AN ACT CONCERNING VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND THE DEFINITION OF EMPLOYER UNDER THE STATE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT.

HB 5276 clarifies that volunteer fire departments and volunteer ambulance companies in Connecticut are explicitly considered "employers" under the state's workplace safety law (CONN-OSHA). The bill removes their previous exemption from CONN-OSHA regulations by redefining "employer" to include these organizations and amending the law to exclude them from the list of exempt entities. This means volunteer fire and ambulance departments will now fall under Connecticut's occupational health and safety standards starting October 1, 2026. The change directly affects all volunteer fire departments and ambulance companies in the state, requiring them to comply with state safety regulations previously not applied to them.