Rep. Larry Butler

Maddy summaryHB 5259 requires Connecticut school districts to provide educational services to homeless children and youth in alignment with the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.). It prohibits school districts from denying enrollment based on residency and guarantees homeless students a hearing if denied accommodations. The bill also ensures unaccompanied homeless youth (those without a parent or guardian) can access their educational and medical records held by the school. These changes directly affect homeless students, their guardians, and school districts across Connecticut.

Maddy summaryHB 5163 establishes a state task force to study ways to improve affordability for children, families, and young professionals. The task force will examine existing programs (like cash assistance, child care, and job training), analyze systemic barriers (such as housing costs, transportation access, and racial disparities), and identify funding sources and collaboration opportunities between state agencies. Composed of agency commissioners, legislative leaders, and experts in relevant fields, the task force must submit a preliminary report by June 2027 and a final report by June 2028 to the legislature. The bill does not create new programs but aims to provide data-driven recommendations for future affordability initiatives.

Maddy summarySB 391 requires the Commissioner of Correction to arrange breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment services for women in state custody at licensed healthcare facilities closer to their correctional facility than the University of Connecticut Health Center. The bill specifically allows for on-site mammograms when possible, but if unavailable, permits arranging services at nearer facilities instead of defaulting to UConn Health Center. This applies to all women committed to correctional custody and takes effect July 1, 2026. The law directly expands access to timely breast cancer care by prioritizing proximity to correctional facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 5155 requires Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to create an online database tracking pesticide sales and use by December 2028, replacing older reporting methods. The database will make public access to historical pesticide data (from Chapter 441 of state law) and include pesticide-treated seed information collected with the Department of Agriculture. It allocates $100,000 for development in fiscal year 2027. This directly affects pesticide sellers and users (who must report through the new system) and provides the public with clearer access to where, what, and how much pesticides are used statewide.

Maddy summarySB 349 modifies Connecticut's Firefighters Cancer Relief Fund by updating its reporting requirements and expanding eligibility. Starting October 1, 2026, the State Treasurer must submit an annual report detailing the fund's financial balance, actual and projected expenditures, and income sources - replacing previous requirements for beneficiary demographic data. The bill also broadens the definition of "firefighter" to include fire marshals, inspectors, and other related roles. This directly affects the fund's administration, the State Treasurer, and municipalities providing benefits under the program.

Maddy summaryHB 5374 requires individual health insurance policies in Connecticut that cover chemotherapy to also provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used to prevent hair loss during treatment. This applies to policies delivered, renewed, or continued on or after January 1, 2027, and mandates coverage "at least equivalent to such coverage provided under Medicare." The bill specifically targets policies covering certain chemotherapy-related treatments, directly affecting patients receiving chemotherapy who may use scalp cooling systems. It does not apply to group plans or other insurance types, focusing solely on individual health insurance policies meeting the specified coverage criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts most Connecticut hospitals from selling and leasing back their main campus property (a "sale-leaseback") after October 1, 2026, except for hospitals in financial distress that obtain board approval and notify the state health commissioner and attorney general. It requires all hospitals to annually submit a written attestation confirming no private equity firm controls the hospital or interferes with clinical decisions, such as patient care timing, discharge policies, or medical diagnoses. The attestation must cover specific areas like emergency department triage, patient discharge decisions, and medical record entries. Hospitals must use a standard form developed by the state health commissioner to comply.

Maddy summaryHB 5004 requires child welfare agencies to conduct background checks before placing a child with a relative or non-licensed caregiver in an emergency situation. Specifically, agencies must complete a federal criminal history search and check the child abuse registry within 10 days, followed by state/national criminal records checks; refusal to provide fingerprints triggers immediate child removal. The bill also mandates that courts prioritize placing children with relatives or "fictive kin" (close family friends) over other options when safety allows, and requires written documentation for all placement decisions. This directly affects child welfare agencies, relatives/fictive kin caregivers, and courts handling emergency child safety cases.

Maddy summaryHB 5406 establishes a new ribbon and medal to honor Connecticut veterans and reserve members who served during wartime while residing in the state or being domiciled there at the time of the award. It creates eligibility for veterans called to active duty in wartime or reserve members serving during wartime, with awards potentially given posthumously to those who died after November 12, 1918. The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and Adjutant General will administer the award process, including designing the ribbon/medal and distributing it using existing military funds. This bill amends Connecticut General Statute §27-73e to implement the honorific award, with no financial or benefit changes beyond the ceremonial recognition.

Maddy summaryHB 5313 requires the Chief Court Administrator to develop a plan by January 1, 2027, creating uniform state-wide case identification codes for domestic violence cases across three state systems: the Judicial Branch, Division of Criminal Justice, and Department of Emergency Services. The codes must consistently track all domestic violence cases (defined as family violence between household members under state law) in electronic case files, improving statewide data collection for reporting and policy analysis while maintaining confidentiality. This plan must be reported to legislative committees by February 1, 2027. The bill directly affects how state agencies track and manage domestic violence case data, aiming to standardize identification without changing legal definitions or services.