HB 5403 Connecticut House · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR SURVIVORS OF UNPAID VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND STATE MARSHALS.

HB 5403 ensures health insurance coverage for survivors of certain public safety workers killed in the line of duty. It requires nonstate public employers to continue health coverage for survivors of unpaid volunteer firefighters, correction officers, or state marshals for one year (renewable annually up to five years) if coverage existed before death. If no coverage existed, employers must help survivors enroll in a partnership plan under the Comptroller’s program for up to five years. The bill specifically defines "unpaid volunteer firefighter" and expands eligibility under existing health insurance provisions for these workers’ survivors.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 26, 2026 Last action Mar 31, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Raised Bill → PS Joint Favorable Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill removes coverage for survivors of deceased correction officers and clarifies the definition of unpaid volunteer firefighters. It also expands the program to cover survivors of first responders who were not employees of the public employer at the time of their death.

Scope change

The bill's scope is narrowed by removing correction officers from the list of covered personnel and broadened by including non-employee first responders.

SCOPE

Coverage for survivors of deceased correction officers was removed from the act's title and the list of eligible beneficiaries.

ELIGIBILITY

The bill now requires employers to apply for survivor coverage for first responders who were not employees of that employer at the time of death, provided they performed services in that capacity.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'unpaid volunteer firefighter' was updated to explicitly state they perform firefighting duties but are unpaid for those specific duties.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 17, 2026

Lower · Passed

Joint Favorable Substitute

lower

Feb 26, 2026

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Public Safety and Security

lower

14 primary · 0 co-sponsors