CT Republicans Want More Debate On Lamont's Emergency Powers

CONNECTICUT — Republican legislative leaders have expressed concern that Gov. Ned Lamont’s emergency powers have gone too far and that certain matters that aren’t directly related to public health should be debated in some fashion in the state legislature.

“Our concern is the broad nature of the executive orders,” said House Republican leader Themis Klarides. “March in Connecticut does not look anywhere the same as September in Connecticut looks.”

The commissioner of the state Department of Public Health could potentially be given wide latitude on public health issues, Klarides said. That would allow other issues including economic mattes to be debated by legislators.

Lamont signed a declaration Tuesday that would extend the public health emergency and his accompanying powers until Feb. 9. Lamont so far has signed around 70 executive orders during the pandemic. Orders came out daily from mid-March until early April as the situation rapidly evolved and have generally slowed down in the past couple of months.

A rally was held Thursday near the state capitol against Lamont’s executive powers.

A committee of 10 legislators is scheduled to meet Friday to debate Lamont’s emergency powers. The meeting was scheduled Thursday, according to the Hartford Courant. Democratic legislators hold a 6 to 4 majority on the committee.

Republicans at a Wednesday news conference said they generally agreed with many of Lamont’s executive decisions since Connecticut was faring better than many other states. However, they said that some orders need more robust input from legislators and by extension their direct constituents.

Some of Lamont’s executive orders have touched on the right to bring forth lawsuits and the eviction moratorium, which has been extended to October.

It was impossible for the legislature to meet in March at the beginning of the pandemic, but the recent special session showed there was a way to debate and vote on matters, said Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford). He also took issue with a public health emergency and Lamont’s accompanying powers going through February, which would be the start of a new state legislative term.

“It’s extraordinary that the governor is essentially seeking to bind a legislature that hasn’t even been elected to provide a voice,” he said.

Lamont said he wasn’t sure if debating every single executive order would be productive and it could send mixed public health messages.

“I think what we are doing right now makes a lot of sense, I think it’s working and I’m trying to really narrow what I do just to public health,” he said during a Thursday news conference.

He also said he is trying to keep state legislators informed and involved as much as possible.
Republicans however said that wasn’t the case. Sometimes legislators are only informed of executive orders 20 minutes before they are announced publicly, Candelora said.

Lamont’s Chief of Staff Paul Mounds said that Lamont has taken decisive action during the pandemic that has helped keep the state safe.

“This virus is still here, it is still prevalent here without these powers Connecticut will not be as safe as it is today it is clear,” he said.

Rep. William Petit (R-New Britain) said the move by Republicans isn’t to criticize Lamont’s handling of the pandemic, but it is about the democratic process. He said Lamont has done many things during the pandemic that he has agreed with and some that he hasn’t. He also said people shouldn’t take this as state Republicans declaring victory against the coronavirus and that they know there is still an active pandemic.