TCI Off the Tables
After lawmakers and advocates pushed for prioritizing the Transportation Climate Initiative as a legislative priority in the coming session, Gov. Ned Lamont ultimately decided that he would not be pursuing the regional climate plan next January. Lamont argued that there is no longer as grave a need to raise revenue through TCI, which would have placed fees on fuel wholesalers to incentivize lower greenhouse gas emissions, due to the large influx of federal dollars from the American Rescue plan and Build Back Better infrastructure plan. He also pointed to surging gas prices as a reason for backing out of TCI, saying that now is not the time to pass the legislation, but admitted the plan could be revisited in 2023.
Connecticut Redistricting
Lawmakers on Connecticut’s redistricting panel approved a map of new state Senate and House voting districts earlier this month, that leaves the vast majority of districts in the state virtually unchanged. Both the votes for the House and Senate maps were unanimous and must be completed every 10 years to reflect population changes recorded by theU.S. Census survey. The biggest changes to both House and Senate maps come in Fairfield county, which saw a large population increase according to the census. To compensate, a new House district was created in Wilton, and the 42nddistrict in Eastern CT currently held by Rep.
Mike France (who is running for Congress and not seeking re-election to the State house) will be absorbed by surrounding districts. The Senate maps were left largely the same. Both appeared to be drawn to protect current incumbents. The redistricting panel will now begin work on remapping Connecticut’s congressional districts.
Rep. Whitt Betts Not Seeking Re-Election
Serving more than a decade in office, Republican Representative Whit Betts announced he would not seek re-election next year. Betts was first elected to the House in 2010 and has won six terms representing Bristol and Plymouth by comfortable margins. He will serve out the rest of his current term, which runs through the end of next year. Representative Betts is a strong supporter in term limits, which contributed to his decision and stated that “By stepping aside now, new candidates will come forward to run for this position.”
Will the Connecticut Capitol Complex Open?
With just over two months until the first day of session, it is still unclear whether the Connecticut Capitol complex will be fully open, limited, or completely closed to the public for the upcoming legislative session. With the uptick in Covid cases and the incoming Omicron variant, no decision has yet been made about whether to continue to limit visitors to the first floor or to open the “people’s building” back up to Connecticut residents. A decision also has not yet been made whether committee votes and/or public hearings will be conducted in person, over an online platform, or some hybrid model. Connecticut remains one of the last states in the country to reopen the legislative process.
COVID-19 Update
This week, Connecticut's COVID-19 test positive rate has climbed to nearly 6%, which is the highest it's been in nearly a year. This data comes following Governor Lamont’s announcement that the administration would monitor the Omicron variant closely given its rapid spread. While he says there is no immediate threat in the United States, he urges Connecticut residents to stay vigilant and get their vaccines and booster shots. For more information and resources on Covid-19 in the state, visit the Connecticut Covid-19 Response website here.
Harry for Mayor
In more important news, Harry, an 8-month-old Guinea hog piglet, couldn’t help but wag his tail as zoo officials declared him the new mayor of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo earlier this month. The election was neck and neck between Harry the Hog and Clara the Bison, but at the tail end, Harry pulled ahead by a whisker receiving 30% of the Votes. He will serve a 12-month term, zoo officials said. “The Farmyard resident thanked his supporters and promised to be a mayor for all the animals,” zoo officials said.