Rep. Jason Rojas

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes the approval of a collective bargaining agreement between the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees and the Graduate Employee Union, which represents graduate student employees at the university. The agreement covers a four-year period from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2030, and includes provisions for wage increases, adjustments to health insurance premiums, and changes to university fee credits. By ratifying this contract, the Connecticut General Assembly formally authorizes the university to implement these terms, which are expected to result in net costs to the university's operating fund totaling approximately $29.6 million over the agreement's duration.

Maddy summaryThis bill approves a four-year agreement between the State of Connecticut and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition covering approximately 42,000 state employees. The deal establishes a 2.5% general wage increase and annual increments for most workers from fiscal year 2026 through 2028, along with various other salary adjustments and benefits. The agreement includes a provision allowing for a renegotiation of wages in the final year, subject to specific conditions regarding delayed increments.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Connecticut's historic preservation laws to require public hearings with live web broadcasts for all historic district commission review applications, ensuring greater transparency in the approval process. It also clarifies appeal procedures, allowing aggrieved parties to challenge commission decisions in superior court within 15 days using established zoning board appeal processes. Additionally, the bill exempts property owned by state agencies, municipalities, and nonprofit higher education institutions from certain preservation requirements while requiring municipalities to submit renovation plans for non-exempt properties to receive nonbinding commission opinions. Finally, the legislation defines specific terms related to historic structures and rehabilitation to clarify eligibility for tax incentives and other preservation-related benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill approves a settlement agreement reached in a lawsuit concerning the timely discharge of individuals from the state's forensic psychiatric hospital into the community. The resolution makes state funding available to cover costs associated with transitioning these patients to community mental health services, including specific payments for legal fees and independent review. By passing this measure, the General Assembly authorizes the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to implement the settlement's requirements, which involve policy changes to ensure patients ready for release are moved out of the hospital promptly. If the legislature does not approve the agreement within the specified timeframe, the settlement becomes invalid and unenforceable.

Maddy summaryHB 5109 replaces Connecticut's existing cannabis tax (based on milligrams of THC per product) with a 10.75% tax on the gross sales revenue of all cannabis products. This affects cannabis retailers, hybrid retailers, and micro-cultivators, who must collect the tax from consumers at point of sale. Excluded from the tax are sales for palliative use, business-to-business transfers, and delivery services. The new tax takes effect October 1, 2026, and replaces the previous THC-milligram-based rates for plant material, edibles, and other cannabis products.

Maddy summaryHB 5113 exempts Connecticut taxpayers from state income tax on forgiven amounts for student loans, medical debt, and credit card debt. The bill adds a new deduction to Connecticut's tax code, allowing taxpayers to exclude debt relief that would otherwise be taxable under federal law. This directly affects residents who receive debt settlement or relief for these specific debt types. The provision takes effect January 1, 2027, and aligns Connecticut tax treatment with federal rules for these debt forgiveness scenarios.

Maddy summaryHB 5115 would allow Connecticut taxpayers to deduct losses from cryptocurrency investment fraud or wire fraud on their state income tax returns, effective January 1, 2027. The deduction applies only to losses that are already counted as taxable income under federal tax law. It directly affects Connecticut residents who suffered financial losses due to these specific fraud types and reported the losses on their federal tax returns. The bill adds this deduction to existing state tax provisions, creating a new category for these losses without changing other tax rules.

Maddy summaryHB 5114 would create a refundable tax credit for renters in the state who pay personal income tax. It allows eligible renters to claim a credit equal to a portion of their rent payments for a primary residence, based on the property tax assessed on that rental property. This credit directly reduces the renter's tax liability and, because it's refundable, could provide a cash refund even if the renter owes no tax. The bill affects renters with primary residences in the state who pay income tax, targeting those whose rent payments correlate with the property tax burden on their landlord's property.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a reciprocal fishing license agreement with New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, allowing residents of those states to fish in Connecticut's inland waters without purchasing a separate nonresident license. The provision takes effect on October 1, 2026, provided the neighboring states enact similar laws granting Connecticut residents reciprocal fishing privileges. While these license holders would be exempt from the standard nonresident inland waters license fee, they must still comply with all other state fishing regulations and rules. The agreement also allows for specific waterways to be negotiated between state officials if needed.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes refund conditions for firearm permit fees when local authorities fail to process applications within required time limits. It affects individuals who pay fees for state permits to carry pistols and revolvers, as well as local police departments and town officials who process these permits. The key provision requires local permitting authorities to refund $70 of the permit fee if they do not complete their duties within statutory timeframes, though the portion of the fee used for federal background checks is not refundable. The bill also clarifies permit expiration rules and renewal fees, with changes taking effect on October 1, 2026.