Rep. Gary Turco

Maddy summarySB 1469 exempts surviving spouses from financial responsibility for a deceased spouse's medical debt related to physician/dentist services or hospital expenses. This change, effective July 1, 2025, removes a provision requiring surviving spouses to cover these specific medical costs after the other spouse dies. The bill directly affects surviving spouses who would otherwise inherit liability for these medical bills. It does not alter joint liability for medical expenses while both spouses are alive or affect other types of debt.

Maddy summarySB 1420 creates Connecticut's "Partnership for Long-Term Care" by reforming insurance regulations and consumer education. It requires insurers to offer policies with home/community care options (not just nursing homes), inflation protection, and case management services through approved agencies (Sec. 2). The bill mandates insurers to provide detailed Medicaid resource protection information and meet a 60% loss ratio (Sec. 3), while prohibiting policies that require prior hospitalization for benefits. The Office of Policy and Management must launch public education on long-term care financing and asset protection (Sec. 1), with annual reports tracking policy performance. This directly affects Connecticut residents seeking long-term care insurance and insurers selling these policies.

Maddy summarySB 774 requires car dealers in Connecticut to include all fees (federal tax, delivery, preparation, and dealer conveyance/processing fees) in advertised vehicle prices. Dealers must clearly state in bold type that state/local taxes and registration fees are excluded, and separately list the exact amount of any dealer conveyance fee. This applies to all new and used car sales, affecting both dealers (who must comply with pricing transparency rules) and consumers (who see clearer, all-in pricing). The bill also mandates specific details on sales documents, including deposit terms and guarantee statements, in ten-point bold type. It takes effect October 1, 2025, with minimal expected state revenue impact.

Maddy summaryHB 7172, titled "AN ACT CONCERNING THE SEWAGE RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT," requires Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to create a real-time public notification system for sewage spills and permitted bypasses. The system, effective by December 1, 2026, will allow residents to choose alerts via phone, email, or text within two hours of DEEP receiving a report - without relying on social media. It directly affects the public by providing faster, accessible information about sewage incidents impacting waterways or communities. The bill amends statute 22a-424a(c)(4) to mandate this transparency, ensuring timely updates for residents near wastewater systems.

Maddy summarySB 1269 allows life insurance companies licensed in Connecticut to offer long-term care benefits as riders on life insurance policies or annuities, rather than requiring separate long-term care insurance. Key provisions require insurers to provide clear written disclosures about costs, benefit reductions, qualifying events (like inability to perform two daily activities), and federal compliance. Policyholders can cancel these riders without penalty within 30 days, and insurers must waive surrender charges during benefit periods. The bill directly affects Connecticut life insurers, their policyholders, and insurance agents, while ensuring new long-term care benefits meet federal tax-qualified standards.

Maddy summaryHB 6765 creates a dental assistance program for eligible veterans starting January 1, 2026. The program provides vouchers to cover costs of dental services at federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs), the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, and other public higher education institutions offering dental care. The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs will develop eligibility rules, application procedures, covered services, and cost limits through regulations. This bill directly affects veterans meeting specific criteria (defined by future regulations) who seek dental care at participating facilities, with implementation dependent on available funding.

Maddy summaryHB 6893 appropriates $33.5 million from the General Fund for the Department of Housing to fund existing programs assisting homeless persons, effective July 1, 2025. The funds are specifically designated for services supporting homeless individuals during fiscal year 2026 (ending June 30, 2026). This bill does not create new programs but provides dedicated funding for current homelessness assistance efforts. The allocation has no impact on municipalities and is focused solely on state-level funding for housing-related support services.

Maddy summarySB 13 establishes an Elder Abuse Task Force within the State Police and requires the Chief State's Attorney to create an Elder Justice Unit within the Division of Criminal Justice. The bill directly affects elderly residents in Connecticut who are victims of abuse by creating dedicated law enforcement units to investigate and prosecute such cases. Key provisions include authorizing the Task Force to investigate elder abuse statewide, coordinate with the Elder Justice Unit, request assistance from other agencies or states, and enter mutual cooperation agreements. The changes take effect October 1, 2025, and amend existing statutes (51-279 and 51-279b) to formalize these units and their responsibilities.

Maddy summaryHB 7021 appropriates $10 million from the General Fund for Connecticut’s Supplemental Nutrition Commodities Assistance Program, effective July 2025. The program funds Connecticut Foodshare (formerly the Connecticut Food Bank) to buy bulk nutritious food in-state and distribute it free to soup kitchens, food pantries, and emergency shelters. It requires at least 15% of annual funds to purchase produce from Connecticut farmers and mandates a 3% annual funding increase starting July 2026. The bill allows, but does not require, these organizations to charge a 5-cent-per-pound handling fee to cover distribution costs.

Maddy summaryHB 5474 requires social media platforms operating in the state to create an online safety center by January 1, 2026. These centers must provide minors (users under 18) with resources to prevent cyberbullying, identify mental health services, explain how to report harmful behavior, and share educational content about social media's mental health impacts. The bill also mandates that platforms establish a cyberbullying policy detailing how they handle reports of harmful behavior. These requirements apply to all social media platforms with users who are minors in the state, effective October 1, 2025.