SB 277

Substitute Senate Bill No. 277
  Public Act No. 26-110
AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES' RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE CODE
OFFICIAL CAREER PATHWAY, THE FIRE SAFETY CODE, BURN
INJURY REPORTS AND STATE BUILDING CODE PROVISIONS
RELATING TO ACCESSIBILITY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
  Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) The State Fire Marshal shall
convene a working group within the Department of Administrative
Services to study the code official career pathway. Such study shall
include, but need not be limited to, an analysis of any statutory or
regulatory changes needed to create a more accessible entry into the
code official career pathway in the state, as informed by national
professional qualifications and best practices for professional
development.
   (b) The working group shall consist of the following members: (1) The
State Fire Marshal, (2) each member of the Fire Marshal Training
Council, and (3) three members of the Joint Council of Connecticut Fire
Service Organizations, who shall be appointed by the joint council.
   (c) The State Fire Marshal shall schedule the first meeting of the
working group, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the
effective date of this section.
  Substitute Senate Bill No. 277
   (d) Not later than January 1, 2027, the working group shall submit a
report on its findings and recommendations, in accordance with the
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to public safety and security and the Commissioner of
Administrative Services, including, but not limited to, any
recommendations for statutory or regulatory changes needed for a more
accessible career pathway for code officials in the state. The working
group shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January
1, 2027, whichever is later.
  Sec. 2. Section 29-292 of the general statutes is amended by adding
subsection (d) as follows (Effective October 1, 2026):
   (NEW) (d) The State Fire Marshal may issue official interpretations of
the Fire Safety Code, including interpretations of the applicability of any
provision of the code, upon the request of any person. The State Fire
Marshal shall compile and index each interpretation and shall publish
such interpretations at periodic intervals not exceeding four months.
   Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) On or before January 1, 2027,
and annually thereafter, the Department of Public Health shall report to
the Office of the State Fire Marshal regarding (1) all burn injuries and
injuries resulting from fireworks or explosives, (2) any death resulting
from burn injuries, smoke inhalation or injuries resulting from
fireworks or explosives, and (3) any death to which burn injuries, smoke
inhalation or injuries resulting from fireworks or explosives
contributed. In providing such report, the department shall utilize death
certificate information in accordance with section 7-51a of the general
statutes and hospital discharge data provided to the department in
accordance with section 19a-2a of the general statutes. The office shall
compile the information contained in the report, publish a statistical
abstract and annually submit such abstract to each local fire marshal and
the General Assembly in accordance with the provisions of section 11-
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4a of the general statutes.
   Sec. 4. Subsection (b) of section 9-168d of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
1, 2026):
   (b) The registrars of voters in each town, or the legislative body of the
town, shall select as polling places only those sites which meet the
standards of accessibility required under the State Building Code [, as
revised pursuant to section 29-269, if applicable,] or this section. The
registrars of voters in each town shall file with the Secretary of the State
either: (1) A certification, as prescribed by the Secretary of the State, that
states that each polling place selected complies with the provisions set
forth in this subsection, or (2) an application for waiver, as described in
subsection (c) of this section.
   Sec. 5. Subsection (i) of section 14-253a of the 2026 supplement to the
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
   (i) Any public parking garage or terminal, as defined in the State
Building Code, constructed under a building permit application filed on
or after October 1, 1985, and prior to October 1, 2004, shall have nine feet
six inches' vertical clearance at a primary entrance and along the route
to at least two parking spaces which conform with the requirements of
subsection (h) of this section and which have nine feet six inches' vertical
clearance unless an exemption has been granted pursuant to the
provisions of subsection (b) of section [29-269] 29-254. Each public
parking garage or terminal, as defined in the State Building Code,
constructed under a building permit application filed on or after
October 1, 2004, shall have eight feet two inches' vertical clearance at a
primary entrance and along the route to at least two parking spaces for
passenger vans which conform with the requirements of subsection (h)
of this section and which have eight feet two inches' vertical clearance
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  Substitute Senate Bill No. 277
unless an exemption has been granted pursuant to the provisions of
subsection (b) of section [29-269] 29-254.
   Sec. 6. Subparagraph (C) of subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of section
46a-64c of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and
the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
   (C) For purposes of this subdivision, discrimination includes: (i) A
refusal to permit, at the expense of a person with a physical or mental
disability, reasonable modifications of existing premises occupied or to
be occupied by such person if such modifications may be necessary to
afford such person full enjoyment of the premises; except that, in the
case of a rental, the landlord may, where it is reasonable to do so,
condition permission for a modification on the renter agreeing to restore
the interior of the premises to the condition that existed before the
modification, reasonable wear and tear excepted; (ii) a refusal to make
reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services,
when such accommodations may be necessary to afford such person
equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling; (iii) in connection with
the design and construction of covered multifamily dwellings for the
first occupancy after March 13, 1991, a failure to design and construct
those dwellings in such manner that they comply with the requirements
of Section 804(f) of the Fair Housing Act or the provisions of the [state
building code as adopted pursuant to the provisions of sections 29-269
and 29-273] State Building Code relating to accessible or adaptable
dwelling units for persons with disabilities, whichever requires greater
accommodation. "Covered multifamily dwellings" means buildings
consisting of four or more units if such buildings have one or more
elevators, and ground floor units in other buildings consisting of four or
more units.
   Sec. 7. Sections 19a-510a, 29-269 and 29-274 of the general statutes are
repealed. (Effective October 1, 2026)
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  Substitute Senate Bill No. 277
Governor's Action:
Approved June 4, 2026
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