September 1, 2020 The Honorable Denise Merrill Secretary of the State State Capitol Hartford, CT 06106 Frederick J. Jortner Clerk of the State House of Representatives State Capitol Hartford, CT 06016 Michael Jefferson Clerk of the State Senate State Capitol Hartford, CT 06016 RE: Declaration of Public Health and Civil Preparedness Emergencies Dear Secretary Merrill and Clerks of the General Assembly: On March 10, 2020, in response to the global pandemic of COVID-19 disease associated with a novel coronavirus that was affecting multiple countries and states and had resulted in the spread of infections in Connecticut and surrounding states, as well as resulting shortages of personal protective equipment and other supplies that could jeopardize public safety and civil preparedness, and in order to provide me and other appropriate officials with all authorities necessary to limit the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus and protect public safety within the State of Connecticut, I declared a public health emergency and civil preparedness emergency throughout the State, pursuant to Sections 19a-131a and 28-9 of the Connecticut General Statutes. Those states of emergency were to remain in effect through September 9th, 2020, unless terminated earlier by me. 210 CAPITOL AVENUE, HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106 TEL (860) 566-4840 • www.governor.ct.gov Governor.Lamont@ct.gov Since I declared those public health and civil preparedness emergencies in March of this year, and due in substantial part to the multiple orders I have issued during that time, Connecticut has made significant progress in containing and reducing the spread of COVID-19 and mitigating the devastating public health and economic effects of that disease. Nevertheless, COVID-19 remains a global pandemic capable of spreading quickly within our state. That risk would be heightened substantially if the existing emergencies expired as scheduled on September 9. As a result, and for the same reasons I declared those emergencies on March 10, pursuant to Sections 19a-131a and 28-9 of the Connecticut General Statutes, I am renewing the existing public health emergency and civil preparedness emergencies throughout the State. The Department of Public Health, along with municipal and district health departments, as well as multiple other state agencies in supporting roles, are responding to these renewed public health and civil preparedness emergencies. These renewed states of emergency shall remain in effect until February 9, 2021, unless earlier terminated by me. In addition, I will be required in the coming months to respond to a number of additional public health and civil preparedness risks that were not concerns or clear justifications for the original emergencies I declared in March of this year and have now renewed. Among many other things, I will be required to manage the reopening and continued operation of schools, colleges and universities as well as the potential health and other risks that may arise out of the coming general election in November. Moreover, since first declaring emergencies in March of this year, we have learned of unanticipated health effects from COVID-19 that are not well understood by the medical community, that no vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19 has been approved or made available for wide distribution, and that our residents, businesses, and government agencies face new and unanticipated economic, fiscal, and operational challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which require the flexibility and responsiveness provided by the emergency powers in Sections 19a-131a and 28-9 of the Connecticut General Statutes in order to protect the public health and promote civil preparedness. As a result, out of an abundance of caution and to eliminate any confusion about the extent of my emergency powers to address the many risks and concerns that will arise in the coming months and did not constitute clear justifications for the original emergencies I declared in March of this year, and pursuant to Sections 19a-131a and 28-9 of the Connecticut General Statutes, I hereby declare that new states of public health and civil preparedness emergency exist throughout the State. The Department of Public Health, along with municipal and district health departments, as well as multiple other state agencies in supporting roles, are responding to these new public health and civil preparedness emergencies. The new states of emergency shall run concurrently with the renewed states of emergency and shall remain in effect until February 9, 2021, unless earlier terminated by me. As I did at the time I declared the original public health and civil preparedness emergencies on March 10, and in accordance with Section 19a-131a (f) of the Connecticut General Statutes, I hereby authorize and direct the Commissioner of Public Health to delegate the powers regarding isolation or quarantine to municipal and district directors of public health, while concurrently retaining such authority. 2 Orders regarding additional measures to protect public health and safety and ensure the state’s civil preparedness will follow as I determine to be necessary. I am filing this declaration with you under my hand and seal on this 1st day of September, 2020. Ned Lamont Governor 3