Rep. Josh Elliott

Maddy summaryHB 5773 would allow Connecticut to establish a state-run health insurance negotiation program. The bill specifically enables the state to negotiate health care coverage for employees of nonprofits, municipal workers, and businesses with 10 or fewer employees. Key provisions require the state to create a framework for these negotiations under amended statutes, but do not mandate enrollment or set specific benefits. This bill directly affects those covered groups by potentially offering a new state-negotiated insurance option, though it does not replace existing private or employer-based coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 5772 requires the state to automatically adjust income tax thresholds annually based on changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). It directly affects taxpayers whose income falls near the boundary between tax brackets, preventing them from moving into higher tax brackets solely due to inflation. The key provision mandates that these thresholds be recalibrated each year using the CPI to reflect rising costs. This change ensures tax brackets stay aligned with inflation without requiring new annual legislation. The bill applies to the state's personal income tax system.

Maddy summaryHB 5774 requires Connecticut's Insurance Department to study methods for lowering premium rates for long-term care insurance policyholders. The bill directs the department to examine ways to reduce costs for individuals purchasing or maintaining these policies, which cover extended care needs like nursing home stays or in-home assistance. It does not change current rates or require immediate action - only a formal study. The legislation directly affects long-term care insurance consumers by initiating a review of potential cost-reduction strategies.

Maddy summaryHB 5771 would impose a 5% surcharge on net gains from selling investments (like stocks or property) and on dividend/interest income for Connecticut taxpayers with adjusted gross income meeting the threshold for the state's highest tax rate. It directly affects high-income earners who already pay Connecticut's top marginal tax rate. The surcharge applies only to investment gains and income above the income level defined in existing law for the top tax bracket. This would increase tax liability specifically on investment earnings for this income group, without changing other tax rates or brackets.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Connecticut's antitrust law to adopt federal guidelines on business mergers. It authorizes Connecticut's Attorney General to investigate and challenge mergers that reduce competition or harm consumers. The change directly affects companies planning to merge within Connecticut, ensuring state enforcement aligns with federal standards to protect consumers from higher prices or fewer choices.

Maddy summaryHJ 13 proposes a constitutional amendment to add a 4% tax on individual income exceeding $1 million annually. This would directly affect high-income earners in the state, requiring them to pay the additional tax on the portion of their income above that threshold. The revenue generated would be specifically dedicated to funding public education, higher education, child care services, and the repair/maintenance of roads, bridges, and public transportation systems. As a constitutional amendment, this change would require voter approval to take effect.

Maddy summaryHB 5557 designates the fifteenth day of the Hindu lunar calendar's month of Kartik each year as "Diwali, the Festival of Lights" for official recognition. This procedural bill amends state statutes to formally acknowledge Diwali as an annual observance without creating new policies, funding, or obligations. It directly affects state records and official calendars by specifying the date for ceremonial recognition. The bill has no substantive impact on residents, businesses, or government operations beyond this symbolic designation.

Maddy summaryHB 5441 establishes a court-led "second look" process to review sentences for specific incarcerated individuals. It targets elderly people, those with developmental disabilities, and rehabilitated individuals who could be safely released. The bill would allow courts to consider early release based on bias, extreme sentencing, or mitigating circumstances, shifting responsibility from the Board of Pardons and Paroles to the judiciary. This creates a formal mechanism for sentence modification without altering existing sentencing laws.

Maddy summaryHB 5471 would expand Connecticut's HUSKY health program to include immigrants without legal status who are 26 years old or younger, or 65 years old and older. Currently, immigration status bars these groups from the program, but the bill removes that barrier while maintaining existing income and residency requirements. It does not change other eligibility criteria but adds these specific age groups to the list of qualifying immigrants. This change would allow more low-income immigrants in these age ranges to access state-funded health benefits if they meet the program's standard requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 5430 would expand Connecticut's HUSKY Health program to cover all income-eligible children and young adults up to age 26, regardless of their immigration status. This bill directly affects low-income youth who currently face barriers to health coverage due to immigration status. The key change is removing immigration status as a requirement for eligibility under HUSKY Health, ensuring income-eligible young people can access state-funded health coverage. The bill amends Title 17b of Connecticut's general statutes to implement this change.