Rep. Ben McGorty

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 5026 exempts the sale, storage, use, and consumption of aircraft weighing less than 6,000 pounds (maximum certificated takeoff weight) from state sales and use taxes. This change directly affects owners, buyers, and sellers of small aircraft, such as personal or small business planes. The bill amends existing tax law to create a uniform exemption for this category of aircraft, removing a tax burden previously applied to their purchase and use. It does not apply to larger aircraft or other taxable items.

Maddy summarySB 1303 requires nonresident landlords (owners not living at rental properties) and project-based housing providers in municipalities with over 25,000 residents to register with local tax assessors. They must provide their current residential address, identifying information, and the address of any key manager overseeing the property. This registration ensures proper service of maintenance orders and building code compliance notices. The bill also increases penalties for repeat violations of building and fire codes by landlords who fail to comply.

Maddy summarySB 1310 allows hospitals to install climate-controlled, exterior wall bassinets with automatic locks and alarms in emergency departments. These devices enable parents to voluntarily surrender infants 30 days old or younger without providing their name or personal information. Hospital staff must take custody immediately upon notification, and parents may choose to leave a numbered bracelet for future identification if they wish. The law aims to prevent infant abandonment by providing a safe, anonymous surrender option for parents in crisis.

Maddy summaryHB 6459 establishes a personal income tax deduction for stipends paid to volunteer firefighters and ambulance members by their local fire departments, ambulance associations, or municipalities. This allows those volunteers to reduce their taxable income by the amount of their stipends, lowering their state income tax burden. The bill directly affects volunteers who receive small payments for their service, not their primary income. It modifies the state tax code to provide this specific benefit for emergency response volunteers.

Maddy summaryHB 6549 authorizes hospitals to install climate-controlled devices on emergency department exteriors for the safe, voluntary surrender of infants. These devices must include a bassinet, an automatically locking exterior door, and an alert alarm to notify staff. The bill directly affects parents in crisis who might abandon infants and hospitals that choose to implement such devices. It provides a legal, safe alternative to infant abandonment by enabling immediate staff response without requiring parents to enter the facility.

Maddy summaryHB 6552 allows hospitals to install climate-controlled devices on emergency department exteriors featuring a bassinet, an automatically locking exterior door, and an alarm to alert staff. These devices provide a safe, legal option for parents in crisis to voluntarily surrender newborns without leaving them unattended. The bill directly affects parents seeking to surrender infants and hospitals that choose to implement the devices. It aims to prevent infant abandonment by creating a secure, immediate method for surrendering newborns to medical staff.

Maddy summaryHB 6605 (2025) amends Connecticut's Commission on Community Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention to add one new member. This new member must represent an organization that promotes firearm safety and education. The bill does not change the commission's duties or create new policies - it only expands the commission's membership structure. As a procedural change, it directly affects the composition of the existing commission.

Maddy summaryHB 6636 expands eligibility for state grants to cover PFAS (a type of harmful chemical used in firefighting foam) removal from fire apparatus, including independent fire companies and state entities. It also permits reimbursement for PFAS removal work completed before July 1, 2023. This amendment broadens an existing grant program to help fire departments offset costs associated with removing these chemicals from their equipment. The bill modifies section 41 of public act 23-204 to achieve these changes.

Maddy summaryHB 6639 establishes a pilot program to screen both paid and volunteer firefighters for cancers commonly linked to firefighting. The program will operate in one municipality with a volunteer fire department and one with a paid fire department. It directly affects firefighters in those specific communities by providing access to cancer screenings, aiming to address health risks associated with their profession.