Gov. Ned Lamont vetoed two bills Monday, one of which is geared toward tackling 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 housing affordability crisis. The other bill would have provided unemployment benefits to workers who are on strike for two weeks or more.
In his returning without his signature, Lamont said the state鈥檚 housing challenge has 鈥渦ndeniable urgency,鈥� but the two-term Democrat added the wide-ranging bill needed revision, and compromise, before statewide housing goals are made law.
鈥淚 want mayors and first Selectmen to be on board. I want them to be invested in this solution,鈥� Lamont said Monday morning. 鈥淚 can't if they don't believe in the process, we're not going to make any progress. I can dictate and make as many laws as I want. I think there's a lot of willingness from them to get them at the table and included.鈥�
Before Lamont鈥檚 announcement, there were several weeks of uncertainty about the fate of the housing bill, which had faced pushback for policies critics believed would take away local control. Among those provisions was one calling on municipalities to develop a 鈥渇air share鈥� of affordable housing.
Now, Lamont said he will call a special session 鈥渄evoted solely to housing鈥� in the fall.
鈥淚 think this is a pretty good start,鈥� Lamont said.
Reactions roll in
Lamont had initially supported the housing bill. Then, after having more time to look at it, he said he saw some 鈥渞ed flags.鈥�
State Sen. Martha Marx (D-New London), co-chair of the Housing committee, said the bill was 鈥渢he result of months of tireless work seeking a better way forward to address pressing housing issues, fostering the creation of vital new units to reduce pressure on the market and support our businesses and economy.鈥�
Democratic leaders in the House and the Senate also voiced their disappointment with the governor鈥檚 decision.
The legislation was crafted around 鈥渋ncentives, local options, access to resources, while acknowledging the importance of city and town leaders鈥� voices in making final decisions,鈥� Speaker of the House Matt Ritter (D-Hartford) and House Majority Leader Jason Rojas (D-East Hartford) said in a joint statement.
Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) in a statement called it 鈥渢he most comprehensive effort鈥� to build more housing in 黑料吃瓜网 and said they would continue that push to 鈥渂reak through as we must for the future of our state.鈥�
On the other side of the aisle, State Sen. Stephen Harding (R-Brookfield) voiced support for the veto.
鈥淟et鈥檚 now go back to the drawing board, work together across the aisle, and find real bipartisan solutions that address housing affordability 鈥� without gutting local control,鈥� Harding said. 鈥淥ur towns and cities deserve a seat at the table 鈥� not a mandate from Hartford.鈥�
Outside the capitol, blowback was fierce from groups that supported the legislation.
鈥淲e are profoundly disheartened by the governor鈥檚 decision to once again leave families struggling to afford housing in 黑料吃瓜网 with fewer options," Erin Boggs, executive director of Open Communities Alliance, said in a statement.
Boggs noted that the governor鈥檚 office was "directly involved in negotiating this bill."
"His specific complaints about target numbers for each community to plan around appear based more on complaints from municipalities and NIMBY advocates who do not understand what the bill says rather than legitimate issues with the proposal, and should not have been enough to trigger a veto,鈥� Boggs said.
Striking workers鈥� bill also vetoed
House Bill 5002 was not the only one sent back without the governor鈥檚 signature on Monday.
However, lawmakers the veto on Senate Bill 8, which sought to provide unemployment benefits to striking workers after two weeks. A similar bill was also vetoed by the governor last session.
Lamont said Monday he wanted to continue to protect working families, but that paying striking workers is a 鈥渂ridge too far鈥�
鈥淚 think I'm pro jobs, and I want to watch out for any bill which I think discourages jobs in this state,鈥� Lamont said. 鈥淲e're actually growing jobs in this state and growing our manufacturing base in particular, which are very good paying jobs, and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that.鈥�
Local labor union representatives spoke out against Lamont鈥檚 decision, saying the legislation is intended to help support people on strike while they bargain for better working conditions.
鈥淭oo often, company鈥檚 slow walk negotiations and try to intimidate workers into accepting agreements through fear and economic uncertainty,鈥� said Wayne McCarthy, president of IAM Local 700, which represents Pratt and Whitney union members who were recently on strike for several weeks. 鈥淭he last thing that our members want to do is to engage the company in a strike action.鈥�
鈥淪B 8 restores a measure of balance,鈥� said Rob Baril, President SEIU 1199NE, which narrowly avoided a nursing home and group home strike last month. 鈥淚t ensures that healthcare workers鈥攚ho take real risks to stand up for quality care鈥攈ave the same basic protections as the employers across the table.鈥�
Learn more
As of Monday Lamont has signed over 90 bills into law. The governor has line-item vetoed two bills and vetoed two bills from the 2025 regular legislative session. A full listing of the bills is .
