Rep. Sarah Keitt

Maddy summaryHB 6145 requires health insurance companies to annually certify compliance with state and federal laws ensuring mental health and substance use disorder benefits are covered equally to physical health care. It repeals rules that previously kept insurer names confidential in compliance filings, increasing transparency. The bill creates a new state fund (the "parity advancement account") to support enforcement and public education about parity rights, and authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to impose civil penalties on companies violating these laws. This directly affects insurance providers and their customers seeking mental health or substance use treatment.

Maddy summaryHB 5845 appropriates state funds to reimburse school districts for the difference between federal reimbursement rates and the actual cost of providing reduced-price lunches and free breakfasts. It directly affects school districts participating in federal meal programs, covering costs for breakfasts served at no charge to all students and lunches at no charge to students eligible for reduced-price meals. The bill provides $____ from the General Fund for fiscal year 2026 to cover this cost gap, ensuring schools aren’t financially burdened by federal reimbursement shortfalls. This is a concrete policy change to maintain meal program access without altering eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryHB 5869 prohibits public school cafeterias from serving food products containing specific dyes and colorants, including blue dye #1, green dye #3, red dye #40, yellow dye #5, yellow dye #6, and lithium dioxide. The bill directly affects all public schools in the state by requiring local and regional school boards to remove these items from cafeteria offerings. It establishes a clear prohibition on the sale or service of such products during school meals. The law focuses on restricting specific chemical additives in school food, without specifying health or safety reasons.

Maddy summaryHB 6085 establishes a commission to study the economic feasibility of creating a single-payer, universal health care program in the state, referred to as "Husky for All." The commission will analyze costs, benefits, and implementation details of such a program, but the bill does not create or implement health care coverage. It directly affects state government by directing the commission to conduct this study, with no immediate impact on residents or existing health care programs. The bill is purely procedural, focusing on research rather than policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 5521 requires Connecticut to assign a unique state-assigned student identifier number (SASID) to every child born in the state. This affects all newborns and their families by creating a standardized identifier for tracking developmental progress. The bill's purpose is to enable long-term data analysis of children's growth and help identify infants with developmental delays who may not qualify for existing services. The SASID system would be used by state education and health agencies to support early intervention efforts.

Maddy summaryHB 5621 requires all hospitals in the state to create and run a financial assistance program specifically for patients enrolled in federal food assistance programs (SNAP or WIC), regardless of immigration status. The bill mandates hospitals to develop these programs and submit detailed data about their use to the Department of Public Health. This directly affects hospitals statewide and patients using SNAP or WIC benefits who face financial barriers to care. The law focuses on making hospital financial aid accessible to a defined group of low-income individuals through structured program implementation and data reporting.

Maddy summaryHB 5617 would allow cities and towns to impose a tax on the endowment funds of private colleges and universities located within their borders. The bill authorizes municipalities to levy this tax directly on the investment assets (endowments) held by these institutions, not on their general operations or property. It does not require municipalities to implement such a tax but provides them with the legal authority to do so if they choose. This change would primarily affect private higher education institutions with significant endowment assets in participating municipalities.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates state funds from the General Fund to expand the Performing Theaters Grant program. It allocates unspecified funding for fiscal years ending June 2026, 2027, and beyond to support three specific theater organizations: The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, the New Haven Center for Performing Arts, and the Fairfield Theater Company. The bill directly affects these three nonprofit theaters by adding them to the list of eligible grant recipients. The key mechanism is expanding the program's funding and recipient list, without changing the grant's existing structure.

Maddy summaryHB 5557 designates the fifteenth day of the Hindu lunar calendar's month of Kartik each year as "Diwali, the Festival of Lights" for official recognition. This procedural bill amends state statutes to formally acknowledge Diwali as an annual observance without creating new policies, funding, or obligations. It directly affects state records and official calendars by specifying the date for ceremonial recognition. The bill has no substantive impact on residents, businesses, or government operations beyond this symbolic designation.

Maddy summaryHB 5471 would expand Connecticut's HUSKY health program to include immigrants without legal status who are 26 years old or younger, or 65 years old and older. Currently, immigration status bars these groups from the program, but the bill removes that barrier while maintaining existing income and residency requirements. It does not change other eligibility criteria but adds these specific age groups to the list of qualifying immigrants. This change would allow more low-income immigrants in these age ranges to access state-funded health benefits if they meet the program's standard requirements.