The General Assembly is giving up on a special legislative session to address how to keep Connecticut committed to a transition to electric vehicles, leaving the issue for consideration in the regular session that opens on Feb. 7. Facing rejection by a bipartisan legislative committee in November, Gov. Ned Lamont reluctantly withdrew proposed regulations that would keep Connecticut in compliance with the latest California emissions standards, which call for a phase-out of the sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. The administration and legislative leaders have been working since then on legislation intended to assure lawmakers that Connecticut would hew to the 2035 goal only if EVs had become more affordable and the state had a sufficient charging infrastructure. The key elements are the creation of a commission to monitor the state’s readiness for electric vehicles, increased funding for a network of chargers in urban areas, and another vote by the General Assembly in 2027 on whether Connecticut would remain committed to the 2035 goal.
Special session shelved: CT will address EV transition in regular session