Rep. Craig Fishbein

Maddy summaryHB 6643 would require the state Department of Emergency Services to create regulations allowing firearm discharge for self-defense within 500 feet of a residential building, while prohibiting hunting within the same 500-foot radius near homes. This bill directly affects firearm owners living near residential areas who may need to use weapons for self-defense or who engage in hunting. The key provisions establish a standardized 500-foot buffer zone around homes, explicitly permitting self-defense use but banning hunting activities within that distance. The bill focuses on clarifying existing rights through regulatory rules rather than creating new criminal penalties. It does not alter current laws about firearm possession or general hunting regulations outside this specific buffer zone.

Maddy summaryHB 6627 requires electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers selling vehicles in the state to create and provide fire departments with specific guides for fighting battery fires and preventing thermal runaway or reignition. These guides must cover safe handling of damaged lithium-ion batteries and storage procedures for compromised vehicles. The bill directly affects EV manufacturers (who must develop the guides) and all fire departments (who will receive them). Its primary goal is to equip firefighters with essential, vehicle-specific safety information during EV fire responses.

Maddy summaryHB 6620 would allow owners of assault weapons (held under a certificate of possession) and large capacity magazines (held under a declaration of possession) to legally transfer these items to other owners who also hold the required documentation. Transfers must occur through a federal firearms licensed dealer, creating a regulated pathway for existing legal owners. The bill does not change the requirements for obtaining a certificate of possession or declaration but provides a clear process for transferring these items between compliant owners. This change applies only to transfers between individuals who already legally possess the items.

Maddy summaryHB 6666 requires the Police Officer Standards and Training Council to revise its model pursuit policy to permit police officers to pursue individuals suspected of committing certain property crimes. This bill directly affects police officers executing pursuits and individuals suspected of property crimes like theft or vandalism. The key provision mandates updating official guidelines to allow such pursuits, aiming to enhance public safety through more consistent police response protocols. The bill does not specify which property crimes qualify or alter criminal penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 6699 clarifies that speeding violations caught by speed cameras can only be charged to the person driving the vehicle at the time of the violation. The bill requires local jurisdictions to prove who was operating the vehicle to issue a ticket, shifting the burden of proof from the driver to the enforcement agency. This directly affects drivers caught by speed cameras, preventing automatic tickets to vehicle owners when the actual operator cannot be identified. The law ensures speed camera enforcement aligns with standard traffic violation procedures by mandating proof of the driver's identity before penalties are applied.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Connecticut to create agreements with other states to enforce unpaid motor vehicle property taxes. It prevents residents from registering vehicles in participating states if they owe Connecticut vehicle taxes, and similarly blocks Connecticut registration for those owing taxes in another participating state. The law directly affects vehicle owners with delinquent taxes in Connecticut or other states that join these agreements. Key provisions mandate the Motor Vehicle Commissioner to establish these reciprocal enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 6688 would revoke "drive-only" motor vehicle operator's licenses issued to undocumented immigrants who cannot prove legal presence in the U.S. or provide a Social Security number. The bill specifically targets licenses granted under existing law (section 14-36m) to individuals without legal immigration status. It would require the state to cancel these licenses, directly affecting undocumented immigrants currently holding such licenses. The policy change would eliminate the ability of this group to legally operate motor vehicles under the current licensing framework.

Maddy summaryHB 6201 prohibits student athletes assigned male at birth from participating in women's high school and college sports teams. It amends state law to require schools to exclude these athletes from women's interscholastic athletic events. The bill directly affects transgender and non-binary student athletes who were assigned male at birth and compete in women's sports. Its key provision is a legal ban on participation, with the stated purpose of preventing "unfair competition" in women's sports. This creates a new requirement for schools to enforce gender-based eligibility rules in athletic programs.

Maddy summaryHB 6199 protects students' free speech and press rights in public schools, colleges, and universities across Connecticut. It ensures students cannot face penalties for expressing religious or political views - through speech or publications - unless the expression is obscene to minors, libelous, slanderous, or causes a clear danger of unlawful acts or significant school disruption. The bill amends existing statutes (Titles 10 and 10a) to formally guarantee these protections. It directly affects all K-12 and higher education students in public institutions within the state.

Maddy summaryHB 6200 prohibits Connecticut school boards from including specific concepts in curricula, such as claims that any race or sex is inherently superior/inferior, that individuals are inherently racist/sexist based on identity, that character is determined by race/sex, or that groups bear responsibility for past actions by others in their group. It directly affects state and local education boards, requiring them to remove these concepts from courses or curriculum materials. The bill mandates the State Board of Education to develop implementing regulations and aims to ensure fair and equal treatment for all students in Connecticut schools. It focuses on preventing the promotion of discriminatory ideas in educational settings, not restricting general discussions of race or gender.