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House GOP Fails to Override Gov. Malloy's Veto on Commissioner Qualifications

Mamata.mulay
/
Creative Commons
The Connecticut State Capitol.

Lawmakers gathered in Hartford on Monday for a poorly-attended veto session.

Republicans in the House of Representatives resurrected a bill that would have required the Commissioner of the State Department of Education to have a strong background in teaching.

The measure breezed through the House and Senate during the regular session, but Governor Dannel Malloy vetoed the bill, noting that through the confirmation process, the legislature already has the power to reject a governor's appointee.

At Monday's veto session, Republican State Representative Arthur O'Neill wondered why the governor waited until the bill reached his desk to voice his opposition to it.

"This was a committee bill," O'Neill said. "This was a bill being advanced by the chair of the committee in both chambers, passed both chambers. And I really do believe that while it's good that there would be an ongoing dialogue going forward, that it's also important for there to be a dialogue during the course of the session, for us to know what's going on."

Labor unions urged legislators to override the measure, but late last week House Speaker Brendan Sharkey told WNPR that there wasn't enough support for an override.

The recall vote passed in the House, but did not have the 101 votes needed for an override. Only 93 members of the House attended the veto session.

In the Senate, Democrats adjourned before a debate could be held on any vetoed bills.

Ray Hardman is Connecticut Public’s Arts and Culture Reporter. He is the host of CPTV’s Emmy-nominated original series Where Art Thou? Listeners to Connecticut Public Radio may know Ray as the local voice of Morning Edition, and later of All Things Considered.

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