The January, 2003 Session of the Connecticut General Assembly opened on, January 8, 2003. The following is a list of legislative proposals relevant to the fire and emergency services:

Proposed H.B. No. 5024 REP. FRITZ, 90th DIST. 'AN ACT CONCERNING INTERFERENCE WITH EMERGENCY CALLS', to allow police to charge a person with a separate crime of interfering with an emergency call if such person prevents another person from making an emergency call or makes such other person hang up before completing an emergency call. REF. JUDICIARY

Proposed H.B. No. 5028 REP. HARKINS, 120th DIST. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE DISQUALIFICATION OF POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL TO SERVE AS JURORS', to exempt state and municipal police officers, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel from jury duty in times of heightened security risks. REF. JUDICIARY

Proposed H.B. No. 5046 REP. O'NEILL, 69th DIST. 'AN ACT CONCERNING COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS INCORPORATING TRUSS CONSTRUCTION', to require local fire departments to maintain a list of all commercial buildings incorporating truss construction. REF. PUBLIC SAFETY

Proposed S.B. No. 123 SEN. HARP, 10th DIST.; SEN. LOONEY, 11th DIST.; REP. WALKER, 93rd DIST.; REP. DYSON, 94th DIST.; REP. CANDELARIA, 95th DIST.; REP. STAPLES, 96th DIST.; REP. MEGNA, 97th DIST. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE FROM TERRORISM OR OTHER MASS CASUALTY INCIDENTS', to provide municipalities with new, additional resources to meet their increased responsibility for anti-terrorism and all-hazard preparedness. Such efforts will require a new financial and technical assistance commitment from both the federal and state governments as well as a new commitment from towns and cities to work together to maximize efficiencies and effectiveness. REF. PUBLIC SAFETY

Proposed H.B. No. 5270 REP. PAWELKIEWICZ, 49th DIST.; REP. STILLMAN, 38th DIST.; REP. HYSLOP, 39th DIST.; REP. DARGAN, 115th DIST.; REP. ORANGE, 48th DIST.; REP. COLLINS, 117th DIST.; REP. GREENE, 105th DIST. 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE REGIONAL FIRE SCHOOLS', to authorize bonds for capital improvement of regional fire schools under the five-year regional fire school improvement plan. REF. PUBLIC SAFETY

Proposed H.B. No. 5273 REP. BERNHARD, 136th DIST. 'AN ACT REQUIRING THE ISSUANCE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES NUMBER PLATES', to require the issuance of emergency medical services number plates and to provide that fees collected for such plates be used to fund community awareness, emergency medical services training and testing and volunteer recruitment and retention programs. REF. TRANSPORTATION

Proposed H.B. No. 5360 REP. ORANGE, 48th DIST. 'AN ACT CONCERNING SALARY PAYMENTS TO SURVIVING SPOUSES OF STATE POLICE OFFICERS AND DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY', to allow the surviving spouses and children of those state police and Department of Correction officers killed in the line of duty to continue to receive the deceased officer's salary until such time as the officer would have reached retirement age. REF. LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

Proposed H.B. No. 5365 REP. STONE, 134th DIST.; REP. DARGAN, 115th DIST. 'AN ACT EXTENDING WORKERS' COMPENSATION COVERAGE TO POLICE OFFICERS WHO SUSTAIN MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL INJURIES IN THE LINE OF DUTY', to allow police officers who suffer traumatic stress disorder as a result of using or being subjected to deadly force in the line of duty to obtain workers' compensation benefits. REF. LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

Proposed S.B. No. 245 SEN. SMITH, 14th DIST. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEFINITION OF "PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY"', to provide a definition of public health emergency. REF. PUBLIC HEALTH

Proposed S.B. No. 248 SEN. SMITH, 14th DIST. 'AN ACT CONCERNING ADMINISTRATION OF VACCINATIONS PURSUANT TO A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY', to provide safeguards for persons who may be required to receive vaccinations during a public health emergency. REF. PUBLIC HEALTH

Proposed S.B. No. 256 SEN. CRISCO, 17th DIST. 'AN ACT PROMOTING THE SAFETY OF EMERGENCY PERSONNEL IN HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS', to ensure the safety of emergency personnel involved in hazardous situations. REF. PUBLIC SAFETY

Proposed S.B. No. 257 SEN. CAPPIELLO, 24th DIST. 'AN ACT CONCERNING SPARKLERS', to improve public safety by limiting the types of "sparklers" that are allowed under state law. REF. PUBLIC SAFETY