Lamont Wants Lawmakers Back To Address Police, Voting Concerns

CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont announced he will call the legislature back for a special session in order to figure out the absentee ballot situation for the November general election as well to immediately take action on police accountability and transparency.

The Secretary of the State office would need to take several steps in the near future to ensure expanded absentee ballots can be distributed securely, Lamont said. Connecticut has strict laws about who can vote absentee and currently a pandemic isn’t one of the valid reasons.

“Because my emergency powers are currently set to expire on September 9, I am unable to resolve the absentee balloting issue for the November general election through an Executive Order at this time,” Lamont said in a letter to legislative leadership.

Lamont said he would like the both issues addressed quickly and hopefully in a bipartisan manner.

Lamont will call a special session once there is a consensus on a package and enough support in both chambers for its passage. He said he won't call one if that doesn't happen.

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Here is the full letter:

Dear Legislative Leaders:

I write to inform you that I intend to call the legislature into special session very soon to resolve the issue of absentee ballots in the November general election and take immediate action on police accountability and transparency in the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month.

On the issue of absentee ballots for the November general election, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill needs to undertake a number of measures in short order to ensure expanded absentee balloting can be done in a secure and orderly manner in November. She cannot do so responsibly without legislation that closely mirrors the recent Executive Order I issued for the August primary.

Because my emergency powers are currently set to expire on September 9, I am unable to resolve the absentee balloting issue for the November general election through an Executive Order at this time.

In addition, the recent events in Minneapolis and the public outcry over similar events throughout the country require us to seize this moment and work together now to enact measures that will ensure our communities of color feel safe and have confidence that law enforcement and our criminal justice system as a whole treat all of our citizens fairly and equally.

Both of these issues must be addressed together quickly, and preferably, in a bipartisan manner in a special session. To that end, I have directed my Chief of Staff to contact each of you immediately to commence discussions that will result in proposed legislation that I am hopeful all of us can support. Once we have agreed upon a package that has sufficient support in both chambers, I will issue a call for a special session that is tailored to specifically address that legislation. I will not issue a call for a special session until or unless that happens, however.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for us to act quickly and with focus on the issues I have identified.

Let’s work together now on the urgent issues the public expects us to address.

Thank you,
Ned Lamont
Governor