Rep. Tom Delnicki

Maddy summarySB 303 requires Connecticut banks and credit unions to offer secured credit cards to all their customers or members. A secured credit card is one where the customer provides funds as security for the credit extended. The bill also mandates that institutions must provide account information for these cards to the account holder and any third party authorized by the holder to report to credit rating agencies. This law takes effect October 1, 2026, and directly affects financial institutions operating in Connecticut by changing their product offerings. The policy change ensures consumers have access to a credit-building tool and simplifies reporting to credit agencies.

Maddy summaryHB 5275 requires construction contractors to be jointly responsible for paying unpaid wages owed to workers by their subcontractors on covered projects. It directly affects construction workers, contractors, and subcontractors working on most private construction, renovation, or rehabilitation projects (excluding public works and small residential homes). The key provision makes contractors liable for subcontractors' unpaid wages, effective October 1, 2026, while allowing contractors to include wage payment clauses in contracts - provided these don’t limit workers’ legal rights. The bill also updates wage recovery procedures under existing law, ensuring workers can seek double wages plus fees for unpaid compensation.

Maddy summaryHB 5276 clarifies that volunteer fire departments and volunteer ambulance companies in Connecticut are explicitly considered "employers" under the state's workplace safety law (CONN-OSHA). The bill removes their previous exemption from CONN-OSHA regulations by redefining "employer" to include these organizations and amending the law to exclude them from the list of exempt entities. This means volunteer fire and ambulance departments will now fall under Connecticut's occupational health and safety standards starting October 1, 2026. The change directly affects all volunteer fire departments and ambulance companies in the state, requiring them to comply with state safety regulations previously not applied to them.

Maddy summaryHB 5315 establishes a working group to study consumer fraud and existing protections against it. The group, to be convened by banking committee leaders, includes members representing financial institutions, credit unions, consumer advocates, senior citizens, and the Banking Commissioner. The working group must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the banking committee by January 1, 2027. This bill does not create new laws or protections but requires a formal study of the issue.

Maddy summaryHB 5382 requires Connecticut's Comptroller to study health insurance coverage gaps for retired police officers and firefighters, including those retiring due to illness or injury. The study must assess current coverage limitations and submit a report to the legislature by January 1, 2027. It directly affects retired state law enforcement and fire service personnel whose health insurance may diminish after retirement. The bill does not change current benefits but mandates a factual review to identify potential coverage shortfalls. This is a procedural study, not a policy change.

Maddy summarySB 301 requires Connecticut's Department of Banking to study signature guarantee programs at state financial institutions. The study must assess program availability and consumer access issues, specifically how easily people can obtain guarantees for transactions like stock transfers. The department must submit a report to the banking committee by January 1, 2027. This bill does not change existing rules but mandates a review to identify potential barriers for consumers.

Maddy summaryHB 5286 allows municipalities to create property tax abatement programs for surviving domestic partners of police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians who die while on duty. The bill replaces existing law (which only covered surviving spouses) to explicitly include domestic partners, as defined by local ordinance, who own and live in the property as their primary residence. Municipalities would need to adopt specific ordinances to implement this tax relief, effective October 1, 2026. This policy directly affects eligible surviving domestic partners of covered first responders in communities that choose to adopt the program.

Maddy summaryHB 5152 modifies rules for open burning to prevent wildfires. It allows residential brush burning on private property with a local permit, but prohibits it during high fire danger, poor air quality, or near forests within 100 feet. Municipal landfills, transfer stations, and recycling centers can burn brush up to six times yearly with fire marshal approval and commissioner review, but must ban burning leaves, demolition waste, or other solid waste. The bill also adds new permitted uses like agricultural cleanup after disasters and wildlife habitat management, while requiring local officials to be certified and setting fees for permits. These changes directly affect homeowners, municipalities, and fire officials managing burn permits.

Maddy summaryHB 5319 creates a 6% state tax credit for qualified small businesses based on their eligible research and development (R&D) expenses, directly affecting S corporations, partnerships, and single-member LLCs with gross income under $70 million. Businesses must apply for a pre-approved "tax credit voucher" to reserve credit capacity (capped at $1.5 million per business and $25 million total annually) before incurring expenses. The credit reduces state tax liability, and any excess can be partially refunded (90% for biotech businesses, 65% for others). This policy aims to incentivize R&D investment by making tax credits accessible without upfront cash costs.

Maddy summaryHB 5269 establishes a working group to study health risks of high-caffeine energy drinks (defined as containing ≥80mg caffeine per 9oz plus other ingredients) among children and assess impacts of potential sales restrictions. The group, including health experts and stakeholders, must report by November 2026 with recommendations for public awareness campaigns and point-of-sale signage. Starting January 1, 2027, retailers selling such drinks must display clear signage about child health risks at checkout, developed by the Department of Consumer Protection based on the working group's input. The bill directly affects children (via health risk focus), retailers (via signage requirement), and public health agencies (via study mandate). It creates no new sales bans but requires informational measures to address consumption concerns.