Rep. Josh Elliott

Maddy summaryHB 5809 appropriates $200,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Education for a grant to the Huneebee Project in New Haven. The funding supports the project's programming and training hubs to provide equitable job preparation for students in the city. This bill directly affects New Haven students by expanding access to workforce development resources through this specific initiative. The key provision is a dedicated state grant to cover operational costs for the project's training centers during the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Maddy summaryHB 5917 requires certain businesses - including supermarkets, wholesalers, resorts, and institutions - to recycle food scraps and create plans for donating surplus food. It directs the environmental agency to classify food scraps as recyclable and mandates these businesses develop donation programs to divert food from landfills. The law directly affects commercial food operations that generate significant food waste, aiming to reduce landfill use through recycling and donation. Key provisions include mandatory recycling designations and structured donation planning requirements for covered entities.

Maddy summaryHB 5052 increases the maximum assessed value of farm machinery that qualifies for property tax exemption under state law. This change directly affects farmers and agricultural businesses by expanding the range of machinery eligible for tax relief. The bill amends Section 12-91 of the general statutes to raise the current value threshold, allowing more equipment to be excluded from local property tax assessments. It does not alter other tax rules or create new administrative requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 5968 requires corporations operating globally to combine tax reports from all their worldwide subsidiaries for corporate tax liability purposes, making this reporting mandatory instead of optional. This primarily affects large multinational corporations with operations across multiple countries. The key provision changes the current system by requiring these companies to file a single consolidated tax return covering all global entities, rather than filing separately for each subsidiary. The bill aims to ensure corporations pay taxes on their total worldwide income, aligning with the stated purpose of improving tax accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 5981 establishes a $50 million annual cap on the total tax credits available across three film industry programs: film production, entertainment infrastructure projects, and digital animation. This directly affects film producers and studios that apply for these tax credits by limiting the total state funding available each year. The bill modifies existing law to ensure the combined spending on all three credit programs does not exceed $50 million annually, creating a clear spending limit without changing the eligibility rules for individual applicants.

Maddy summaryHB 5987 requires the state Department of Revenue Services to hire 50 additional in-house auditors. The bill aims to close the state's tax gap by having these auditors collect unpaid taxes and assess applicable penalties and interest. This directly affects the Department of Revenue Services, which would need to expand its audit staff. The key provision is the mandatory hiring of 50 new auditors specifically for tax collection and enforcement work. The bill focuses on increasing state revenue collection capacity through internal staffing.

Maddy summaryHB 6058 simplifies the process for Connecticut residents to obtain medical cannabis certification, specifically improving access for disabled individuals and those who struggle with electronic systems. It directly affects qualifying medical cannabis patients by reducing barriers to certification and ensuring dispensaries prioritize their needs. The bill authorizes the Department of Consumer Protection (with input from the Cannabis Ombudsman) to create new rules requiring dispensaries to: prioritize qualifying patients, provide products matching their medical needs in potency, and update staff training to better serve them. These changes aim to make the medical cannabis program more equitable and accessible without altering eligibility criteria or product types.

Maddy summaryHB 6070 would amend Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act to prevent the public disclosure of home addresses for two specific groups: U.S. Attorneys for Connecticut's federal district and attorneys working for the state's Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The bill directly affects these federal and state legal professionals by adding their residential addresses to the list of information exempt from public disclosure under FOIA. This change would require government agencies to withhold these addresses when responding to public records requests, rather than releasing them as they currently might. The bill focuses solely on modifying disclosure rules, not on altering the roles or responsibilities of the affected attorneys.

Maddy summaryHB 6165 creates a legal framework for supported decision-making agreements as a less restrictive alternative to court-appointed conservatorships or guardianships for adults with disabilities. The bill amends state law to allow individuals with disabilities to use these agreements - where they receive support for decisions while retaining legal autonomy - instead of having a court appoint a conservator or guardian. It directly affects adults with disabilities who currently face conservatorship or guardianship proceedings, offering them a more self-determined option. The key provision establishes this agreement process as a formal alternative within existing legal structures, without requiring court involvement.

Maddy summarySB 1072 requires recreational therapists to obtain a license from the Department of Public Health. This bill directly affects recreational therapists who provide therapy services, mandating they meet state licensing standards. The key provision establishes that the Department of Public Health will oversee and issue these licenses, replacing any current unregulated practice. The bill's purpose is to create a standardized licensing process for this profession.