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Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed a declaration enabling the Connecticut General Assembly to adopt legislation appropriating funding to create an "emergency state response reserve" that will facilitate the state response to federal cuts in health and human services.

This includes cuts made through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the impact of the democrat-led government shutdown and future shutdowns, and any potential future federal reductions.

The declaration asserts that the "existence of extraordinary circumstances" necessitates the "alteration of Section 4-30a of the Connecticut General Statutes to allow the state to temporarily increase the size of the Budget Reserve Fund" -- and "transfer an additional $500 million to the Budget Reserve Fund, and temporarily increase such Fund above the statutory maximum."

“Programs that support some of the most basic needs of our state’s residents – such as healthcare, childcare, home heating assistance, and food and nutrition assistance – are at risk because of volatility being caused by the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans,” Governor Lamont said. “Many states are confronting this instability being caused by our federal government, and here in Connecticut we will stand with our most vulnerable residents to ensure they have the basic support and assistance they need.”

Note that Connecticut is one of the states that declined to share SNAP data with the government... perhaps that's because the "vulnerable residents" include illegals.

Some examples of items that could be supported by the state through this fund include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), healthcare, school meals, childcare, and housing assistance.

Governor Lamont noted that even though it appears that Congress may be at the cusp of ending the current federal shutdown over the next several days, that legislation only funds the federal government through the middle of January, at which point another shutdown could begin.

Lamont believes that a reserve such as this is "necessary to position the state to immediately respond to another shutdown."

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, from the communist stronghold of New Haven, suggested that in addition to covering for things like SNAP, the new emergency reserve will also help "backfill" for cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies.

"The federal government has created an almost kind of a 'Sophie's Choice' dilemma," said Looney. "Setting up those who are very needy and needing SNAP on one category and those who are in need of the insurance subsidies on the other, and saying you know, choose one or the other but one is gonna have to be let go. That's just a terrible and heartless position for a national government to take regarding its own people."

Does Looney count illegals among the government's "own people"?

Speaker Matt Ritter said they were "confident as a caucus that this fund was right, even before the government shutdown" and think the fund signals to residents that democrats have got their backs.

Ritter heaped praise on House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora who agreed to support the emergency fund, saying, "we're not going to let people go hungry - how can I help?"

Does Candelora think taxpayers should fund benefits for illegals?

"So, I don't know what goes on in Washington, I'm not here to lambaste anybody or criticize anybody, but in Connecticut, you have a culture where people of all parties said 'enough is enough, we're going to do better by our residents and by our citizens'," said Ritter, again reiterating that it was a combination of democrats and republicans that did this.

"We don't know what's gonna happen in Washington, DC, and it's pretty frustrating to watch the politics leverage programs like SNAP in order to achieve what individuals think is best for them," said Candelora. "When in fact at some point, you need to take a pause, recognize what you're doing, and find a different way."

Candelora went on to say that Connecticut is "blessed" with that "$4.3 billion dollar rainy day fund" but he felt that today was the right day to "prop it up" a little to help "those individuals" who have been impacted by the shutdown.

Again, that includes illegals.

State Treasurer Erick Russell was similarly pleased about the emergency fund which he claims is "in line with what we've done in terms with being fiscally responsible as a state."

It's a good time for a reminder that "being fiscally responsible as a state" apparently includes using at least $1.3 billion in taxpayer money to fund illegals.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz was proud of the strong "bipartisan" message they were sending today in the face of "cruelty and chaos in Washington" regarding SNAP which impacted "1 in 10 people" in Connecticut.

She hoped that Washington was paying attention to the "leadership" demonstrated by the state's "bipartisan" response, and "takes a page" from Connecticut's playbook.

Again, that playbook includes benefits for illegals.

When asked about how decisions would be made regarding spending the emergency funds, Lamont said that he would make the recommendation on funding, and send it to legislative leadership on both sides to determine whether to approve or reject the funding.

State Treasurer Russell stepped in to explain that Lamont does in fact have appropriation authority when the General Assembly is not in session.

Looney said that if for any reason they don't agree, the Governor would be able to resubmit the request after additional negotiation.

A question came up about the use of funds to backfill cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies.

"The entirety of the subsidies is $350 million per year, so that gives you some perspective of what that would be if the state had to bear all of that," said State Treasurer Russell who was hoping that the federal government would handle this issue.

Lamont was also hopeful that the feds would come up with a solution that "doesn't penalize our people."

Then there was a question about how fast they could blow through the funds if the state filled in for all of the federal cuts.

"If you are doing all of... SNAP and WIC alone, that's probably $73 - $74 million dollars right there, LIHEAP, you could be into the 80s a month," said Speaker Ritter. "It's about a hundred million dollar a month spend probably at the high end."

Then he cautioned that the subsidies are "part of a different conversation" because they total $350 million.

So the "worst case scenario" if the shutdown had continued is that it would "cost" around $100 million per month to backfill the federal cuts.

State Treasurer Russell indicated that they are operating "in line with the broader guardrails" but cautioned that "this is one of the exemptions based on extraordinary circumstances because of the volatility in Washington."

Any money "left over" in the fund would go towards paying down debt.

Lamont also indicated during the Q&A that they would extend another round of emergency funding to Connecticut Foodshare.

Looney took the mic one more time to comment that if the Obamacare subsidies go away, they may consider bringing up a "public option" for Connecticut in the next session "because what are we gonna do?"

Lamont walked that idea back a bit and immediately pivoted.

Then Candelora admitted that some republicans are concerned that Lamont will just use this money like an emergency slush fund. (They should ALL be concerned.)

At least Candelora agreed that it's not a good thing to have so many people in Connecticut having to rely on the government for food and other services.

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