Rep. Hilda Santiago

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Connecticut's laws to ban the sale, purchase, and cultivation of specific invasive plants based on recommendations from the Invasive Plants Council. It adds a new list of prohibited species that will become illegal to trade starting October 1, 2024, while also extending existing bans on other plants and adding a new restriction on callery pear trees effective in 2027. The law allows exceptions for moving plants for research, education, or eradication purposes and prohibits municipalities from passing conflicting local ordinances. Anyone caught violating these rules faces a fine of up to one hundred dollars for each plant involved.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Eelgrass Working Group to meet by January 1, 2025, to review reports on eelgrass restoration policies and evaluate changes needed for state and federal permitting rules. It also establishes a new Connecticut Seagrass Coordinator who will work with agencies and universities to develop strategies for sustainable seed harvesting, aquaculture practices, and mooring systems that protect eelgrass habitats. Additionally, the coordinator will create specific metrics to measure the success and return on investment of state-led eelgrass restoration projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands workers' compensation protections for municipal police officers and firefighters by adding new medical conditions and extending the timeframe for coverage. It establishes a legal presumption that deaths or disabilities caused by heart attacks, strokes, or blood clots occurring during duty or within 24 hours after training are considered work-related, unless evidence proves otherwise. To qualify, these employees must have passed a physical exam upon hiring that showed no prior signs of these specific conditions. The changes apply to those who started working after 1996 and aim to ensure they receive benefits for these sudden health events linked to their public safety roles.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Connecticut state laws to align with federal definitions regarding service animals, expanding protections for individuals with disabilities. It grants full-time state and municipal employees up to twenty days of paid sick leave to train their own service animals, provided they have worked for at least twelve months. The legislation also requires ride-sharing drivers to accommodate service animals without charging extra fees and updates traffic regulations to include service animals in nondiscrimination and pedestrian safety rules. These changes affect state agencies, local governments, transportation network companies, and public roadways across Connecticut.

Maddy summaryThis bill mandates that police training programs include specific instruction on body-worn cameras, covering when officers must keep recording active, how to store the data, and cultural competency training. It requires state and local law enforcement to jointly create guidelines that define circumstances under which recording should not be paused and limits data retention to one year unless an investigation is ongoing. The new rules must be shared with the state legislature, and all officers and employees with access to the footage must follow these established procedures.

Maddy summarySB 341 creates a new "Fallen Officer Fund" to provide financial support to the families of police officers who die while performing their duties. The bill defines a "surviving family" to include spouses, dependent children, and other designated beneficiaries, with priority given to awards for dependent children and spouses. Upon receiving a claim, the Comptroller will distribute one-time lump-sum payments of $100,000 from the fund to eligible families, ensuring these payments do not reduce any other benefits they may receive. Additionally, the legislation updates state tax rules to exclude certain specific income sources, such as qualified dividends and railroad retirement benefits, from the calculation of Connecticut adjusted gross income.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Connecticut laws to clarify how presidential electors are certified and how they cast their votes for President and Vice President. It designates the Secretary of the State as the official responsible for issuing the federal certificate of appointment for electors and requires them to send this document to the U.S. Archivist immediately. The legislation also sets specific rules for electors to vote for the candidates they pledged to support, including provisions to fill any vacancies by ballot. Additionally, it establishes a streamlined process for candidates or electors to challenge election rulings or vote counts in state Supreme Court, requiring complaints to be filed within a set timeframe and mandating expedited hearings.