Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday that he wants to extend Connecticut’s mask mandate for public schools beyond the end of this month when his pandemic-related emergency powers are set to expire.
Lamont, a Democrat, said another 90-day extension of his powers is warranted. State lawmakers have extended his emergency declarations in the past, although Republicans and some Democrats have argued it’s time to get back to normal.
“I just think it should continue a little bit longer,” Lamont told reporters following an event in Hartford, referring to the mask mandate. “We’ve got not just delta, but mu. We’ve got flu season. The flu is coming up from the southern states. I think we’ll know a lot more in six weeks.”
Lamont’s general counsel has a list of 10 executive orders, including the mask mandate, that he believes should continue beyond the end of this month, the governor said. Officials from his administration were planning to meet Tuesday with legislative leaders about extending them.
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“What I want is legislative input on the executive orders. I’d like to know where they stand. I’d like to have their fingerprints on some of the decisions,” he said.
Lamont said he believes a requirement for masks in public schools should remain in effect for “a little bit longer.”
