General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 7199 seeks to improve firefighter recruitment and retention in Connecticut by establishing a mortgage assistance program for both paid and volunteer firefighters, effective July 1, 2025. The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority will oversee this program, providing financial assistance for home purchases within the communities where firefighters serve, which may include down payment support and housing subsidies. The bill also revises tuition waiver provisions for regional community-technical colleges and the Connecticut State University System, allowing uniformed firefighters with at least two years of service and their dependents to qualify for tuition waivers, while maintaining existing waivers for veterans and other specified groups. The bill repeals outdated references and introduces new eligibility criteria for these waivers.

Additionally, the bill establishes a Volunteer Firefighter Length-of-Service Award Program, managed by the State Retirement Commission, which will create a trust fund to provide awards to eligible firefighters based on their service credits. The program will require annual reporting from volunteer fire companies and will credit service awards starting July 1, 2026, with specific conditions for vesting and disbursement. The bill also mandates municipalities to reimburse the initial employing municipality for a portion of the training costs when hiring firefighters within two years of their training completion. Overall, the bill aims to support firefighters and municipalities by addressing financial barriers and recognizing the contributions of volunteer firefighters, while also establishing a task force to study the shortage of emergency personnel in the state.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 3-13c
PS Joint Favorable: 3-13c
File No. 416: 3-13c
APP Joint Favorable: 3-13c