Rep. Kerry Wood

Maddy summarySB 9 requires municipalities and state agencies to develop climate action plans focused on reducing emissions and adapting to climate impacts. It also bans the sale and use of neonicotinoid pesticides (harmful to bees) and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (toxic to wildlife) for public and private use. These provisions directly affect local governments, state agencies, and businesses selling or applying these pesticides. The law, now enacted as Public Act 25-33, mandates concrete policy changes in environmental planning and pesticide regulation.

Maddy summaryHB 7259 updates Connecticut's criminal justice laws primarily by revising DNA evidence handling and sexual assault evidence protocols. It requires healthcare facilities treating sexual assault victims to offer three evidence collection options: "anonymous" (no name/reporting), "identified" (name but no report), or "reported" (name + report to police), with victims choosing at the time of evidence collection. The bill also clarifies when DNA data from the state lab can be shared with law enforcement (only after a match confirmation) and mandates that exculpatory DNA evidence must be disclosed to defendants. These changes apply directly to healthcare facilities, law enforcement agencies, and sexual assault victims.

Maddy summarySB 1409 proposes changes to reporting requirements for campaign finances in local municipal elections. It would directly affect candidates and committees running for municipal office by modifying how they file campaign contribution and expenditure records. The bill's specific mechanisms aren't detailed in the provided context, but the title indicates it targets municipal campaign finance filing procedures. Currently, the bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House (House Calendar #690).

Maddy summaryHB 6832 allows cities and towns to ban the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops within their borders. It directly affects local governments, which can choose to implement such bans, and pet shops that sell these specific animals. The bill provides municipalities with the legal authority to prohibit these sales but does not require them to do so. This is a policy change granting local control over pet shop operations, focusing on specific companion animals.

Maddy summaryHB 6917 imposes a $1.50 per ton fee on owners of solid waste processing facilities (including resources recovery, waste conversion, and certain transfer stations/volume reduction plants), excluding municipal facilities and recycling operations. The fees, collected quarterly, fund a sustainable materials management account, and municipalities receiving reimbursements from these fees must spend them on waste reduction initiatives like recycling coordinators or street sweepers. The bill also requires a 2027 report on implementing extended producer responsibility for consumer packaging. This law directly affects waste processing businesses and local governments managing solid waste programs.

Maddy summaryHB 7087 establishes a framework for community solar energy projects, allowing multiple households or businesses to share power from a single solar installation without needing individual rooftop systems. It directly affects residents, businesses in participating communities, and utility companies managing grid connections. Key provisions require utilities to develop enrollment programs and fair billing structures for community solar participants. This policy aims to expand solar access for renters and property owners who cannot install personal solar panels.

Maddy summaryHB 6771 establishes a state task force to develop Alzheimer's and dementia care policies, directly affecting patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. It requires health insurers to cover biomarker testing for diagnosis and creates new rules for residential care home transfers, discharges, and emergency closures. The bill also provides tuition waivers for nursing home residents taking courses at local community-technical colleges. Signed into law as Public Act 25-16 on June 3, 2025, it mandates concrete policy changes for dementia care access and facility operations.

Maddy summaryHB 6913, now Public Act 25-17, bans long-term care facilities (like nursing homes) from discriminating against residents. It directly affects residents in these facilities by prohibiting unfair treatment based on protected characteristics such as race, disability, or other personal factors. The law requires facilities to follow non-discrimination standards in all resident services and care decisions. This policy change takes effect immediately upon the governor's signature on June 3, 2025, ensuring residents are treated fairly under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 7018 would have established a state program to test emerging technologies through pilot projects, authorizing state agencies to create and manage these initiatives. The bill aimed to facilitate the evaluation of new technologies, potentially affecting agencies implementing these pilots. The bill was rejected by the House on May 31, 2025, and did not advance further.

Maddy summarySB 1234, now law as Public Act 25-9, prohibits public libraries from agreeing to specific terms in electronic book and digital audiobook license agreements with publishers. The law directly affects public libraries by banning contracts that restrict their ability to share, lend, or resell digital content across library systems. Key provisions require libraries to reject license terms that prevent them from transferring e-books between libraries or using standard lending practices. This law ensures libraries maintain flexibility in managing digital collections without restrictive publisher conditions. It became effective upon the governor's signature on May 29, 2025.