Sen. Saud Anwar

Maddy summaryThis bill directs state agencies responsible for children, developmental services, education, social services, and mental health to create a coordinated system for young adults aged 17 to 22 with intellectual or developmental disabilities, including autism, who also have behavioral health needs. The system requires agencies to sign agreements to identify eligible individuals, calculate necessary resources, inventory residential behavioral health options, and explore psychiatric residential treatment facilities through requests for proposals or state property. Agencies must submit a joint report by October 1, 2026, detailing funding needs, progress made, and recommendations for closing service gaps to the General Assembly committees.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a three-year pilot program to train high school students as American Sign Language interpreters and increases funding for specialized services for individuals who are both blind or visually impaired and deaf. The program will provide up to $1 million to fund high school courses in ASL at select school districts, which must partner with colleges to offer college credit for the training. Additionally, the bill raises the annual state assistance limit for community inclusion services for dual-blind and deaf individuals from $10,000 to $14,000 per person. These changes aim to build a future workforce of interpreters and improve support for people with multiple disabilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Social Services to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for healthcare providers starting July 1, 2026, with the goal of reaching at least 75% of Medicare rates by June 30, 2029. The law establishes a five-state benchmark using average rates from Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Oregon to determine increases for services without corresponding Medicare rates. Additionally, the bill mandates annual rate adjustments after 2029 based on Medicare rate comparisons, the five-state benchmark, or changes in the Medicare Economic Index to account for inflation. A separate oversight council must review provider reimbursement rates annually and report to the legislature with recommendations on necessary funding to maintain adequate compensation for healthcare providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the state Medicaid program to pay for peer support services, which are recovery-focused behavioral health services provided by individuals with lived experience in mental illness or substance use recovery. Starting July 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Social Services must update Medicaid rules to include these services in care teams and begin reimbursing certified peer support specialists for their work. The law also mandates a report by August 1, 2027, detailing how many specialists receive payment, how many Medicaid enrollees they serve, and any treatment outcome data collected from their services.

Maddy summaryHB 5260 prohibits municipalities from penalizing homeless individuals for specific daily activities in public spaces. It directly affects homeless people by ensuring they cannot be punished for moving freely, sleeping in legally parked vehicles, using public hygiene facilities, or performing basic needs like eating, resting, or seeking medical care in public. Key provisions ban local ordinances that restrict these activities, while allowing safety-related restrictions for public health or welfare. The bill excludes school properties, airports, and interior building areas from its definition of "public place." It takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 5238 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection to create a working group by September 2026 to study parking access challenges faced by home health care service providers delivering services in residential areas. The group will examine parking restrictions, time limits, permit requirements, geographic impact areas, and review similar programs in other states. It must submit findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 2027. This bill does not change current parking laws but initiates a formal study to inform potential future policy decisions affecting home health care providers.

Maddy summaryHB 5160 appropriates $33.5 million from the state's General Fund to the Department of Housing for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to support programs assisting people experiencing homelessness. The bill directs the Department of Housing to use these funds for services and initiatives aimed at helping homeless individuals, including housing support and related assistance programs. It becomes effective on July 1, 2026, providing immediate funding for homeless assistance efforts without creating new programs or altering eligibility criteria.

Maddy summarySB 328 requires Connecticut nursing homes to allocate revenue so that administrative and general costs (e.g., management salaries, facility maintenance) do not exceed the state-wide median allowable cost for such expenses. This policy directly affects nursing home facilities receiving Medicaid reimbursement by limiting how much they can spend on non-patient care operations, thereby directing more funds toward direct patient care. The bill establishes specific cost categories (including direct care, indirect care, and administrative costs) and sets maximum allowable levels for administrative spending. It aims to ensure nursing homes prioritize resident care through structured cost reporting and Medicaid rate adjustments tied to quality metrics. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, with annual reporting requirements for facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 5356 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Social Services to identify geographic areas where competitive bidding for nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) services for Medicaid recipients could save state costs. It mandates that providers meeting state licensure/certification standards must compete for contracts to offer these services, with payment only made for actual transport provided. The bill also requires annual review of reimbursement rates to ensure they maintain an adequate driver pool and includes provisions for pilot programs before statewide implementation. This directly affects Medicaid recipients needing nonemergency medical transport and transportation providers contracted to serve them.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Connecticut's unemployment insurance rules to allow striking workers to receive benefits after a labor dispute has lasted for 14 consecutive days, starting in 2027. Currently, workers who lose jobs due to strikes are generally ineligible for unemployment benefits, but this change would apply only to disputes beginning on or after December 14, 2027. The law already permits benefits for workers locked out by employers or those not involved in the strike, such as non-union employees at a temporarily closed business. The bill requires workers to meet standard eligibility criteria like being able and available to work, and it would require updates to the state's unemployment insurance system to track strike duration.