Sen. Julie Kushner

Maddy summaryThis bill protects health care providers from being fired, disciplined, or demoted if they provide reproductive health care services or gender-affirming care within their professional scope and standard of practice. It requires health care entities to allow providers to give patients comprehensive, medically accurate information about their health status and available treatment options without fear of retaliation. However, the law does not prevent health care entities from requiring providers to share information about all legal care options, including vaccinations, or from enforcing insurance network rules and quality safety guidelines. The protections apply only to providers acting in good faith and within their licensed areas of expertise.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts how Connecticut public agencies and law enforcement can use automated license plate reader systems starting October 1, 2026. It limits their use to specific purposes like weighing station operations, vehicle maintenance, and comparing plates against criminal or missing person databases, while requiring most collected data to be deleted within seven days. The legislation also prohibits using this technology to monitor individuals based on protected characteristics such as race, gender identity, or immigration status, and bans collecting data near reproductive health facilities or immigrant-serving organizations.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Connecticut's address confidentiality program to provide a substitute mailing address for individuals seeking to protect their residential addresses due to safety concerns. It directly affects victims of family violence, stalking, sexual assault, kidnapping, child abuse, and other specified crimes, as well as those providing reproductive health care or gender-affirming services. The key provisions include adding reproductive health care and gender-affirming care providers as eligible participants, requiring application assistants to help most applicants complete forms, and expanding the types of crimes that qualify someone for program participation. The bill also adds new definitions for terms like "reproductive health care services" and "gender-affirming health care services" to clarify eligibility criteria.

Maddy summarySB 295 defines "legally protected health care activity" in Connecticut to include reproductive health care services (like contraception and pregnancy-related care) and gender-affirming health care services (such as treatment for gender dysphoria) permitted under state law. It allows healthcare providers, patients, or insurers to recover damages - including legal fees - if they face lawsuits or judgments in other states based on these services. The bill also states that Connecticut law governs all cases related to these services within the state, overriding conflicting out-of-state laws. This directly affects healthcare providers, patients receiving these services, and insurers offering coverage for them within Connecticut.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 91) is a definitional update, not a substantive policy change. It repeals and replaces existing legal definitions in the statutes (specifically Section 53a-3) to standardize terms like "person," "physical injury," "deadly weapon," and "peace officer" for consistent legal interpretation. The bill does not create new laws, affect specific groups, or establish "protected areas" as its title suggests - those terms do not appear in the actual text. It solely clarifies terminology used in criminal and legal contexts across Connecticut statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 5328 establishes a working group to address Islamophobia in public schools. The group, composed of 10 appointed members including Muslim community representatives, educators, and civil rights advocates, will provide resources and recommendations to the Department of Education by January 1, 2027. Its key mechanisms include proposing policy amendments to improve school safety for Muslim students and staff, and offering training for educators on addressing religious bigotry. This procedural bill directly affects public schools statewide by creating a structured process to develop solutions, though it does not enact immediate policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 5322 establishes an endometriosis working group within Connecticut's Legislative Department to evaluate current methods for diagnosing, treating, and educating healthcare providers about endometriosis. The group, appointed by the House chairperson of the human services committee, will assess best practices and provide recommendations to improve care for patients. It must submit annual reports starting January 1, 2027, to relevant legislative committees on public health and human services. This bill does not create new laws or funding but focuses on studying existing approaches to address endometriosis care gaps.

Maddy summarySB 395 establishes a task force to study strategies for achieving 100% voter participation in the state by 2030, including examining policies requiring voting as a civic duty and assessing election administration needs. The task force, composed of legislative leaders, state officials, and gubernatorial appointees, must report findings and recommendations by February 2027, including potential funding for municipal efforts. The bill also authorizes local governments to create pilot programs - within existing resources - to boost voter engagement, such as outreach campaigns, without mandating new voting requirements. It focuses on research and local experimentation, not direct policy changes to election laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Connecticut's school bus regulations to allow hybrid buses alongside zero-emission and alternative fuel vehicles, aiming to reduce emissions while providing flexibility for school districts. It defines hybrid school buses as vehicles that combine a combustion engine with an electric motor and battery system, and establishes a grant program to help municipalities, school districts, and operators purchase these buses and related charging infrastructure. The legislation creates a new state account to fund administrative costs and technical assistance for transitioning to cleaner school bus fleets, with priority given to projects serving environmental justice communities. Key deadlines require 100% of school buses to be zero-emission, alternative fuel, or hybrid by January 1, 2040, though the bill includes proposed deletions that would have required 100% zero-emission buses by 2030 in certain areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Medicaid coverage to include fertility diagnostic care, fertility preservation services, and infertility treatments for individuals enrolled in the program. Effective January 1, 2027, the state would cover diagnostic tests, medications for ovulation enhancement, and up to six cycles of intrauterine insemination, while also funding storage of frozen eggs or embryos until age 30 or for five years, whichever is longer. The legislation prohibits waiting periods, discrimination based on disability or prior treatment history, and restrictions related to donor gametes, ensuring equal access regardless of age, race, gender identity, or other protected characteristics. Additionally, the bill requires the Commissioner of Social Services to consult with federal officials about potential future coverage for in-vitro fertilization and submit a report by July 2027 outlining options and funding needs for that service.