Creates special event permits
HARTFORD - State
Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, joined Gov. Dannel P.
Malloy in his Capitol office last Friday for the ceremonial signing of
Public Act 13-93, “An Act Authorizing Firefighters
to Conduct Charitable Fundraising Boot Drives on State Highways.”
The
law will allow special event permits for “boot drives” held by
firefighters statewide.
Charitable
“fill-the-boot” events have been held regularly for years by fire
departments to raise much-needed, supplemental funds. Recently, local
law enforcement agencies and the state Department of Transportation
raised safety concerns about the events.
In Derby, firefighters were
ordered to end a fundraiser because it took place on a state road.
“When requested, these
permits will allow firefighters to lawfully hold their fundraisers in
locations where traffic controls are already in place and the speed
limit is reasonably low,” Crisco said. “This
law is a commonsense solution that allows our firefighters to continue
to raise essential funds to purchase equipment or provide monetary
assistance to fire victims, while adhering to safety protocol so as to
ensure that no firefighter or passerby is put in
harm’s way.”
The new law limits the
allowable locations for these boot drives to intersections where there
is a stop sign or traffic light, and where the speed limit is 30 miles
per hour or less.
Firefighters from Derby
joined Crisco at the bill signing, and were thrilled that these
special event permits will allow them to continue their fundraising
efforts.
The Derby Fire
Department had conducted Boot Drives for nearly three decades along Route 34 without incident.
It was only in 2010 that they were
notified by the state Department of Transportation of a prohibition
on boot drives along state highways.
The special event permits created
under this new law will remedy this problem by exempting certain
fundraisers such as these from the prohibition.
This is a press release from Crisco's office.
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