Rep. Donna Veach

Maddy summaryHB 6883 protects the addresses of domestic violence and sexual assault victims living in shelters or transitional housing. It prohibits housing providers from disclosing these locations without the victim’s explicit consent. This law directly affects victims seeking safety and their housing providers, preventing abusers from locating them through address sharing. The key provision requires confidentiality around housing addresses to enhance victim safety. The bill became law after Governor’s signature on June 23, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1239 creates the Fallen Hero Fund to provide ongoing health insurance coverage for surviving spouses and dependents of first responders (like police, firefighters, and EMTs) who die while performing their duties. The bill establishes a permanent program where the fund covers the full cost of health insurance premiums for these survivors. This law, now Public Act 25-61 after being signed by the governor on June 10, 2025, directly affects the families of fallen first responders by ensuring they maintain health coverage without out-of-pocket costs.

Maddy summarySB 1523 allows farmers and livestock owners to kill wildlife (including black bears) that damage crops or injure/killing livestock without needing a permit. It directly affects agricultural producers facing wildlife conflicts on their property. The bill's key provision exempts these specific lethal actions from standard wildlife protection rules, focusing on immediate property damage. It covers both crop-damaging wildlife and bears harming livestock, without requiring prior authorization. The bill passed the House on June 4, 2025, but was tabled in the Senate.

Maddy summaryHB 7202 establishes two new training initiatives for law enforcement in Connecticut. First, it creates a "social work and law enforcement project" at Southern Connecticut State University to train police and social workers to collaborate, with goals including addressing systemic racism and improving community wellness. Second, it mandates a police training center at Central Connecticut State University focused on crime scene processing and forensic evidence. The bill also significantly increases required training for officers handling juvenile cases (to 27 hours minimum in basic training) and requires new curriculum by 2026 on interacting with people with autism, cognitive impairments, or mental health conditions, developed with input from affected communities. These changes directly affect all Connecticut police officers through updated training requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 7055 creates two key tax provisions. First, it allows municipalities to establish property tax abatements for the primary residence of surviving domestic partners of police officers, firefighters, or EMTs who die while on duty (effective October 1, 2025). Second, it adds a personal income tax deduction for stipends paid to volunteer firefighters, volunteer fire police officers, and volunteer ambulance members (effective January 1, 2026). These changes directly affect surviving domestic partners of certain first responders and volunteer emergency personnel. The bill modifies existing statutes to provide specific tax relief without altering general tax rates or creating new programs.

Maddy summaryHB 7194 modifies a law that previously could have led to misdemeanor charges for discharging firearms in ways likely to cause injury. It explicitly adds that lawful self-defense or defending others is exempt from this rule, preventing misdemeanor charges for such discharges. This directly affects individuals using firearms for self-defense or to protect others in potentially dangerous situations. The bill clarifies existing self-defense principles by removing a potential legal conflict, without changing broader self-defense standards.

Maddy summarySB 80 requires all facilities incinerating hospital, medical, or infectious waste (treated or untreated) to obtain a Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) permit meeting or exceeding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission standards. This directly affects hospitals, medical facilities, and waste incinerators that burn such waste, including those previously exempt under federal rules. Key provisions mandate continuous monitoring for mercury and hydrochloric acid, monthly sampling for dioxins and furans, and public posting of all monitoring data within 180 days of the bill’s effective date. The bill enforces stricter emissions controls than prior federal exemptions and applies to all applicable facilities statewide.

Maddy summaryHB 7070 removes the legal requirement for individuals to retreat before using deadly force in a house of religious worship for self-defense or protecting others. It amends Connecticut's self-defense statute (section 53a-19) to explicitly state that people inside religious buildings - owned by or held in trust for religious organizations - do not need to retreat to avoid using deadly force. This change applies specifically to religious worship spaces, not other locations like homes or workplaces. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and directly affects anyone defending themselves within a religious organization's building.

Maddy summaryHB 7211 prohibits Connecticut law enforcement officers from detaining individuals based solely on a federal immigration detainer (a request from ICE or DHS to hold someone for immigration enforcement). It requires a judicial warrant, a class A or B felony conviction, or a federal terror database match for detention to be permitted. This applies to police departments, correctional facilities, bail commissioners, and school security personnel. The law, effective October 1, 2025, aims to limit state resources from being used for federal immigration enforcement without court oversight.

Maddy summarySB 647 establishes a systems benefits charge to fund energy affordability programs, directly affecting all electricity customers in Connecticut. The bill requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to set this annual charge (effective July 1, 2025), with funds directed to specific programs like Operation Fuel for energy assistance, hardship protection measures, low-income conservation initiatives, and energy efficiency programs. It replaces an older funding mechanism and specifies exact allocations, including $2.1 million annually for energy assistance (with $200,000 for administrative costs). The bill does not change electricity rates but redirects existing funding to support vulnerable households and energy programs.