Rep. Donna Veach

Maddy summaryHB 6392 changes how Connecticut's Psychiatric Security Review Board evaluates the release or confinement of people found not guilty by reason of insanity (acquittees). It requires the Board to prioritize "protection of society" over the individual's well-being when making discharge or release decisions. Key changes include mandating hearings for all temporary leave requests (ending self-release under personal charge), doubling the waiting period for both temporary leave (to 12 months) and conditional release (to 12 months), and requiring "clear and convincing evidence" for less restrictive placements. These provisions directly affect acquittees and the Board's procedural standards.

Maddy summaryHB 6375 would restore a law allowing police to stop and search a vehicle based solely on the smell of cannabis. This change directly affects drivers whose vehicles may be stopped for this reason and gives law enforcement officers a new basis for initiating investigations. The bill amends existing law to permit officers to use cannabis odor as justification for an investigatory stop or search of a vehicle or person inside it. Its stated purpose is to help prevent deaths and injuries caused by impaired drivers.

Maddy summaryHB 5910 removes restrictions on hunting by firearm on private property during legal hunting seasons, allowing it on all days of the week - including Sundays. It directly affects landowners and hunters who use private property for hunting. The bill amends statutes to authorize this change without altering existing hunting seasons or animal species regulations. This is a straightforward policy update to align private property hunting with current seasonal rules, eliminating the previous Sunday prohibition.

Maddy summaryHB 6017 eliminates drop boxes as a method for returning absentee ballots in Connecticut. The bill amends Section 9-140b of the general statutes to remove this option, meaning voters would no longer be able to deposit absentee ballots in designated drop boxes. This change directly affects voters who currently use drop boxes to return absentee ballots, requiring them to instead return ballots by mail or in person at official locations. The bill focuses solely on altering the ballot return process without specifying alternative methods.

Maddy summaryHB 6174 would allow students in Connecticut schools or colleges to sue the state for injuries or illnesses caused by mandatory vaccinations or medicinal treatments required for enrollment. The bill creates a legal claim for actual damages (compensation for harm) if the state required the treatment as a condition of school admission, and punitive damages if the state mandated it without verifying safety through publicly available medical evidence. This applies specifically to students who received vaccinations or treatments under state-mandated school requirements. The bill does not change existing vaccination rules but adds a legal recourse for affected students.

Maddy summaryHB 5670 requires public school officials to notify a student's parent or guardian about any behavior intervention meeting addressing specific concerns, including disruptions, injuries, mental health distress, new gender identity, bullying (as perpetrator or victim), or significant academic changes. The law mandates this notification for all such meetings, ensuring parents are informed about their child's school behavior and academic issues. This directly affects parents, students, and school staff in public schools statewide. The goal is to foster family-school collaboration to support student well-being and educational outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 5453 requires healthcare providers to notify a minor's parent or guardian before a minor can terminate a pregnancy. Minors who cannot notify parents may seek court approval for confidentiality, with the court ensuring the minor's anonymity and expediting the process to allow timely termination. The bill directly affects minors seeking pregnancy termination services in the state. It establishes a court process as the sole alternative to parental notification, aiming to balance parental involvement with minor access to care.

Maddy summaryHB 5352 would prohibit students identified as biological males from competing on public school female-only athletic teams or using female-only locker rooms and facilities in interscholastic and intramural sports. The bill directly affects transgender and gender-diverse students in public schools who are assigned male at birth but participate in girls' sports or access girls' facilities. It amends state law to require schools to restrict participation and facility access based on biological sex, specifically for athletic teams and locker rooms designated for females. The policy change applies to all public school athletic programs and facilities covered under the state's education statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 5209 prohibits the Governor or any municipality from changing or suspending laws related to firearms and ammunition during civil preparedness or public health emergencies. It specifically bars restrictions on lawful possession, purchase, sale, storage, transportation, or transfer of firearms or ammunition during such emergencies. The bill directly affects state and local officials who might otherwise issue emergency orders limiting firearm access. This policy change ensures existing firearm regulations remain in effect regardless of emergency declarations.

Maddy summaryHB 5218 names the Christian Lane overpass on Connecticut Route 9 in Berlin as the "Gold Star Families Memorial Bridge." The bill honors families of U.S. military members who died while serving in active duty. This is a symbolic, non-policy change commemorating these families through the naming of a specific public infrastructure location.