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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6863
January Session, 2023
AN ACT CONCERNING POLICE OFFICER RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2023) Not later than January 1, 2024, the 1
Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall 2
develop a state-wide campaign to promote the law enforcement 3
profession. In developing such campaign, the commissioner may 4
consult with the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association and any other 5
entities the commissioner deems appropriate. The commissioner shall 6
use a variety of media, including social media, as part of such 7
campaign. 8
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) The Department of 9
Emergency Services and Public Protection shall employ a full-time 10
cadet or explorer program coordinator, who shall coordinate and 11
oversee police cadet or explorer programs, implement state standards 12
and a best practices guide for such programs and encourage 13
establishment and expansion of such programs throughout the state. 14
(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year 15
thereafter, the department shall allocate five thousand dollars to each 16
municipal police department that operates, or plans to operate in the 17
following fiscal year, a cadet or explorer program. 18 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the fiscal year ending June 19
30, 2024, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department of Emergency 20
Services and Public Protection shall establish a grant program to 21
reimburse municipal police departments for the cost of basic training 22
of police officers. Not later than October 1, 2023, the Department of 23
Emergency Services and Public Protection shall post in a conspicuous 24
place on the department's Internet web site a description of the grant 25
program, including, but not limited to, eligibility criteria and the 26
application process for the program. A law enforcement unit shall 27
apply for such grants on such forms and in such manner as 28
determined by the department. 29
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the purposes of this section, 30
"academy" and "basic training" have the same meaning as provided in 31
section 7-294a of the general statutes. The Police Officer Standards and 32
Training Council shall examine criminal justice courses offered by 33
colleges and universities in the state. The council shall determine (1) 34
whether any such courses are equivalent to courses required as part of 35
basic training at the academy, and (2) under what conditions an 36
individual attending the academy for basic training need not complete 37
a course at the academy because the individual completed an 38
equivalent course at a college or university in the state. 39
Sec. 5. Subsection (b) of section 7-294d of the general statutes is 40
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 41
1, 2023): 42
(b) (1) No person may be employed as a police officer by any law 43
enforcement unit for a period exceeding one year unless such person 44
has been certified under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section 45
or has been granted an extension by the council. No person may serve 46
as a police officer during any period when such person's certification 47
has been cancelled or revoked pursuant to the provisions of subsection 48
(c) of this section. In addition to the requirements of this subsection, 49
the council may establish other qualifications for the employment of 50
police officers and require evidence of fulfillment of these 51 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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qualifications. No law enforcement unit shall deny employment as a 52
police officer to a prospective employee, and the council shall not deny 53
certification under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section to an 54
individual, solely on the basis of such prospective employee's or such 55
individual's status as a noncitizen of the United States, provided such 56
prospective employee or such individual is lawfully admitted for 57
permanent residence of the United States under federal law and 58
regulations. 59
(2) The certification of any police officer who is not employed by a 60
law enforcement unit for a period of time in excess of two years, unless 61
such officer is on leave of absence, shall be considered lapsed. Upon 62
reemployment as a police officer, such officer shall apply for 63
recertification in a manner provided by the council, provided such 64
recertification process requires the police officer to submit to a 65
urinalysis drug test that screens for controlled substances, including, 66
but not limited to, anabolic steroids, and receive a result indicating no 67
presence of any controlled substance not prescribed for the officer. The 68
council shall certify any applicant who presents evidence of 69
satisfactory completion of a program or course of instruction in 70
another state or, if the applicant is a veteran or a member of the armed 71
forces or the National Guard, as part of training during service in the 72
armed forces, that is equivalent in content and quality to that required 73
in this state, provided such applicant passes an examination or 74
evaluation as required by the council. For the purposes of this [section] 75
subdivision, "veteran" and "armed forces" have the same meanings as 76
provided in section 27-103. 77
Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the fiscal year ending June 78
30, 2024, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Commissioner of 79
Emergency Services and Public Protection shall provide a grant to each 80
of the top ten most populous municipalities in the state in order to 81
increase the salaries of police officers serving such municipalities. A 82
municipality receiving such a grant shall not use the grant for any 83
purpose other than increasing the salaries of police officers. 84 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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Sec. 7. Subsection (d) of section 10a-77 of the general statutes is 85
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 86
1, 2023): 87
(d) Said board of trustees shall waive the payment of tuition at any 88
of the regional community-technical colleges (1) for any dependent 89
child of a person whom the armed forces of the United States has 90
declared to be missing in action or to have been a prisoner of war 91
while serving in such armed forces after January 1, 1960, which child 92
has been accepted for admission to such institution and is a resident of 93
the state at the time such child is accepted for admission to such 94
institution, (2) subject to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, 95
for any veteran, as defined in section 27-103, who performed service in 96
time of war, as defined in section 27-103, except that for purposes of 97
this subsection, "service in time of war" shall not include time spent in 98
attendance at a military service academy, which veteran has been 99
accepted for admission to such institution and is domiciled in this state 100
at the time such veteran is accepted for admission to such institution, 101
(3) for any resident of the state sixty-two years of age or older, 102
provided, at the end of the regular registration period, there are 103
enrolled in the course a sufficient number of students other than those 104
residents eligible for waivers pursuant to this subdivision to offer the 105
course in which such resident intends to enroll and there is space 106
available in such course after accommodating all such students, (4) for 107
any student attending the Connecticut State Police Academy who is 108
enrolled in a law enforcement program at said academy offered in 109
coordination with a regional community-technical college which 110
accredits courses taken in such program, (5) for any active member of 111
the Connecticut Army or Air National Guard who (A) has been 112
certified by the Adjutant General or such Adjutant General's designee 113
as a member in good standing of the guard, and (B) is enrolled or 114
accepted for admission to such institution on a full-time or part-time 115
basis in an undergraduate degree-granting program, (6) for any 116
dependent child of a (A) police officer, as defined in section 7-294a, or 117
supernumerary or auxiliary police officer, (B) firefighter, as defined in 118 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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section 7-323j, or member of a volunteer fire company, (C) municipal 119
employee, or (D) state employee, as defined in section 5-154, killed in 120
the line of duty, (7) for any resident of the state who is a dependent 121
child or surviving spouse of a specified terrorist victim who was a 122
resident of this state, (8) for any dependent child of a resident of the 123
state who was killed in a multivehicle crash at or near the intersection 124
of Routes 44 and 10 and Nod Road in Avon on July 29, 2005, [and] (9) 125
for any resident of the state who is a dependent child or surviving 126
spouse of a person who was killed in action while performing active 127
military duty with the armed forces of the United States on or after 128
September 11, 2001, and who was a resident of this state, (10) for a 129
police officer, as defined in section 7-294a, who has been employed as 130
such an officer in the state for not less than two years, and (11) for any 131
dependent child of a police officer, as defined in section 7-294a, who 132
has been employed as such an officer in the state for not less than five 133
years. If any person who receives a tuition waiver in accordance with 134
the provisions of this subsection also receives educational 135
reimbursement from an employer, such waiver shall be reduced by the 136
amount of such educational reimbursement. Veterans and members of 137
the National Guard described in subdivision (5) of this subsection shall 138
be given the same status as students not receiving tuition waivers in 139
registering for courses at regional community-technical colleges. 140
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10a-30, as used in this 141
subsection, "domiciled in this state" includes domicile for less than one 142
year. 143
Sec. 8. Subsection (d) of section 10a-99 of the general statutes is 144
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 145
1, 2023): 146
(d) Said board shall waive the payment of tuition fees at the 147
Connecticut State University System (1) for any dependent child of a 148
person whom the armed forces of the United States has declared to be 149
missing in action or to have been a prisoner of war while serving in 150
such armed forces after January 1, 1960, which child has been accepted 151 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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for admission to such institution and is a resident of the state at the 152
time such child is accepted for admission to such institution, (2) subject 153
to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, for any veteran, as 154
defined in section 27-103, who performed service in time of war, as 155
defined in section 27-103, except that for purposes of this subsection, 156
"service in time of war" shall not include time spent in attendance at a 157
military service academy, which veteran has been accepted for 158
admission to such institution and is domiciled in this state at the time 159
such veteran is accepted for admission to such institution, (3) for any 160
resident of the state sixty-two years of age or older who has been 161
accepted for admission to such institution, provided (A) such resident 162
is enrolled in a degree-granting program, or (B) at the end of the 163
regular registration period, there are enrolled in the course a sufficient 164
number of students other than those residents eligible for waivers 165
pursuant to this subdivision to offer the course in which such resident 166
intends to enroll and there is space available in such course after 167
accommodating all such students, (4) for any student attending the 168
Connecticut Police Academy who is enrolled in a law enforcement 169
program at said academy offered in coordination with the university 170
which accredits courses taken in such program, (5) for any active 171
member of the Connecticut Army or Air National Guard who (A) has 172
been certified by the Adjutant General or such Adjutant General's 173
designee as a member in good standing of the guard, and (B) is 174
enrolled or accepted for admission to such institution on a full-time or 175
part-time basis in an undergraduate or graduate degree-granting 176
program, (6) for any dependent child of a (A) police officer, as defined 177
in section 7-294a, or supernumerary or auxiliary police officer, (B) 178
firefighter, as defined in section 7-323j, or member of a volunteer fire 179
company, (C) municipal employee, or (D) state employee, as defined in 180
section 5-154, killed in the line of duty, (7) for any resident of this state 181
who is a dependent child or surviving spouse of a specified terrorist 182
victim who was a resident of the state, (8) for any dependent child of a 183
resident of the state who was killed in a multivehicle crash at or near 184
the intersection of Routes 44 and 10 and Nod Road in Avon on July 29, 185
2005, [and] (9) for any resident of the state who is a dependent child or 186 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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surviving spouse of a person who was killed in action while 187
performing active military duty with the armed forces of the United 188
States on or after September 11, 2001, and who was a resident of this 189
state, (10) for a police officer, as defined in section 7-294a, who has 190
been employed as such an officer in the state for not less than two 191
years, and (11) for any dependent child of a police officer, as defined in 192
section 7-294a, who has been employed as such an officer in the state 193
for not less than five years. If any person who receives a tuition waiver 194
in accordance with the provisions of this subsection also receives 195
educational reimbursement from an employer, such waiver shall be 196
reduced by the amount of such educational reimbursement. Veterans 197
and members of the National Guard described in subdivision (5) of 198
this subsection shall be given the same status as students not receiving 199
tuition waivers in registering for courses at Connecticut state 200
universities. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10a-30, as used 201
in this subsection, "domiciled in this state" includes domicile for less 202
than one year. 203
Sec. 9. Subsection (e) of section 10a-105 of the general statutes is 204
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 205
1, 2023): 206
(e) Said board of trustees shall waive the payment of tuition fees at 207
The University of Connecticut (1) for any dependent child of a person 208
whom the armed forces of the United States has declared to be missing 209
in action or to have been a prisoner of war while serving in such armed 210
forces after January 1, 1960, which child has been accepted for 211
admission to The University of Connecticut and is a resident of the 212
state at the time such child is accepted for admission to said institution, 213
(2) subject to the provisions of subsection (f) of this section, for any 214
veteran, as defined in section 27-103, who performed service in time of 215
war, as defined in section 27-103, except that for purposes of this 216
subsection, "service in time of war" shall not include time spent in 217
attendance at a military service academy, which veteran has been 218
accepted for admission to said institution and is domiciled in this state 219 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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at the time such veteran is accepted for admission to said institution, 220
(3) for any resident of the state sixty-two years of age or older who has 221
been accepted for admission to said institution, provided (A) such 222
resident is enrolled in a degree-granting program, or (B) at the end of 223
the regular registration period, there are enrolled in the course a 224
sufficient number of students other than those residents eligible for 225
waivers pursuant to this subdivision to offer the course in which such 226
resident intends to enroll and there is space available in such course 227
after accommodating all such students, (4) for any active member of 228
the Connecticut Army or Air National Guard who (A) has been 229
certified by the Adjutant General or such Adjutant General's designee 230
as a member in good standing of the guard, and (B) is enrolled or 231
accepted for admission to said institution on a full-time or part-time 232
basis in an undergraduate or graduate degree-granting program, (5) 233
for any dependent child of a (A) police officer, as defined in section 7-234
294a, or supernumerary or auxiliary police officer, (B) firefighter, as 235
defined in section 7-323j, or member of a volunteer fire company, (C) 236
municipal employee, or (D) state employee, as defined in section 5-154, 237
killed in the line of duty, (6) for any resident of the state who is the 238
dependent child or surviving spouse of a specified terrorist victim who 239
was a resident of the state, (7) for any dependent child of a resident of 240
the state who was killed in a multivehicle crash at or near the 241
intersection of Routes 44 and 10 and Nod Road in Avon on July 29, 242
2005, [and] (8) for any resident of the state who is a dependent child or 243
surviving spouse of a person who was killed in action while 244
performing active military duty with the armed forces of the United 245
States on or after September 11, 2001, and who was a resident of this 246
state, (9) for a police officer, as defined in section 7-294a, who has been 247
employed as such an officer in the state for not less than two years, and 248
(10) for any dependent child of a police officer, as defined in section 7-249
294a, who has been employed as such an officer in the state for not less 250
than five years. If any person who receives a tuition waiver in 251
accordance with the provisions of this subsection also receives 252
educational reimbursement from an employer, such waiver shall be 253
reduced by the amount of such educational reimbursement. Veterans 254 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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and members of the National Guard described in subdivision (4) of 255
this subsection shall be given the same status as students not receiving 256
tuition waivers in registering for courses at The University of 257
Connecticut. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10a-30, as used 258
in this subsection, "domiciled in this state" includes domicile for less 259
than one year. 260
Sec. 10. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) For the fiscal year ending 261
June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Office of Higher 262
Education, in collaboration with the Department of Emergency 263
Services and Public Protection, shall administer a police officer loan 264
reimbursement grant program for individuals who have been 265
employed as a police officer, as defined in section 7-294a of the general 266
statutes, in the state for not less than ten years. 267
(b) Any individual who satisfies the eligibility requirements 268
prescribed by the office may receive an annual grant for 269
reimbursement of federal or state educational loans (1) in an amount 270
up to ten per cent of such individual's federal or state educational 271
loans but not exceeding five thousand dollars in any year, and (2) for a 272
period not to exceed ten years. Such individual shall only be 273
reimbursed for loan payments made while such person is employed as 274
a police officer in the state. 275
(c) Individuals may apply to the Office of Higher Education for 276
grants under this section at such time and in such manner as the 277
executive director of the Office of Higher Education prescribes. 278
(d) Any unexpended funds appropriated for purposes of this 279
section shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year but shall be available 280
for expenditure during the next fiscal year. 281
(e) The Office of Higher Education may accept gifts, grants and 282
donations, from any source, public or private, for the police officer 283
loan reimbursement grant program. 284
Sec. 11. (Effective from passage) The State Retirement Commission 285 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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shall (1) study deferred retirement option plans and make 286
recommendations for development of such a plan that is (A) 287
administered by the state, and (B) permits any police officer in the state 288
to participate in the plan, and (2) study the types and levels of 289
retirement medical benefits provided to police officers and the spouses 290
of such officers in the state and make recommendations regarding the 291
provision of such benefits. The commission may consult with the 292
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, municipal 293
police departments and any other entities the commission deems 294
appropriate. Not later than January 1, 2024, the commission shall 295
report the results of such studies and any recommendations, in 296
accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, 297
to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 298
cognizance of matters relating to public safety and security. 299
Sec. 12. (Effective from passage) Not later than October 1, 2023, the 300
Governor shall enter negotiations with the employee organization that 301
is the representative of state police officers to seek amendments to any 302
collective bargaining agreement to establish conditions under which a 303
state police officer who retired from service as such an officer may 304
return to such service and (1) resume earning credit toward retirement 305
benefits, in the same manner as such officer earned such credit prior to 306
such officer's retirement, and (2) be eligible for earning the same 307
benefits as such officer was eligible for prior to such officer's 308
retirement. 309
Sec. 13. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2024) Each collective bargaining 310
agreement entered into on or after July 1, 2024, or amended on or after 311
July 1, 2024, between a municipality and an employee organization 312
that is the representative of police officers in the municipality, shall 313
permit police officers who retire and remain certified by the Police 314
Officer Standards and Training Council pursuant to section 7-294d of 315
the general statutes, as amended by this act, to return to part-time or 316
full-time employment as a police officer with the municipality while 317
collecting such officer's pension, to the maximum extent permissible 318 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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under state and federal law and regulations. 319
Sec. 14. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to 320
study the volunteer police auxiliary force authorized under section 29-321
22 of the general statutes and make recommendations for improving 322
the organization of such auxiliary force and maximizing the services 323
that may be provided by auxiliary state police and municipal police 324
officers. 325
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 326
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; 327
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; 328
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 329
Representatives; 330
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; 331
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 332
Representatives; 333
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; 334
(7) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, 335
or the commissioner's designee; and 336
(8) Two persons appointed by the Governor. 337
(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), 338
(2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member 339
of the General Assembly. 340
(d) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later 341
than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy 342
shall be filled by the appointing authority. 343
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president 344 Substitute Bill No. 6863
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pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force 345
from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall 346
schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not 347
later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. 348
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 349
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public 350
safety and security shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. 351
(g) Not later than January 1, 2024, the task force shall submit a 352
report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing 353
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 354
relating to public safety and security, in accordance with the 355
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall 356
terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2024, 357
whichever is later. 358
Sec. 15. (Effective July 1, 2023) The sum of five hundred thousand 359
dollars is appropriated to the Department of Emergency Services and 360
Public Protection from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending 361
June 30, 2024, for the state-wide campaign developed pursuant to 362
section 1 of this act. 363
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2023 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2023 New section
Sec. 3 July 1, 2023 New section
Sec. 4 July 1, 2023 New section
Sec. 5 July 1, 2023 7-294d(b)
Sec. 6 July 1, 2023 New section
Sec. 7 July 1, 2023 10a-77(d)
Sec. 8 July 1, 2023 10a-99(d)
Sec. 9 July 1, 2023 10a-105(e)
Sec. 10 July 1, 2023 New section
Sec. 11 from passage New section
Sec. 12 from passage New section Substitute Bill No. 6863
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Sec. 13 July 1, 2024 New section
Sec. 14 from passage New section
Sec. 15 July 1, 2023 New section
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 5(b)(2), "section" was bracketed and "subdivision" was
inserted for accuracy; in Section 10(b), "in subsection (a) of this section"
was changed to "by the office" for internal consistency; and in Section
11, "in the state" was added for clarity and "the commission's" was
changed to "any" for conciseness.
PS Joint Favorable Subst.