Rep. Greg Howard

Maddy summaryHB 5967 directs that 50% of the revenue from a 1% sales tax on meals sold by restaurants, caterers, and grocery stores must be allocated to local municipalities for infrastructure and public safety projects. It also requires 25% of this revenue to fund state tourism promotion and another 25% to support workforce development programs. The bill applies specifically to businesses collecting the additional meal tax and mandates how the funds are distributed, without creating new taxes. This allocation affects all qualifying businesses and state/local programs receiving the designated funds.

Maddy summaryHB 5547 eliminates the highway use tax, a fee currently charged to vehicle owners for road usage. The bill amends statute 12-493a to remove this tax requirement from state law. This change directly affects drivers who would no longer be required to pay this specific fee. The legislation is a straightforward procedural change with no additional provisions or funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 5635 changes how police officers renew their certification by replacing specific required training programs with a new system managed by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council. The bill eliminates current mandates for officers to complete particular review training and instead requires the Council to create two types of programs: mandatory training all officers must complete for renewal, and optional elective training they may choose. This shift aims to make training more adaptable to evolving policing practices, technology, legal changes, and the expanding role of officers. The bill directly affects all police officers in Connecticut seeking to renew their certification through the Council.

Maddy summaryHB 5692 would treat cannabis use in vehicles similarly to alcohol by allowing police to stop vehicles based on cannabis odor or observation of consumption. It requires separate tracking of cannabis-related driving incidents and establishes a legal blood THC level for DUI charges, while mandating consent for blood testing to retain a driver's license. The bill directly affects drivers, passengers, and law enforcement by expanding stop-and-search authority and creating new data collection requirements. These changes aim to standardize enforcement of cannabis-impaired driving laws alongside existing alcohol regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 5718 expands Connecticut's CRISIS Initiative pilot program statewide by requiring state police and mental health agencies to implement specific components by January 2026. The bill directly affects police officers and individuals experiencing mental health crises during police interactions by mandating officer training, coordination with mental health professionals, and referrals to treatment facilities. Key provisions include requiring state police to coordinate with mental health services and ensure referrals to appropriate care during crisis responses. The law aims to provide officers with standardized resources and training for mental health crisis situations, as stated in the bill's purpose.

Maddy summaryHB 5781 establishes a state task force to investigate reported unidentified aerial phenomena (UFOs) and unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) sightings. The task force will analyze these reports, collaborate with federal agencies, and focus on promoting public safety and transparency. This procedural bill does not create new regulations or directly affect specific groups beyond requiring state agencies to support the task force's work. It is a step toward coordinated state-level review of aerial sightings, without specifying concrete policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 5381 would amend Connecticut law to require full funding for the state's special education excess cost grant. It directs the Department of Education to provide funding equal to its most recent estimates for all towns receiving this grant. The bill directly affects school districts and towns that administer special education programs by ensuring they receive the full amount they need to cover excess costs. This change replaces current partial or estimated funding with a guaranteed, fully funded grant amount under Section 10-76g of the general statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 5404 requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to have full bipartisan membership, mandating three majority-party and two minority-party members, with vacancies filled by the Senate President Pro Tempore and House Speaker. It separates PURA from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, prohibits private communications between PURA members and officials, and allows electric companies to recover known costs in rate reviews. The bill also requires both legislative chambers to approve any policy restricting utility shutoffs for nonpayment due to hardship. These changes aim to make PURA more independent and balanced in its regulatory decisions affecting electricity and gas utilities.

Maddy summaryHB 5402 repeals the current "Combined Public Benefits Charge" from electric bills for end-use customers and requires the General Assembly to approve any future similar charge through a formal vote. This bill directly affects residential and commercial electricity customers by removing an existing fee from their monthly bills and preventing new fees without legislative consent. The key provision mandates that electric distribution companies cannot add such charges unless the legislature votes affirmatively to authorize them. The bill aims to shift control over these fees from utility companies to elected representatives.

Maddy summaryHB 5366 requires health insurance plans to cover mental health services provided via telehealth for state residents temporarily out of state due to attending college or university. It mandates that the treating healthcare provider must be licensed in the state to offer these services. This policy change ensures students temporarily living outside the state for education can access covered mental health care through telehealth without coverage gaps. The bill does not apply to other telehealth services or to people not meeting these specific conditions. It amends insurance statutes to require this coverage for the defined group.