OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-7204
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 AND A PILOT
PROGRAM TO EQUIP POLICE VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN
DEVICES.
Primary Analyst: RP 4/1/25
Contributing Analyst(s): PM, BP
Reviewer: PR
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 26 $ FY 27 $
State Revenues Various -
Potential
Revenue Gain
See Below See Below
Correction, Dept. GF - Potential
Cost
Minimal Minimal
Department of Motor Vehicles TF - Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
Department of Transportation TF - Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Cost Potential
Significant
Potential
Significant
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Potential
Cost
See Below None
Note: Various=Various; GF=General Fund; TF=Transportation Fund
Municipal Impact:
Municipalities Effect FY 26 $ FY 27 $
Various Municipal Police
Departments
Potential
Cost
See Below None
Explanation
Section 1 allows tow trucks to use steady blue lights under certain
conditions and does not result in a fiscal impact. 2025HB-07204-R000476-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 3
Sections 2 through 6 and 10 increases the penalties for various motor
vehicle related violations by (1) increasing maximum fine amounts
(including doubling fines for traffic safety corridors), (2) criminalizing
certain violations, and (3) requiring mandatory minimums. This results
in a potential revenue gain to the state and a potential cost to the
Department of Correction for incarceration. In FY 24, the fine revenue
from the associated statutes exceeded $8 million. On average, the
marginal cost to the state for incarcerating an offender for the year is
$3,300.
1
There are currently 76 people incarcerated under these statutes.
Section 8, which does not result in a fiscal impact, requires the
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) and
the Department of Transportation (DOT) to jointly study the feasibility
of a statewide law enforcement phlebotomy program, as described in
the bill. A limited law enforcement phlebotomy program currently
exists, and DOT has studied the issue in recent years, therefore this
section's requirements are within both departments' current expertise.
Section 9 requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), in
consultation with DESPP, to conduct safety inspections for a random
selection of law enforcement vehicles. The fiscal impact of this section
depends on implementation decisions, including the number and
frequency of inspections. It is expected that DMV would perform at least
a limited number of inspections within existing operations.
Section 10 requires DOT, in consultation with DESPP, to establish a
traffic safety corridor program. To the extent that traffic safety corridors
are designated, this section results in: (1) costs to DOT for program
administration and signage (it is typically around $1,000 to create and
install a highway sign, though this can vary depending on size and
location); (2) a potential significant cost to DESPP to the extent that they
1
Inmate marginal cost is based on increased consumables (e.g. food, clothing, water,
sewage, living supplies, etc.) This does not include a change in staffing costs or utility
expenses because these would only be realized if a unit or facility opened. 2025HB-07204-R000476-FN.DOCX Page 3 of 3
commit additional resources to enforcement;
2
and (3) a potential
revenue gain from violations. These fiscal impacts depend on
implementation decisions, including the number of designated
corridors and the level of increased enforcement.
Section 11, which requires DESPP to establish a one-year pilot
program to allow three municipal police departments to install a device
on their police vehicles that allows a police officer to launch a GPS onto
another vehicle, results in a potential cost to DESPP and a potential cost
to municipal police departments in FY 26. The bill allows, but does not
require, DESPP to provide grants-in-aid to implement such program at
participating municipal police departments. Should a municipal police
department choose to participate in the program, there is a potential cost
for GPS equipment, unless such equipment is reimbursed by DESPP.
3
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to implementation and enforcement
decisions, the number of violations, and inflation.
2
If, for example, the State Police commits 4 troopers to work 3 additional shifts per
week, this section would cost DESPP $448,731 per year per traffic safety corridor,
assuming the current average overtime rate of $89.89 per hour.
3
The cost of equipping a department with such a vehicle-mounted GPS launching
device is not expected to cost about $6,000 per vehicle. The annual software
subscription can cost up to $150,000 per department.