Rep. Christie Carpino

Maddy summaryHB 5030 implements the governor's budget recommendations by creating a "Pizza State" commemorative license plate program for Connecticut vehicle owners. Vehicle owners who purchase these plates pay a $65 fee, with $50 deposited annually into a fund supporting Connecticut Foodshare. The bill also establishes a new Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and modifies fund distribution to Hispanic-American Veterans of Connecticut, Inc. These changes take effect on or after July 1, 2026, with the plate program requiring new fees and administrative procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 5293 transfers specific land parcels in Middletown to the Veterans' Home and Hospital Commission for use as a Connecticut Veterans Cemetery, replacing an older land transfer provision. It requires the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs to designate additional state-owned land for a new veterans' cemetery by July 1, 2027, in addition to the existing cemetery. The bill expands burial eligibility to include Connecticut National Guard veterans with 20+ years of service, those killed in action (including Hmong Laotian veterans who served in the Vietnam War), and veterans entitled to retirement pay under federal law. Requests for burial in these cemeteries, submitted by veterans or their next of kin, must be granted. This law directly affects Connecticut veterans and their families seeking burial options.

Maddy summaryHB 5074 appropriates additional funds from the General Fund to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for farmland preservation during the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The bill directly affects farmland preservation programs by increasing available funding for land conservation efforts. Key provision: It allocates specific budget resources to support the state's existing farmland preservation initiatives. This is a funding measure, not a new policy, aimed at strengthening current conservation work without altering program rules.

Maddy summaryHB 5056 eliminates a 1% sales tax specifically applied to meals sold by restaurants, caterers, and grocery stores. The bill amends tax law to remove this additional charge from prepared food purchases. It directly affects businesses in the food service and retail sectors that sell meals. This is a straightforward tax rate change with no other provisions or mechanisms described in the bill text.

Maddy summaryHB 5024 eliminates a 1% sales tax on meals sold by restaurants, caterers, and grocery stores in Connecticut. The bill amends state law to remove this additional tax from the standard sales tax rate applied to qualifying food purchases. This change directly affects businesses operating as eating establishments, caterers, or grocery stores that sell prepared meals. The legislation aims to reduce the tax burden on these specific food service providers by removing the separate 1% surcharge. The bill is currently under review by the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 5015 changes the sales tax threshold for motor vehicles, raising the price limit from $100,000 to "more than $100,000" to determine which vehicles pay a higher 7.75% sales and use tax rate. This directly affects buyers of vehicles priced below $100,000, who currently pay the higher tax rate but would pay a lower rate under the proposed change. The key mechanism is amending the tax code to increase the sales price threshold, effectively eliminating the higher tax for most lower-cost vehicles. The bill aims to reduce the tax burden for these buyers without altering tax rates for vehicles priced at or above the new threshold.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Developmental Services to file annual reports by January 15, 2026, detailing abuse and neglect investigations, including complaint numbers, substantiation rates, and actions taken. It also mandates quarterly spending reports starting September 30, 2025, tracking how funds for disability services are used and waiting lists for those services. Additionally, the bill creates two working groups: one to study Southbury Training School operations and another to examine an interagency case team for young adults with disabilities, both due to report by February 1, 2026. These provisions aim to improve transparency, accountability, and service planning for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities.

Maddy summarySB 1284 gives local governments new authority to regulate recreational vehicles (like ATVs and dirt bikes) and prohibit "street takeovers" through municipal ordinances. It allows towns to set fines (up to $2,000 for repeat offenses) and seize vehicles for violations, while requiring notice to owners before forfeiture and protecting innocent owners/lienholders. The bill also defines "street takeover" and lets municipalities ban such gatherings, imposing fines and impounding vehicles used in violations until fines are paid. Violations could lead to driver's license suspensions for repeat offenses under linked state law. These changes take effect in July 2025 for vehicle rules and October 2025 for street takeover provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 6883 protects the addresses of domestic violence and sexual assault victims living in shelters or transitional housing. It prohibits housing providers from disclosing these locations without the victim’s explicit consent. This law directly affects victims seeking safety and their housing providers, preventing abusers from locating them through address sharing. The key provision requires confidentiality around housing addresses to enhance victim safety. The bill became law after Governor’s signature on June 23, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1239 creates the Fallen Hero Fund to provide ongoing health insurance coverage for surviving spouses and dependents of first responders (like police, firefighters, and EMTs) who die while performing their duties. The bill establishes a permanent program where the fund covers the full cost of health insurance premiums for these survivors. This law, now Public Act 25-61 after being signed by the governor on June 10, 2025, directly affects the families of fallen first responders by ensuring they maintain health coverage without out-of-pocket costs.