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sSB408 / File No. 306 1
General Assembly File No. 306
February Session, 2026 Substitute Senate Bill No. 408
Senate, April 1, 2026
The Committee on Public Safety and Security reported through
SEN. GASTON of the 23rd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee
on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT CONCERNING LIQUOR PERMITS, FIRE SAFETY AND
PREVENTION INSPECTIONS, THE REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN
INFORMATION AND JUICE BARS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 30-39 of the 2026 1
supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is 2
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 3
(b) (1) Any person desiring a liquor permit or a renewal of such a 4
permit shall make an affirmed application therefor to the Department of 5
Consumer Protection, upon forms to be furnished by the department, 6
showing the name and address of the applicant and of the applicant's 7
backer, if any, the location of the club or place of business which is to be 8
operated under such permit and a financial statement setting forth all 9
elements and details of any business transactions connected with the 10
application. Such application shall include a detailed description of the 11
type of live entertainment that is to be provided. A club or place of 12
business shall be exempt from providing such detailed description if the 13
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club or place of business (A) was issued a liquor permit prior to October 14
1, 1993, and (B) has not altered the type of entertainment provided. The 15
application shall also indicate any crimes of which the applicant or the 16
applicant's backer may have been convicted. The department shall not 17
review an initial application until the applicant has submitted all 18
documents necessary to establish that state and local building, fire and 19
zoning requirements and local ordinances concerning hours and days 20
of sale will be met, except that local building and zoning requirements 21
and local ordinances concerning hours and days of sale shall not apply 22
to a cafe permit issued under subsection (d) or (h) of section 30 -22a. If 23
the applicant does not submit all such documents within the thirty-day 24
period beginning on the date on which the department receives the 25
initial application, or if such documents are not fully executed by the 26
appropriate authorities, such initial application shall be deemed 27
withdrawn and invalid. The State Fire Marshal or the marshal's certified 28
designee shall be responsible for approving compliance with the State 29
Fire Code at Bradley International Airport. Any person desiring a 30
permit provided for in section 30 -33b shall file a copy of such person's 31
license with such application if such license was issued by the 32
Department of Consumer Protection. The department may, at its 33
discretion, conduct an investigation to determine (i) whether a permit 34
shall be issued to an applicant or the applicant's backer, or (ii) the 35
suitability of the proposed permit premises. Completion of an 36
inspection pursuant to subsection (f) of section 29 -305, as amended by 37
this act, shall not be deemed to constitute a precondition to renewal of a 38
permit that is subject to subsection (f) of section 29 -305, as amended by 39
this act, but each applicant for the renewal of such permit shall certify 40
on the renewal application that such inspection has occurred or will 41
occur within the calendar year. 42
Sec. 2. Section 29 -305 of the general statutes is repealed and the 43
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 44
(a) Each local fire marshal and the State Fire Marshal, for the purpose 45
of satisfying themselves that all pertinent statutes and regulations are 46
complied with, may inspect in the interests of public safety all buildings, 47
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facilities, processes, equipment, systems and other areas regulated by 48
the Fire Safety Code and the State Fire Prevention Code within their 49
respective jurisdictions. 50
(b) Each local fire marshal shall inspect, or cause to be inspected by a 51
member of the local fire department or a qualified third party 52
designated by the local fire marshal , at least once [each] every two 53
calendar [year] years or as often as prescribed by the State Fire Marshal 54
pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, in the interests of public safety, 55
all buildings and facilities of public service and all occupancies 56
regulated by the Fire Safety Code or State Fire Prevention Code within 57
the local fire marshal's jurisdiction, except residential buildings 58
designed to be occupied by one or two families which shall be inspected, 59
upon complaint or request of an owner or occupant, only for the 60
purpose of determining whether the requirements specified in said 61
codes relative to smoke detection and warning equipment have been 62
satisfied. In the case of a school building, each local fire marshal shall 63
submit a written report to the local or regional board of education 64
documenting each such inspection. 65
(c) Upon receipt by the State Fire Marshal of information from an 66
authentic source that any other building or facility within the State Fire 67
Marshal's jurisdiction is hazardous to life safety from fire, the State Fire 68
Marshal shall inspect such building or facility. 69
(d) Upon receipt by the local fire marshal of information from an 70
authentic source that any other building or facility within the local fire 71
marshal's jurisdiction is hazardous to life safety from fire, the local fire 72
marshal shall inspect such building or facility or cause such building or 73
facility to be inspected by a member of the local fire department or a 74
qualified third party designated by the local fire marshal . In each case 75
in which the local fire marshal or designee conducts an inspection, the 76
local fire marshal or designee shall be satisfied that all pertinent statutes 77
and regulations are complied with, and shall keep a record of such 78
investigations. Such local fire marshal or [a] designee shall have the 79
right of entry at all reasonable hours into or upon any premises within 80
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the local fire marshal's jurisdiction for the performance of the fire 81
marshal's duties except that occupied dwellings and habitations, 82
exclusive of common use passageways and rooms in tenement houses, 83
hotels and rooming houses, may only be entered for inspections 84
between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., except in the event of any 85
emergency requiring immediate attention for life safety, or in the 86
interests of public safety. Each local fire marshal shall make a monthly 87
report to the authority which appointed the local fire marshal and shall 88
be paid for such local fire marshal's services in making such inspections 89
of buildings, facilities, processes, equipment, systems and other areas , 90
in accordance with the compensation agreed upon with such appointing 91
authority. 92
(e) The State Fire Marshal may adopt amendments to the Fire Safety 93
Code and the State Fire Prevention Code regarding requirements for the 94
frequency of inspections of different building uses regulated by the 95
codes and set forth a schedule of inspections [, except for inspections of 96
residential buildings designed to be occupied by three or more families,] 97
that are less frequent than [yearly] once every two calendar years if the 98
interests of public safety can be met by less frequent inspections. 99
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) to (e), inclusive, 100
of this section, a local fire marshal, deputy fire marshal, fire inspector or 101
other fire code inspector or fire investigator holding office in a 102
municipality shall, at least once per calendar year, inspect all premises 103
that are (1) located in the municipality, and (2) operating under a permit 104
issued pursuant to chapter 545 that allows for on-premises consumption 105
of alcoholic liquor. 106
Sec. 3. Section 47a -6a of the general statutes is repealed and the 107
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 108
(a) As used in this section: [,] 109
(1) ["address"] "Address" means a location as described by the full 110
street number, if any, the street name, the city or town, and the state, 111
and not a mailing address such as a post office box; [,] 112
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(2) ["dwelling unit"] "Dwelling unit" means any house or building, or 113
portion thereof, which is rented, leased or hired out to be occupied, or 114
is arranged or designed to be occupied, or is occupied, as the home or 115
residence of one or more persons, living independently of each other, 116
and doing their cooking upon the premises, and having a common right 117
in the halls, stairways or yards; [,] 118
(3) ["agent in charge" ] "Agent in charge" or "agent" means [one] an 119
individual who manages real [estate] property, including, but not 120
limited to, the collection of rents and supervision and maintenance of 121
such property, including for the purpose of compliance with state law 122
and local codes; 123
(4) ["controlling participant" ] "Controlling participant" means an 124
individual [that] who exercises day -to-day financial or operational 125
control; [, and] 126
(5) ["project-based housing provider" ] "Project-based housing 127
provider" means a property owner who contracts with the United States 128
Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide housing to 129
tenants under the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, 42 USC 130
1437f(o); 131
(6) "Identifying information" means proof of an individual's name, 132
date of birth, current residential address, motor vehicle operator's 133
license number or other identification number issued by any 134
government agency or entity; 135
(7) "Nonresident owner" means an individual, corporation, 136
partnership, trust or other legally recognized entity who does not reside 137
at rental real property and who is (A) an owner, as defined in section 138
47a-1, of such real property, or (B) the controlling participant of the 139
entity that owns such real property; and 140
(8) "Population" means the number of persons according to the most 141
recent federal decennial census. 142
(b) Any municipality with a population of twenty thousand or more 143
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shall, and any municipality with a population of less than twenty 144
thousand may, require the nonresident owner or project-based housing 145
provider of occupied or vacant rental real property to report to the tax 146
assessor, or other municipal [office] officer designated by the 147
municipality, the current residential address of the nonresident owner 148
or project-based housing provider of such property, if the nonresident 149
owner or project-based housing provider is an individual, or the current 150
residential address of the agent in charge of the building, if the 151
nonresident owner or project -based housing provider is a corporation, 152
partnership, trust or other legally recognized entity owning rental real 153
property in the state. If the nonresident [owners] owner or project-based 154
housing [providers are] provider is a corporation, partnership, trust or 155
other legally recognized entity owning rental real property in the state, 156
such report shall also include identifying information and the current 157
residential address of each controlling participant associated with the 158
property. If such residential address changes, notice of the new 159
residential address shall be provided by such nonresident owner, 160
project-based housing provider or agent in charge of the building to the 161
office of the tax assessor or other designated municipal office not more 162
than twenty-one days after the date that the address change occurred. If 163
the nonresident owner, project-based housing provider or agent fails to 164
file an address under this section, the address to which the municipality 165
mails property tax bills for the rental real property shall be deemed to 166
be the nonresident owner, project -based housing provider or agent's 167
current address. Such address may be used for compliance with the 168
provisions of subsection [(c)] (d) of this section. 169
(c) In addition to the residential address required pursuant to 170
subsection (b) of this section, any municipality with a population of 171
twenty thousand or more shall require the nonresident owner, project -172
based housing provider or agent in charge, as applicable, to report to 173
the tax assessor, or other municipal officer designated by the 174
municipality, (1) accurate identifying information concerning such 175
nonresident owner, project-based housing provider or agent in charge, 176
and (2) at least two telephone numbers that are accessible on a twenty -177
four-hour basis for emergency response purposes. 178
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[(c)] (d) Service of state or municipal orders relating to maintenance 179
of such rental real property or compliance with state law and local codes 180
concerning such real property directed to the nonresident owner, 181
project-based housing provider or agent at the address on file, or 182
deemed to be on file in accordance with the provisions of this section, 183
shall be sufficient proof of service of notice of such orders in any 184
subsequent criminal or civil action against the owner, project -based 185
housing provider or agent for failure to comply with the orders. The 186
provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit the validity of 187
any other means of giving notice of such orders that may be used by the 188
state or [such] a municipality. 189
[(d)] (e) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall 190
have committed [an infraction] a violation and shall be fined not less 191
than two hundred fifty dollars nor more than one thousand dollars. 192
[(e)] (f) Any report provided to a tax assessor pursuant to subsection 193
(b) or (c) of this section [on or after October 1, 2023,] shall be confidential 194
and shall not be disclosed under chapter 14. 195
Sec. 4. Section 30 -22c of the general statutes is repealed and the 196
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 197
(a) As used in this section: 198
(1) "Juice bar or similar facility" means an area within permit premises 199
in which nonalcoholic beverages are served to minors; and 200
(2) "Permit premises" means the premises operated under (A) a cafe 201
permit issued under subsection (c) of section 30-22a, or (B) a cafe permit 202
for wine, beer and cider issued under section 30-22g. 203
(b) The holder of a cafe permit issued under subsection (c) of section 204
30-22a or a cafe permit for wine, beer and cider issued under section 30-205
22g may operate a juice bar or similar facility at permit premises if the 206
juice bar or similar facility is limited to a room or rooms or separate area 207
within the permit premises wherein there is no sale, consumption, 208
dispensing or presence of alcoholic liquor. The holder of a cafe permit, 209
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at all times when a portion of the permit premises is being operated as 210
a juice bar, shall limit the number of patrons in the portion of the permit 211
premises being operated as a juice bar to no more than ten per cent of 212
the total building occupant load established by the Fire Marshal under 213
the Fire Safety Code. 214
(c) (1) Any town may provide by ordinance the hours during which 215
a juice bar may operate, but in no event shall a juice bar be permitted to 216
operate as such after ten o'clock p.m. 217
[(c)] (2) The holder of a cafe permit issued under subsection (c) of 218
section 30-22a or a cafe permit for wine, beer and cider issued under 219
section 30 -22g shall provide advance written notice to the chief law 220
enforcement officer of the town in which the permit premises is located 221
of the specific dates and hours of any scheduled event at which such 222
permit premises, or any portion thereof, will be used to operate a juice 223
bar or similar facility. Such notice shall be sent [(1)] (A) by certified mail, 224
or by electronic mail to the designated electronic mail address for the 225
chief law enforcement officer, and [(2)] (B) in a manner so that such 226
notice is received by such chief law enforcement officer not less than five 227
days, and not more than thirty days, prior to the date of such scheduled 228
event. The chief law enforcement officer of the town in which such 229
permit premises is located may designate one or more law enforcement 230
officers to attend any such scheduled event at the cost of such permit 231
holder. If, at any time prior to or during such scheduled event, the chief 232
law enforcement officer of the town, or such officer's designee, 233
determines that there is insufficient police capacity to properly and 234
safely monitor the event or enforce any applicable law related to such 235
scheduled event or the permit premises or that the event may, or has, 236
become a danger to public safety, such officer or designee may, in such 237
officer's or designee's sole discretion, reject such scheduled event or 238
order such scheduled event to be terminated. 239
(d) Nothing in this section shall exempt the holder of a cafe permit 240
issued under subsection (c) of section 30 -22a or a cafe permit for wine, 241
beer and cider issued under section 30 -22g from compliance with any 242
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other provisions of the general statutes or regulations of Connecticut 243
state agencies concerning minors, including, but not limited to, the 244
prohibition against the sale of alcoholic liquor to minors. The presence 245
of alcoholic liquor or the sale or dispensing to or consumption of 246
alcoholic liquor by a minor at a juice bar or similar facility is prohibited. 247
(e) (1) A permittee or agent or employee of a permittee who operates 248
a juice bar or similar facility at a permit premises may serve alcoholic 249
liquor during the hours of operation of such juice bar or similar facility 250
only to a person who is twenty -one years of age or older and who is 251
wearing a conspicuous wristband that has been issued to the person 252
wearing it by the permittee or agent or employee of the permittee to 253
indicate that the permittee or agent or employee of the permittee has 254
verified that such person is twenty-one years of age or older. 255
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1) of this subsection, any town or 256
municipality may, by ordinance, prohibit the sale of alcoholic liquor on 257
any permit premises while a juice bar is in operation. 258
(f) (1) Any permittee or agent or employee of a permittee convicted 259
of a violation of any provision of this section shall [(1)] (A) (i) for a first 260
offense, be fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars, [(B)] 261
(ii) for a second offense, be fined not more than five thousand dollars, 262
and [(C)] (iii) for a third or subsequent offense, be fined not more than 263
ten thousand dollars, or [(2)] (B) be imprisoned not more than one year 264
for a first, second, third or subsequent offense, or [(3)] (C) be both fined 265
and imprisoned. 266
(2) Any permittee who is convicted of a violation of any provision of 267
this section shall immediately report such conviction to the Liquor 268
Control Commission, which may suspend such permittee's permit on 269
the basis of the conviction. 270
(g) Any town or municipality may, by ordinance, prohibit the 271
operation of juice bars within the town or municipality. 272
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2026 30-39(b)(1)
Sec. 2 October 1, 2026 29-305
Sec. 3 October 1, 2026 47a-6a
Sec. 4 October 1, 2026 30-22c
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Sections 2(b) and 2(d), "sworn member" was changed to "member" for
accuracy, in Section 3(b), " and any municipality may" was changed to
"and any municipality with a population of less than twenty thousand
may" for clarity and in Section 4, "The holder of a cafe permit, at all times
when a portion of the permit premises is being operated as a juice bar,
shall limit the number of patrons in the portion of the permit premises
being operated as a juice bar to no more than ten per cent of the tota l
building occupant load established by the Fire Marshal under the Fire
Safety Code." was moved from Subsec. (c)(2) to Subsec. (b) for clarity.
PS Joint Favorable Subst.
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The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
Resources of the General Fund GF - Potential
Revenue Gain
See Below See Below
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact:
Municipalities Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
Various Municipalities Potential
Revenue
Gain
Minimal Minimal
Various Municipalities Potential
Savings
See Below See Below
Explanation
The bill makes various changes to laws governing juice bars and
landlord reporting to municipalities that results a potential savings and
potential revenue gain to municipalities described below.
Section 1 requires liquor permit applicants to certify that their
inspection has occurred or will occur within the calendar year resulting
in no fiscal impact to the state.
Section 2 results in potential savings to various municipalities by
generally reducing the frequency of required building inspections by
local fire marshals from annually to biennially. The level of savings
depends on whether fewer costs are incurred as a result of the reduced
number of inspections.
Section 3 (1) requires municipalities with a population of 25,000 or
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more to require certain residential property owners and landlords to
report information to the municipality, and (2) establishes that failure to
do so will result in a fine between $250 and $1,000. 1 This results in a
potential revenue gain to municipalities beginning in FY 27.
Section 4 requires café permittees to limit the number of patrons at
all times and establishes that violations of this provision are subject to a
fine. This results in a potential revenue gain to the state beginning in FY
27 to the extent fines are imposed.
The bill makes other various changes which do not result in a fiscal
impact to the state or municipalities.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation and the number of fines.
1 According to the CT Department of Health population estimates, in 2024 there were
46 municipalities in Connecticut with a population of 25,000 or more.
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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 408
AN ACT CONCERNING LIQUOR PERMITS, FIRE SAFETY AND
PREVENTION INSPECTIONS, THE REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN
INFORMATION AND JUICE BARS.
SUMMARY
This bill makes changes to laws governing juice bar s, residential
property owner and landlord reporting to municipalities, fire marshal
inspections, and liquor permitting. Generally, it:
1. allows towns and municipalities, by ordinance, to prohibit the (a)
operation of juice bars within their borders or (b) sale of alcohol
on any cafe permit premises while a juice bar is operating (§ 4);
2. authorizes towns, by ordinance, to set the hours during which a
juice bar may operate so long as it does not permit one to do so
after 10 p.m. (§ 4);
3. imposes new restrictions on juice bars and requirements on their
associated cafe permittees, including requiring convictions for
violating the juice bar law to be reported to the Liquor Control
Commission for possible permit suspension (§ 4);
4. requires municipalities with a population of at least 2 0,000 to
require certain residential property owners and landlords to
report specified information to the municipality, such as their
current residential address (§ 3);
5. reduces the frequency of required building inspections by local
fire marshals, generally from annually to biennially (§ 2); and
6. requires liquor permit renewal applicants to certify on their
applications that a local or deputy fire marshal, fire inspector, or
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other municipal fire code inspector or fire investigator has or will,
within the calendar year, inspect all the applicant’s premises
operating under his or her permit that allows for on-premises
consumption of alcohol (§ 1).
The bill also makes technical and conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
§ 4 — JUICE BAR RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
The bill makes several changes to the law regulating “juice bars,”
which are places where nonalcoholic beverages are served to minors
(under age 21) on the premises of a caf e permit holder . Generally,
existing law:
1. allows a caf e to operate a juice bar in a room or separate area
where alcohol is not sold, consumed, dispensed, or present;
2. requires cafe permittees, between five and 30 days before a
scheduled event, to send the chief law enforcement officer of the
municipality where the cafe is located written notice by certified
mail or email of when the cafe premises will have a juice bar
during that event;
3. allows the chief local law enforcement officer to designate one or
more officers to attend the scheduled event; and
4. prohibits cafe permit holders, and their agents and employees,
who operate juice bars on the premises from serving alcohol to a
customer without a conspicuous wristband issued by the
permittee showing they have verified that the customer is of legal
drinking age (at least age 21).
The bill requires cafe permittees, at all times when a part of the
premises is being operated as a juice bar, to limit the number of patrons
where the juice bar is being operated to no more than 10% of the total
building occupant load established by the fire marshal under the Fire
Safety Code . It also allows, at any time before or during a scheduled
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event, the chief law enforcement officer, or the officer’s designee, to
reject the event or order it to be terminated if either, in their sole
discretion, determines that (1) there is insufficient police capacity to
properly and safely monitor the event or enforce the law or (2) the event
may, or has, become a danger to public safety.
Under existing law and the bill, violators of the above provisions are
subject to a fine, up to one year imprisonment, or both. The maximum
fines are (1) $2,500 for a first offense; (2) $5,000 for a second offense; and
(3) $10,000 for a third or subsequent offense.
The bill requires cafe permittees who are convicted of violating the
state’s juice bar law to immediately report their convictions to the
Liquor Control Commission, which may suspend their permit based on
the conviction.
§ 3 — MUNICIPAL LANDLORD IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
The bill requires municipalities with a population of at least 2 0,000
based on the most recent decennial census (“covered municipalities”) to
require certain residential property owners and landlords to report
specified information to the municipality. Existing law allows, but does
not require, all municipalities to do so. Specifically, it allows them to
require nonresident property owners and landlords renting to federal
Housing Choice Voucher program participants (also known as “project-
based housing providers” or PBHPs) to report certain information to the
tax assessor or another designated municipal officer. This information
must include the following:
1. the owner’s or PBHP’s current residential address, if they are an
individual, or
2. the current residential address of (a) the agent in charge of the
building and (b) each person who exercises day -to-day financial
or operational control of the property (“controlling
participants”), if the owner or PBHP is a business entity that
owns rental property in Connecticut (i.e. a corporation,
partnership, trust, or other legally recognized entity).
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For business entities, this report must also include “identifying
information” for the controlling participants.
The bill expands this reporting requirement to also include (1) other
identifying information for the nonresident owner, PBHP, or agent in
charge of the building and (2) at least two telephone numbers that are
accessible on a 24-hour basis for emergency response purposes.
Under the bill, covered municipalities must require nonresident
property owners and PBHPs to report the information described above,
as modified, to them.
Definitions
The bill adds definitions for both “identifying information” and
“nonresident owner,” which are undefined under current law. U nder
the bill, “identifying information” is proof of a person’s name, birthdate,
current residential address, driver’s license number, or other
government-issued identification number. A “nonresident owner” is a
person or business entity that does not live at the rental property and is
either (1) an “owner” ( one or more people with legal title to the property
or beneficial ownership and a right to present use and enjoyment of the
premises, including mortgagees in possession) or (2) the “controlling
participant” of the entity that owns the property (see above).
The bill also makes a minor change to the “agent in charge” definition
by specifying that the ir management duties include property
supervision and maintenance to comply with state law and local codes.
FOIA Exemption
Under current law, reports submitted to a tax assessor on or after
October 1, 2023, are exempt from disclosure under the state’s Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA). The bill makes these reports exempt
regardless of when they were submitted.
Violations of Reporting Requirement
Under the bill, a person who violates the reporting requirement
discussed above commits a violation and is subject to a fine of between
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$250 and $1,000, rather than an infraction as under current law.
(Infractions are punishable by fines, usually set by Superior Court
judges, of between $35 and $90, plus a $20 or $35 surcharge and an
additional fee based on the fine’s amount. An infraction is not a crime,
and violators can pay the fine by mail without making a court
appearance.)
Existing law also allows municipalities to adopt an ordinance setting
a civil penalty for violations of the reporting requirement. The penalty
cannot exceed $500 for a first violation and $1,000 for subsequent
violations. Anyone who is assessed a civil pen alty may appeal to
Superior Court (CGS § 47a-6b).
§ 2 — LOCAL FIRE MARSHAL INSPECTIONS
Existing law authorizes local fire marshals and the state fire marshal
to inspect all buildings, facilities, processes, equipment, systems , and
other areas regulated by the Fire Safety Code and the State Fire
Prevention Code within their respective jurisdictions in the interests of
public safety and to satisfy themselves that all relevant laws are
complied with.
By law, each local fire marshal must regularly inspect, or cause to be
inspected, all (1) public service buildings and facilities and (2)
occupancies regulated by the fire codes other than single -family and
duplex residential buildings. Current law requires them to do so at least
once a year or at longer intervals prescribed by the state fire marshal in
adopted amendments to the fire codes where the interests of public
safety can be met by less frequent inspections. The bill:
1. specifies that local fire marshals can have local fire department
members or qualified third parties conduct these inspections;
2. changes the frequency of the basic requirement from once every
year to once every two years; and
3. modifies what the state fire marshal can prescribe by allowing
her to adopt amendments to the fire codes that set a schedule of
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inspections that are less frequent than once every two years,
including for residential buildings designed to be occupied by
three or more families, which current law does not allow.
Separate but related, the bill specifically allows local fire marshals to
have local fire department members or qualified third parties inspect
buildings and facilities within their jurisdictions for which they have
received information from an authentic s ource that the building or
facility is hazardous to life safety from fire.
BACKGROUND
Related Bills
sHB 5161 (File 105) , § 1, reported favorably by the Housing
Committee, has similar provisions to § 3.
SB 274 (File 153) , § 1, reported favorably by the Planning and
Development Committee, has similar provisions to § 3.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Safety and Security Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 19 Nay 10 (03/17/2026)