Connecticut coronavirus update: Gov. Ned Lamont delivers State of State address

Connecticut coronavirus update

BySUSAN HAIGH AP logo

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

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HARTFORD, Connecticut -- Connecticut lawmakers were returning to the state Capitol on Wednesday for a socially distanced opening day, complete with an outdoor swearing-in ceremony in chilly January, a pre-taped address from the governor and anticipated protesters, concerned about everything from vaccination rules for schoolchildren to pandemic restrictions.

Staff members at the legislative complex have been working for months planning for what will be an unusual 2021 session.

"I look at it as historic," said Jim Tamburro, executive director of the Office of Legislative Management. "People will be talking about this session for years and years and years, probably forever, when they look back and say, "What the heck happened in 2020-21? How did they handle that?'"

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Tamburro said he doesn't know when members of the Connecticut General Assembly ever took the oath of office outdoors. Past Connecticut governors, as recent as Republicans M. Jodi Rell and John G. Rowland, have done so, however.

The plan is to have members of the Senate sworn in on one side of the state Capitol building and members of the House of Representatives sworn in on the other side. Most lawmakers have been discouraged from inviting family and friends to the event, which traditionally has been a joyful day full of hugs and handshakes.

Tamburro said barriers have been set up to keep the expected protesters at a safe distance from the legislators.

"We obviously want to offer them the opportunity to protest. But we also want to make sure that the ceremonies go on without any problems and that we're able to get through the day successfully," he said.

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After the swearing in, legislative leaders are expected to give speeches in their respective chambers before a limited number of colleagues. Most legislators will watch the proceedings from their offices, including a pre-recorded 12:30 p.m. address by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont, who is expected to reflect on the pandemic that has taken the lives of at least 6,200 in the state.

Lawmakers will also vote on rules for the session. House members are able to vote from the offices while members of the much smaller Senate are expected to vote in limited groups inside the Senate chamber.

While much of the session is expected to be dominated by the state budget and issues related to the pandemic, lawmakers are still expected to consider a wide range of legislation including increasing access to affordable housing to legalizing adult use of recreational marijuana and sports betting.

Considering the 2020 legislative session ended early because of the pandemic, there are a lot of pent-up issues. Legislators will start getting down to work on Thursday. That's when the first committees are scheduled to hold their organizational meetings - on Zoom and YouTube.

"There's no shortage of ideas and issues." said Senate Majority Leader Robert Duff, D-Norwalk, in a recent interview. "The challenge will be how this all works remotely."

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