The partial federal government shutdown is now in its third week and the state will have to enact a contingency plan if the gridlock is not soon resolved, Gov. Dannel Malloy said on Wednesday.
"If they don't get this right in the next 24 hours, we’re going to have to step in," Malloy said.
The governor said the state will have to help fund some local programs that are most affected by the shutdown.
"We’re going to have to make choices because we don't have unlimited access to capital, but we're not going to allow certain things to happen," Malloy said.
This week, the state provided the Bridgeport region's Head Start program with $800,000 to reopen and Malloy said he's focused on funding what he deems to be life-sustaining services in the state.
"We can't allow our children to go hungry. We can't allow pregnant women to miss their nutritional supplements. We can't have our disabled vets to go without care. This is life and death stuff," Malloy said.
Malloy said his administration is continuing to work on a shutdown contingency plan.
