Analysis of Selected 2020 Changes in Connecticut Law Governing Business Entities
Governor Lamont's declaration of a public health and civil preparedness emergency on March 10, 2020 effectively suspended the 2020 legislative session of the Connecticut General Assembly. Despite an abbreviated term, several noteworthy laws affecting businesses were enacted. In a Practical Guidance® article written by business attorney Nancy A. D. Hancock, the summaries of these key laws are addressed, including:
- New environmental protection provisions
- Revisions to the Connecticut hemp program, and
- New bond authorizations for state capital projects and grant programs
To read the complete article, including new and renewed states of emergency that are currently set to expire on May 20, 2021, please click on the Related Materials below.
(PLEASE NOTE: Since this article was published, Governor Lamont has issued new executive orders and declared new and renewed states of emergency. The latest declarations are currently set to expire on July 20, 2021 unless earlier terminated. See “Updates” below for more information.)
UPDATES:
- On April 19, 2021 and May 18, 2021, Governor Lamont renewed his declarations of public health and civil preparedness emergencies and issued new emergency declarations. The latest new and renewed states of emergency run concurrently and are set to expire on July 20, 2021, unless earlier modified or terminated by the Governor.
- Pursuant to the April 19, 2021 declarations the Governor issued a series of executive orders, including Executive Order 11 (April 19, 2021), which reduces the number of currently active executive orders under the states of emergency by approximately 60% and extends the expiration date of these executive orders through May 20, 2021. Other executive orders consolidate prior orders, in part to assist the public in understanding the current rules. For example, Executive Order 11A (April 19, 2021) renews the Department of Economic and Community Development’s authority to issue and enforce legally-binding sector rules for certain business and activity sectors that prescribe appropriate safety restrictions for the conduct of social, recreational, athletic and economic activity (this Executive Order has been repealed by Executive Order 12B (May 20, 2021)). Executive Order 11B (April 19, 2021) consolidates prior orders related to the sale and service of liquor (parts of this Executive Order have been extended and other parts have been repealed by Executive Order 12B (May 20, 2021)) and Executive Order 11D (April 19, 2021) consolidates prior orders which provide flexibility in state contracting procedures (parts of this Executive Order have been repealed, and other parts have been modified or extended by Executive Order 12B (May 20, 2021)).
- Following the May 18, 2021 declarations, the Governor issued additional executive orders, including Executive Order 12A (May 20, 2021), which provides new guidance on the use of face masks and Executive Order 12B (May 20, 2021) which, among other things, repeals specified sections of a number of previously-issued executive orders effective May 20, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Executive Order 12B also extends and/or modifies sections of several other executive orders. For example, in addition to the changes noted in the prior bullet, Section 3 of Executive Order 7JJ (May 6, 2020), which tolls certain municipal land use and building permits, has been extended through June 30, 2021. Furthermore, any executive order currently in effect that is not explicitly extended or modified by Executive Order 12B expires at 11:59 p.m. on May 28, 2021, unless extended earlier.
- The Connecticut Supreme Court, in a unanimous final decision, has affirmed the lower court’s ruling in Casey v. Lamont, --- A.3d --- (March 29, 2021).