Rep. Nick Gauthier

Maddy summarySB 256 requires private equity entities (firms that pool investment capital to buy residential properties) to wait 75 days after a single-family or two-family home is listed for public sale before purchasing it. The bill mandates that if the listing price changes, the 75-day clock restarts. Private equity buyers must also provide written notice confirming the waiting period was observed. Violations may result in civil penalties up to $250,000, enforced by the Attorney General. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill approves a four-year agreement between the State of Connecticut and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition covering approximately 42,000 state employees. The deal establishes a 2.5% general wage increase and annual increments for most workers from fiscal year 2026 through 2028, along with various other salary adjustments and benefits. The agreement includes a provision allowing for a renegotiation of wages in the final year, subject to specific conditions regarding delayed increments.

Maddy summaryHB 5035 requires all public K-12 school districts in the state to ban students from using wireless communication devices (like cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches) during the school day, except for instructional purposes or specific exceptions. The law mandates devices be powered off and stored securely, with exceptions for students needing them under individualized education plans (IEPs) or for medical reasons approved by healthcare providers. It also prohibits access to social media during school hours unless for classroom instruction. School districts must create and share policies with parents about these rules, including emergency communication procedures and disciplinary steps for violations. The bill takes effect July 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 5226 requires Connecticut municipalities with populations over 15,000 to establish fair rent commissions by January 1, 2028, and all municipalities containing mobile manufactured home parks must join a regional fair rent commission. These commissions will handle rent complaints for non-seasonal mobile home spaces, investigate excessive charges, and hold public hearings to address issues affecting mobile home residents and park owners. The bill creates a framework for regional commissions (managed through regional councils) and mandates specific member requirements, including resident representation. It directly affects mobile home park residents, landlords, and local governments responsible for implementing the new commission structure. The changes take effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 5036 creates a standardized, automated online system (the "smart solar permitting platform") to streamline building permits for residential solar installations under 12 kilowatts. The bill requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Administrative Services to develop or implement this platform by July 2028, enabling instant permit issuance for compliant rooftop solar systems after automated review against building codes. Municipalities must adopt this platform or an equivalent alternative by January 2029, update fee schedules to reflect reduced administrative costs, and submit compliance reports. This directly affects homeowners installing small solar systems and local governments handling solar permitting, reducing approval times from days or weeks to near-instantaneous for eligible projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Connecticut state law to clarify how government officials must report on reorganization efforts to the legislature. It requires the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and department heads to provide reports and information to the relevant legislative committee upon request. The changes take effect on October 1, 2026, and aim to improve transparency regarding government organizational changes without altering existing reporting obligations.

Maddy summarySB 325 prohibits public agencies from disclosing the residential address of public school teachers (those holding a professional educator certificate) under the Freedom of Information Act, effective October 1, 2026. It also establishes a task force to study how public agencies handle mass information requests generated using artificial intelligence and to recommend legal changes if needed. The task force, composed of appointed members including government officials, open government experts, and AI specialists, must submit a report by January 1, 2027. This bill directly affects public school teachers by adding their home addresses to a list of protected personal information under FOIA, while the task force focuses on addressing AI-driven request patterns.

Maddy summarySB 373 would allow volunteer firefighters, volunteer fire police officers, and volunteer ambulance members in Connecticut to deduct stipends they receive for their service from their state personal income tax. The bill amends the state tax code to add these stipends as a deductible expense, effective January 1, 2027. This change directly affects individuals who serve on volunteer emergency response teams and receive monetary stipends for their work. The provision aligns with existing tax deductions for certain income types but specifically targets volunteer emergency service compensation. It does not change federal tax treatment of these stipends.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-funded bridge program designed to help vulnerable individuals maintain access to food, housing, and healthcare benefits while they transition through changes in federal work requirements. The program would target veterans, homeless persons, adults with autism, foster care aging out, and older adults at risk of losing Medicaid or nutrition assistance, requiring state agencies to develop a plan by October 2026. Key provisions include supplementing existing job support programs, providing temporary state-funded assistance equivalent to current benefits, recommending long-term housing solutions, and documenting employability for potential federal waivers. The plan must be submitted to legislative committees by January 2027 along with funding estimates and implementation timelines.

Maddy summaryHB 5225 prohibits pharmacies, drug distributors, and manufacturers from selling, dispensing, transferring, or delivering drugs or devices intended for lethal injection executions. It directly affects licensed healthcare entities (like hospitals, pharmacies, and medical suppliers) that might otherwise provide these items to correctional facilities. The law specifically bans such transactions unless the correctional facility has no knowledge the drugs will be used for execution. Exemptions cover routine pharmacy operations (e.g., emergency stock for nursing homes) but exclude any supply for execution purposes. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.