Rep. Craig Fishbein

Maddy summaryHB 6510 would allow state and local police to hold undocumented immigrants for up to 48 hours without a court warrant if they are charged with a class A, B, or C felony or a crime of family violence, based solely on an ICE detainer request. This directly affects undocumented immigrants facing these specific criminal charges. The bill's key provision removes the requirement for a judicial warrant to temporarily detain such individuals while ICE processes their custody request. It does not change immigration status or lead to deportation but extends law enforcement's hold period for coordination with federal authorities.

Maddy summaryHB 6514 revises Connecticut's commutation process for violent offenders by requiring state officials to notify victims and their families when a commutation is considered and give them a chance to participate in the process. The bill directly affects victims and families of violent crimes by adding their voices to decisions about sentence reductions. Key provisions mandate that the governor's office or relevant agency must provide written notice to victims/families and allow them to submit statements or appear at hearings. This change aims to make the commutation process more transparent and victim-inclusive without altering the criteria for commutations themselves.

Maddy summaryHB 6503 requires specific procedural changes in family court cases to improve efficiency. It mandates that courts schedule status conferences within 10 business days of a request, review and approve legal fees, and require parties to report financial changes (like new jobs or income) in writing within two weeks. Parties must also disclose these changes to the other side, and attorney fees will be calculated based on the percentage difference in each party's adjusted gross income from their last IRS filing. This bill directly affects individuals involved in family court cases (such as divorce, custody, or support matters), their attorneys, and the courts handling these cases.

Maddy summaryHB 6518 changes how unemployment benefits are charged to employers. It requires that only an employee's most recent employer's experience account (their unemployment insurance fund) be charged for benefits paid to that employee, regardless of how long they worked for that employer. This means employers who hired an employee more than once in the past would no longer be charged for benefits paid after the employee left their most recent job. The bill directly affects employers who pay into the state's unemployment insurance system by altering their financial responsibility for claims. It simplifies the charging process by focusing solely on the last employer who contributed to the employee's benefit claim.

Maddy summaryHB 6513 would amend Connecticut's general statutes to establish, provide, and enhance support services for victims and families affected by violent crimes. The bill directly affects individuals who have experienced or been impacted by criminal acts, aiming to improve access to assistance after such incidents. It focuses on statutory changes to strengthen existing victim support systems without specifying new programs or funding mechanisms. The bill's purpose is to create a clearer framework for service provision, not to introduce new penalties or procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 6561 requires any state-funded advertisement promoting a vaccine to prominently disclose potential side effects. This directly affects state agencies and programs that fund vaccine-related public health campaigns. The key provision mandates that side effect information must be clearly visible and easy to read in all such advertisements. The bill does not change vaccine safety standards or require disclosures for privately funded ads. It focuses solely on transparency for state-funded communications about vaccines.

Maddy summaryHB 6549 authorizes hospitals to install climate-controlled devices on emergency department exteriors for the safe, voluntary surrender of infants. These devices must include a bassinet, an automatically locking exterior door, and an alert alarm to notify staff. The bill directly affects parents in crisis who might abandon infants and hospitals that choose to implement such devices. It provides a legal, safe alternative to infant abandonment by enabling immediate staff response without requiring parents to enter the facility.

Maddy summaryHB 6611 would amend Connecticut law to allow parents to exempt their children from school immunization requirements based on moral or philosophical objections, in addition to existing medical exemptions. This change would directly affect students enrolled in public and private schools requiring vaccinations for attendance, as it expands the categories of valid exemptions. The bill’s key mechanism is amending Section 10-204a of the general statutes to explicitly include "moral or philosophical objection" as a qualifying reason for exemption. This would shift school enrollment policies to accommodate non-medical objections without requiring a medical waiver. The bill does not alter vaccination schedules or address public health impacts, focusing solely on broadening exemption eligibility.

Maddy summaryHB 6577 prohibits biological males from accessing women's or girls' bathrooms, lavatories, locker rooms, and changing rooms in public facilities. The bill directly affects biological males seeking to use these specific spaces, requiring them to use facilities designated for their sex assigned at birth. It amends general statutes to establish this prohibition without specifying exceptions or enforcement mechanisms. The bill's stated purpose is to protect girls and women from biological males accessing these facilities. This is a direct policy change limiting facility access based on biological sex.

Maddy summaryHB 6656 allows police officers to request a driver's consent to search their vehicle during a routine traffic stop. This directly affects drivers stopped for traffic violations, as officers can now ask for permission to search their car. The bill amends state law (title 54) to explicitly permit this consent request, which was previously restricted. The stated purpose is to restore consent searches as a tool for officers to carry out their duties.