Good Afternoon, 

Please see the below legislative update from us and a list of upcoming relevant public hearings and pertinent legislation.

The below and attached weekly report will be updated frequently, so please be sure to check for any additions as the Session progresses. 

Recently Tracked Legislation

HB 5406 – An Act Concerning A Study Of State Revenue Policies.

HB 5407 – An Act Concerning A Study Of State Fiscal Policies.

HB 5423 – An Act Establishing A Pilot Program To Collect Data Related To Fire And Rescue Service Delivery In The State.

SB 259 – An Act Making Technical Corrections To A Fire Safety Code Statute.

SB 313 – An Act Concerning Adoption Of The Recommendations Of The Task Force To Study Cancer Relief Benefits For Firefighters.

SB 316 – An Act Protecting Connecticut Workers.

SB 321 – An Act Expanding Workers’ Compensation Coverage For Post-traumatic Stress Injuries For All Employees.

SB 380 – An Act Concerning A Study Of State Tax Policies.

SB 381 – An Act Concerning A Study Of State Revenue Collections.

Upcoming Hearings

Mon 3/14 @ 10:00 AM – HB 5423 – An Act Establishing A Pilot Program To Collect Data Related To Fire And Rescue Service Delivery In The State.

Tue 3/15 @ 9:00 AM – HB 5406 – An Act Concerning A Study Of State Revenue Policies.

Tue 3/15 @ 9:00 AM – HB 5407 – An Act Concerning A Study Of State Fiscal Policies.

Tue 3/15 @ 9:00 AM – SB 380 – An Act Concerning A Study Of State Tax Policies.

Tue 3/15 @ 9:00 AM – SB 381 – An Act Concerning A Study Of State Revenue Collections.

Updated Legislation

HB 5173 – An Act Allowing A Personal Income Tax Deduction For Stipends Paid To Volunteer Firefighters And Volunteer Ambulance Members.
Status: Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/15/22 5:00 PM (3/10)

HB 5175 – An Act Allowing Police Officers To Obtain Information To Be Furnished Relative To Fire Or Explosion Losses.
Status: Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/14/22 5:00 PM (3/9)

HB 5176 – An Act Concerning A Study Of The Powers, Duties, Benefits And Classification Of First Responders.
Status: Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/15/22 5:00 PM (3/10)

SB 141 – An Act Increasing The Penalty For The Intentional Injury Of A Police Animal Or Dog In A Volunteer Canine Search And Rescue Team.
Status: Favorable Change of Reference, House to Committee on Judiciary (3/11)

John Carew
CSFA Legislative Representative
203-214-5535
Jpcarew@snet.net

Every week, you will receive a brief legislative update from us and a list of upcoming relevant public hearings and pertinent legislation. The below and attached weekly report will be updated frequently, so please be sure to check for any additions as the Session progresses.

Recently Tracked Legislation

SB 259 – An Act Making Technical Corrections To A Fire Safety Code Statute.

SB 316 – An Act Protecting Connecticut Workers.

SB 321 – An Act Expanding Workers’ Compensation Coverage For Post-traumatic Stress Injuries For All Employees.

Upcoming Hearings

Tue 3/8 @ 9:00 AM – SB 316 – An Act Protecting Connecticut Workers.

Tue 3/8 @ 9:00 AM – SB 321 – An Act Expanding Workers’ Compensation Coverage For Post-traumatic Stress Injuries For All Employees.

Thu 3/10 @ 8:00 AM – SB 259 – An Act Making Technical Corrections To A Fire Safety Code Statute.

Updated Legislation

HB 5173 – An Act Allowing A Personal Income Tax Deduction For Stipends Paid To Volunteer Firefighters And Volunteer Ambulance Members. Status: Filed with Legislative Commissioners’ Office (3/4)

HB 5175 – An Act Allowing Police Officers To Obtain Information To Be Furnished Relative To Fire Or Explosion Losses. Status: Filed with Legislative Commissioners’ Office (3/4)

HB 5176 – An Act Concerning A Study Of The Powers, Duties, Benefits And Classification Of First Responders. Status: Filed with Legislative Commissioners’ Office (3/4)

HB 5212 – An Act Concerning The Sale Of Battery-powered Smoke Detectors In The State. Status: PS Public Hearing: Thu 3/3 09:00 AM @ (2/25)

HB 5213 – An Act Concerning Payments To Volunteer Fire Companies For Responding To Calls On Limited Access Highways And At Certain Other Locations. Status: PS Public Hearing: Thu 3/3 09:00 AM @ (2/25)

SB 141 – An Act Increasing The Penalty For The Intentional Injury Of A Police Animal Or Dog In A Volunteer Canine Search And Rescue Team. Status: PS Public Hearing: Thu 3/3 09:00 AM @ (2/25)

SB 159 – An Act Concerning Firework Permits And Certificates Of Competency. Status: PS Public Hearing: Thu 3/3 09:00 AM @ (2/25)

John Carew
CSFA Legislative Representative
203-214-5535
Jpcarew@snet.net

The Committees of the General Assembly met throughout this week to raise concepts which will be heard in Public Hearings throughout the coming weeks.

Every week, you will receive a brief legislative update from us and a list of upcoming relevant public hearings and pertinent legislation. The attached weekly report will be updated frequently, so please be sure to check for any additions as the Session progresses. 

John Carew
CSFA Legislative Representative
203-214-5535
Jpcarew@snet.net

I would expect that this will be the last report for the 2021 CGA legislative session.  Last in the listing is the budget implementer bill (S.B. #1202) which was passed at a special session on 6/15/2021.  There were several bills passed in that 6/15 session, but only that specific S.B. 1202 had any issues that pertained to any Fire Service issues.

With back-up from Chief Oates who perused all 837 pages of the implementer, I also scanned through the same 837 pages, plus the 69 pages of the budget bill (H.B. #6689), and the 128 pages of the bonding bill (H.B. #6690.  The results of all 3 of these bills are on the bill listing.  We only found 4 items within the implementer that were Fire Service related.  I have listed only the “jist” of the items in the implementer, as some items involve several paragraphs of text.  If anyone is interested in the full text of any legislation, you may contact me and I can lead you through the process.  It is rather simple once you have done it.

As in past years I have colored the text of passed bills in GREEN.  Most items that did not pass have been deleted.  Some bills that did not pass are still listed, but colored RED, because they were of interest to some individuals.  You will also note that some bills passed one chamber and not the other.  I left those listed, a some individuals have expressed a desire to know what happened to them along the process.  

If anyone is aware of any bills that they had an interest, and I have not listed them, please contact me via the email at the bottom of the listing.  After scanning through approximately 1000 pages of text, some pages get “blurry”. I will be happy to research any missed items.  Be aware that these results are of today, Saturday 6/26.  Some bills have not been signed by the Governor yet, but, if passed, they should be signed within the next week or so.

Ted Schroll Jr., Legislative Representative
Connecticut State Firefighters Association
Email  thschroll@snet.net

All,

All bills listed completely in GREEN passed both chambers.  They are not official until assigned a Public Act number and are signed by the Governor.

Bills still in RED died either in committee or on their respective calendar.  I left them on the list for now to show all that were being tracked and did not pass.

The regular session ended at midnight on this past Wednesday.  I have not had a chance to closely review each passed bill to see if there are any surprises hidden inside.  I would expect to have that done by next week and will refine the list by then.

Please note H.B. #6689 (Budget Bill) and H.B. #6690 (Bonding Bill).  Both bills passed the last day of the session.  All Fire Service items under the control of CSFA in the budget bill were flat funded from the previous biennium.  However, the Approps committee inserted $70K per year for both years of the biennial budget to fund firefighter training for distressed communities (H.B. #5666).

In the Bonding Bill, we were able to work with the Bonding Sub-Committee to insert $5 Million in the second year of the biennial toward the Regional Fire School Capital Improvement Program.

If anyone has any questions about any issues that you “heard” about, you can contact me by email and I will try to get you an answer.

Ted Schroll Jr., Legislative Representative
Connecticut State Firefighters Association
Email  thschroll@snet.net