Sen. Julie Kushner

Maddy summarySB 864 allocates a specific sum from the General Fund to the Department of Public Health for a grant to Regional Hospice in Danbury. The funds are designated to expand pediatric hospice services for children with serious illnesses in the Danbury area. This bill directly affects children requiring end-of-life care and the hospice organization providing these services. The key mechanism is a fiscal appropriation that supports program growth without altering existing healthcare regulations.

Maddy summarySB 1049 would allow state residents to access telehealth services while temporarily outside the state for travel, work, or school. It requires the state to amend its laws to permit out-of-state telehealth consultations for these residents during temporary absences. The bill directly affects individuals who are temporarily living or working out of state but remain state residents. This policy change would enable continued healthcare access without requiring residents to switch providers when temporarily away.

Maddy summaryHB 5831 appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to Connecticut's Department of Social Services for the Nutrition Assistance Program in fiscal year 2026, with a 15% annual increase thereafter. The bill amends existing law to allow soup kitchens, food pantries, and emergency shelters to charge a handling fee of up to five cents per pound (instead of being required to pay it) to cover costs through the Connecticut Food Bank. This funding directly supports the supplemental nutrition commodities program serving low-income residents. The key change simplifies cost recovery for food assistance providers while increasing state funding for the program.

Maddy summaryHB 6145 requires health insurance companies to annually certify compliance with state and federal laws ensuring mental health and substance use disorder benefits are covered equally to physical health care. It repeals rules that previously kept insurer names confidential in compliance filings, increasing transparency. The bill creates a new state fund (the "parity advancement account") to support enforcement and public education about parity rights, and authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to impose civil penalties on companies violating these laws. This directly affects insurance providers and their customers seeking mental health or substance use treatment.

Maddy summaryHB 5845 appropriates state funds to reimburse school districts for the difference between federal reimbursement rates and the actual cost of providing reduced-price lunches and free breakfasts. It directly affects school districts participating in federal meal programs, covering costs for breakfasts served at no charge to all students and lunches at no charge to students eligible for reduced-price meals. The bill provides $____ from the General Fund for fiscal year 2026 to cover this cost gap, ensuring schools aren’t financially burdened by federal reimbursement shortfalls. This is a concrete policy change to maintain meal program access without altering eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryHB 5578 creates a State Interpreting Standards Board within the Bureau of Services for Persons Who are Deaf, Deafblind or Hard of Hearing. The board will establish standards for professional interpreters and recommend penalties for violating these state requirements. This bill directly affects interpreters providing services to deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals, aiming to improve the quality and consistency of interpreting services they receive.

Maddy summaryHB 5625 permits physicians to prescribe medication for terminally ill patients to self-administer, enabling aid in dying under specific conditions. It directly affects terminally ill patients in Connecticut who meet medical criteria, with no provision for family or others to administer the medication. The key mechanism requires a physician's prescription and patient self-administration of the prescribed medication, as specified in the bill's text. This policy change modifies existing statutes to allow this specific end-of-life option, distinct from palliative care or other medical treatments.

Maddy summarySB 840 requires all public and private schools, child care facilities, and emergency response vehicles (like ambulances) to have a portable airway clearance device on hand. These devices help clear airways during choking emergencies or respiratory distress. The bill mandates this equipment be available at every covered location, directly affecting schools, child care providers, and emergency medical services. It focuses on ensuring immediate access to life-saving tools during medical crises without specifying device types or enforcement details.

Maddy summarySB 799 would create tuition waivers for members of federally recognized Native American tribes in the state at all public colleges and universities. The bill amends statutes 10a-77, 10a-99, and 10a-105 to establish this program, directly affecting eligible tribal members and public higher education institutions. Key provisions require public colleges to waive tuition fees for qualifying students, removing a significant financial barrier to higher education. The bill's purpose is to increase access to public higher education for Native American tribal members within the state.

Maddy summarySB 781 requires Connecticut public schools to fully fund American Sign Language (ASL) courses and list them in student course guides. It directly affects public school students by expanding access to ASL instruction, which is currently limited by funding constraints. The bill mandates that school districts provide ASL opportunities as part of their curriculum offerings and ensures students can find these courses in official course handbooks. This policy change aims to standardize ASL availability across Connecticut public schools without altering existing curriculum requirements.