Connecticut lawmakers will be back at the state Capitol next week to tackle a number of issues weeks before an election.
“Look it’s a special session just one or two days, we’re going to have a real session where we can deal with these big issues with public hearings coming up in four months,” Gov. Ned Lamont said.
Lamont said changing how electricity rates are set and how ratepayers are compensated following a prolonged power outage is at the top of the list, but they also plan to tackle how properties contaminated with industrial waste are sold and how absentee ballots are prepared.
“We’re going to have 10 times more people voting absentee than ever before in this state and around the country,” Lamont said.
The governor said there’s a lot of doubt about the confidence in the vote.
“I wanna make sure that that’s not a question people ever have to ask about Connecticut,” he added.
Lawmakers are looking to make sure town clerks can begin processing the absentee ballots before they are counted on Election Day.
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Not everything lawmakers wanted to tackle will be part of the special session agenda.
Senate President Martin Looney said they were looking to expand the definition of domestic violence to include non-physical intimidation and the campus protection bill, but were unable.
“But I think the governor’s view is that we’re only three months away from a regular session so an issue like that could be handled in a regular session,” Looney said.
A number of other items didn’t make it onto the agenda and will have to wait for lawmakers in January.
Republicans don’t believe a special session is necessary.
“I see no reason to go into special session other than to say I am for this, look what I did. Look at me, vote for me, put me back into office,” Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano said.
Fasano said he can’t recall going into special session before an election in his 18 years. He said there’s nothing Lamont can’t do under his executive power until January.
“It gets into that silly season, they want to make speeches, they want to make amendments, it gets out of hand,” he said.
