A PROCLAMATION FROM HIS EXCELLENCY
THE GOVERNOR
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, I issued a declaration of public health and civil preparedness
emergencies, proclaiming a state of emergency throughout the State of Connecticut as a result
of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States and Connecticut;
and
WHEREAS, on September 1, 2020, I renewed the March 10, 2020 declaration of public health
and civil preparedness emergencies and also issued new declarations of public health and civil
preparedness emergencies, which new and renewed emergencies shall remain in effect until
February 9, 2021, unless earlier terminated; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that spreads easily from person to person and
may result in serious illness or death; and
WHEREAS, the World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic;
and
WHEREAS, on August 4, 2020 Tropical Storm Isaias swept through the State of Connecticut
and caused both one of the largest power outage events in Connecticut’s recent history,
impacting more than 750,000 homes and businesses, and extensive damage across the State of
Connecticut, including downed utility lines, fallen trees, road blockages, and damaged homes,
buildings, and critical infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, on August 5, 2020 at 11:30 AM, Governor Lamont declared a civil preparedness
emergency in response to the impact of Tropical Storm Isaias; and
WHEREAS, the extensive power outages had a disparate impact on members of certain
vulnerable communities, including the elderly, those with serious health conditions, low and
moderate income residents who could not afford to replace lost food and medications, and those
experiencing increased financial hardship due to the economic impact of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, after the storms of 2011, and the review of the public utilities’ response to those
weather events, there are still unacceptable failings; and
WHEREAS, Connecticut has the highest electric energy rates of any state in the continental
United States; and

 WHEREAS, on June 1, 2020 Eversource enacted a rate adjustment that, in conjunction with
increased home electricity use due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulted in residential electric
bills that were considerably greater than in past months; and
WHEREAS, in response to thousands of complaints from Eversource’s customers the Public
Utilities Regulatory Authority ordered the suspension of the rate adjustment pursuant to its
investigation; and
WHEREAS, performance-based regulation is a powerful tool for ensuring that the objectives
of the public utilities are aligned with the public interests and the State’s public policy
objectives; and
WHEREAS, utility rates have risen during recent recessions, stifling economic recovery and
harming, in particular, the many low and moderate income families for whom utility rates
matter as much or than tax rates or transfer spending, including the many families in the State
of Connecticut who spend more than ten percent of their income on energy costs;
WHEREAS, Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has only 180 days to review
a request for a utility rate change, which is the shortest amount of time for any utility regulatory
authority in the United States; and
WHEREAS, a longer review time for utility rate adjustment cases and changes of control
would afford the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority a better opportunity to ensure the quality,
adequacy, and cost effectiveness of the products and services provided by the public utilities;
and
WHEREAS, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority does not currently possess the statutory
authority required to provide financial restitution to utility customers, or allocate civil penalties
to non-profit agencies engaged in energy assistance programs, both of which would provide
immediate, measurable relief to ratepayers for financial losses; and
WHEREAS, in response to multiple episodes of severe weather, heightened by the effects of
climate change, that caused widespread power outages for extended periods of time,
Connecticut’s General Assembly, through Public Act 12-148, authorized the development of a
microgrid development program designed to ensure that critical buildings remain powered
during electrical grid outages; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has conducted four
requests for microgrid applications and awarded thirteen grants across the State to build
microgrids to support critical facilities to increase the resilience of these facilities in the face of
an increasing number and intensity of storms; and

 WHEREAS, eight of these microgrids are operational and are ready to respond should the
critical facilities lose power as a result of an episode of severe weather; and
WHEREAS, in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaias, a lack of power caused partially-treated
wastewater from the Plainfield Village wastewater treatment facility to flow into Packers Pond
and the Mill Brook, a tributary of the Quinebaug River highlighting the need for broader
resilience support for stand-alone critical facilities like wastewater treatment plants and
infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the historic placement of wastewater treatment facilities, transfer stations, and
solid waste facilities near vulnerable communities has led to negative impacts on the health of
these communities, and an increased investment in the resiliency of these facilities is necessary
to prevent further negative health impacts during extreme weather events made more frequent
by climate change; and
WHEREAS, to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the United States Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) and the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) recommend
implementation of community mitigation strategies to slow transmission of COVID-19,
including cancellation of gatherings of ten people or more and social distancing in smaller
gatherings; and
WHEREAS, the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 is higher for individuals who
are 60 or older and for those who have chronic health conditions; and
WHEREAS, public health experts have determined that it is possible to transmit COVID-19
even before a person shows symptoms and through aerosol transmission; and
WHEREAS, a statewide general election is scheduled for November 3, 2020, to select
candidates for various state and Congressional offices and for the office of the President of the
United States; and
WHEREAS, absentee voting offers a proven method of secure voting that reduces the risk of
transmission of COVID-19 by allowing individuals to vote by mail and by reducing the density
of in-person voting at polling places; and
WHEREAS, in order to limit the transmission of COVID-19 while providing every eligible
voter the ability to safely cast a vote, the General Assembly has previously passed, and I have
signed, legislation that expands the availability of voting by absentee ballot in the November 3,
2020 general election; and

 WHEREAS, public confidence in elections depends in part on an orderly process for tabulating
ballots and the timely announcement of election results; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to section 10-283 of the general statutes, the General Assembly shall
annually authorize the Commissioner of Administrative Services to enter into grant
commitments on behalf of the state in accordance with a categorized listing for school
construction projects as the General Assembly shall determine; and
WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Administrative Services may not enter into any such grant
commitments except pursuant to such legislative authorization; and
WHEREAS, the current public health emergency has delayed consideration of a set of priority
projects for this year and further delay in making commitments for such projects will likely
result in higher costs to municipalities and the state; and
WHEREAS, school districts have received supplemental funding from federal resources as
part of the national response to the ongoing public health emergency and such extraordinary
one-time funding for COVID-related expenses should not be included in calculations related to
a municipality’s minimum budget requirement for purpose of the education cost sharing
provisions under state law; and
WHEREAS, the reuse and redevelopment of contaminated property is critical to the state’s
environment and its economic recovery, as well as promoting environmental justice; and
WHEREAS, currently, hundreds of sites to be reused or redeveloped in the state are covered
by the Transfer Act, Conn. Gen. Stat. 22a-134 to 22a-134e, inclusive and 22a- 134i and 22a134j; and
WHEREAS, the Transfer Act has been found to have a number of deficiencies, including
requiring unnecessary expenditures which serve as an impediment to economic development;
and
WHEREAS, only two states in the nation use laws like the Transfer Act to address
contamination making Connecticut a less attractive place to do business, especially when
compared to our neighboring or competitive states; and
WHEREAS, given the impediment to economic investment in the state was widely known, a
legislative working group was convened last year, pursuant to Public Act No. 19-141, to try and
make improvements to the Transfer Act; and

 WHEREAS, Connecticut should join the 48 other states in the nation and utilize an approach
to investigating and remediating contamination that is based on reporting of and responding to
releases or a “Release-Based” program in lieu of the Transfer Act; and
WHEREAS, transitioning to a release-based remediation program will serve to hasten the
state’s economic recovery by, among other things, eliminating inefficiencies and increasing
Connecticut’s competitiveness with our surrounding and competitive states.
WHEREAS, the State of Connecticut established a hemp pilot program in 2019 that has grown
to more than 175 registered growers, processors and manufacturers of hemp and hemp products,
and is licensed to be grown on over 500 acres outdoors and over 1.5 million square feet indoors;
and
WHEREAS, revisions to the existing statute are needed to comply with the United Stated
Department of Agriculture’s Interim Final Rules for hemp cultivation, issued October 31, 2019
in order for the hemp growing program to continue as a state-run program; and
WHEREAS, additional changes are important to improve the opportunities for growth of the
hemp production and manufacturing industries in Connecticut; and
WHEREAS, no segment of the population should, because of its racial or economic makeup,
bear a disproportionate share of the risks and consequences of environmental pollution or be
denied equal access to environmental benefits; and
WHEREAS, residents have a right to be informed of proposed development projects that may
impact their health and quality of life, a right to voice concerns about such projects, and an
expectation that their concerns will be meaningfully considered in state permitting processes;
and
WHEREAS, Connecticut’s Environmental Justice Program can be strengthened by increasing
community awareness and efficacy, including providing for agreements between developers
and municipalities that mitigate health, quality of life, and environmental impacts; and
WHEREAS, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-53, the prevailing wage statute for the State of Connecticut,
ensures that workers on state or municipal public works projects are paid at a rate equal to the
rate customary for the same work in the same occupation in the town where such public works
project is being constructed; and
WHEREAS, the Labor Commissioner is charged with predetermining the prevailing rate of
wage in each town where such public works project is performed; and

 WHEREAS, subsection (d) of Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-53 provides alternative options for the
Labor Commissioner to determine that workers are paid the appropriate prevailing wage; and
WHEREAS, the Labor Commissioner believes that there should be adequate protections in
place if there were to be changes in determining federal Davis-Bacon rates;
WHEREAS, tens of thousands of homes in the State of Connecticut were built with concrete
laced with pyrrhotite, a mineral that causes cracking when exposed to groundwater, and
therefore may need extensive repair or replacement; and
WHEREAS, the Connecticut Foundations Solution Indemnity Company may only provide
claim dollars for foundation repair or replacement, and those claims are capped at certain
amounts, such that homeowners may need additional financial resources to complete repairs to
their property; and
WHEREAS, one source of such additional financial resources is the Connecticut Housing
Finance Authority’s Supplemental Collapsing Foundation Loan Program, but current law
prevents homeowners’ associations from accessing that program and thus denies certain
impacted condominium owners equal footing with other affected homeowners; and
WHEREAS, chapter 203 of the general statutes provides a variety of exemptions from the
property tax and, from time to time, taxpayers may not file the requisite application to be
approved for an exemption within the timeframe provided for under the law; and
WHEREAS, allowing the exemption from the property tax for such taxpayers may avoid an
undue hardship or to otherwise promote economic activity in the town wherein the property is
situated; and
WHEREAS, section 10-76g of the general statutes provides for deadlines for filing an
application for a grant for the excess costs of special education; and
WHEREAS, some municipalities may, from time to time, fail to make timely application for
such excess costs of special education; and
WHEREAS, Public Act 05-289 provided for a special taxing district to support development
of the Steel Point project in the City of Bridgeport and such development is expected to provide
significant benefits to the city and its people; and
WHEREAS, the taxing district was authorized for a limited time frame; and

 WHEREAS, paragraph M of subdivision 2 of subsection 6 of section 14-10 of the Connecticut
General Statutes permits the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles to disclose
personal information from motor vehicle records to state marshals for use in the performance
of duties under the provisions of section 6-38a; and
WHEREAS, section 14-50a of the Connecticut General Statutes authorizes the Commissioner
to establish fees for such information furnished on a volume basis; and
WHEREAS, clarity regarding the state marshals’ ability to pass through such fees to their
clients is important for the efficient and orderly conduct of legal execution and service of
process;
NOW THEREFORE, by the authority vested in me under Article III of the Amendments to
the Constitution of Connecticut and Section 2-7 of the Connecticut General Statutes, I, in order
to preserve orderly and decent government, do hereby:
Convene the General Assembly in Special Session in Hartford no earlier than September 29,
2020 at 9:00 a.m. to:
1. enact legislation to (a) establish performance-based regulation for electric distribution
companies, gas and water companies and require the Authority to consider the
implementation of performance based metrics with incentives and penalties; (b) extend
the time for the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to issue decisions in rate filings
and proceedings related to changes of control and financial transactions; (c) require the
Authority to consider whether to make certain public service company executive, officer
and employee compensation contingent upon performance targets; (d) enable the
Authority to consider implementation of an interim rate decrease, low income rate, and
economic development rates for electric ratepayers pursuant to Sections 16-19, 16-19e
and 16-19oo; (e) require the board of directors to include a certain percentage of
Connecticut-based individuals during changes of control; (f) prevent electric utilities
from recovering their costs associated with participation in rate hearings; (g) increase
the penalty cap for violations related to emergency preparation and restoration of service
and clarify that such penalties shall be assessed in the form of credits to accounts of
ratepayers; (h) require the Authority to consider the implementation of residential
customer credits for each day of a distribution service outage for such customers, and
customer compensation for medication and food that spoils due to a distribution service
outage; (i) require the electric distribution companies to submit a report to the General
Assembly regarding past storm response and require the Authority to review such report
and establish staffing and other standards related to emergency response and to enforce
those standards; (j) provide the Authority with the ability to award restitution to
customers or a combination of a fine and restitution for violations pursuant to Section

 2.

3.

4.

5.
6.
7.

8.
9.

16-41or to direct a portion of a fine levied to a nonprofit agency engaged in energy
assistance programs; (k) require the Commissioner of the Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection to submit a report to the General Assembly regarding
Connecticut’s participation in the wholesale energy markets administered by the
regional independent system operator and alternative approaches to meet Connecticut’s
policy goals; (l) amend the microgrid grant and loan pilot program administered by the
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection pursuant to Section 16-243y, to:
(1) allow for the inclusion of resilience projects not connected to a microgrid, (2) include
nonprofit and academic entities as potential developers, (3) allow the Department to hire
a technical consultant using funds authorized for the program, (4) allow funding for
community planning, project feasibility analysis, and nonfederal cost share for grant
and loan applications, and (5) require the Department to prioritize proposals that benefit
vulnerable communities; and (m) exempt out-of-state businesses and individuals
performing work during a disaster response period from certain requirements; and
enact legislation to alter statutes governing the administration of elections to ensure
local officials may administer the processing of absentee ballots in a secure and orderly
manner during the November 2020 general election; and
enact legislation to authorize school construction projects, to set the State's maximum
grant amount for such projects, and to clarify that supplemental funding to a
municipality from federal resources as part of the national response to the ongoing
public health emergency shall not be included in any calculation related to a
municipality’s minimum budget requirement for purpose of the education cost sharing
provisions under state law; and
enact legislation to (a) make changes to the Transfer Act consistent with the
recommendations of the legislative working group convened pursuant to Public Act No.
19-75; (b) authorize a release-based remediation program requiring the reporting as well
as the investigation and remediation of releases that also authorizes the adoption of
regulations to implement such released-based cleanup program; and (c) provide for the
sun setting of the Transfer Act upon the adoption of regulations necessary to implement
a release-based remediation program; and
enact legislation to align Connecticut’s hemp program with federal law and provide
opportunities for hemp growers and manufacturers in the state; and
enact legislation updating the state’s environmental justice law to require public notice
and community benefit agreements in certain circumstances; and
enact legislation to provide greater protection for employees in occupations engaged in
construction on certain non-residential building, heavy, or highway works projects in
Connecticut; and
enact legislation to permit homeowners’ associations to obtain loans through the
Supplemental Collapsing Foundation Loan Program; and
enact legislation to (a) allow applications or statements required for certain property tax
exemptions be considered as timely filed; (b) allow certain applications for payment of

 excess costs of special education incurred by a certain local board of education which
costs may have been omitted from a March, 2020, filing during the fiscal year ending
June 30, 2020; and (c) extend the time period for a special taxing district in the City of
Bridgeport to support a significant economic development project; and
10. enact legislation to clarify the state marshals’ ability to receive the moneys actually paid
for fees for the disclosure or search of records of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Given under my hand and Seal of the State at the City of Hartford, this 25th Day
of September in the year two thousand and twenty.

Ned Lamont
Governor