LCO No. 2667 1 of 16
General Assembly Raised Bill No. 427
February Session, 2020
LCO No. 2667
Referred to Committee on PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY
Introduced by:
(PS)
AN ACT CONCERNING TH E FIRE PREVENTION CODE AND FIRE
SAFETY CODE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 29-291a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 2
(a) (1) The State Fire Marshal, in coordination with the [advisory 3
committee] Fire Prevention Code Committee established under 4
subsection (b) of this section and in accordance with the provisions of 5
section 29-291e, as amended by this act, shall adopt and administer a 6
State Fire Prevention Code based on a nationally recognized fire 7
prevention code. The code shall be used to enhance the enforcement 8
capabilities of local fire marshals and for the purposes of prevention of 9
fire and other related emergencies. The code shall be revised as deemed 10
necessary to incorporate any subsequent revisions to the code not later 11
than eighteen months following the date of first publication of such 12
revisions. The code shall include provisions for oil burners, flammable 13
and combustible liquids, gas equipment and piping, liquefied gas and 14
liquefied natural gas and hazardous chemicals. 15 Raised Bill No. 427
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(2) Beginning on the effective date of the 2020 Fire Safety Code 16
adopted pursuant to section 29-292, as amended by this act: 17
(A) The Fire Prevention Code shall be applicable to all buildings 18
constructed prior to January 1, 2006, and 19
(B) the Fire Safety Code, as amended from time to time pursuant to 20
section 29-292a, shall be applicable to all buildings constructed on or 21
after January 1, 2006. 22
(b) There is established [an advisory committee] the Fire Prevention 23
Code Committee consisting of nine persons appointed by the State Fire 24
Marshal. The State Fire Marshal shall appoint two members [selected] 25
from a list of individuals submitted by the Codes and Standards 26
Committee from the membership of said committee and seven members 27
representing local fire marshals, deputy fire marshals and fire inspectors 28
selected from a list of individuals submitted by the Connecticut Fire 29
Marshals Association. 30
(c) The State Fire Marshal may issue official interpretations of the 31
State Fire Prevention Code, including interpretations of the applicability 32
of any provision of the code, upon the request of any person. The State 33
Fire Marshal shall compile and index each interpretation and shall 34
publish such interpretations at periodic intervals not exceeding four 35
months. 36
Sec. 2. Section 29-291c of the general statutes is repealed and the 37
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 38
(a) When the State Fire Marshal or a local fire marshal ascertains that 39
there exists in any building, or upon any premises, a condition that 40
violates the State Fire Prevention Code or Fire Safety Code, the State Fire 41
Marshal or local fire marshal shall order such condition remedied by the 42
owner or occupant of such building or premises. Any such remedy shall 43
be in conformance with all building codes, ordinances, rules and 44
regulations of the municipality involved. Such owner or occupant shall 45
be subject to the penalties prescribed by subsection (e) of this section 46 Raised Bill No. 427
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and, in addition, may be fined fifty dollars a day for each day's 47
continuance of each violation, to be recovered in a proper action in the 48
name of the state. 49
(b) Upon failure of an owner or occupant to abate or remedy a 50
violation pursuant to subsection (a) of this section within a reasonable 51
period of time specified by the State Fire Marshal or the local fire 52
marshal, the local fire marshal shall promptly notify, in writing, the 53
prosecuting attorney having jurisdiction in the municipality in which 54
such violation or condition exists of all of the relevant facts. The local 55
fire marshal may request the chief executive officer, any official of the 56
municipality authorized to institute actions on behalf of the 57
municipality in which the hazard exists or the State Fire Marshal, to 58
apply to any court of equitable jurisdiction for an injunction against 59
such owner or occupant for the purpose of closing or restricting from 60
public service or use the place or premises containing the violation or 61
condition until the violation or condition has been remedied, or the State 62
Fire Marshal may apply for such an injunction without such request. 63
(c) The State Fire Marshal or any local fire marshal empowered to 64
enforce the State Fire Prevention Code or Fire Safety Code may, as an 65
alternative to issuing an order pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, 66
give the owner or occupant a written citation for any violation of the 67
[State Fire Prevention Code] applicable code. No such citation may be 68
issued if the owner or occupant has been previously issued a citation for 69
the same violation by the State Fire Marshal or the local fire marshal 70
within six months prior to the current violation. Such citation shall 71
contain the name and address, if known, of the owner or occupant, the 72
specific offense charged and the time and place of the violation. The 73
citation shall be signed by the State Fire Marshal or local fire marshal 74
and shall be signed by the owner or occupant in acknowledgment that 75
such citation has been received. The State Fire Marshal or local fire 76
marshal shall, if practicable, deliver a copy of the citation to the owner 77
or occupant at the time and place of the violation or shall use some other 78
reasonable means of notification. Any person who is issued a citation 79
for violation of any provision of the State Fire Prevention Code or Fire 80 Raised Bill No. 427
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Safety Code in accordance with this subsection shall be fined not more 81
than two hundred fifty dollars. 82
(d) If a local fire marshal issues a citation pursuant to subsection (c) 83
of this section, the state shall remit to the municipalities in which the 84
violations occurred ninety per cent of the proceeds of the fine and shall 85
remit to the State Treasurer the remaining ten per cent. If the State Fire 86
Marshal issues a citation pursuant to said subsection, the state shall 87
remit to the State Treasurer the entire proceeds of the fine. Each clerk of 88
the Superior Court or the Chief Court Administrator, on or before the 89
thirtieth day of January, April, July and October in each year, shall 90
certify to the Comptroller the amount due for the previous quarter 91
under this subsection to each municipality served by the office of the 92
clerk or official. 93
(e) In addition to the fine prescribed in subsection (a) of this section, 94
any person who violates any provision of the State Fire Prevention Code 95
or Fire Safety Code shall be fined not less than two hundred dollars or 96
more than one thousand dollars or be imprisoned not more than six 97
months, or both. 98
Sec. 3. Section 29-291d of the general statutes is repealed and the 99
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 100
The State Fire Marshal shall review a decision by a local fire marshal 101
upon the request of any person determined to have the right to appeal 102
or when the State Fire Marshal has reason to believe that such official 103
has misconstrued or misinterpreted any provision of the State Fire 104
Prevention Code adopted pursuant to section 29-291a, as amended by 105
this act. If upon review and after consultation with such official the State 106
Fire Marshal determines that a provision of the code has been 107
misconstrued or misinterpreted, the State Fire Marshal shall issue an 108
interpretation of such code and may issue any order the State Fire 109
Marshal deems appropriate. Any such determination or order shall be 110
in writing and sent to such local fire marshal by registered mail, return 111
receipt requested. Any person aggrieved by a decision made by the State 112 Raised Bill No. 427
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Fire Marshal in accordance with this section or a decision of the State 113
Fire Marshal relating to the enforcement of the State Fire Prevention 114
Code may appeal such decision to the Fire Prevention Code Committee, 115
established pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29-291a, as amended 116
by this act, not later than fourteen days after receipt of such decision by 117
such aggrieved person. Any person aggrieved by any ruling of the Fire 118
Prevention Code Committee may appeal to the superior court for the 119
judicial district where the premises concerned are located. 120
Sec. 4. Section 29-291e of the general statutes is repealed and the 121
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 122
(a) For the purposes of this section, "proposed code" means a 123
proposal by the State Fire Marshal, in coordination with the [advisory 124
committee] Fire Prevention Code Committee for a new State Fire 125
Prevention Code or for a change in, addition to or repeal of any 126
provision of the State Fire Prevention Code and ["advisory committee" 127
means the advisory committee] "Fire Prevention Code Committee" 128
means the committee established under subsection (b) of section 29-129
291a, as amended by this act. 130
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 54, the adoption of the 131
State Fire Prevention Code and any amendments thereto shall not be 132
required to comply with the provisions of chapter 54, except as provided 133
in this section. 134
(c) Prior to the adoption of the State Fire Prevention Code and any 135
amendments thereto, the State Fire Marshal shall (1) post any proposed 136
code, a statement of purpose for which the proposed code is proposed, 137
a fiscal note associated with compliance with the proposed code 138
prepared pursuant to section 4-168 and a regulatory flexibility analysis 139
prepared pursuant to section 4-168a on the Internet web site of the 140
Department of Administrative Services, (2) give notice electronically to 141
the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 142
cognizance of matters relating to public safety and security, (3) give 143
notice to any person who has requested the State Fire Marshal for 144 Raised Bill No. 427
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advance notice of the proposed code adoption proceedings, (4) provide 145
for a public comment period of forty-five days following the posting of 146
such proposed code, fiscal note and regulatory flexibility analysis, and 147
(5) hold a public hearing on the proposed code not less than twenty nor 148
more than thirty-five days after such posting. 149
(d) After the close of the public comment period, the State Fire 150
Marshal, in coordination with the [advisory committee] Fire Prevention 151
Code Committee, shall respond to each written and oral comment 152
respecting the proposed code received during the public comment 153
period and at the public hearing. Such response shall include any 154
change made to the proposed code if applicable, and the rationale for 155
such change. The State Fire Marshal shall post such response on the 156
Internet web site of the Department of Administrative Services not later 157
than thirty days after the close of the public comment period. 158
(e) The State Fire Marshal, in coordination with the [advisory 159
committee] Fire Prevention Code Committee, shall create and maintain 160
a code-making record for each proposed code, submit such code-161
making record electronically to the standing legislative regulation 162
review committee and the joint standing committee of the General 163
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public safety and 164
security, and post such code-making record on the Internet web site of 165
the Department of Administrative Services. Such code-making record 166
shall include, but need not be limited to: (1) The final wording of the 167
proposed code in a format consistent with a nationally recognized 168
model building code, (2) the fiscal note prepared pursuant to subsection 169
(c) of this section, (3) the regulatory flexibility analysis prepared 170
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, (4) all written and oral 171
comments received during the public comment period, and (5) the 172
response to such comments prepared pursuant to subsection (d) of this 173
section. 174
(f) The standing legislative regulation review committee shall have 175
not more than forty-five days from the date the code-making record is 176
submitted to the committee pursuant to subsection (e) of this section to 177 Raised Bill No. 427
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convene a meeting to approve, disapprove or reject without prejudice 178
the proposed code, in whole or in part. If the proposed code is 179
withdrawn, the State Fire Marshal shall resubmit the proposed code and 180
the committee shall have not more than forty-five days from the date of 181
such resubmittal to convene a meeting to approve, disapprove or reject 182
without prejudice the resubmitted proposed code. If the committee 183
notifies the State Fire Marshal in writing that it is waiving its right to 184
convene a meeting or does not act on a proposed code or a resubmitted 185
proposed code, as the case may be, within such forty-five-day period, 186
the proposed code or resubmitted proposed code shall be deemed to be 187
approved by the committee. 188
(g) If the committee disapproves a proposed code, in whole or in part, 189
the committee shall notify the State Fire Marshal of the disapproval and 190
the reasons for the disapproval. The State Fire Marshal shall not take 191
any action to implement such disapproved code, except that the State 192
Fire Marshal may submit a substantively new proposed code in 193
accordance with the provisions of this section, provided the General 194
Assembly may reverse such disapproval in accordance with the 195
provisions of section 4-171. 196
(h) If the committee rejects a proposed code without prejudice, in 197
whole or in part, the committee shall notify the State Fire Marshal of the 198
reasons for the rejection and the State Fire Marshal shall resubmit the 199
proposed code in revised form to the committee not later than thirty 200
days after the date of rejection without prejudice. Each resubmission of 201
the proposed code under this subsection shall include a summary of any 202
revisions to the proposed code. The committee shall have not more than 203
forty-five days after the receipt of the resubmittal to review and take 204
action on such resubmitted proposed code in the same manner as 205
provided in subsection (f) of this section. 206
(i) The State Fire Prevention Code or any amendment thereto 207
approved or deemed approved by the committee pursuant to subsection 208
(f) of this section is effective and enforceable against any person or party 209
upon its posting on the Internet web site of the Department of 210 Raised Bill No. 427
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Administrative Services, except that: (1) If a later date is required by 211
statute or specified in the code, the later date is the effective date, and 212
(2) a code may not be effective before the effective date of the public act 213
requiring or permitting the code. Such posting shall include a statement 214
by the State Fire Marshal certifying that the electronic copy of the code 215
is a true and accurate copy of the code approved or deemed approved 216
in accordance with subsection (f) of this section. The electronic copy of 217
the State Fire Prevention Code posted on the Internet web site of the 218
Department of Administrative Services shall be the official version for 219
all purposes, including all legal and administrative proceedings. 220
(j) No provision of the State Fire Prevention Code or any amendment 221
thereto adopted after May 31, 2016, is valid unless adopted in 222
substantial compliance with the requirements of this section. A 223
proceeding to contest any provision of the code on the ground of 224
noncompliance with the requirements of this section shall be 225
commenced within two years from the effective date of the code. 226
(k) The State Fire Marshal shall advise the public concerning how to 227
obtain a copy of the State Fire Prevention Code and any amendments 228
thereto. 229
Sec. 5. Section 29-292 of the general statutes is repealed and the 230
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 231
(a) [(1)] The State Fire Marshal and the Codes and Standards 232
Committee shall adopt and administer a Fire Safety Code and at any 233
time may amend the same in accordance with the provisions of section 234
29-292a. The code shall be based on [a] nationally recognized model fire 235
[code] and life safety codes and shall be revised as deemed necessary to 236
incorporate advances in technologies and improvements in construction 237
materials and any subsequent revisions to the code not later than 238
eighteen months following the date of first publication of such revisions 239
to the code, unless the State Fire Marshal and the committee certify that 240
a revision is not necessary for such purpose. [The regulations in said] 241
On and after the effective date of the adoption of the 2020 Fire Safety 242 Raised Bill No. 427
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Code, the code shall provide for reasonable safety from fire, smoke and 243
panic therefrom, in all buildings and areas adjacent thereto constructed 244
on and after January 1, 2006, except in private dwellings occupied by 245
one or two families and upon all premises, and shall include provision 246
for [(A)] (1) carbon monoxide detection and warning equipment in [(i)] 247
(A) new residential buildings not exempt under [regulations] the Fire 248
Safety Code adopted pursuant to this subsection and designed to be 249
occupied by one or two families for which a building permit for new 250
occupancy is issued on or after October 1, 2005, and [(ii)] (B) all public 251
or nonpublic school buildings, and [(B)] (2) smoke detection and 252
warning equipment in [(i)] (A) residential buildings designed to be 253
occupied by two or more families, [(ii)] (B) new residential buildings 254
designed to be occupied by one family for which a building permit for 255
new occupancy is issued on or after October 1, 1978, requiring 256
equipment complying with the Fire Safety Code, [and (iii)] (C) new 257
residential buildings designed to be occupied by one or more families 258
for which a building permit for new occupancy is issued on or after 259
October 1, 1985, requiring equipment capable of operation using 260
alternating current and batteries, and (D) new residential buildings 261
designed to be occupied by one or more families for which a building 262
permit for new occupancy is issued on or after July 1, 2020, requiring 263
equipment capable of operation using any power source permitted in 264
the standards adopted in the Fire Safety Code. 265
[(2) Said regulations shall provide the requirements for markings and 266
literature which shall accompany such equipment sufficient to inform 267
the occupants and owners of such buildings of the purpose, protective 268
limitations and correct installation, operating, testing, maintenance and 269
replacement procedures and servicing instructions for such equipment 270
and shall require that smoke detection and warning equipment which 271
is installed in such residential buildings shall be capable of sensing 272
visible or invisible smoke particles, that the manner and location of 273
installing smoke detectors shall be approved by the local fire marshal or 274
building official, that such installation shall not exceed the standards 275
under which such equipment was tested and approved and that such 276 Raised Bill No. 427
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equipment, when activated, shall provide an alarm suitable to warn the 277
occupants, provided each hotel, motel or inn shall install or furnish such 278
equipment which, when activated, shall provide a visible alarm suitable 279
to warn occupants, in at least one per cent of the units or rooms in such 280
establishment having one hundred or more units or rooms and in 281
establishments having less than one hundred units or rooms, it shall 282
install or furnish at least one such alarm. 283
(3) Said regulations shall (A) provide the requirements and 284
specifications for the installation and use of carbon monoxide detection 285
and warning equipment and shall include, but not be limited to, the 286
location, power requirements and standards for such equipment and 287
exemptions for buildings that do not pose a risk of carbon monoxide 288
poisoning due to sole dependence on systems that do not emit carbon 289
monoxide; (B) provide the requirements for testing and inspecting 290
carbon monoxide detection and warning equipment installed in public 291
or nonpublic school buildings and shall include, but not be limited to, 292
the frequency with which such equipment shall be tested and inspected; 293
(C) require that, for a public or nonpublic school building, (i) any carbon 294
monoxide detection equipment installed in any such building meet or 295
exceed Underwriters Laboratories Standard Number 2075, or (ii) any 296
carbon monoxide warning equipment installed in any such building 297
meet or exceed Underwriters Laboratories Standard Number 2034; (D) 298
require the installation and maintenance of such detection or warning 299
equipment to comply with the manufacturer's instructions and with the 300
standards set forth by the National Fire Protection Association; and (E) 301
prohibit, for public and nonpublic school buildings for which a building 302
permit for new occupancy is issued on or after January 1, 2012, the 303
installation of any battery-operated carbon monoxide warning 304
equipment or any plug-in carbon monoxide warning equipment that 305
has a battery as its back-up power source.] 306
(b) (1) No certificate of occupancy shall be issued for any residential 307
building designed to be occupied by two or more families, or any new 308
residential building designed to be occupied by one or more families for 309
which a building permit for new occupancy is issued on or after October 310 Raised Bill No. 427
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1, 1978, unless the local fire marshal or building official has certified that 311
such building is equipped with smoke detection and warning 312
equipment complying with the Fire Safety Code and the State Building 313
Code. 314
(2) No certificate of occupancy shall be issued for any (A) new 315
residential building not exempt under [regulations adopted pursuant to 316
subsection (a) of this section and designed to be occupied by one or two 317
families] the Fire Safety Code for which a building permit for new 318
occupancy is issued on or after October 1, 2005, or (B) public or 319
nonpublic school building for which a building permit for new 320
occupancy is issued on or after January 1, 2012, unless the local fire 321
marshal or building official has certified that such residential or school 322
building is equipped with carbon monoxide detection and warning 323
equipment complying with the Fire Safety Code and the State Building 324
Code. 325
(c) (1) No municipality, local or regional board of education, or 326
supervisory agent of a nonpublic school, and (2) no employee, officer or 327
agent of such municipality, board of education or supervisory agent 328
acting without malice, in good faith and within the scope of his or her 329
employment or official duties shall be liable for any damage to any 330
person or property resulting from the failure to detect carbon monoxide 331
within a public school building, provided carbon monoxide detection 332
equipment is installed and maintained in accordance with the 333
manufacturer's published instructions and with the [regulations] Fire 334
Safety Code established pursuant to this section. 335
Sec. 6. Section 29-293 of the general statutes is repealed and the 336
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 337
(a) The Fire Safety Code and the State Fire Prevention Code shall 338
specify reasonable minimum requirements for fire safety in new and 339
existing buildings and facilities. 340
(b) The State Fire Code and the State Fire Prevention Code shall, and 341
any municipality may, by ordinance, require the establishment of one 342 Raised Bill No. 427
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or more fire zones for the orderly access of fire and other emergency 343
equipment to buildings or facilities open to the public. Any such 344
ordinance may be in accordance with the (1) size, type of construction 345
and nature of use or occupancy of such buildings or facilities, and (2) 346
the fire suppression equipment and method of attack utilized by the fire 347
department. 348
Sec. 7. Section 29-296 of the general statutes is repealed and the 349
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 350
The State Fire Marshal may grant variations or exemptions from, or 351
approve equivalent or alternate compliance with, particular provisions 352
of [any regulation issued under the provisions of section 29-292] the Fire 353
Safety Code or the State Fire Prevention Code where strict compliance 354
with such provisions would entail practical difficulty or unnecessary 355
hardship, or is otherwise adjudged unwarranted, provided any such 356
variation or exemption or approved equivalent or alternate compliance 357
shall, in the opinion of the State Fire Marshal, secure the public safety. 358
Any application for a variation or exemption or equivalent or alternate 359
compliance received by a local fire marshal shall be forwarded to the 360
State Fire Marshal by first class mail within fifteen business days of 361
receipt by such local fire marshal and shall be accompanied by a letter 362
from such local fire marshal that shall include comments on the merits 363
of the application. 364
Sec. 8. Subsection (b) of section 29-305 of the general statutes is 365
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 366
2020): 367
(b) Each local fire marshal shall inspect or cause to be inspected, at 368
least once each calendar year or as often as prescribed by the State Fire 369
Marshal pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, in the interests of 370
public safety, all buildings and facilities of public service and all 371
occupancies regulated by the Fire Safety Code or the State Fire 372
Prevention Code within the local fire marshal's jurisdiction, except 373
residential buildings designed to be occupied by one or two families 374 Raised Bill No. 427
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which shall be inspected, upon complaint or request of an owner or 375
occupant, only for the purpose of determining whether the 376
requirements specified in said codes relative to smoke detection and 377
warning equipment have been satisfied. In the case of a school building, 378
each local fire marshal shall submit a written report to the local or 379
regional board of education documenting each such inspection. 380
Sec. 9. Subsection (c) of section 29-306 of the general statutes is 381
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 382
2020): 383
(c) If the local fire marshal or a local police officer determines that 384
there exists in a building a risk of death or injury from (1) blocked, 385
insufficient or impeded egress, (2) failure to maintain or the shutting off 386
of any fire protection or fire warning system required by the Fire Safety 387
Code or State Fire Prevention Code, (3) the storage of any flammable or 388
explosive material without a permit or in quantities in excess of any 389
allowable limits pursuant to a permit, (4) the use of any firework or 390
pyrotechnic device without a permit, or (5) exceeding the occupancy 391
limit established by the State Fire Marshal or a local fire marshal, such 392
fire marshal or police officer may issue a verbal or written order to 393
immediately vacate the building. Such fire marshal or police officer shall 394
notify or submit a copy of such order to the State Fire Marshal if such 395
marshal or officer anticipates that any of the conditions specified in 396
subdivisions (1) to (5), inclusive, of this subsection cannot be abated in 397
four hours or less from the time of such order. Upon receipt of any such 398
notification or copy, the State Fire Marshal shall review such order to 399
vacate, and after consultation with the local fire marshal or local police 400
officer, determine whether to uphold, modify or reverse such order, 401
with any further conditions the State Fire Marshal deems appropriate to 402
protect any person from injury. A violation of such order shall be subject 403
to the penalties under section [29-295] 29-291c, as amended by this act. 404
Sec. 10. Section 29-310 of the general statutes is repealed and the 405
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 406 Raised Bill No. 427
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(a) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection 407
shall thoroughly investigate the cause, circumstances and origin of all 408
fires or explosions to which [his] the commissioner's attention has been 409
called, in accordance with the provisions of this part, by reason of which 410
any property has been destroyed or damaged, or any person injured or 411
killed, and shall especially examine and decide as to whether such fire 412
was the result of carelessness, design, an incendiary device or any other 413
criminal act. [He] The commissioner may take the testimony under oath 414
of any person supposed to be cognizant of or to have means of 415
knowledge in relation to the matters as to which an examination is being 416
made, and shall cause the same to be reduced to writing and filed in 417
[his] the commissioner's office; and if, in [his] the commissioner's 418
opinion, there is sufficient evidence to warrant that any person should 419
be charged with the crime of arson or any other crime, [he] the 420
commissioner shall forthwith submit such evidence, together with the 421
names of the witnesses and all other information obtained by [him] the 422
commissioner, to the proper prosecuting officer. [He] The commissioner 423
may, in any investigation, issue subpoenas for the purposes of 424
summoning and compelling the attendance of witnesses before [him] 425
the commissioner to testify. [He] The commissioner may administer 426
oaths or affirmations to witnesses before [him] the commissioner, and 427
false swearing therein shall be perjury. [He] The commissioner, or a 428
designee, may, in the performance of [his] their duties, enter [, by 429
himself or his assistants,] into and upon the premises or building where 430
any fire or explosion has occurred and premises thereto adjacent in 431
accordance with the provisions of section 29-311. 432
(b) Whenever it comes to [his] the commissioner's knowledge or to 433
the knowledge of any local fire marshal that there exists in any building 434
or upon any premises combustible material or flammable conditions 435
dangerous to the safety of such building or premises or dangerous to 436
any other building or property, or conditions that present a fire hazard 437
to the occupants thereof, the State Fire Marshal, or any local fire marshal, 438
obtaining such knowledge, shall order such material to be forthwith 439
removed or such conditions remedied by the owner or occupant of such 440 Raised Bill No. 427
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building or premises, and such owner or occupant shall be subject to the 441
penalties prescribed [by] in section [29-295] 29-291c, as amended by this 442
act, and, in addition thereto, shall suffer a penalty of one hundred 443
dollars a day for each day of neglect, to be recovered in a proper action 444
in the name of the state. 445
Sec. 11. Section 29-313 of the general statutes is repealed and the 446
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 447
(a) No fire extinguishing agent used in a fire extinguisher or fire 448
extinguishing device may contain an active ingredient having a level of 449
toxicity equal to or greater than the vapors of carbon tetrachloride or 450
chlorobromomethane or the thermal decomposition products resulting 451
therefrom. 452
(b) No fire extinguisher or fire extinguishing device containing an 453
active agent having a level of toxicity equal to or greater than the vapors 454
of carbon tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane or the thermal 455
decomposition products resulting therefrom shall be used or installed 456
for use in any school bus or motor vehicle used for the transportation of 457
passengers for hire. The owner or operator of any such bus or vehicle 458
who violates any provision of this subsection shall be fined not more 459
than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than three months, 460
or both. 461
(c) Any person who sells, offers for sale or gives to another any fire 462
extinguisher or fire extinguishing device, containing or designed to 463
contain an active agent having an ingredient prohibited by subsection 464
(a) of this section shall be subject to the penalties prescribed [by] in 465
section [29-295] 29-291c, as amended by this act. 466
Sec. 12. Section 29-314 of the general statutes is repealed and the 467
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 468
Any person who sells, offers to sell or displays for sale any portable 469
fire extinguisher or any flame-proofing or fire retardant coating or 470
compound, unless such fire extinguisher, coating or compound has been 471 Raised Bill No. 427
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tested, listed and rated as satisfactory for its intended purpose by a 472
nationally recognized testing laboratory acceptable to the State Fire 473
Marshal and, in the case of a fire extinguisher, unless such fire 474
extinguisher contains no active agent having an ingredient prohibited 475
by section 29-313, as amended by this act, shall be subject to the penalties 476
prescribed in section [29-295] 29-291c, as amended by this act. 477
Sec. 13. Sections 29-291b and 29-295 of the general statutes are 478
repealed. (Effective July 1, 2020) 479
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2020 29-291a
Sec. 2 July 1, 2020 29-291c
Sec. 3 July 1, 2020 29-291d
Sec. 4 July 1, 2020 29-291e
Sec. 5 July 1, 2020 29-292
Sec. 6 July 1, 2020 29-293
Sec. 7 July 1, 2020 29-296
Sec. 8 July 1, 2020 29-305(b)
Sec. 9 July 1, 2020 29-306(c)
Sec. 10 July 1, 2020 29-310
Sec. 11 July 1, 2020 29-313
Sec. 12 July 1, 2020 29-314
Sec. 13 July 1, 2020 Repealer section
Statement of Purpose:
To (1) rename an advisory committee as the Fire Prevention Code
Committee, (2) clarify the application and enforcement of the State Fire
Prevention Code and the Fire Safety Code, and (3) make technical
changes.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]