySB 148 clarifies the process for closing shellfish harvesting areas due to contamination or pollution. It requires the department to establish exact boundaries for closed areas and ensure closures take effect only after publishing notices in local newspapers, filing documents with town clerks and health directors, posting signs at the site, and updating the department’s website. The bill also specifies that during a health emergency, the Commissioner of Agriculture can immediately close affected areas by notifying health authorities and publishing a public notice. This directly affects shellfish harvesters, coastal communities, and health departments by standardizing how closure information is communicated. The bill repeals outdated language in existing statutes to modernize the notification system.

Maddy summarySB 4 establishes a data broker registration system in Connecticut, requiring businesses that sell or license personal data to register with the Department of Consumer Protection by October 1, 2026. It directly affects data brokers (businesses collecting and selling personal data) and Connecticut consumers, who gain new rights to request data deletion. Key provisions include mandatory $600 annual registration fees, a requirement for data brokers to provide an "accessible deletion mechanism" for consumer requests, and definitions clarifying terms like "brokered personal data." The law aims to increase transparency and control over personal data handling while imposing specific compliance obligations on data brokers.

Maddy summarySB 5 (AN ACT CONCERNING ONLINE SAFETY) requires subscription-based AI providers (e.g., companies offering AI tools via paid plans) to give consumers clear, written disclosures about subscription terms before signing or renewing. This includes detailing any usage limits, such as restrictions based on user behavior or changes to prior terms. The bill also establishes new safety rules for "frontier developers" of advanced AI systems ("foundation models"), defining "catastrophic risk" as scenarios where AI could cause mass harm (e.g., aiding weapon creation or severe physical injury) and mandating risk assessments by covered employees. It does not ban specific AI uses but sets transparency and safety protocols for high-risk systems. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Connecticut's compulsory education laws to allow parents to choose between public school, private school, or home-based equivalent instruction for children aged five to seventeen. It requires parents to formally notify their local school district each year of their chosen educational path and mandates that districts provide information about available educational options. The legislation also raises the age at which students can voluntarily withdraw from school from seventeen to eighteen years old and clarifies definitions for equivalent instruction and nonpublic schools.

Maddy summaryHB 5004 requires child welfare agencies to conduct background checks before placing a child with a relative or non-licensed caregiver in an emergency situation. Specifically, agencies must complete a federal criminal history search and check the child abuse registry within 10 days, followed by state/national criminal records checks; refusal to provide fingerprints triggers immediate child removal. The bill also mandates that courts prioritize placing children with relatives or "fictive kin" (close family friends) over other options when safety allows, and requires written documentation for all placement decisions. This directly affects child welfare agencies, relatives/fictive kin caregivers, and courts handling emergency child safety cases.