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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7204
January Session, 2025
LCO No. 5926
Referred to Committee on PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY
Introduced by
(PS)
AN ACT CONCERNING LIGHTS ON VEHICLES, PENALTIES FOR
VIOLATIONS OF CERTAIN STATUTES, STOPS AND SEARCHES, A
PHLEBOTOMY PROGRAM STUDY, INSPECTIONS OF CERTAIN
VEHICLES, TRAFFIC SAFETY CORRIDORS, A PILOT PROGRAM TO
EQUIP POLICE VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN DEVICES AND POLICE
REVIEW OF CERTAIN RECORDINGS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 14-96q of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 2
(a) A permit is required for the use of colored or flashing lights on all 3
motor vehicles or equipment specified in this section except: (1) Motor 4
vehicles not registered in this state used for transporting or escorting 5
any vehicle or load, or combinations thereof, which is either oversize or 6
overweight, or both, when operating under a permit issued by the 7
Commissioner of Transportation pursuant to section 14-270; [or] (2) 8
motor vehicles or equipment that are (A) equipped with lights in 9
accordance with this section, (B) owned or leased by the federal 10
government, the state of Connecticut, or any other state, commonwealth 11
or local municipality, and (C) registered to such governmental entity; or 12
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(3) wreckers registered pursuant to section 14-66 that are equipped with 13
lights in accordance with subsection (k) of this section. When used in 14
this section, the term "flashing" shall be considered to include the term 15
"revolving". 16
(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, or such other person 17
specifically identified in this section, may issue permits for the use of 18
colored or flashing lights on vehicles in accordance with this section, at 19
the commissioner's or such person's discretion. Any person, firm or 20
corporation other than the state or any metropolitan district, town, city 21
or borough shall pay an annual permit fee of twenty dollars to the 22
commissioner for each such vehicle. Such fee shall apply only to permits 23
issued by the commissioner. 24
(c) A [flashing] blue light or lights, including flashing blue lights, may 25
be used on a motor vehicle operated by an active member of a volunteer 26
fire department or company or an active member of an organized civil 27
preparedness auxiliary fire company who has been issued a permit by 28
the chief executive officer of such department or company to use such a 29
[flashing] blue light or lights while on the way to or at the scene of a fire 30
or other emergency requiring such member's services. Such permit shall 31
be on a form provided by the commissioner and may be revoked by such 32
chief executive officer or such chief executive officer's successor. The 33
chief executive officer of each volunteer fire department or company or 34
organized civil preparedness auxiliary fire company shall keep on file, 35
on forms provided by the commissioner, the names and addresses of 36
members who have been authorized to use a [flashing] blue light or 37
lights as provided in this subsection. Such listing shall also designate the 38
registration number of the motor vehicle on which an authorized [a 39
flashing] blue light or lights are to be used. 40
(d) A flashing green or blue light or lights may be used on a motor 41
vehicle operated by an active member of a volunteer ambulance 42
association or company who has been issued a permit by the chief 43
executive officer of such association or company to use such a light or 44
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lights, while on the way to or at the scene of an emergency requiring 45
such member's services. Such permit shall be on a form provided by the 46
commissioner and may be revoked by such chief executive officer or 47
such chief executive officer's successor. The chief executive officer of 48
each volunteer ambulance association or company shall keep on file, on 49
forms provided by the commissioner, the names and addresses of 50
members who have been authorized to use a flashing green or blue light 51
or lights as provided in this subsection. Such listing shall also designate 52
the registration number of the motor vehicle on which the authorized 53
flashing green or blue light or lights are to be used. 54
(e) The commissioner may issue a permit for a [flashing] red light or 55
lights, including flashing red lights, which may be used on a motor 56
vehicle or equipment (1) used by paid fire chiefs and their deputies and 57
assistants, up to a total of five individuals per department, (2) used by 58
volunteer fire chiefs and their deputies and assistants, up to a total of 59
five individuals per department, (3) used by members of the fire police 60
on a stationary vehicle as a warning signal during traffic directing 61
operations at the scene of a fire or emergency, (4) used by chief executive 62
officers of emergency medical service organizations, as defined in 63
section 19a-175, the first or second deputies, or if there are no deputies, 64
the first or second assistants, of such an organization that is a municipal 65
or volunteer or licensed organization, (5) used by local fire marshals, (6) 66
used by directors of emergency management, or (7) used by a constable, 67
appointed pursuant to an ordinance authorized by section 9-185 or 68
elected pursuant to section 9-200, on a stationary vehicle as a warning 69
signal during traffic directing operations. 70
(f) The commissioner may issue a permit for a yellow or amber light 71
or lights, including a flashing yellow or amber light or lights, which may 72
be used on motor vehicles or equipment that are (1) specified in 73
subsection (e) of this section, (2) maintenance vehicles, or (3) vehicles 74
transporting or escorting any vehicle or load or combinations thereof, 75
which is or are either oversize or overweight, or both, and being 76
operated or traveling under a permit issued by the Commissioner of 77
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Transportation pursuant to section 14-270. A yellow or amber light or 78
lights, including a flashing yellow or amber light or lights, may be used 79
without obtaining a permit from the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles 80
[on wreckers registered pursuant to section 14-66,] on vehicles of 81
carriers in rural mail delivery service or on vehicles operated by 82
construction inspectors employed by the state of Connecticut, 83
authorized by the Commissioner of Transportation, used during the 84
performance of inspections on behalf of the state. The Commissioner of 85
Transportation shall maintain a list of such authorized construction 86
inspectors, including the name and address of each inspector and the 87
registration number for each vehicle on which the light or lights are to 88
be used. 89
(g) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may issue a permit for a 90
white light or lights, including a flashing white light or lights, which 91
may be used on a motor vehicle or equipment as specified in subdivision 92
(1), (2), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (e) of this section. A vehicle being 93
operated by a member of a volunteer fire department or company or a 94
volunteer emergency medical technician may use flashing white head 95
lamps, provided such member or emergency medical technician is on 96
the way to the scene of a fire or medical emergency and has received 97
written authorization from the chief law enforcement officer of the 98
municipality to use such head lamps. Such head lamps shall only be 99
used within the municipality granting such authorization or from a 100
personal residence or place of employment, if located in an adjoining 101
municipality. Such authorization may be revoked for use of such head 102
lamps in violation of this subdivision. For the purposes of this 103
subsection, the term "flashing white lights" shall not include the 104
simultaneous flashing of head lamps. 105
(h) The commissioner may issue a permit for emergency vehicles, as 106
defined in subsection (a) of section 14-283, to use a blue, red, yellow, or 107
white light or lights, including a flashing light or lights or any 108
combination thereof. [, except as provided in subsection (k) of this 109
section.] 110
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(i) The commissioner may issue a permit for ambulances, as defined 111
in section 19a-175, which may, in addition to the flashing light or lights 112
allowed in subsection (h) of this section, use flashing lights of other 113
colors specified by federal requirements for the manufacture of an 114
ambulance. If the commissioner issues a permit for any ambulance, such 115
permit shall be issued at the time of registration and upon each renewal 116
of such registration. 117
(j) A green, yellow or amber light or lights, including a flashing green, 118
yellow or amber light or lights or any combination thereof, may be used 119
on a maintenance vehicle owned and operated by the Department of 120
Transportation. 121
(k) [No person, other than a police officer or inspector of the 122
Department of Motor Vehicles operating a state or local police vehicle, 123
shall operate a motor vehicle displaying a steady blue or steady red 124
illuminated light or both steady blue and steady red illuminated lights 125
that are visible externally from the front of the vehicle] A yellow or 126
amber light or lights, including a flashing yellow or amber light or 127
lights, or any combination thereof, or a steady blue light or lights may 128
be used on a wrecker registered pursuant to section 14-66 while such 129
wrecker is stationary. 130
(l) Use of colored and flashing lights except as authorized by this 131
section shall be an infraction. 132
Sec. 2. Subsections (f) and (g) of section 14-99g of the general statutes 133
are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 134
October 1, 2025): 135
(f) Any person who violates any provision of subsections (b) to (e), 136
inclusive, of this section shall be [deemed to have committed an 137
infraction] subject to the penalties provided in subsection (b) of section 138
14-222 for each offense. Any person who violates any provision of 139
subsection (b) of this section shall remove such object or material which 140
obstructs [his] such person's clear and full view of the road and report 141
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within sixty days to the police department which issued the [infractions 142
complaint] summons to present [his] such person's vehicle for 143
inspection and to demonstrate compliance with the provisions of this 144
section. If such person fails to report to such police department and is 145
cited for a subsequent violation of this section, [his] such person's 146
vehicle shall be impounded after notice and opportunity for hearing. 147
(g) Any person owning a vehicle having a window which has been 148
tinted or darkened with any tinted material after factory delivery, shall 149
present such vehicle to the Department of Motor Vehicles, by July 1, 150
[1996] 2026, to receive a sticker for any tinted or darkened window to 151
indicate such tinting or darkening is in compliance with this section. 152
Any person operating a motor vehicle, on or after July 1, [1996] 2026, in 153
violation of this subsection shall be [deemed to have committed an 154
infraction] subject to the penalties provided in subsection (b) of section 155
14-222. 156
Sec. 3. Section 14-222a of the general statutes is repealed and the 157
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 158
Any person who, in consequence of the negligent operation of a 159
motor vehicle, causes the death of another person shall be [fined not 160
more than three thousand five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more 161
than three years, or both] guilty of a class C felony for which three years 162
of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced by the court. 163
Sec. 4. Section 14-223 of the general statutes is repealed and the 164
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 165
(a) Whenever the operator of any motor vehicle fails promptly to 166
bring [his] such operator's motor vehicle to a full stop upon the signal 167
of any officer in uniform or prominently displaying the officer's badge 168
of [his] office, or disobeys the direction of such officer with relation to 169
the operation of [his] such operator's motor vehicle, [he] such operator 170
shall be [deemed to have committed an infraction and be fined fifty 171
dollars] guilty of a class A misdemeanor. 172
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(b) No person operating a motor vehicle, when signaled to stop by an 173
officer in a police vehicle using an audible signal device or flashing or 174
revolving lights, shall increase the speed of the motor vehicle in an 175
attempt to escape or elude such police officer. Any person who violates 176
this subsection shall be guilty of a class [A misdemeanor] D felony, 177
except that, if such violation causes the death or serious physical injury, 178
as defined in section 53a-3, of another person, such person shall be guilty 179
of a class C felony, and shall have such person's motor vehicle operator's 180
license suspended for one year for the first offense, except that the 181
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may, after a hearing, as provided for 182
in subsection (i) of section 14-111, and upon a showing of compelling 183
mitigating circumstances, reinstate such person's license before the 184
expiration of such one-year period. For any subsequent offense such 185
person shall be guilty of a class C felony, except that if any prior offense 186
by such person under this subsection caused, and such subsequent 187
offense causes, the death or serious physical injury, as defined in section 188
53a-3, of another person, such person shall be guilty of a class C felony 189
for which one year of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or 190
reduced by the court, and shall have such person's motor vehicle 191
operator's license suspended for not less than eighteen months nor more 192
than two years, except that said commissioner may, after a hearing, as 193
provided for in subsection (i) of section 14-111, and upon a showing of 194
compelling mitigating circumstances, reinstate such person's license 195
before such period. 196
Sec. 5. Subsections (f) and (g) of section 14-224 of the general statutes 197
are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 198
October 1, 2025): 199
(f) Any person who violates the provisions of subsection (a) or 200
subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section shall be guilty of a class 201
B felony for which five years of the sentence imposed may not be 202
suspended or reduced by the court. 203
(g) (1) Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision (2) of 204
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subsection (b) of this section shall be guilty of a class D felony for which 205
two years of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced by 206
the court. 207
(2) Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision (3) of 208
subsection (b) of this section or subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this 209
section shall be guilty of a (A) class A misdemeanor for a first offense, 210
and (B) class D felony for any subsequent offense. 211
(3) Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision (2) of 212
subsection (c) of this section shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor. 213
Sec. 6. Section 53a-57 of the general statutes is repealed and the 214
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 215
(a) A person is guilty of misconduct with a motor vehicle when, with 216
criminal negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle, [he] such person 217
causes the death of another person. 218
(b) Misconduct with a motor vehicle is a class [D felony] C felony for 219
which (1) five years of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or 220
reduced by the court, or (2) if such person causes the death of a police 221
officer, as defined in section 7-294a, ten years of the sentence imposed 222
may not be suspended or reduced by the court. 223
Sec. 7. Section 54-33p of the general statutes is repealed and the 224
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025): 225
[(a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the existence 226
of any of the following circumstances shall not constitute in part or in 227
whole probable cause or reasonable suspicion and shall not be used as 228
a basis to support any stop or search of a person or motor vehicle: 229
(1) The odor of cannabis or burnt cannabis; 230
(2) The possession of or the suspicion of possession of cannabis 231
without evidence that the quantity of cannabis is or suspected to be in 232
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excess of five ounces of cannabis plant material, as defined in section 233
21a-279a, or an equivalent amount of cannabis products or a 234
combination of cannabis and cannabis products, as provided in 235
subsection (i) of section 21a-279a; or 236
(3) The presence of cash or currency in proximity to cannabis without 237
evidence that such cash or currency exceeds five hundred dollars. 238
(b) Any evidence discovered as a result of any stop or search 239
conducted in violation of this section shall not be admissible in evidence 240
in any trial, hearing or other proceeding in a court of this state. 241
(c)] A law enforcement official may conduct a test for impairment 242
based on the odor of cannabis or burnt cannabis if such official 243
reasonably suspects the operator of violating section 14-227a, 14-227m 244
or 14-227n. 245
[(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to a probation 246
officer supervising a probationer who, as a condition of probation, is 247
prohibited from using or possessing cannabis.] 248
Sec. 8. (Effective from passage) The Commissioners of Emergency 249
Services and Public Protection and Transportation shall jointly conduct 250
a study on the feasibility of implementing a permanent state-wide law 251
enforcement phlebotomy program to combat impaired driving. Such 252
study shall include, but need not be limited to, an examination of (1) 253
best practices for making phlebotomy training available to police 254
officers, (2) phlebotomy programs and procedures utilized by law 255
enforcement units in other states, and (3) best practices for providing 256
educational materials to and answering questions from police officers 257
regarding phlebotomy training and police liability. Not later than 258
January 1, 2026, the Commissioners of Emergency Services and Public 259
Protection and Transportation shall submit a report, in accordance with 260
the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, on the results of 261
the study and any recommendations for legislation to the joint standing 262
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 263
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relating to public safety and security and transportation. 264
Sec. 9. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2025) For purposes of this section, 265
"law enforcement unit" has the same meaning as provided in section 7-266
294a of the general statutes. Not later than July 1, 2026, and annually 267
thereafter, the Department of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the 268
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, shall conduct 269
safety inspections of vehicles used by law enforcement units in the state 270
for the purpose of ensuring the safety and functionality of such vehicles. 271
The department shall randomly select law enforcement units for such 272
inspections. Upon the completion of each such inspection, the 273
department shall provide a report on the results of the inspection to the 274
law enforcement unit whose vehicles were inspected. 275
Sec. 10. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2025) (a) For purposes of this 276
subsection, "highway" has the same meaning as provided in section 14-277
1 of the general statutes. The Commissioner of Transportation, in 278
consultation with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public 279
Protection, shall establish a traffic safety corridor program to (1) 280
designate portions of a highway that have high rates of motor vehicle 281
accidents as traffic safety corridors, and (2) coordinate motor vehicle 282
enforcement in such traffic safety corridors. 283
(b) The Superior Court shall impose an additional fee equivalent to 284
one hundred per cent of the fine established or imposed for the violation 285
of the provisions of section 14-213, 14-213b, 14-214, 14-215, 14-216, 14-286
218a, 14-219, 14-220, 14-221, 14-222, 14-222a, as amended by this act, 14-287
223, as amended by this act, 14-224, as amended by this act, 14-225, 14-288
227a, 14-227m, 14-227n, 14-230, 14-230a, 14-231, 14-232, 14-233, 14-235, 289
14-236, 14-237, 14-238, 14-238a, 14-239, 14-240, 14-240a, 14-241, 14-242, 290
14-243, 14-244, 14-245, 14-246a, 14-247, 14-247a, 14-248a, 14-249, 14-250, 291
14-250a, 14-257, 14-261, 14-266, 14-271, 14-273, 14-279, 14-281a, 292
subsection (e) or (h) of section 14-283, section 14-289a, 14-289b or 14-293
296aa of the general statutes for any such violation committed in a traffic 294
safety corridor. 295
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(c) The Department of Transportation shall post a sign at the 296
beginning of each traffic safety corridor that shall read as follows: 297
"TRAFFIC SAFETY CORRIDOR FINES DOUBLED ", and at the end of 298
such corridor that shall read as follows: "END TRAFFIC SAFETY 299
CORRIDOR". 300
(d) The Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency 301
Services and Public Protection shall enhance the division's law 302
enforcement efforts in each traffic safety corridor. 303
Sec. 11. (Effective from passage) (a) Not later than October 1, 2025, the 304
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall establish 305
a one-year pilot program to allow three municipal police departments 306
to install a device on such departments' police vehicles that permits a 307
police officer to launch a global positioning system onto another vehicle. 308
The department may provide financial assistance in the form of grants-309
in-aid to implement such program. 310
(b) Each police department that participates in the program shall 311
submit a report regarding the utilization of such devices to the 312
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Not later than 313
January 1, 2027, the department shall submit a report, in accordance 314
with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint 315
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 316
matters relating to public safety and the judiciary. Such report shall 317
include a summary of the results of the pilot program and any 318
recommendations concerning the future utilization of such devices. 319
Sec. 12. Subsection (f) of section 29-6d of the general statutes is 320
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 321
1, 2025): 322
(f) (1) If a police officer is giving a formal statement [about the use of 323
force] regarding an incident or if a police officer is the subject of a 324
disciplinary investigation in which a recording from body-worn 325
recording equipment or a dashboard camera is being considered as part 326
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of a review of an incident, the officer shall have the right to review (A) 327
such recording in the presence of the officer's attorney or labor 328
representative, and (B) recordings from other body-worn recording 329
equipment capturing the officer's image or voice during the incident. 330
Not later than forty-eight hours following an officer's review of a 331
recording under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, or if the officer 332
does not review the recording, not later than ninety-six hours following 333
the initiation of such disciplinary investigation, whichever is earlier, 334
such recording shall be disclosed, upon request, to the public, subject to 335
the provisions of subsection (g) of this section. Public disclosure may be 336
delayed if the officer, due to a medical or physical response or an acute 337
psychological stress response to the incident, is not reasonably able to 338
review a recording under this subdivision, but in no event shall 339
disclosure be delayed more than one hundred forty-four hours 340
following the recorded event. 341
(2) If a request is made for public disclosure of a recording from body-342
worn recording equipment or a dashboard camera of an incident about 343
which (A) a police officer has not been asked to give a formal statement 344
about the [alleged use of force] incident, or (B) a disciplinary 345
investigation has not been initiated, any police officer whose image or 346
voice is captured on the recording shall have the right to review such 347
recording in the presence of the officer's attorney or labor 348
representative. Not later than forty-eight hours following an officer's 349
review of a recording under this subdivision, or if the officer does not 350
review the recording, not later than ninety-six hours following the 351
request for disclosure, whichever is earlier, such recording shall be 352
disclosed to the public, subject to the provisions of subsection (g) of this 353
section. Public disclosure may be delayed if the officer, due to a medical 354
or physical response or an acute psychological stress response to the 355
incident, is not reasonably able to review a recording under this 356
subdivision, but in no event shall disclosure be delayed more than one 357
hundred forty-four hours following the recorded event. 358
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2025 14-96q
Sec. 2 October 1, 2025 14-99g(f) and (g)
Sec. 3 October 1, 2025 14-222a
Sec. 4 October 1, 2025 14-223
Sec. 5 October 1, 2025 14-224(f) and (g)
Sec. 6 October 1, 2025 53a-57
Sec. 7 October 1, 2025 54-33p
Sec. 8 from passage New section
Sec. 9 October 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 10 October 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 11 from passage New section
Sec. 12 October 1, 2025 29-6d(f)
Statement of Purpose:
To (1) permit certain first responders to use steady blue or red lights and
wreckers to use steady blue lights when stationary, (2) modify penalties
for violations of certain statutes relating to motor vehicles, (3) eliminate
certain statutory provisions relating to cannabis and stops and searches,
(4) study the feasibility of a permanent law enforcement phlebotomy
program, (5) require safety inspections of vehicles used by law
enforcement units, (6) establish a traffic safety corridor program, (7)
establish a program to equip police vehicles with a device that is capable
of launching a global positioning system onto another vehicle, and (8)
modify statutory provisions concerning police officer review of certain
recordings by substituting references to "use of force" with "incident".
[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.]