Sen. Kelly on special session stall: “A victory for the families of CT. Stay vigilant.”

For Immediate Release

Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly issued the following statement in response to the news that there will be no Special Session to consider an electric vehicle mandate.

“This is a victory for the families of Connecticut who refused to let their voices be dismissed. While it appears majority Democrats have at least temporarily come to their senses, it’s important to remember how we even got to this dangerous precipice.

Reckless and arrogant majority Democrats were on the verge of banning the sale of gas-powered cars, placing more costs on our families, dividing our communities and leaving people behind. They were more than willing to favor affluent families over poor, working and middle class families who cannot afford a single-family home. They were more than willing to circumvent the legislative process and silence the voices of the people by doing away with public hearings. We will not forget that.

Credit for this dramatic Democrat reversal goes to the people of Connecticut. They spoke out after Republicans got out from under the Capitol Dome and spread the word about the still unanswered questions raised by this Ban With No Plan. What we heard from working and middle class and urban and rural families was: EVs are not for everyone. Their concerns about their freedoms – and their choices as consumers – are legitimate.

Republicans support electric vehicles, but not half-baked mandates which hurt our most vulnerable residents.

We will continue to offer Better Way solutions to achieve cleaner air, and we will continue to stay vigilant should this ban be brought up later this year.”