Substitute House Bill No. 7119 proposes significant amendments to the Connecticut General Statutes concerning fire safety, explosives regulation, and building codes. The bill grants the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection exclusive jurisdiction over explosives, fireworks, and pyrotechnics, requiring that regulations align with the State Fire Prevention Code. It expands the advisory committee on fire safety from nine to eleven members and introduces specific provisions regarding the storage and handling of explosives. Additionally, the bill mandates that nonresident property owners in municipalities with populations over 25,000 report their residential addresses to local authorities, with penalties for noncompliance being elevated from infractions to violations with specified fines.

Moreover, the bill revises penalties for violations of the State Building Code and Fire Safety Code, establishing a tiered fine structure for repeat offenders and introducing a class A misdemeanor for serious fire hazard violations. It also requires annual inspections of elevators in privately owned multifamily housing projects and mandates the development of a model energy-efficiency ordinance by July 1, 2026, which municipalities can adopt. The bill aims to enhance safety measures, regulatory oversight, and compliance within the state's building and fire safety framework, with most provisions set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 29-291c, 29-253, 29-195
PS Joint Favorable Substitute: 29-254a, 29-394, 29-253, 29-195
File No. 410: 29-254a, 29-394, 29-253, 29-195