All,

The General Assembly continues to move forward.  As stated last week, lots of public hearings.  Also, many more this coming week.  Pres. Carew was up for a couple days this week for support.  We had some discussions with Rep. Rochelle.  I had a short meet with Rep. Miller.  I attempted to do some leg work to make amendments to the highway funds bill.  As proposed, the language imposes some restrictions on a small number of fire companies.  Can’t pick favorites; they have to take us all.  There was also a House and Senate session as mentioned last week.

Thursday was a busy day for public hearings for us in the Public Safety, Labor, and Higher Education Committees.  That’s a new committee for me this year.  The fire service is getting high tech.  Fortunately for me, President Carew had the initial contact and he has been following an initiative that may take some extensive research.  We are hoping to get most of that done for us.  While Pres. Carew was testifying in Hi Education on S.B. #302, I was testifying in Public Safety.  We had 9 bills in which we had an interest in.  We supported 6; H.B. #5285, 5286, 5312, 5318, 5319, 5321, & S.B. #265.  Chief Provencher from North Thompsonville was up to testify on H.B. #5319 with his local legislator, so that was a help.  On H.B. #5312 we testified in support as long as the new language did not conflict with our previous efforts on a lemon law for fire apparatus which we passed in 1999.  We opposed S.B. #266 (Body Armor) as it was written as it would require all fire apparatus and EMS vehicles to carry body armor sufficient to equip all “riders” that would normally be in the vehicle.  We also opposed S.B. #270, also as it was written, which would require a vehicle with a blue light at a construction work zone.  We suggested that the commonly used red/blue combination currently used by law enforcement be proposed and leave the blue light for the volunteer firefighters.

Scheduled activities this coming week include:
Public Hearings
3/9 — H.B. #5288
3/10 — H.B. #5451, 5453, S,B, #427, 429, & 430
3/11 — S.B. #4143/12    H.B. #5445
3/13 — S.B. #8

The attached bill matrix should be up to date as of Monday A.M. 3/9.  If any questions, do not hesitate to email back.  And if you feel that I missed something, let me know.

Ted Schroll Jr., Legislative Representative
Connecticut State Firefighters Association