The Legislative Regulation Review Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly was set to hold a hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 28, to vote on Lamont's proposed ban on the sale of gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035. (Related: BURNING CASH, NOT GAS: Federal, state subsidies for EVs cost $50,000 per car over a 10-year period.)
But on Monday, legislative sources confirmed to local news outlets that the committee had held off on the scheduled vote due to Lamont fearing that the controversial proposed regulation would not be able to pass the committee.
Republican leaders who opposed the plan from the beginning lauded the governor's decision, calling it a victory for working and middle-class families in the state.
"Adopting California emission standards with ban the sale of gas-powered cars is a substantial policy shift which must be decided by the General Assembly," said State Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly. "There are too many questions regarding the capacity of our electric grid, the cost and location of grid improvements, and the negative impact on urban, rural and working poor families."
Connecticut Democrats working on new anti-gas car plans following ban withdrawal
Despite this clear defeat, state Democrats are still working on a compromise plan that could eventually see an end to the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles in Connecticut.
Democratic State House Speaker Matt Ritter said he and other State House Democrats plan to meet to discuss possible legislation to address concerns about gas vehicle regulations.
Ritter wants to address some of the main concerns that Republicans have pointed out, including the high cost of electric vehicles, the availability of charging stations and the ability of the state's electric grid to handle the anticipated changeover with the mass adoption of electric vehicles.
"We have to do more," said Ritter. "We have to demonstrate to Connecticut residents that this switch will not only save the environment, save lives and save our planet – but not leave you in a position where you can no longer afford a vehicle."
Republican House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora said he was pleased with Lamont's decision to withdraw the regulations and that he is willing to hear out state Democrats' next proposal.
"I'm hoping that this next look will take into consideration the affordability and the impact it's going to have on residents, especially people that live in the cities," said Candelora. "So we really need a broader conversation, looking at the electric grid and the feasibility of being able to do something like this."
Should this new attempt to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles in Connecticut pass, it would join a growing number of states following in the footsteps of California's aggressive plan to move toward becoming dominated by electric vehicles. Other states that have recently passed similar bans include Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
Learn more about America's electric vehicle expansion at RoboCars.news.
Watch this clip of Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman slamming President Joe Biden's electric vehicle push on the floor of the House of Representatives.
This video is from the News Clips channel on Brighteon.com.
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Automakers cut programs and reassess future plans for EV production as consumer demand plummets.
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FreedomWorks economist predicts EVs will be the auto industry's "NEXT BIG FLOP."
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