Gov. Ned Lamont was inaugurated Wednesday for a second term and will deliver his State of the State Address, then attend a news conference with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and end the day with an Inaugural ball.
What to Know About Gov. Lamont's Inauguration, State of the State and the Ball
- Noon: The inauguration ceremony for Lamont is at the William A. O’Neill State Armory, at 360 Broad St. in Hartford. It is open to the public.
- 1 p.m.: Lamont will deliver the 2023 State of the State address in the House Chamber. Note, this will happen around 1 p.m.
- 6:30 p.m.: Inaugural ball at The Bushnell.
CT Gubernatorial Inauguration
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
Doors opened at 11 a.m. and the ceremony began around noon. Tickets were not needed. Seating is first come, first served.
A student group from the Ana Grace Academy of the Arts Elementary School in Bloomfield performed and "The Voice" winner Javier Colon performed “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Chaplin Lt. Col. Eric Wismar delivered the invocation.
Local
Attorney General William Tong was the first to take the oath of office.
He was followed by Secretary of the State-elect Stephanie Thomas, Treasurer-elect Erick Russell and Comptroller-elect Sean Scanlon.
After taking the oath, Lamont delivered remarks about his vision for Connecticut.
Former Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona were among the dignitaries at Lamont's inauguration, which also marked the opening day of the new legislative session.
After the ceremony, there was a 19-gun salute and a military helicopter flyover from the Connecticut National Guard.
Connecticut State of the State Address
Lamont, turned 69 on Tuesday and he was serenaded with "Happy Birthday" from people in the chamber before delivering the State of the State during a joint session of the General Assembly in the House Chamber of the State Capitol.
Read the governor's state of the state address here.
"The next four years should focus more on recovery, less on rescue, less need for lifelines, and more focus on ladders. Keep our economy growing, making sure that growth means a ladder to opportunity for everyone regardless of background or zip code," Lamont's speech, as prepared, said.
Lamont addressed costs affecting Connecticut families, including health insurance, utility costs and housing.
"Come on insurance companies, don’t just pass along those hospital and pharma costs. Let’s reward patients and companies who seek treatment where they get the best quality and the best value," Lamont said.
"Come on electric utilities, don’t tell me you are just passing along those high natural gas prices to the ratepayer and at the same time ask the taxpayers to subsidize it more. Let’s together get control over our energy supply chain so (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and the Saudis can no longer control our destiny and our wallets," the governor added.
"We have made a start by expanding our wind power, extending our nuclear power, pushing hard to get access to Canadian hydro power, and making our homes more energy efficient – that’s less costs and carbon free," Lamont said.
"But the biggest slam to our affordability and economic growth is housing, or the lack thereof. Every business thinking about moving or expanding repeats over and over, 'Even if you had the workforce, there is no place for them to live.' The answer cannot simply be more subsidies. Connecticut towns and cities, you tell us where developers can build more housing so more housing can be built faster, at less cost, and local control will determine how and where it is built," Lamont added.
The governor faces a larger majority of fellow Democrats in the General Assembly and a rosier state budget picture compared to when he first took office in 2019, given the state's record cash reserves and a projected $1 billion operating surplus.
But the Democrat, who easily won reelection in November after guiding Connecticut through the COVID-19 pandemic, also faces pressure from both Democrats and Republicans to address the state's continuing affordability issues, including high housing costs, taxes and the continuing impacts of inflation.
Lamont has said he wants to consider ways to build upon past efforts to make the state more affordable, pledging in November "to make more policy changes like these'' after signing legislation to extend the state's 25-cent-per-gallon gas tax holiday and other provisions.
While the state Capitol building was fully open for the first time since the pandemic, with lawmakers' family members filling the House and Senate chambers, Lamont's inaugural celebrations were more muted. Space in the armory was limited and attendees were greeted by a large sign urging them to stop the spread of COVID-19. Lamont's office has urged people who have any symptoms to avoid attending the day's events.
Health and Safety Guidance
- To help minimize the chances of spreading COVID-19, the flu, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses, health and safety guidance for those attending the inauguration ceremony and the inaugural ball are that people who are not feeling well and are showing any symptoms of COVID-19, the flu, RSV, or other respiratory illnesses stay home.
- Symptoms can include fever, coughing, fatigue, shortness of breath, sore throat, or a runny nose.
- If you have had close contact with someone who had COVID-19 recently, take a COVID-19 self-test before leaving home. Stay home if you test positive, even if you have no symptoms.
- If you have a COVID-19 home test kit readily available, consider testing even if you feel well.
- During the events, masks will be available. Guests are asked to refrain from sharing drinking glasses and utensils.
- People attending are asked to wash your hands often, using soap and water, and scrubbing for at least 20 seconds, washing your hands after eating, coughing, sneezing, touching your face, and using the bathroom.
The 2023 Inaugural Ball In Hartford
Lamont will not be feted with a parade, as in previous inaugurations, but will be the star at the planned inaugural ball, to be held across the street from the state Capitol at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center.
- The Inaugural ball will be held at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts at 166 Capitol Ave. in Hartford. It will be open to the public, however, you will need tickets to attend. They are available at bushnell.org.
- The ball starts at 6:30 p.m. and will last until midnight.
- The Bacon Brothers band and DJ April Larkin will perform.
As he ended his State of the State address, Lamont joked about the reaction to his dancing after his first inauguration.
"So, if you make it over to the inaugural bash this evening, party like a liberated governor. Let your hair down. Let’s see a little 'Footloose' on the dancefloor, maybe with somebody you don’t know but you often see around the Capitol," Lamont said. "Four years ago, after the inaugural, there were about 10,000 Tweets to remind me never to dance in public ever again. But it’s my party and I’ll dance if I want to, and so should you."
He ended the speech with, "God bless the dancing State of Connecticut."
