Connecticut’s Senate voted Monday morning not to challenge Gov. Ned Lamont’s vetoes of two bills from the regular legislative session.
The "veto session" is lawmakers’ chance to reconsider bills the governor has returned to the General Assembly without approval. The session is required by Connecticut’s constitution.
This year, Lamont returned two bills to lawmakers without his signature.
One of the measures surrounded bidding values on municipal contracts. Another would have allotted state funds to help striking workers, who are otherwise disqualified from unemployment benefits.
Connecticut senate leaders said last week they’ll revisit a 2022 version of the aid for striking workers legislation next session. A similar law exists in New York, where workers on strike become eligible for unemployment after two weeks.
“I think the reason why unions want it is that it sends a message to workers that the state supports them when they're fighting for a better deal at work,” said Ian Greer, a professor at Cornell’s Industrial and Labor Relations School.
The bills would have had to pass each house by a two-thirds vote to override the governor’s vetoes. Lamont has a record of vetoing a couple bills each year, which are historically sustained by lawmakers.
In this year’s short session, the legislature passed over 170 bills.
The Connecticut General Assembly begins its next regular session in early January 2025 and runs through early June.
