Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01378 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3		-	LCO 4867 1 of 5
	3	+	LCO No. 4867 1 of 5
4	4
5	5		General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1378
6	6		January Session, 2025
7	7		LCO No. 4867
8	8
9	9
10	10		Referred to Committee on ENVIRONMENT
11	11
12	12
13	13		Introduced by:
14	14		(ENV)
	15	+
15	16
16	17
17	18
18	19		AN ACT CONCERNING WILDFIRE RESPONSE AND MANAGEMENT.
19	20		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
20	21		Assembly convened:
21	22
22	23		Section 1. (Effective from passage) Not later than February 1, 2026, the 1
23	24		Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall submit a 2
24	25		report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 3
25	26		cognizance of matters relating to the environment, in accordance with 4
26	27		the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. Such report shall 5
27	28		detail an assessment conducted by the commissioner of the state-wide 6
28	29		wildfire danger and shall include any recommendations for the 7
29	30		designation or reallocation of requisite resources to decrease such 8
30	31		wildfire danger and the attendant likelihood of threats to public safety 9
31	32		and the destruction of man-made improvements and natural resources. 10
32	33		Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Energy 11
33	34		and Environmental Protection shall provide for the training of 12
34	35		firefighters, whether professional or volunteer, and emergency medical 13
35	36		services professionals on wildfire preparedness and response. The 14
36	37		commissioner shall post information on the department's Internet web 15
37		-	site indicating how any such person may obtain such training. Not later 16 Raised Bill No. 1378
	38	+	site indicating how any such person may obtain such training. Not later 16
	39	+	Raised Bill No. 1378
38	40
39	41
40		-	LCO 4867 2 of 5
	42	+
	43	+	LCO No. 4867 2 of 5
41	44
42	45		than February 1, 2026, the commissioner shall provide the joint standing 17
43	46		committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 18
44	47		relating to the environment with legislative recommendations 19
45	48		concerning the further implementation of this section. 20
46	49		Sec. 3. Section 23-36 of the general statutes is repealed and the 21
47	50		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 22
48	51		The State Forest Fire Warden may take such action as said warden 23
49	52		deems necessary to provide for the prevention and control of forest fires. 24
50	53		Said warden may enter into agreements with federal agencies, with 25
51	54		cities, boroughs and fire districts and with forest protective associations 26
52	55		for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section. Said 27
53	56		warden, if the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection 28
54	57		deems necessary, may prohibit open flames upon any or all lands under 29
55	58		the commissioner's control. Said warden shall divide the state into 30
56	59		districts for the purpose of preventing and controlling forest fires and 31
57	60		shall appoint within these districts such district fire wardens, not 32
58	61		exceeding two hundred and fifty, as said warden deems necessary, who 33
59	62		shall serve for two years or until their successors are appointed. The 34
60	63		State Forest Fire Warden shall have supervision of district fire wardens 35
61	64		and shall instruct them in their duties. Each district fire warden may, 36
62	65		with the approval of the State Forest Fire Warden, appoint deputies to 37
63	66		assist in extinguishing fires and to take charge of such extinguishing in 38
64	67		such district fire warden's absence, provided, in cities having paid fire 39
65	68		departments and whose boundaries are coterminous with the town 40
66	69		boundaries, the State Forest Fire Warden may appoint a district fire 41
67	70		warden and may assume responsibility for forest fires only upon the 42
68	71		written request of the mayor of such city and for such portions as may 43
69	72		be designated by such mayor. Cities without paid fire departments and 44
70	73		portions of towns outside of city limits shall be included in forest fire 45
71	74		districts and the State Forest Fire Warden may employ volunteer fire 46
72	75		companies under the conditions described in this section and sections 47
73	76		23-37 to 23-42, inclusive. The State Forest Fire Warden shall establish 48
74	77		rates of compensation for equipment usage, fire fighting materials and 49
75		-	~~supplies expended and firefighter and laborer time expended in 50~~ Raised Bill No. 1378
	78	+	Raised Bill No. 1378
76	79
77	80
78		-	LCO 4867 3 of 5
79	81
	82	+	LCO No. 4867 3 of 5
	83	+
	84	+	supplies expended and firefighter and laborer time expended in 50
80	85		extinguishing forest fires to be paid to such volunteer fire companies as 51
81	86		may be employed. In establishing such rates, the State Forest Fire 52
82	87		Warden may differentiate between various kinds of equipment and 53
83	88		material and supplies used and the provisions of section 23-39, as 54
84	89		amended by this act, shall apply to the establishment of rates of 55
85	90		compensation for firefighter and laborer time. Notwithstanding any 56
86	91		provision of the general statutes or any municipal ordinance, upon the 57
87	92		declaration by the Governor of the existence of a state of emergency due 58
88	93		to forest fire, the State Forest Fire Warden may assume direct authority 59
89	94		over efforts to extinguish any forest fire and may assign such authority 60
90	95		to any state forest fire control personnel. 61
91	96		Sec. 4. Section 23-39 of the general statutes is repealed and the 62
92	97		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 63
93	98		The compensation of district and deputy fire wardens, trained 64
94	99		firefighters organized in accordance with rules issued by the State Forest 65
95	100		Fire Warden and such laborers as said warden finds it necessary to 66
96	101		employ shall be fixed by said warden on an hourly basis, subject to the 67
97	102		approval of the Commissioner of Administrative Services. Volunteer 68
98	103		fire companies may be compensated in accordance with section 23-36, 69
99	104		as amended by this act. The chief of the fire department in any town, 70
100	105		city or borough who receives a regular salary shall be paid no additional 71
101	106		compensation when acting as a fire warden. District fire wardens shall 72
102	107		prepare their bills for services rendered by them and by the personnel 73
103	108		and automobiles and other apparatus employed or used by them in 74
104	109		extinguishing fires. The chief of any volunteer fire company may 75
105	110		prepare bills for services rendered by said company and by the 76
106	111		personnel and automobiles and other apparatus employed or used by 77
107	112		them in extinguishing forest fires, if said company is allowed by town 78
108	113		ordinance to receive payment for such bills. Such bills shall be on a form 79
109	114		prescribed by the State Forest Warden and shall be submitted to the 80
110	115		State Forest Fire Warden within one month after the services have been 81
111	116		rendered, and, if found correct and approved by said warden, shall be 82
112		-	ordered paid by the State Comptroller. The State Forest Fire Warden 83
113		-	may extend such one-month submittal deadline due to an emergency. 84 Raised Bill No. 1378
	117	+	Raised Bill No. 1378
114	118
115	119
116		-	LCO 4867 4 of 5
117	120
	121	+	LCO No. 4867 4 of 5
	122	+
	123	+	ordered paid by the State Comptroller. The State Forest Fire Warden 83
	124	+	may extend such one-month submittal deadline due to an emergency. 84
118	125		A copy of each bill so paid on account of any fire within a city, as 85
119	126		provided in section 23-36, as amended by this act, shall be sent by the 86
120	127		State Forest Fire Warden to the city treasurer of the city in which the fire 87
121	128		occurred, except bills for which a railroad company is liable under the 88
122	129		provisions of section 23-42, and, on or before the tenth day of December 89
123	130		in each year, such city treasurer shall draw the treasurer's order in favor 90
124	131		of the State Treasurer for the full amount of such bills submitted during 91
125	132		the twelve months next preceding. The State Forest Fire Warden may 92
126	133		forgive such bills if the state would incur administrative costs in 93
127	134		collecting the debt owed that would exceed the actual debt owed. Bills 94
128	135		for expenses incurred or services rendered by district or deputy 95
129	136		wardens in the performance of duties other than fire fighting shall be 96
130	137		submitted to the State Forest Fire Warden on or before the tenth day of 97
131	138		December and the tenth day of June in each year. Upon approval by the 98
132	139		State Forest Fire Warden, such bills shall be ordered paid by the State 99
133	140		Comptroller from any sums available for the expenses of the State Forest 100
134	141		Fire Warden. All fire warden bills authorized by sections 23-37, 23-38, 101
135	142		23-40 to 23-42, inclusive, and this section shall show in detail the amount 102
136	143		and character of the services performed, the exact duration thereof and 103
137	144		all disbursements made by such wardens. 104
138	145		Sec. 5. Section 23-50 of the general statutes is repealed and the 105
139	146		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 106
140	147		Whenever it appears to the Governor that by reason of extreme 107
141	148		drought or other hazardous conditions there is danger of forest fires, 108
142	149		[he] the Governor may (1) proclaim that any or all sections of woodland 109
143	150		and brush land in the state shall be closed, for such time as [he] the 110
144	151		Governor may designate, to all persons except the owners or tenants of 111
145	152		such woodlands and their agents and employees, [and during such 112
146		-	period of closure] or, (2) proclaim that no fire shall be kindled in the 113
147		-	open air in any or all areas of the state, or both. As soon as the woodland 114
148		-	is deemed free from the danger of fire, the Governor may revoke [his] 115
149		-	any such proclamation. Any person who enters upon forest or brush 116
150		-	land, except as provided [herein] in this section, or who kindles or 117
151		-	causes to be kindled a fire in the open air, during the period covered by 118 Raised Bill No. 1378
	153	+	period of closure] or (2) proclaim that no fire shall be kindled in the open 113
	154	+	air in any or all areas of the state, or both. As soon as the woodland is 114
	155	+	deemed free from the danger of fire, the Governor may revoke [his] any 115
	156	+	Raised Bill No. 1378
152	157
153	158
154		-	LCO 4867 5 of 5
155	159
156		-	the Governor's proclamation, shall be fined not less than five hundred 119
	160	+	LCO No. 4867 5 of 5
	161	+
	162	+	such proclamation. Any person who enters upon forest or brush land, 116
	163	+	except as provided [herein] in this section, or who kindles or causes to 117
	164	+	be kindled a fire in the open air, during the period covered by the 118
	165	+	Governor's proclamation, shall be fined not less than five hundred 119
157	166		dollars nor more than one [hundred] thousand dollars or imprisoned 120
158	167		not more than six months or be both fined and imprisoned. 121
159	168		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
160	169		sections:
161	170
162	171		Section 1 from passage New section
163	172		Sec. 2 from passage New section
164	173		Sec. 3 from passage 23-36
165	174		Sec. 4 from passage 23-39
166	175		Sec. 5 from passage 23-50
167	176
168		-	ENV Joint Favorable C/R APP
	177	+	Statement of Purpose:
	178	+	To provide authority for the enhanced ability of the state to prepare for
	179	+	and respond to the threat that wildfires present to the state and its
	180	+	residents.
	181	+
	182	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	183	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	184	+	underlined.]
169	185