Rep. Bill Heffernan

Maddy summaryHB 6992 establishes the "Homes for CT Loan Program" to support new residential construction in Connecticut. The program, administered by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, guarantees loans from participating banks and credit unions to developers of new residential buildings. It allows higher loan-to-value ratios than standard underwriting and provides additional subordinate loans from the Authority to eligible borrowers. The program caps total funding at $100 million, after which no new loans can be added, and requires participating lenders to report loans to the Authority within one business day. This directly affects new residential developers and participating financial institutions in Connecticut.

Maddy summaryHB 6413 requires the state to add uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (with minimum $1 million limits for bodily injury or death) to the State Fleet Insurance Policy by July 1, 2026. This directly affects Department of Transportation (DOT) employees who drive for work and are outside their vehicles during employment. The coverage protects these employees if they are injured or killed by drivers without insurance or insufficient coverage while performing job duties outside their vehicles.

Maddy summaryHB 6408 expands workers' compensation for dependents when an employee dies in an accident. It changes how payments are divided when there are no "presumptive dependents" (like spouses or children), instead focusing on people who were financially dependent on the deceased. The bill ensures wholly dependent individuals (e.g., a dependent child) receive full compensation, while partially dependent people (e.g., a relative who relied on some support) get at least $20 weekly but no more than what they previously received. Next of kin (like siblings or parents) will now share payments based on their level of dependence, not equally as before. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 7078 establishes a process for property owners to request police removal of unauthorized occupants. It defines "unauthorized persons" as individuals not current/former tenants or immediate family, requiring owners to submit a verified affidavit proving they've directed the person to leave and lack valid lease or rental documentation. Police must verify the affidavit and serve a notice to vacate, with owners restored to possession. The bill also includes a civil remedy allowing wrongful removal victims to recover triple the fair market rent and attorney fees. (Note: Other provisions in the title - continuing education for licensees, a wholesaling study, and title changes - are not detailed in the bill text and are not summarized here.)

Maddy summarySB 1318 requires telephone and telecommunications companies (including mobile and internet-based voice services) to charge subscribers a $0.05 monthly fee per access line. The funds collected must be deposited into the Firefighters Cancer Relief Account by the 15th of each month. This fee applies to most residential and business phone lines but excludes prepaid wireless services. The bill establishes a new funding source for the account, which provides wage replacement benefits to firefighters diagnosed with cancer, with estimated annual revenue of $2.4-$3.0 million starting in fiscal year 2027. The fee takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 6898 removes the age 60+ requirement for drivers to qualify for a 5% auto insurance premium discount after completing a state-approved 4-hour accident prevention course. This change expands eligibility to all drivers who complete the course, not just older drivers, with the discount applying for at least 24 months. The bill also requires Connecticut's Insurance Commissioner to study auto insurance laws in other states - focusing on coverage and premium reduction practices - and report findings to lawmakers by February 2026. The discount provision takes effect October 1, 2025, while the study requirement begins immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryHB 6229 bans polystyrene foodware (like foam containers) and most single-use plastic items (including straws, stirrers, and food accessories) for food vendors, government agencies, schools, and businesses starting July 1, 2027. Exceptions include biodegradable straws provided upon request (especially for people with disabilities) and specific packaging uses like pre-sealed food or meat storage. The bill also requires state/municipal buildings and schools to install reusable water bottle filling stations when replacing drinking fountains, effective January 2027. A task force will study sustainable alternatives and report by February 2026, but the law itself focuses on direct restrictions and infrastructure changes.

Maddy summaryHB 7260 prohibits driving over 100 miles per hour on public highways, municipal roads, parking areas with 10+ spaces, private roads with established speed limits, or school property. It creates a new offense ("excessive reckless driving") with higher penalties than existing reckless driving laws: first-time violators face $200-$600 fines or up to 30 days in jail, while repeat offenders could be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to one year. For repeat offenders (those previously convicted of this offense), police must tow the vehicle for 48 hours, requiring owners to pay towing/storage costs to reclaim it. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and applies to all drivers operating vehicles on specified roads or properties.

Maddy summaryHB 7141 amends Connecticut's workers' compensation law to change how compensation is calculated for injured workers and parents of deceased employees. It replaces the previous calculation method with a formula setting compensation at 75% of an injured worker's average weekly earnings (after tax deductions), capped at the state's manufacturing wage rate, or $50 weekly minimum. The bill specifies exact weeks of compensation for various injuries (like loss of limbs, organs, or senses) through a detailed table, including new provisions effective July 1, 2025. This directly affects workers injured on the job and families of workers who died from work-related causes in Connecticut. The change streamlines compensation by standardizing the calculation method while maintaining specific injury-based payout schedules.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates legal immunity for farms offering public agritourism activities (such as corn mazes, farm markets, or hay rides) when participants are injured due to "risks inherent in agritourism," like farm terrain, animal behavior, or normal agricultural equipment. It directly affects agritourism providers (farm owners/operators) and participants who visit these activities. The law grants immunity unless the provider acted negligently, intentionally caused harm, or committed criminal conduct. Exceptions ensure providers remain liable for their own misconduct, not for ordinary farm risks.