AN ACT PERMITTING VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE TRAFFIC CONTROL AT CERTAIN EVENTS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2018) (a) For the purposes of this section, "active member of a volunteer fire company or department" has the same meaning as provided in subsection (b) of section 7-314b of the general statutes, "state highway" and "limited access highway" shall have the same meanings as provided in section 13-1 of the general statutes and "municipal road" has the same meaning as provided in section 13a-110 of the general statutes.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of section 14-298 of the general statutes, the authorities having the supervision of the volunteer fire company or department of any town, city, borough or district may authorize active members of such company or department to provide traffic control and regulation on a state highway, other than a limited access highway, or on a municipal road during a special event of limited duration sponsored by a municipality, an officially recognized organization or association of veterans of any war in which the United States has been engaged, a church or religious organization, a civic, service or social club or an educational or charitable organization. Any such organization, association or club shall be organized in good faith and actively functioning as a nonprofit organization.

(c) Each active member of a volunteer fire company or department while in the performance of duties pursuant to this section shall (1) wear the badge of office in plain view of any observer, (2) wear a traffic safety vest, orange or lime green raincoat or any reflectorized orange or lime green outer clothing, that meets national, state and local traffic safety standards, (3) carry a flashlight, which shall have a red or orange wand and be capable of projecting a clear light for the purpose of illumination at nighttime, and (4) utilize hand-held or portable traffic control devices appropriate for the time of day, weather and traffic flow.

Statement of Purpose:

To permit volunteer fire departments to provide traffic control on a state highway or municipal road during a special event of limited duration sponsored by a municipality or veteran, religious, civic, educational or charitable organization.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]