Sen. Jason Perillo

Maddy summaryHB 5704 establishes a working group to study how to create a construction workforce pipeline program, focusing on training students and workers for skilled trades jobs. The group will examine expanding high school pre-apprenticeship programs, increasing career awareness, removing barriers to apprenticeships, and exploring financial incentives for employers. It will include representatives from trade associations, schools, business groups, and education officials, with the first report due by December 2025. The bill does not create the program itself but directs a study to inform future policy, with no fiscal impact on state or local budgets.

Maddy summaryHB 5574 requires state agencies to submit specific reports on progress toward implementing digitization recommendations from the 2021 CREATES project report, as well as on overtime usage and fingerprinting procedures. By February 1, 2026, the Office of Policy and Management must report on digitization efforts across seven state programs (including tax compliance, grants portals, and electronic health records), detailing staffing, funding, and savings. It also mandates annual reports on agency overtime practices and a one-time report from the Department of Emergency Services on fingerprinting for criminal checks, including processing times and reasons. The bill affects all state agencies by requiring them to document and share these operational details to the Government Oversight Committee. No new costs are expected, as agencies already have resources to fulfill these reporting requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 5544 imposes a registration fee on electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and levies a per-kilowatt-hour tax on electricity sold at public EV charging stations. This bill directly affects EV owners through the new registration fee and charging station operators through the electricity tax. Revenue generated from both the fee and tax must be deposited into the Special Transportation Fund. The policy change shifts funding for transportation infrastructure to include EV-related fees, rather than relying solely on traditional fuel taxes.

Maddy summaryHB 5549 restores the tax credit rate against the affected business entity tax to 93.01 percent. This bill directly affects businesses that pay the affected business entity tax by increasing the credit they can claim. The key provision amends Chapter 228z of the general statutes to return the credit rate to its prior level. This is a procedural adjustment to correct a previous reduction, not a new policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 5546 exempts clothing for children ten years old and younger from the state's sales and use taxes. This policy change directly affects parents and caregivers who purchase clothing for young children, removing a tax burden on these essential items. The bill amends existing tax law (section 12-412 of the general statutes) to specifically exclude such clothing from taxable sales. The purpose, as stated in the bill, is to provide tax relief for families on necessary children's apparel.

Maddy summaryHB 5026 exempts the sale, storage, use, and consumption of aircraft weighing less than 6,000 pounds (maximum certificated takeoff weight) from state sales and use taxes. This change directly affects owners, buyers, and sellers of small aircraft, such as personal or small business planes. The bill amends existing tax law to create a uniform exemption for this category of aircraft, removing a tax burden previously applied to their purchase and use. It does not apply to larger aircraft or other taxable items.

Maddy summaryHB 5360 prohibits all state agencies from advertising, marketing, or promoting recreational cannabis products, sales, consumption, or cannabis businesses. It directly affects state departments and agencies that might have previously run promotional campaigns related to cannabis. The bill explicitly bans activities encouraging cannabis use (including concentrates and infused beverages), promoting cannabis establishments, or supporting the recreational cannabis market. This amendment to existing cannabis regulations takes effect immediately upon passage and applies to all state agencies as defined by law.

Maddy summaryHB 5818 appropriates $150,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for fiscal years ending June 2026 and 2027. The funds are specifically for removing surface debris from the mouth of the Housatonic River in Stratford. This bill directly affects the DEEP agency and the town of Stratford by providing resources for a targeted river cleanup project. The provision is a straightforward funding allocation with no policy changes beyond the designated cleanup work.

Maddy summaryHB 5825 appropriates $150,000 from the General Fund to the town of Stratford for the disposal of surface debris from the mouth of the Housatonic River. The funds are allocated for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, and 2027, as a grant-in-aid to Stratford's local government. This bill directly affects Stratford by providing state funding for a specific, ongoing debris removal need at the river's mouth. It does not create new environmental regulations or alter existing cleanup procedures - only authorizes the financial support.

Maddy summaryHB 5496 requires the state budget document to break down Medicaid funding into separate, detailed line items, showing each specific allocation instead of grouping all funds under one general category. This bill directly affects how the state government prepares and publishes its budget, increasing transparency for the public and lawmakers regarding Medicaid spending. The key provision amends state law to mandate this detailed reporting for the Medicaid line item, which represents a multibillion-dollar portion of the state budget. The change aims to make budget allocations clearer without altering actual Medicaid funding or program rules.