by State Rep. Ben McGorty, 122nd District
Connecticut House Republicans were recently joined by residents, local officials and law enforcement from across our state in calling for legislative action to address youth car thefts and break-ins across our state.
Although state lawmakers were swift to pass a hastily-written, far-reaching 300-page marijuana legalization bill during a one-day special session this summer, we have still yet to see any willingness from the other side of the aisle to address the more than 6,000 cases of residents who reported a car stolen since the start of 2020.
House Republicans Call for Special Session to Curb Car Thefts. Our residents demand, and rightfully deserve, legislative action to fix CT’s broken juvenile justice laws before our communities see any additional deaths, like in the most recent case in New Britain.
With the legislature in recess, I and my Republican colleagues have begun circulating a petition to immediately summon state lawmakers back to the Capitol to get to work on this issue. This can be done with signatures from a majority of State Senators and Representatives, or by the Governor himself, and could be done in a matter of days.
I will continue to call on my colleagues in the House of Representatives to support common-sense proposals to prevent youth recidivism and protect victims of crime in the state of Connecticut.
In other news, the state’s sudden and hasty rollout of marijuana legalization could create conflict with some of its largest employers.
Following the scheduled legalization of adult use and possession of marijuana on July 1st, Connecticut’s largest employers in the defense manufacturing industry – including Stratford-based Sikorsky Aircraft – have found themselves with little guidance on how to comply with the new law.
Possession of marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, and businesses like Sikorsky that hold federal contracts must comply with drug-free workplace requirements that will likely be complicated Connecticut’s new policies on recreational use.
I will make sure to keep you updated on a possible special session in the weeks to come. As always, feel free to contact me should you have any questions or issues.
