Rep. Tom Delnicki

Maddy summaryHB 5403 ensures health insurance coverage for survivors of certain public safety workers killed in the line of duty. It requires nonstate public employers to continue health coverage for survivors of unpaid volunteer firefighters, correction officers, or state marshals for one year (renewable annually up to five years) if coverage existed before death. If no coverage existed, employers must help survivors enroll in a partnership plan under the Comptroller’s program for up to five years. The bill specifically defines "unpaid volunteer firefighter" and expands eligibility under existing health insurance provisions for these workers’ survivors.

Maddy summaryHB 5216 creates a state program called STIPEND that provides $1,000 weekly stipends to student teachers during their public school teaching experience in Connecticut. Teacher preparation programs must report enrollment and completion data to the Department of Education, which disburses funds directly to student teachers. If a student teacher doesn't work as a certified public school teacher for two years after graduation, they must repay 50% of the stipend received. The bill requires annual reports on employment rates of program participants to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 5210 establishes new data security requirements for financial institutions operating in Connecticut, including banks, credit unions, and out-of-state institutions with a presence in the state. It mandates that these institutions create written security programs to protect customer data and comply with federal data security standards under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. The bill also requires institutions to report any data security incidents involving consumer information within three business days of discovery. These requirements take effect October 1, 2026, and apply to all covered financial institutions handling Connecticut consumer data.

Maddy summaryHB 5284 authorizes Connecticut municipalities to reduce property taxes by up to $500 annually for up to five years for qualified first-time homebuyers. It directly affects buyers who obtain loans from the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) for a single-family home serving as their primary residence. The bill requires municipal approval (via legislative body or board of selectmen) to implement the tax abatement, which applies only to properties encumbered by a CHFA mortgage. This policy creates a concrete tax relief mechanism for eligible homebuyers without mandating participation from all municipalities.

Maddy summarySB 219 establishes that if Connecticut's Banking Commissioner finds a landlord violated rules about rental security deposits (specifically sections (b), (d), (h), or (i) of the law), the commissioner can order the landlord to pay a civil penalty of up to $100,000 per violation. The bill also requires landlords to stop violating these rules and comply with security deposit laws. This applies directly to landlords who fail to follow state deposit regulations, such as returning deposits or providing required notices. The law takes effect on October 1, 2026, and gives the commissioner enforcement authority under existing statutes.

Maddy summarySB 217 requires mortgage lenders (mortgagees) to accept monthly, semimonthly (twice monthly), or biweekly (every two weeks) payments for new mortgage loans originated on or after October 1, 2026. This applies directly to lenders and borrowers, changing how payment schedules can be structured for new loans. The bill mandates that lenders must accept these payment frequencies as standard options, without imposing additional fees or restrictions. It does not affect existing mortgages or require lenders to alter payment terms for current borrowers.

Maddy summarySB 216 establishes a program allowing Connecticut's State Treasurer to invest up to $300 million of state operating cash with eligible community banks and credit unions. It sets asset limits for participation: initially prohibiting institutions with over $2 billion in assets (July 2023-Sept 2024), then adjusting the limit annually based on the median loan growth of participating institutions. The bill requires the State Treasurer to report eligible institutions to the Department of Banking annually and mandates that investment rates for participating institutions cannot exceed 100 basis points below comparable Treasury yields. This program directly affects community financial institutions seeking to manage state funds through a structured investment process.

Maddy summarySB 215 changes how banks determine when certain accounts or funds are deemed abandoned. It presumes deposits, time deposits, investments, checks, and safe deposit box contents are abandoned if owners don’t show activity for 3 years (5 years for safe deposit boxes). Owners can prevent this presumption by making transactions, writing to the bank, or having tax forms (1099s) not returned by the postal service within the timeframe. The bill directly affects individuals or entities with dormant bank accounts in Connecticut, modifying existing abandonment rules effective October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 5213 establishes a working group to evaluate how financial institutions process paychecks and the time required for payroll checks to clear. The group, including banking committee members, the Banking Commissioner, and representatives from banks and credit unions, must submit findings by January 1, 2027. This bill creates a study process but does not change current payroll processing rules or impose new requirements on financial institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines "mortgage loan" as a loan secured by a first mortgage on one-to-four-family residential property in the state, used to purchase that property. It directly affects mortgage lenders and homebuyers by requiring lenders to provide specific written notices at least 10 days before closing. The notice must explain that standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, floods can occur anywhere (even outside designated zones), and buyers should consider flood insurance. Lenders must use plain language, have buyers sign for receipt, and keep copies in records. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.