An Act Concerning The State Fire Marshal, A Deputy State Fire Marshal, The Membership Of The Fire Marshal Training Council And A Fire And Catastrophic Restoration Business License.
HB 6965 revises several provisions governing fire prevention and fire marshal administration in Connecticut. It confirms that the Commissioner of Administrative Services appoints the State Fire Marshal, allows limited delegation of fire-prevention powers to certain employees at DAS, UConn, and the Connecticut Airport Authority through memoranda of understanding, and adds due-process protections before the State Fire Marshal may be dismissed. The bill also requires the State Fire Marshal to appoint a Deputy State Fire Marshal.
The bill restructures the Fire Marshal Training Council, reducing its membership from 12 to 9 and changing several appointing authorities and seat categories. The council remains advisory on certification training, decertification hearings, in-service training, and related training programs, but its composition is shifted away from several higher-education and municipal-elected-official appointments toward appointments from organizations representing fire marshals, architects, municipal leaders, and small towns.
A major new provision creates a licensing regime for “fire and catastrophic restoration businesses,” defined broadly to include firms that assess, mitigate, repair, restore, or reconstruct property damaged by fire, smoke, water, mold, natural disasters, or other catastrophic events, as well as those providing related emergency response, consulting, or insurance claim assistance. Such businesses would need a license from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, pay initial and renewal fees, renew annually, and could be fined up to $1,000 per violation for operating without a license. The bill also requires the State Fire Marshal to maintain a public registry of licensed businesses and adopt implementing regulations.
In addition, the bill repeals section 29-312 of the general statutes, though the text provided does not specify the practical effect of that repeal. Overall, the measure would expand the regulatory role of the State Fire Marshal while also reorganizing internal advisory and administrative structures within the fire marshal system.
The available vote history suggests strong support: the bill received a 29-0 joint favorable vote in committee. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no recorded debate to indicate broader public or legislative opposition. Based on the text alone, the bill appears to be framed as an administrative and consumer-protection measure, with the licensing and registry provisions likely intended to increase oversight of restoration contractors and related services after disasters.
The bill would amend Connecticut statutes governing fire prevention and safety by changing the appointment, delegation, and removal rules for the State Fire Marshal, establishing a Deputy State Fire Marshal position, and revising the membership and appointing structure of the Fire Marshal Training Council. It would also create a new licensing chapter for fire and catastrophic restoration businesses, requiring state licensure, annual renewal, fee payment, public registry listing, and compliance with regulations adopted by the State Fire Marshal. The repeal of section 29-312 would remove an existing statutory provision, though the bill text does not explain the substantive effect of that repeal.
The only recorded vote is a unanimous 29-0 joint favorable committee vote, which indicates broad support at the committee stage. With no transcript available, there is no evidence of formal opposition or extended debate in the materials provided. The bill’s structure suggests a generally favorable view of strengthening oversight and clarifying fire marshal administration.
No committee discussion transcript was provided, so specific points of contention are not documented in the record supplied. Potential areas of concern implied by the text include the new licensing requirement for restoration businesses, the scope of the definition of “fire and catastrophic restoration business,” the public disclosure of complaints in the registry, and the reallocation of training council appointments away from some existing appointing authorities. However, no named opponents or objections appear in the provided materials.