House Bill No. 5480, reported by the Committee on Public Safety and Security, proposes technical revisions to public safety statutes. The bill includes changes to the general statutes effective October 1, 2024. The first section amends subsection (a) of section 7-277a, which deals with the provision of police assistance between municipalities during emergency situations. The amendment clarifies that the chief of police, or their designee, of a municipality can request police assistance from another municipality for up to twenty-four hours to respond to an emergency. It also specifies that unless there is a written agreement stating otherwise, the municipality providing assistance will bear the costs incurred, including payments for death, disability, injury, and losses or damages to supplies or equipment.

The second section of the bill amends subsection (d) of section 23-37, concerning the State Forest Fire Warden's authority to temporarily supplement state forest fire control personnel with temporary emergency workers who meet specific training and qualification requirements. The amendment includes capitalization corrections, changing "state forest fire warden" to "State Forest Fire Warden." Additionally, the Department of Administrative Services is tasked with assisting in developing appropriate classifications for such temporary emergency workers. The bill has no fiscal impact on the state or municipalities and is set to take effect on October 1, 2024. The bill has received a joint favorable vote from the Public Safety and Security Committee.