House Bill No. 6553, as amended by House Amendment Schedule "A," is an act concerning volunteer fire departments and ambulance companies and the definition of employer under the state Occupational Safety and Health Act (Conn-OSHA). The bill amends the general statutes by redefining "employer" to include volunteer fire departments and volunteer ambulance companies, except where such entities are regulated by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. This change is effective from October 1, 2023.

The bill specifies that Conn-OSHA applies to all employers, employees, and places of employment in the state with certain exceptions. The newly inserted exceptions include any volunteer fire department or volunteer ambulance company that is regulated by the federal OSHA law. The bill does not result in any fiscal impact as the Department of Labor has historically considered such entities within its jurisdiction, and these entities have paid between $800 and $10,000 annually in OSHA penalties. The effective date of the bill was pushed back to October 1, 2023, by House Amendment "A," which does not result in any fiscal impact.