Rep. Bill Heffernan

Maddy summaryHB 7068 allows at least 10% of unit owners in a common interest community (like an HOA) to petition a court for an independent financial audit if they meet specific conditions: they must certify a good faith belief of financial misconduct, obtain a CPA's written opinion identifying evidence of fraud or misuse, hold 10% of relevant voting proxies, and confirm no audit occurred in the past year. The petitioning group covers all audit costs. The bill also updates property disclosure forms to require clearer information about community dues, special districts, and litigation related to common interest communities, emphasizing that buyers in larger communities must obtain a "resale certificate" from the association. This directly affects HOA members seeking financial transparency and homebuyers in communities with shared governance structures.

Maddy summaryHB 7258 requires Connecticut's Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to study whether setting specific blood THC (cannabis) and psilocybin levels would allow for automatic legal presumption of driving under the influence, similar to current blood alcohol content limits for alcohol. The study must examine approaches used in Colorado, Illinois, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, and Washington, and report findings with recommendations by February 1, 2026. This bill does not create new laws or penalties but prepares the state for potential future policy decisions regarding cannabis and psilocybin impairment. It directly affects future legislative and regulatory decisions about DUI standards, not current drivers. The study has no anticipated fiscal impact as it uses existing department expertise.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to change the term lengths for state legislators. Currently, members of the state legislature serve two-year terms. The amendment would establish a new cycle where, after each U.S. Census redistricting, the first two elected terms would be four years long, followed by a two-year term. If approved by voters in the November 2026 election, this change would affect all state senators and representatives elected in subsequent cycles. The resolution must first pass the legislature with a three-quarter vote to appear on the ballot.

Maddy summaryHB 6263 requires Connecticut's Departments of Administrative Services, Energy and Environmental Protection, and Transportation to replace gas-powered landscaping equipment (like leaf blowers and mowers) with equivalent electric models for state property maintenance. Starting September 1, 2027, agencies must purchase or lease electric equipment when gas-powered machines reach the end of their useful life and electric alternatives work just as well. By September 1, 2029, these departments must also require contractors performing state landscaping work to use electric equipment if functionally equivalent options exist. Exceptions allow continued use of gas-powered equipment for emergencies, fire management, forest/riparian area maintenance, or public safety operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill revises Connecticut's rules for colored or flashing lights on vehicles. It requires permits for most non-government vehicles using blue lights (for volunteer fire/ambulance members), red lights (for fire chiefs/emergency officials), or yellow lights (for maintenance/oversize vehicle escorts), with a $20 annual fee for non-government users. Government-owned vehicles (state, local, fire departments) are exempt from permits and fees. The law specifically allows volunteer fire/ambulance members to use blue lights on their personal vehicles when responding to emergencies, with department records kept on file. It does not change penalties for traffic violations or address the other topics listed in the bill's title.

Maddy summaryHB 7159 creates "yellow envelopes" to help first responders (police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel) better communicate with people who have cognitive impairments or physical disabilities. The bill requires the Motor Vehicle Commissioner to design these envelopes - holding ID documents and containing communication guidance - and develop awareness materials like wallet cards and stickers. People with disabilities (or their guardians) can request these free envelopes and materials from first responder offices, such as police stations or ambulance services. The law aims to improve interactions during emergencies by providing clear, accessible resources for both responders and individuals with disabilities.

Maddy summaryHB 6953 requires all Connecticut municipalities to provide police officers and firefighters with a defined pension plan by June 30, 2027, either through the Municipal Employees' Retirement System (MERS) or a comparable alternative offering equal or better benefits. This affects approximately 87 municipalities that currently do not offer such pensions to these public safety workers, with an estimated annual cost of $98.6 million if all enroll in MERS. The bill mandates municipalities to transition employees from existing retirement systems into compliant plans, while directing the Comptroller to study transition requirements and submit a report by January 1, 2026. The legislation imposes a state-mandated cost on local governments without requiring new state funding.

Maddy summaryHB 5609 requires municipalities and special taxing districts with defined benefit pension systems to calculate retirement benefits using the higher of two amounts: the employee's regular wages used for final average salary (FAS), or the workers' compensation temporary disability benefits received during the same period used to determine FAS. This applies to all current and future employees whose disability benefits exceed their regular wages during the FAS calculation period, effective July 1, 2025. The bill does not affect existing collective bargaining agreements and will increase pension costs for municipalities when disability benefits are higher than regular wages. It directly affects municipal pension systems and employees who received workers' compensation during their FAS period.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Connecticut's licensing requirements for youth camps operated by the Civil Air Patrol. It requires all such camps to obtain a license (with reduced fees for nonprofits or short-duration camps) and mandates comprehensive background checks for staff working with children, including criminal history, child abuse registry, and sex offender registry checks. The law allows provisional hiring during background checks if supervised by pre-screened staff and gives the commissioner authority to deny licenses based on specific criminal convictions related to child harm. It directly affects Connecticut Wing Civil Air Patrol youth camp operators, staff, and participants by establishing standardized safety protocols.

Maddy summaryHB 6973 allows towns, cities, or boroughs to negotiate with volunteer firefighters and ambulance service members how much they pay toward group health insurance premiums, instead of requiring volunteers to cover 100% of the cost. It applies to active members of volunteer fire/ambulance organizations in municipalities that already offer employee group health plans. Volunteers must still elect coverage, meet active-status requirements, and pay a negotiated share of the premium (not 100%). The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and does not require municipalities to offer this option.