Public Safety and Security

This bill authorizes the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles to issue permits allowing organ transport vehicles to use specific colored lights, including blue, red, yellow, or white, either steady or flashing. It directly affects vehicles operated by employees of licensed organ procurement organizations while they are transporting organs, eyes, or human tissue for transplantation. The legislation creates a new permit category for these vehicles, enabling them to use lighting that would otherwise require authorization under current state law, which generally restricts colored and flashing lights on motor vehicles. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2026, and establishes that these vehicles must still comply with existing restrictions on light use for police officers and DMV inspectors.

SB 375 creates a state grant program for municipalities and police departments to develop standardized school mapping data. The bill requires this data to be compatible with emergency services software, include verified floor plans and hazard locations, and be provided free permanently to schools and public safety agencies. Municipalities can apply for grants to create maps meeting specific technical standards, such as true north orientation, printable/digital formats, and integration with emergency response systems. The Department of Emergency Services must establish application criteria by October 2026 and report annually on grant usage starting in 2028. This directly affects schools, local police, and emergency responders by standardizing access to critical campus layout information during emergencies.

SB 367 establishes a working group to study roadside safety for wreckers and towing professionals. The group, including state safety committee leaders, emergency services and transportation commissioners, and a towing industry representative, will evaluate issues like vehicle lighting standards and worker protection methods. It must submit findings and recommendations to the relevant committee by January 1, 2027. This procedural bill does not create new laws but directs a study to inform future safety policies.

SB 370 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Administrative Services to adjust the hourly pay for adjunct fire instructors at the Connecticut Fire Academy each year starting July 1, 2026. The adjustment must match the percentage increase from the most recent state-wide wage agreement between the state and its employee bargaining coalition, including any cost-of-living adjustments. This directly affects adjunct fire instructors employed by the Connecticut Fire Academy, ensuring their pay rises in line with general state employee compensation changes. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and applies to all subsequent fiscal years.

This bill requires Connecticut municipalities to register their fire protection entities in a national system and create local fire protection plans detailing how fire services are provided, including staffing levels, response times, and mutual aid agreements. The State Fire Administrator will review these plans and assign ratings, with unsatisfactory-rated municipalities required to submit improvement plans with state assistance. Additionally, the bill updates the state commission's authority to set firefighter education standards, establish training programs, and develop specialized training for responding to incidents involving individuals with autism spectrum disorder or cognitive impairments.