Rep. Anne Hughes

Maddy summaryHB 5424 limits how medical debt can be collected and affects patients with unpaid medical bills. It prohibits selling medical debt more than twice, restricts collection actions to three years after the debt was incurred, and requires debt collectors to recover only the actual cost of care (not inflated amounts). The bill also bans credit agencies from using medical debt in credit scoring and adds transparency rules for companies buying medical debt. These changes directly impact patients, healthcare providers, debt collectors, and credit bureaus.

Maddy summaryHB 5441 establishes a court-led "second look" process to review sentences for specific incarcerated individuals. It targets elderly people, those with developmental disabilities, and rehabilitated individuals who could be safely released. The bill would allow courts to consider early release based on bias, extreme sentencing, or mitigating circumstances, shifting responsibility from the Board of Pardons and Paroles to the judiciary. This creates a formal mechanism for sentence modification without altering existing sentencing laws.

Maddy summaryHB 5439 creates a tax credit allowing individuals and groups to deduct up to 20% of their premiums paid for qualifying long-term care insurance policies from their state income tax. It directly affects people who purchase such insurance, helping reduce their tax burden. The bill permits unused portions of the credit to be carried forward to future tax years if the credit exceeds the current year's tax liability. This is a concrete policy change focused on financial relief for long-term care insurance buyers, without altering insurance requirements or coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 5445 limits the Connecticut Department of Correction’s use of chemical restraints and establishes strict rules for strip searches. It requires probable cause (reasonable suspicion of contraband) before any strip search and mandates that cavity searches be conducted only when necessary and in the least invasive way possible. The bill also requires the Department to report on all uses of these practices to improve transparency. These changes directly affect correctional staff and incarcerated individuals in state facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 5438 establishes Connecticut's ConnectHealth Program, creating a state-run health care option administered through a new Trust account and Advisory Board. It requires the state treasurer (Comptroller) to develop a ConnectHealth Plan offering coverage to employees of small employers, nonprofits, and multiemployer groups. The bill also mandates the Social Services Commissioner to seek a federal waiver amendment to expand dental coverage under the state's medical assistance program. This directly affects small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and their employees by providing a new public health insurance option alongside existing private coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 5460 would provide free bus rides for high school students on state-owned or state-controlled public transportation during two hours before school starts and four hours after school ends. This policy change directly affects all high school students in the state who use these buses during those specific time windows. The bill aims to help students access extracurricular activities and part-time jobs by removing fare costs during these periods. It amends existing transportation statutes to create this exemption, with no additional requirements or funding mechanisms specified in the bill text.

Maddy summaryHB 5430 would expand Connecticut's HUSKY Health program to cover all income-eligible children and young adults up to age 26, regardless of their immigration status. This bill directly affects low-income youth who currently face barriers to health coverage due to immigration status. The key change is removing immigration status as a requirement for eligibility under HUSKY Health, ensuring income-eligible young people can access state-funded health coverage. The bill amends Title 17b of Connecticut's general statutes to implement this change.

Maddy summaryHB 5477 restores a state subsidy for retired teachers' health insurance by requiring the state to pay one-third of the monthly premium cost for their Medicare supplement plans. This directly affects retired teachers who previously received this subsidy but lost it due to prior budget changes. The bill amends state law to mandate the state cover one-third of the full premium, effectively restoring a prior benefit. It does not change eligibility or create new coverage but ensures the state contributes to the cost of existing supplemental insurance.

Maddy summaryHB 5419 would increase Connecticut's earned income tax credit to 41.5% of the federal credit and expand eligibility to include households earning under 300% of the federal poverty guidelines. This change would directly benefit low-income working families and individuals who currently earn too much to qualify under the existing threshold. The bill modifies existing law to both raise the credit percentage and lower the income limit for claiming the state tax credit. It does not alter the federal credit amount or change other eligibility requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJ 7) proposes amending the state constitution to establish a fundamental right for all residents to clean air, water, soil, ecosystems, and a stable climate. It requires the state to protect these environmental rights equitably for everyone, regardless of race, gender, or income, and to act as a trustee for natural resources like water, air, and land for current and future generations. The amendment also prohibits diverting funds meant for environmental protection and states that these rights are as strong as other basic rights, allowing residents to directly enforce them in court. If passed by the legislature and approved by voters, this would create a new constitutional standard for environmental protection in the state.