Connecticut 2026 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 4 D · 1 R cosponsors

HB 5405 — AN ACT CONCERNING OWNERS, OPERATORS AND LESSEES OF CRANES AND HOISTING EQUIPMENT.

Last action — TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced February 26, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 40% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 5 sponsors

    5 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 D · 1 R) — cross-party backing.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

19 added · 200 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Bill HB 5405 includes an updated header and a new designation as a "Substitute Bill," indicating that it has undergone revisions. The previous references to the House of Representatives and specific committee details have been removed, streamlining the document to focus more on the bill's core elements. These changes matter because they simplify the bill's presentation, making it easier for lawmakers and the public to understand its purpose and implications.

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Latest
House of Representatives General Assembly File No.
General Assembly Substitute Bill No.
268 February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No.
5405 February Session, 2026 AN ACT CONCERNING OWNERS, OPERATORS AND LESSEES OF CRANES AND HOISTING EQUIPMENT.
5405 House of Representatives, March 31, 2026 The Committee on Public Safety and Security reported through REP.
BOYD of the 50th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT CONCERNING OWNERS, OPERATORS AND LESSEES OF CRANES AND HOISTING EQUIPMENT.
(A) Articulating cranes such as knuckle-boom cranes, (B) crawler cranes, (C) floating cranes, (D) cranes on barges, (E) locomotive cranes, (F) mobile cranes such as wheel-mounted, rough terrain, all-terrain, commercial truck- mounted and boom truck cranes, (G) multipurpose machines when configured to hoist and lower, by means of a winch or hook, and sHB5405 / File No.
(A) Articulating cranes such as knuckle-boom cranes, (B) crawler cranes, (C) floating cranes, (D) cranes on barges, (E) locomotive cranes, (F) mobile cranes such as wheel-mounted, rough terrain, all-terrain, commercial truck- mounted and boom truck cranes, (G) multipurpose machines when configured to hoist and lower, by means of a winch or hook, and horizontally move a suspended load, (H) industrial cranes such as carry-deck cranes, (I) dedicated pile drivers when used in construction, demolition or excavation work, (J) service or mechanic trucks with a hoisting device, (K) cranes on monorails, (L) tower cranes such as fixed jib hammerhead boom, luffing boom and self-erecting, (M) pedestal LCO 1 of 8 Substitute Bill No.
268 1 sHB5405 File No.
5405 cranes, (N) portal cranes, (O) overhead and gantry cranes, (P) straddle cranes, (Q) side boom cranes, (R) derricks, and (S) variations of such equipment;
268 horizontally move a suspended load, (H) industrial cranes such as carry-deck cranes, (I) dedicated pile drivers when used in construction, demolition or excavation work, (J) service or mechanic trucks with a hoisting device, (K) cranes on monorails, (L) tower cranes such as fixed jib hammerhead boom, luffing boom and self-erecting, (M) pedestal cranes, (N) portal cranes, (O) overhead and gantry cranes, (P) straddle cranes, (Q) side boom cranes, (R) derricks, and (S) variations of such equipment;
sHB5405 / File No.
Members shall not be compensated for their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses in the performance of their duties.
268 2 sHB5405 File No.
268 Members shall not be compensated for their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses in the performance of their duties.
Any member absent from (1) three consecutive meetings of the board, or (2) fiftypercentofsuchmeetingsduringanycalendaryearshallbedeemed to have resigned from the board.
Any member absent from (1) three consecutive meetings of the board, or (2) LCO 2 of 8 Substitute Bill No.
5405 fiftypercentofsuchmeetingsduringanycalendaryearshallbedeemed to have resigned from the board.
(1) Engineers under the jurisdiction of the United States, (2) engineers or operators employed by public utilities or industrial manufacturing plants, (3) any person operating either a bucket truck or a digger derrick sHB5405 / File No.
(1) Engineers under the jurisdiction of the United States, (2) engineers or operators employed by public utilities or industrial manufacturing plants, (3) any person operating either a bucket truck or a digger derrick designed and used for an electrical generation, electrical transmission, electrical distribution, electrical catenary or electrical signalization project,ifsuchperson:(A)Holdsavalidlimitedelectricallinecontractor or journeyman's license issued pursuant to chapter 393 or any LCO 3 of 8 Substitute Bill No.
268 3 sHB5405 File No.
5405 regulation adopted pursuant to said chapter, or (B) has engaged in the installation of electrical line work for more than one thousand hours, or (C) has enrolled in or has graduated from a federally recognized electrical apprenticeship program, (4) persons engaged in (A) the recreational boating or fishing industry, except when engaged in construction-related work, or [in] (B) agriculture, [or arboriculture,] (5) persons engaged in activities, or using equipment, excluded under section 29-221a, or (6) persons operating equipment, except a tower crane,thatcanhoist,lowerandhorizontallymoveasuspendedloadand has a manufacturer's maximum rated hoisting or lifting capacity exceeding two thousand pounds but not exceeding ten thousand pounds who, pursuant to federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standard 1926.1427, are (A) certified by an accredited crane operator testing organization, (B) qualified by an audited employer program, (C) qualified by the United States military, or (D) licensed pursuant to this chapter.
268 designed and used for an electrical generation, electrical transmission, electrical distribution, electrical catenary or electrical signalization project,ifsuchperson:(A)Holdsavalidlimitedelectricallinecontractor or journeyman's license issued pursuant to chapter 393 or any regulation adopted pursuant to said chapter, or (B) has engaged in the installation of electrical line work for more than one thousand hours, or (C) has enrolled in or has graduated from a federally recognized electrical apprenticeship program, (4) persons engaged in (A) the recreational boating or fishing industry, except when engaged in construction-related work, or [in] (B) agriculture, [or arboriculture,] (5) persons engaged in activities, or using equipment, excluded under section 29-221a, or (6) persons operating equipment, except a tower crane,thatcanhoist,lowerandhorizontallymoveasuspendedloadand has a manufacturer's maximum rated hoisting or lifting capacity exceeding two thousand pounds but not exceeding ten thousand pounds who, pursuant to federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standard 1926.1427, are (A) certified by an accredited crane operator testing organization, (B) qualified by an audited employer program, (C) qualified by the United States military, or (D) licensed pursuant to this chapter.
The commissioner or any employee of the Department of Administrative Services, while engaged in the performance of [his or her] the commissioner's or employee's duties, may (1) enter at all reasonable hours into and upon any premises in or on which the commissioner or employee has reason to believe a crane or hoisting equipment is located for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter and the regulations adopted thereunder, (2) require a crane operator or hoisting equipment operator to produce for verification such operator's license issued under this chapter, (3) require a crane owner to produce for verification such owner's certificate of registration issued under this chapter, and (4) require a crane operator, hoisting equipment operator, crane owner, hoisting equipment owner or lessee sHB5405 / File No.
The commissioner or any employee of the Department of Administrative Services, while engaged in the performance of [his or her] the commissioner's or employee's duties, may (1) enter at all reasonable hours into and upon any premises in or on which the commissioner or employee has reason to believe a crane or hoisting equipment is located for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter and the regulations adopted thereunder, (2) require a crane operator or hoisting equipment operator to produce for verification such operator's license issued under this chapter, (3) require a crane owner to produce for verification such owner's certificate of registration issued under this chapter, and (4) require a crane operator, hoisting equipment operator, crane owner, hoisting equipment owner or lessee to produce any document establishing an agreement between such operator, owner or lessee and a person, firm, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association or other legal entity to perform crane or hoisting work on the premises.
268 4 sHB5405 File No.
LCO 4 of 8 Substitute Bill No.
268 to produce any document establishing an agreement between such operator, owner or lessee and a person, firm, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association or other legal entity to perform crane or hoisting work on the premises.
5405 Sec.
Sec.
sHB5405 / File No.
(c) Any crane owner, crane operator, hoisting equipment owner, hoisting equipment operator,lessee or personwho hasbeenservedwith a stop work order pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may request an administrative hearing to contest such stop work order.
268 5 sHB5405 File No.
Such request LCO 5 of 8 Substitute Bill No.
268 (c) Any crane owner, crane operator, hoisting equipment owner, hoisting equipment operator,lessee or personwho hasbeenservedwith a stop work order pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may request an administrative hearing to contest such stop work order.
5405 shall be made in writing to the commissioner not more than ten days after such owner, operator, lessee or person was served with such stop work order.
Such request shall be made in writing to the commissioner not more than ten days after such owner, operator, lessee or person was served with such stop work order.
(c) (1) The board may impose a civil penalty of not more than [three] five thousand dollars per violation per day on any crane or hoisting equipment owner or operator, [who violates] lessee or person that sHB5405 / File No.
(c) (1) The board may impose a civil penalty of not more than [three] five thousand dollars per violation per day on any crane or hoisting equipment owner or operator, [who violates] lessee or person that contracted with an owner, operator or lessee to perform crane or hoisting work, after notice and hearing in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, upon a finding that the owner, operator or lessee has violated any provision of this chapter or any regulations LCO 6 of 8 Substitute Bill No.
268 6 sHB5405 File No.
5405 adopted thereunder.
268 contracted with an owner, operator or lessee to perform crane or hoisting work, after notice and hearing in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, upon a finding that the owner, operator or lessee has violated any provision of this chapter or any regulations adopted thereunder.
sHB5405 / File No.
(f) The Commissioner of Administrative Services may apply for the enforcement of any civil penalty imposed pursuant to this section against any person who is not licensed as a crane or hoisting equipment LCO 7 of 8 Substitute Bill No.
268 7 sHB5405 File No.
5405 operator or who has not obtained a registration of any crane under subsection (a) of section 29-224 to the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford, or to any judge thereof if the same is not in session, for an order (1) directing payment in full of any unpaid balance of such civil penalty, or (2) temporarily and permanently restraining and enjoining such person from performing or allowing the performance of the work of a crane or hoisting equipment operator.
268 (f) The Commissioner of Administrative Services may apply for the enforcement of any civil penalty imposed pursuant to this section against any person who is not licensed as a crane or hoisting equipment operator or who has not obtained a registration of any crane under subsection (a) of section 29-224 to the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford, or to any judge thereof if the same is not in session, for an order (1) directing payment in full of any unpaid balance of such civil penalty, or (2) temporarily and permanently restraining and enjoining such person from performing or allowing the performance of the work of a crane or hoisting equipment operator.
October 1, 2026 Section 1 29-221 Sec.
Section 1 October 1, 2026 29-221 Sec.
sHB5405 / File No.
JUD Joint Favorable LCO 8 of 8
268 8 sHB5405 File No.
268 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:
None Municipal Impact:
None Explanation The bill, which makes several changes to the state’s laws and regulatory process concerning cranes and hoisting equipment, results in no cost to the state.
The Out Years State Impact:
Show all 111 changed rows (71 more)
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None Municipal Impact:
None sHB5405 / File No.
268 9 sHB5405 File No.
268 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 5405 AN ACT CONCERNING OWNERS, OPERATORS AND LESSEES OF CRANES AND HOISTING EQUIPMENT.
SUMMARY This bill makes several changes to the state’s laws on cranes and hoisting equipment, including how they are regulated by the Department ofAdministrative Services (DAS) andthe Examining Board for Crane Operators.
Generally, it:
1.
expands the size of the board by two members, from five to seven;
2.
eliminates licensure and registration exemptions for people engaged in arboriculture (i.e.
cultivating trees and shrubs);
and 3.
changes the department’s and board’s investigative and enforcement authority, such as by allowing stop work orders to be issued, increasing the maximum civil penalty for violations, and expanding who the penalty can be applied against to include equipment owners’ lessees and contractors.
The bill also makes conforming and technical changes, including specifying that notices and hearings must be done according to the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act (UAPA).
EFFECTIVE DATE:
October 1, 2026 EXAMINING BOARD FOR CRANE OPERATORS MEMBERSHIP EXPANSION (§ 2) Under current law, the Examining Board for Crane Operators in DAS has five members, of which one must be a DAS employee, one must be a crane operator with at least 10 years of experience, one must represent sHB5405 / File No.
268 10 sHB5405 File No.
268 crane owners’ interests, and two must be public members.
The bill expands the board’s size by two members by adding a second crane operator who has the requisite experience and a second crane owners’ representative.
By law and under the bill, all board members are appointed by the governor and must be Connecticut residents.
LICENSURE AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ARBORICULTURISTS (§§ 3 & 4) Current law exempts several classes of people from the state’s crane and hoisting equipment licensure and registration requirements.
The bill eliminates these exemptions for people engaged in arboriculture.
Consequently, they will need to obtain the respective licenses or certificates of registration issued by the Examining Board for Crane Operators in order to (1) operate or permit the operation of a crane they own or (2) engage in, practice, or offer to perform the work of a hoisting equipment operator, hoisting equipment operator apprentice, crane operator, or crane operator apprentice (CGS §§ 29-223a(a) & 29-224(a)).
CHANGES TO INVESTIGATING AND ENFORCING THE STATE’S CRANE AND HOISTING EQUIPMENT LAWS (§§ 1 & 5-7) The bill makes several changes to the investigative and enforcement authority of DAS and the Examining Board for Crane Operators, including to explicitly encompass lessees.
Under the bill, a “lessee” is any individual or other legal entity that rents or leases a crane or hoisting equipment (§ 1).
Right of Entry for Investigation and Inspection (§ 5) Current law allows the DAS commissioner and its employees, while performing their duties and at all reasonable hours, to enter any premises where a crane or hoisting equipment is located to enforce the laws applicable to them.
The bill limits this right of entry to premises where they have reason to believe a crane or hoisting equipment is located.
It also specifies that they may require:
1.
crane and hoisting equipment operators to produce their licenses for verification;
sHB5405 / File No.
268 11 sHB5405 File No.
268 2.
crane owners to produce their crane’s certificate of registration for verification;
and 3.
crane and hoisting equipment operators, owners, and lessees to produceanydocument establishinganagreementtheyhavewith an individual or other legal entity to perform crane or hoisting work on the premises.
(Existing law already requires (1) crane and hoisting equipment operators to carry their licenses when operating their respective equipment and (2) cranes’ certificates of registration to be affixed to them in their principal operating location (CGS §§ 29-223a(a) & 29- 224(a);
Conn.
Agencies Regs., § 29-223-5a(d)).) Stop Work Orders (§§ 6 & 7) The bill allows the DAS commissioner and its employees to issue a stop work order against a crane or hoisting equipment owner, operator, or lessee, or their contractors performing crane or hoisting work, if either determines the owner, operator, lessee, or contractor has committed one or more of the following violations:
(1) demonstrating incompetence or negligence;(2)permitting the operationoftheowner’s, operator’s,or lessee’scraneinan unsafemanner;
or (3)failing to comply with the state’s crane and hoisting equipment licensure and registration requirements.
Under the bill, a stop work order:
1.
must require that the owner’s, operator’s, or lessee’s crane, hoisting equipment, or related lifting operations stop at the place or premises where the violation was determined to have occurred;
2.
must not require unrelated construction activities at the place or premises to stop unless they present an immediate danger to an individual or property;
3.
is effective when served upon the owner, operator, or lessee and sHB5405 / File No.
268 12 sHB5405 File No.
268 contractor by posting notice of the stop work order in a conspicuous location at the place or premises;
and 4.
remains in effect until the commissioner determines that the owner, operator, lessee, or contractor has resolved the violation and issues an order releasing the stop work order.
The bill allows anyone served with a stop work order to request an administrative hearing to contest it.
The request must be made in writing to the commissioner within 10 days after being served, and the hearing must be conducted according to the UAPA.
Additionally, the bill requires the commissioner to (1) adopt regulations to carry out the bill’s stop work order provisions and (2) notifytheExaminingBoardforCraneOperators ofeachstopworkorder issuedandany violationof anissuedorder.Iftheboard,after noticeand hearing, finds that a crane or hoisting equipment owner or operator, lessee, or contractor violated a stop work order, the bill requires it to impose a fine of $5,000 per day for each day the order was violated.
Suspensions, Revocations, and Penalties (§ 7) Thebillmodifiesoneofthecircumstanceswhenthe ExaminingBoard for Crane Operators may suspend or revoke a crane or hoisting equipment operator’s license or an apprentice’s certificate.
Current law allows the board to do so after notice and hearing and a finding that the holder has been guilty of negligence in performing his or her work.
The bill instead only requires a finding that the holder has demonstrated negligence in his or her work performance.
Additionally, the bill increases the existing maximum civil penalty against crane and hoisting equipment owners and operators for violating the state’s crane and hoisting equipment laws from a fine of up to $3,000 per violation to a fine of up to $5,000 per violation per day.
It also expands who this penalty may be applied against to include lessees and contractors.
The bill specifies that penalties may only be imposed after notice andhearing andafinding that theowner,operator, or lessee violated the crane and hoisting equipment laws.
sHB5405 / File No.
268 13 sHB5405 File No.
268 The bill also allows the board to impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation per day on any crane or hoisting equipment owner, operator, or lessee after notice and hearing and upon a finding that the owner, operator, or lessee has operated, or allowed the operation of, his or her crane or hoisting equipment without a valid license or certificate of registration.
At any time after issuing a notice alleging a violation, the bill allows the board to accept an agreement instead of holding a hearing.
It makes agreement negotiations confidential and exempt from disclosure under the state’s Freedom of Information Act but makes the agreement itself a public record under the act.
Lastly, the bill allows the DAS commissioner to apply to Hartford Superior Court for the enforcement of any civil penalty imposed against any person who is not licensed as a crane or hoisting equipment operator or who has not obtainedaregistrationofany crane for anorder (1) directing payment in full of any unpaid balance of the civil penalty, or(2)temporarilyandpermanentlyrestrainingandenjoining theperson from performing or allowing the performance of the work of a crane or hoisting equipment operator.
The application for an order, and for any other appropriate decree or process, must be brought, and the proceedings conducted, by the attorney general.
BACKGROUND Related Bill sHB 5003, §§ 26-32, favorably reported by the Labor and Public Employees Committee, has identical provisions.
COMMITTEE ACTION Public Safety and Security Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 29 Nay 0 (03/17/2026) sHB5405 / File No.
268 14
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Action History

  1. TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR

  2. NO NEW FILE BY COMM. ON Judiciary

  3. RPTD. OUT OF LCO

  4. FILED WITH LCO

  5. Joint Favorable

  6. REF. BY HOUSE TO COMMITTEE ON Judiciary

  7. FILE NO. 268

  8. HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER 224

  9. FAV. RPT., TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR

  10. RPTD. OUT OF LCO

  11. REFERRED TO Office of Legislative Research AND Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/30/26

  12. FILED WITH LCO

  13. Joint Favorable Substitute

  14. PUBLIC HEARING 0305

  15. REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Public Safety and Security

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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5 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 182 not signed on

Sponsors (5)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (182)

182 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety labor
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 5405?
HB 5405 is sponsored by William Heffernan (Democratic), Nicholas Menapace (Democratic), Kenneth Gucker (Democratic), Kara Rochelle (Democratic), and Greg S. Howard (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 5405?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced February 26, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 5405?
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