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Connecticut Legislators Expected To Extend Lamont COVID Powers Again

The Connecticut State Capitol Building in Hartford
MaxVT
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Flickr
The Connecticut State Capitol Building in Hartford

Connecticut lawmakers are set to vote to continue Democratic Governor Ned Lamont’s COVID-19 emergency powers during a special session in Hartford on Monday.

Lamont has asked that his emergency powers be extended until February 15, including about 10 executive orders. He said that would allow the state to be able to continue a federal rental assistance program to prevent evictions.

“This is a public health issue. I do not want people on the street. And I do not want a lot of people in congregate settings. We have money to help make the tenant good and more importantly the landlord good, so they can stay together, and people stay in their homes,” Lamont said.

Other orders include one that guarantees free public access to COVID-19 vaccinations and others that preserve Lamont's vaccine mandates.

“Nurses and frontline health workers, you must get vaccinated, no exceptions,” Lamont said.

The Republican minority have argued against extending Lamont’s emergency powers. They said the pandemic is no longer a public health emergency.

Copyright 2021 WSHU. To see more, visit WSHU.

As WSHU Public Radio’s award-winning senior political reporter, Ebong Udoma draws on his extensive tenure to delve deep into state politics during a major election year. In addition to providing long-form reports and features for WSHU, he regularly contributes spot news to NPR, and has worked at the NPR National News Desk as part of NPR’s diversity initiative.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.