Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco

Maddy summaryHB 5639 eliminates all fees required to obtain permits for exercising constitutional rights, such as firearm permits. It directly affects individuals seeking permits for activities protected under the Constitution, including carrying or possessing firearms. The bill removes these fees by amending general statutes to prohibit charging for such permits. This is a concrete policy change that reduces costs for permit applicants without altering the underlying requirements for obtaining these permits.

Maddy summaryHB 5670 requires public school officials to notify a student's parent or guardian about any behavior intervention meeting addressing specific concerns, including disruptions, injuries, mental health distress, new gender identity, bullying (as perpetrator or victim), or significant academic changes. The law mandates this notification for all such meetings, ensuring parents are informed about their child's school behavior and academic issues. This directly affects parents, students, and school staff in public schools statewide. The goal is to foster family-school collaboration to support student well-being and educational outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 5606 requires state and municipal bargaining agreements and employee notices to include a clear, conspicuous statement about public employees' right to choose not to join a union. It directly affects all state and local government workers covered by collective bargaining agreements. The bill amends statutes to mandate this notice, ensuring employees are explicitly informed of their option to remain non-union members without penalty. This is a procedural requirement focused on transparency, not changing union membership rules.

Maddy summaryHB 5698 raises penalties for organizing or actively promoting a "street takeover" by changing the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony. For a first offense, it becomes a class D felony (typically carrying 1-3 years in prison), and subsequent offenses become class C felonies (typically 3-5+ years). The bill directly affects individuals who plan or encourage such events, which involve unauthorized control of public streets. It does not alter existing laws about street takeovers themselves, only the criminal penalties for organizing or promoting them. This is a straightforward policy change to increase criminal sanctions for specific conduct.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes amending the state constitution to ensure municipalities (cities and towns) retain full authority over local zoning rules. It would prohibit the state government or regional agencies from overriding or restricting a municipality's ability to create and enforce its own zoning regulations. If approved, this amendment would directly affect all local governments by preventing state-level interference in land-use planning decisions. The change requires voter approval after legislative passage, as it alters the state constitution.

Maddy summaryHB 5512 repeals Connecticut's Baby Bonds program, which provided financial assistance to families with newborns, and redirects any remaining funds to the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund. The bill amends existing law to transfer leftover funds from the Baby Bonds Trust into this new fund, ending the program as a standalone initiative. These redirected funds will support the development of state early childhood care and education programs. The change affects the program's current participants by terminating its benefits and shifts resources toward broader early childhood services.

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 5397 requires the Connecticut General Assembly to approve any charge included in the "Combined Public Benefits Charge" on electric bills before it can be applied. This bill directly affects electric distribution companies and their end-use customers, as it would remove any existing charge not approved by the legislature and prevent future charges from being implemented without the General Assembly's affirmative vote. The key mechanism is a statutory change that eliminates automatic inclusion of these charges and mandates legislative approval for both current and future components. The bill aims to ensure that all public benefits charges on electricity bills have explicit legislative authorization.

Maddy summaryHB 5396 removes any existing "Combined Public Benefits Charge" from electric bills unless approved by the Connecticut General Assembly. It requires future implementation of such charges only after an affirmative vote by the legislature. This bill directly affects electricity customers, as it changes how certain fees appear on their bills, and shifts authority over these charges from utility companies to the legislature. The key mechanism is eliminating unapproved charges and mandating legislative approval for any new or existing charges in this category.

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.