Rep. Kate Farrar

Maddy summarySB 257 limits landlords' reasons for evicting certain tenants, including those aged 62+ with a household member over 62, tenants with qualifying disabilities (or household members with such disabilities), or tenants who have lived in the unit for 12+ months. Landlords may only evict for specific reasons like nonpayment of rent, serious health/safety violations, or material lease breaches - not for the landlord (or family member) moving in, unless strict conditions are met (e.g., 90 days' notice and no available units). Rent increases for these protected tenants must be "fair and equitable" and can be challenged through local commissions or court. The law applies to buildings with five+ units or mobile home parks and takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new advisory council to oversee wheelchair repairs and establish stricter timelines for dealers to fix complex rehabilitation technology wheelchairs. The council will include representatives from Medicaid recipients, private insurance users, disability advocates, dealers, and state agencies to monitor repair times and make recommendations. Dealers must now respond to repair requests within one business day, order parts within three days, and offer home repairs upon request, while a new complaint system tracks repair delays. The bill also requires regular reporting on repair performance to state committees to ensure accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 5387 requires all employers in Connecticut (including public and private entities) to include a wage range and general description of benefits in every public and internal job advertisement. It mandates that employers provide applicants with the wage range for a position upon request or before discussing compensation, and give current employees the wage range for their role when hired, changing positions, or upon request. The bill prohibits employers from banning wage discussions, requiring secrecy waivers, or retaliating against employees who discuss pay. It also bans asking about salary history during hiring, except where permitted by federal or state law. This law takes effect October 1, 2026, aiming to increase pay transparency for job seekers and workers.

Maddy summaryHB 5037 requires social media platforms to verify the age of users under 18 or obtain parental consent before showing them personalized content recommendations (like feeds or suggested posts). It applies to platforms that prioritize media based on user data, excluding shopping sites and purely educational tools. Platforms must delete age verification data after use and cannot charge more or degrade service for compliance. Exceptions include private messages, search results, or content from accounts users follow. The law takes effect January 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryHB 5326 increases reimbursement rates paid to providers delivering early intervention services under Connecticut's Birth-to-Three Program. The bill replaces existing rate-setting language with a requirement to establish state-wide rates based on phase two of a 2023 rate study (Public Act 23-186), effective July 1, 2026. This directly affects service providers (such as therapists and clinics) who work with infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays. The key change is raising payment rates to better align with the study's findings, without altering eligibility for families. The bill does not change program eligibility or service requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 5156 establishes a Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program to fund climate adaptation projects by holding fossil fuel entities accountable for historical emissions. It targets fossil fuel companies (defined as entities extracting or refining fossil fuels during 1995-2024 that caused over 1 billion metric tons of emissions) to pay into a fund, rather than using taxpayer money. The fund finances specific climate adaptation projects, including coastal wetland restoration, stormwater system upgrades, urban heat mitigation, and protecting food systems from climate impacts, with priority for environmental justice communities. Projects must align with "nature-based solutions" like green infrastructure and energy-efficient retrofits for public buildings. The program is administered by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, starting October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 5206 establishes a tax credit of up to $2,500 against personal income tax for volunteer firefighters who meet specific service requirements. The credit directly affects volunteer firefighters certified by their fire chief as having completed the required service hours. Key provisions require fire chiefs to verify qualifying service, with the credit applying against the individual's state income tax liability. This policy change provides direct financial relief to eligible volunteer firefighters without altering tax rates or creating new obligations for the state.

Maddy summaryHB 5144 appropriates funds to cover the cost difference between federal reimbursement rates for reduced-price school meals and full-price meals. It directly affects public school districts participating in federal meal programs by allowing them to provide free breakfasts to all students and free lunches to students already eligible for reduced-price meals. The bill’s key mechanism is reimbursing districts for the gap between what the federal government pays and the actual cost of serving these meals. This policy change ensures schools can maintain these meal programs without charging eligible students, as specified in the bill’s purpose statement.

Maddy summaryHB 5159 creates a state-funded program to support journalism careers by providing at least 12 annual fellowships for recent graduates of in-state public university journalism programs. The fellowships, administered through a student journalism collaborative, require participation at local news organizations (as defined in state law) and include mandatory mentorship, hands-on work experience, and professional networking. Eligible applicants must graduate from a public higher education journalism program in the state and secure approval from the hosting news organization. The program must post all details - including funding amounts, requirements, and application forms - online by September 1, 2026, with funding starting July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 5187 adjusts the state's budget management rules by changing how the threshold for transferring revenue to volatility funds is calculated, shifting to an inflation-adjusted five-year moving average instead of the current method. It also increases the maximum capacity of the Budget Reserve Fund to 20% of net General Fund appropriations. These changes aim to stabilize state budgeting by better accounting for inflation and allowing a larger reserve for fiscal uncertainty. The bill affects the state's budgeting procedures and the legislature's oversight of the Budget Reserve Fund.