OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-6841
AN ACT CONCERNING FIREFIGHTER RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION.
Primary Analyst: RP 5/15/23
Contributing Analyst(s):
Reviewer: ME
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 24 $ FY 25 $
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Cost 877,606 532,880
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Savings 26,000 26,000
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Potential
Revenue Gain
See Below See Below
Higher Education Constituent
Units
Tuition Funds -
Revenue Loss
Potential
Significant
Potential
Significant
Public Health, Dept. GF - Cost 188,225 973,921
Public Health, Dept. GF - Cost See Below See Below
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits
1
GF - Cost 235,588 287,665
Comptroller GF - Cost See Below See Below
Connecticut Housing Finance
Authority (CHFA)
Resources of
CHFA - Cost
Potential Potential
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact:
Municipalities Effect FY 24 $ FY 25 $
All Municipalities Potential
Savings
See Below See Below
All Municipalities Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
1
The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 42.82% of payroll in FY 24. 2023HB-06841-R020783-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 6
Explanation
The bill makes numerous changes designed to help recruit and retain
people in firefighting and emergency medical services (EMS) careers,
resulting in a cost to the state of at least $1.3 million in FY 24 and $1.8
million in FY 25 as well as the various other impacts described below.
Section 1 requires the Department of Emergency Services and Public
Protection (DESPP) to hire a firefighter recruitment and training
coordinator in each of the state's five emergency preparedness regions,
resulting in a cost of $405,540 in FY 24 and $414,429 in FY 25. The
associated fringe benefits for these positions will result in a cost to the
Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) of $152,242 in FY 24 and $156,048
in FY 25. The starting salary for this position
2
is $71,108, with an
associated fringe benefits cost $30,448. There is also an estimated cost of
$50,000 for equipment and training expenses each year.
Section 2 requires the State Fire Administrator to develop facilities to
assist in training and testing for the candidate's physical ability test
(CPAT). It is anticipated that five new facilities will be created across the
state and each one will cost a minimum of $76,130 in equipment costs,
resulting in a total one-time cost of $380,650 in FY 24. Such equipment
for CPAT testing includes helmets, gloves, vest weights, weighted
manikins, and machinery designed to mimic fire rescue scenarios.
Maintenance and replacement of damaged equipment is expected to
cost up to $25,000 in each year thereafter.
This section also requires DESPP to hire one full-time cadet or
explorer program coordinator, resulting in a cost to DESPP of $91,416 in
FY 24 and $93,451 in FY 25 and a cost to OSC of $34,862 in FY 24 and
$35,734 in FY 25 for associated fringe benefits. These costs reflect an
estimated starting salary for this position
3
of $81,416 and $10,000 for
equipment and training expenses each year.
2
The salary of the firefighter recruitment and training coordinator is expected to be
comparable with that of a Fire Academy Trainer.
3
The salary of the cadet or explorer program coordinator is expected to be comparable
with that of a Lead Fire Academy Trainer. 2023HB-06841-R020783-FN.DOCX Page 3 of 6
Section 3 requires that a fire service instructor's compensation be
comparable to that of a law enforcement instructor, which may reduce
the compensation that some fire service instructors receive, resulting in
estimated savings of $26,000 to DESPP in FY 24 and FY 25. Currently, all
law enforcement instructors are compensated at an hourly rate of $20,
whereas there are three levels of fire service instructors, with Instructor
I receiving $20 per hour, and Instructor II and Instructor III receiving
hourly rates of $24 and $26, respectively.
This section also requires DESPP to conduct at least three classes at
the state fire school each year, which can result in a potential cost or
potential revenue gain depending on the number of students in each
class. Currently, DESPP conducts two classes per year with attendance
ranging from approximately 30 to 70 students. If there are less than
about 55 students enrolled, tuition costs will generally not cover the cost
of running the class. If greater, there is a potential revenue gain from
tuition costs. The costs of running a class range from $285,378 to
$428,619, and the tuition revenue per class can range from $224,550 to
$523,950.
Section 4, which requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to
establish a paramedic candidate scholarship program, results in a cost
to the agency of $35,079 in FY 24 and $143,822 in FY 25, and $15,021 in
FY 24 and $61,585 in FY 25 for associated fringe benefits, to support a
Health Program Associate (HPA) and a Health Program Assistant 1 to
implement the program.
4
In addition, it is anticipated that the agency
would require approximately $750,000 annually to provide paramedic
candidate scholarships, beginning in FY 25.
Section 5 prohibits fire departments from denying employment to
lawful resident noncitizens, resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or
municipalities.
Section 6 results in potential costs beginning in FY 24 to the
4
These costs reflect a quarter of the fiscal year in FY 24. Costs to DPH in FY 25 are
annualized. 2023HB-06841-R020783-FN.DOCX Page 4 of 6
Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA), from the quasi-
public’s own resources, associated with developing, marketing, and
providing a program of mortgage assistance to uniformed members of
fire departments. Costs for providing such mortgage assistance are not
anticipated to be substantial but would depend on: (1) the number of
firefighters assisted and (2) the type of assistance provided.
CHFA has various existing programs that could help firefighters
purchase a house where they work, including the First Time
Homebuyers Program, the Down Payment Assistance Program, and the
Time to Own Forgivable Down Payment Assistance Program, the latter
two of which are both supported with state bond funding. Given the
low utilization rate of CHFA’s other occupation-specific mortgage
assistance programs, the bill is not anticipated to materially change the
rate of spending.
5
Sections 7-9 result in a potentially significant revenue loss beginning
in FY 24 to the higher education constituent units, associated with
waiving tuition for certain firefighters and their dependents, along with
particular fire school students. The tuition waivers will be available to:
1) uniformed members of fire departments who have served for at least
two years in the state, 2) dependent children of uniformed members of
fire departments who have served for at least five years in the state, and
3) students attending the state fire school who are enrolled in a program
offered together with a community college or state university that
accredits courses in the program.
There are an estimated 26,800 paid and volunteer firefighters in
Connecticut. It is unknown how many individuals will be eligible for
the tuition waivers and take advantage of it, or which constituent unit
they would choose to attend. The scope of the revenue loss will vary
based on the number of waivers and the institution waiving tuition. For
example, 500 additional tuition waivers at UConn results in a revenue
5
Out of the 1,610 first mortgages originated through CHFA in 2022, zero were under
the Police Homeownership Program, 17 were under the Teachers Mortgage Assistance
Program, and 12 were under the Military Program. 2023HB-06841-R020783-FN.DOCX Page 5 of 6
loss of approximately $8.2 million annually while 1,000 additional
community college waivers results in a revenue loss of approximately
$4.2 million annually. To the extent that some of the waiver beneficiaries
enrolling in Connecticut State Universities and Colleges institutions
might not have otherwise attended, these institutions may experience
higher fee and other revenue (e.g., room and board) due to the bill. The
exact number of additional waivers that would occur because of the bill
is unknown, but the revenue loss to the constituent units may be
significant.
Examples of Tuition Waiver Value, FY 24
# of Students UConn CSUs
Community
Colleges
Per-Student Value of
Tuition Waiver, FY 24 16,332 6,470 4,176
100
1,633,200 647,000 417,600
500
8,166,000 3,235,000 2,088,000
1,000
16,332,000 6,470,000 4,176,000
Sections 10-11 may result in start-up costs to the Office of the State
Comptroller (OSC) to establish a volunteer firefighter length of service
award program and trust fund. The State Retirement Commission may
contract with a third party to administer this system. The fund will be
used to make payments towards the administrative costs of the
program.
Section 12 may result in significant costs to OSC in establishing a new
tier in the retirement system. The bill can also result in costs to
participating municipalities to the extent of the employer contributions
set by the retirement commission to develop the new tier in the
municipal employees' retirement system.
Section 13 requires the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control
in DESPP to conduct a study on firefighter training, certification, and
benefits, not anticipated to result in a fiscal impact to the state. 2023HB-06841-R020783-FN.DOCX Page 6 of 6
Section 14, which requires DPH to establish a pilot program by
10/1/23 to provide emergency services organizations with: (1)
equipment capable of identifying individuals at high risk of cardiac
arrest, (2) an early detection system capable of identifying individuals
who are at low risk of cardiac arrest before such individuals experience
critical cardiac issues, or (3) both such equipment and system, is
anticipated to result in the need for a Senior Healthcare Technology
Consultant at a cost to DPH of approximately $75,000 in FY 24. The
consultant will research and identify what, if any, equipment is
available to assist emergency services in identifying individuals at high
risk for cardiac arrest and for identifying people at low risk before they
have a critical cardiac event, and the cost of this equipment, which is
currently unknown. A HPA is needed to work with the consultant on
developing the pilot program and to manage it. The cost for the HPA
salary is $78,146 in FY 24 and $80,099 in FY 25. Associated fringe benefit
costs are $33,462 in FY 24 and $34,298 in FY 25.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to the number of grants administered,
tuition waivers granted, and inflation.