(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed legislation enacting a new state law (Public Act 26-12) that increases the job benefits available to state and local police officers, firefighters, correction officers, EMS personnel, and National Guard members. Some of the benefits include those related to college tuition reimbursement, mortgage assistance, and health coverage.
Collaboratively written by Governor Lamont and the leadership of the legislature’s Public Safety and Security Committee and Labor and Public Employees Committee, the legislation was created with the goal of encouraging more individuals to seek careers in these important public safety fields and help retain those who are already serving.
“Our public safety professionals are integral to the wellbeing of each of our neighborhoods, and it is imperative that we provide them with benefits that ensure we have adequately staffed forces,” Governor Lamont said. “I am particularly glad that we could enact the provisions waiving higher education tuition and fees and providing mortgage assistance so these public safety officials have the support needed to live in the towns where they work. Moving forward, I want to continue working with my legislative colleagues on how we can enact further provisions supporting these workers. I am especially appreciative of Public Safety co-chairs—Senator Herron Gaston and Representative Pat Boyd—for working with my office to write this bill and advance it through the legislature so that I could sign it into law.”
The related provisions in the omnibus legislation that supports these public safety workers includes:
- College Tuition Waivers: Waives tuition at all CSCU schools and CT State schools for state and local police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel.
- Mortgage Assistance: Requires the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority to develop and administer a mortgage assistance program to assist state and local police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel purchase homes in the communities they were hired to protect. The types of assistance offered could include down payment support or any other appropriate housing subsidies.
- College Fee Waivers for National Guard: Expands the current college tuition waiver for active members of the Connecticut National Guard enrolled at CT State, CSCU, or UConn to include all mandatory fees.
- State Employee Health Insurance Plan Coverage for Survivors of Volunteer Firefighters, State Marshals, Correction Officers, and Investigators: Allows the surviving spouse and dependent children of a state marshal, correction officer, investigator, or unpaid volunteer firefighter who died performing their duties to participate in the state employee health insurance plan.
- Military Department Employment Assistance Program for the National Guard & Annual Job Fair: Requires the adjutant general of the Connecticut National Guard to promote and periodically improve the Connecticut Military Department’s employment assistance program for current and former National Guard members; and requires the department to conduct an annual job fair and publicize it on the department’s website and in emails.
- Legislative Recommendations on Military Employment: Requires the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development to develop legislative recommendations for promoting in-state employment of current and former Armed Forces members.
- Grant Program for Junior Firefighter Programs: Creates a grant program for junior firefighter programs run by volunteer fire departments.
- UConn Special Police Forces and Fire Department: Requires UConn’s president to establish a recruitment and retention program for the UConn special police forces and fire department.
- Health Insurance for Retired Police and Firefighters: Requires the state comptroller to study health insurance coverage for retired police officers and firefighters in the state.
- State Police Assigned to Highway Construction Projects: Requires members of the Connecticut State Police to be paid at a rate established under an agreement between the Connecticut Department of Transportation commissioner and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection commissioner when they are assigned to a state highway construction project.
- Municipal Tax Abatement for Surviving Domestic Partners of First Responders: Expands an optional municipal property tax abatement for the spouses of first responders who died in the line of duty to also cover domestic partners.
- Working Group on Tax Incentives and Credits for Volunteer Firefighters: Establishes a working group to review and make recommendations for tax incentives and credits for volunteer firefighters.
- Public Safety Personnel Recruitment and Retention Task Force: Establishes a task force to study recruitment and retention issues for public safety personnel.
- Police Officer and Firefighter Career Pipeline Program: Requires Connecticut’s chief workforce officer to develop a plan to establish a police officer and firefighter career pipeline program.
Benefits come in addition to pay increases for state police, correction officers, and firefighters
The benefits approved in this legislation come in addition to across-the-board, cost-of-living pay raises that Governor Lamont recently approved for all Connecticut State Police troopers, Connecticut Department of Correction officers, state firefighters, and other public safety professionals.
Resolutions approving wage increases for the Connecticut State Police were approved in the House of Representatives by a vote of 134 to 12 and in the State Senate by a vote of 36 to 0. Additionally, resolutions approving wage increases for other public safety professionals were approved in the House of Representatives by a vote of 107 to 42 and in the State Senate by a vote of 26 to 10.