黑料吃瓜网 ended its 2024 legislative session Wednesday without passing various key bills to address climate change in the state.
Senate lawmakers didn鈥檛 make enough time to take up by the legislature鈥檚 midnight deadline after Republicans debated other bills that ran out the clock.
The would have set emissions standards for state agencies, and updated the . The bill outlined incentives for businesses to take up sustainable practices and promote the installation of hundreds of thousands of home heat pumps. It would have also declared a climate crisis in 黑料吃瓜网 in a largely symbolic move.
This effort comes on the heels of state legislators failing to pass comprehensive climate legislation , as 黑料吃瓜网 has seen tied to long-term warming.
State Rep. Christine Palm, D-Chester, spearheaded the bill and expressed 鈥減rofound disappointment鈥� that the bill did not get taken up 鈥� and that the Senate majority did not motion to 鈥渃all the question,鈥� a rare move that would have stopped debate to vote on the measure.
鈥淭he ones who suffer are the people of 黑料吃瓜网,鈥� Palm said after the House adjourned. 鈥淭he environment of 黑料吃瓜网 suffers, not the people in this building. And that to me is unforgivable.鈥�
Republicans did not support the omnibus bill in the House vote, with some questioning that the state is experiencing climate change 鈥� despite that human activities have caused global warming. Many also cited concern about 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 electrical grid capacity and the potential impact on ratepayers.
Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding said the result was a 鈥渂ig victory.鈥�
鈥淪enate Republicans are willing to go the distance in order to defend taxpayers鈥� wallets and consumer choice.鈥� Harding said in a statement. 鈥淭hat clear message resulted in other Democrat-supported legislation not being taken up for debate.鈥�
State Rep. Joe Gresko, D-Stratford, and Environment Committee chair, also shared his disappointment that it didn鈥檛 pass the Senate.
鈥淲hen it's made a leadership priority, I was hopeful that things could have worked out better,鈥� Gresko said on the House floor. 鈥淭he silver lining in this is that we have a bill that is pretty much ready to go for next year.鈥�
Not all bills to address climate change failed this session: an effort to expand solar energy in 黑料吃瓜网 did make it across the finish line Wednesday. Proponents of said diversifying the region鈥檚 electrical network will also help the state鈥檚 grid handle more demand in the long-term.
Neither chamber called a bill that would have taken a step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, which is . A 40-person commission would have reported on strategies to roll out infrastructure for more electric vehicles.
The measure was proposed in response to concerns about 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 ability to handle more electric vehicles, if it adopted California-led emission standards. Those phase out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.
鈥淧robably people just think it's not a good issue to talk about in an election year,鈥� House Speaker Matt Ritter said Friday. 鈥淪o maybe people want to talk about next year, but I'm a little disappointed.鈥�
By not adopting the regulations 黑料吃瓜网 defaulted to less strict federal standards.
Gov. Ned Lamont鈥檚 did not pass in full, and a Senate bill also did not get taken up in either chamber this session.
