by Christine Stuart CTNewsJunkie
The regular General Assembly session starts on Feb. 7, but lawmakers may hold a special session in less than two weeks to address an issue Gov. Ned Lamont removed from the table – a proposal to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles.
In November, Lamont opted to revoke a proposal to phase out the sale of gas-powered vehicles after learning it lacked the support to win approval from the legislature’s Regulation Review Committee, a panel made up of an even number of Democrats and Republicans. He encouraged lawmakers to revisit the proposal Thursday after an unrelated event.
“It’s going to A, remind people that despite all the misinformation, nobody’s mandating EVs or banning internal combustion,” Lamont said. “We are emphasizing we do have the hybrids. It is 11 years out.”
Connecticut had been poised to adopt California’s emission standards for vehicles to help the state meet its climate goals. Lawmakers in Connecticut passed legislation linking the state’s emission standards to California back in 2004.
There were concerns that Connecticut doesn’t have the infrastructure necessary to support a large number of electric vehicles by 2035.
“If the charging stations are not going in, you’re worried there’s not enough lithium for batteries or whatever all the worries that people had were, we can take a second look. But don’t do it now because we’re on track,” Lamont said.
He said lawmakers are likely to phase it in based on the infrastructure concerns from some lawmakers. There’s other concerns too about who would be responsible for the cost of the electric charging stations, especially in poorer, urban communities.
Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly said in a radio interview Thursday: “People should be trusted to make the right choices for themselves and their family. Government ought not be telling people what they can and cannot do in the regard like what kind of car you can drive.”
Republicans held several public forums regarding the regulation to try and bring attention to the issue.
A spokesperson for House Democrats said that a special session date had not yet been scheduled, but said members were asked during a caucus meeting Thursday to hold the last week in January open in case lawmakers decide to hold a