Governor Ned Lamont said he plans to work with the state legislature to ban the use of chokeholds by law enforcement in Connecticut, he told NBC Connecticut on Monday.
According to the governor and his chief of staff, the ban on chokeholds would come during a special session of the state legislature.
Governor Lamont said his chief of staff, Paul Mounds, is working the legislature on the next steps.
"Paul's in conversations with the legislature leadership coming up with a program that's a legislative agenda that makes a lot of sense and criminal justice reform and police accountability will be at the top of that list," the governor said.
When asked specifically by NBC Connecticut if he planned to ban chokeholds in the state, the governor responded, "yes."
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The four officers present for Floyd's death are all facing charges.
Prosecutors elevated charges against former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, to second-degree murder, according to criminal complaints filed by the state of Minnesota. Chauvin is seen on video pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as he pleaded for air.
Around the world, police departments are reevaluating the use of chokeholds.
"We'll be setting the timeline once we are in full agreement with the governor, with the legislative leaders on the actual bill, but we are working in earnest with the legislative committee of cognizance as well as legislative leaders so we'll have more details on when the governor will officially call them back into session, but that is the governor's intent," Mounds said.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that he intends to sign the police accountability bills.
