Connecticut governor says 'you have earned this freedom' as he rolls back school mask mandate

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White House clings to mask mandates as Democratic states abandon policy

Congressional correspondent Jacqui Heinrich has the details on 'Special Report.'

In his 2022 State of the State address Wednesday, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont joined a handful of fellow Democrats in rolling back some of their coronavirus-era restrictions, saying at one point of the sunsetting school mask mandate, "from a public health perspective, you have earned this freedom."

"I appreciate the authority you have granted me to keep this state safe for almost two years during the pandemic. But I am even more appreciative of each and every one of the residents who stepped up and did the right thing — for themselves, their families and their communities," Lamont said from the legislative chamber in Hartford. 

MASK MANDATES EASED ACROSS US AS COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS DROP BELOW 100,000

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont delivers the State of the State address during opening session at the State Capitol, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

"I know that we can do it safely. Our Department of Public Health [via Commissioner] Manisha Juthani will provide clear guidance along the way." 

The power, he said, would rest with local school boards.

The Connecticut Republican Party later responded to Lamont's choice of words, saying in a statement on social media, "We are born free. Freedom is not granted by government FYI, Gov. Ned Lamont."

The first three words of the Constitution, "We the people," and the Declaration of Independence states: "Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." 

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont speaks to reporters at Gay City State Park in Hebron, Conn. on Thursday May 21, 2020. The governor held his daily COVID-19 briefing for the media at the park in advance of the Memorial Day weekend. (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)

Connecticut's official nickname is the Constitution State.

Lamont went on to say that he has been closely working with neighboring state governors throughout the pandemic.

Early in the pandemic, several northeastern governors aligned to communicate about the ebb and flow of some restrictions.

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Lamont said Connecticut residents now have the "tools and experience" to keep themselves safe, and he lauded the state for being one of the "best-vaccinated in the country."