Governor Lamont Issues Executive Order Establishing Office to Promote Equity and Inclusion in Connecticut Government

Press releases

16/07/2024

Governor Lamont Issues Executive Order Establishing Office to Promote Equity and Inclusion in Connecticut Government

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed an executive order creating the Connecticut Office of Equity and Opportunity – a new state office that will be responsible for leading Connecticut’s efforts to ensure that state government is a leader in equity and inclusion, eliminating institutional and systemic barriers and creating opportunity and access for all it serves and employs.

The Office of Equity and Opportunity, administratively under the Office of the Governor and funded through existing grants, will be led by a Chief Equity and Opportunity Officer, who will be appointed by the Governor and will be responsible for coordinating a range of activities, as specified in an executive order, designed to ensure that State offices represent the citizens they serve and that persons of diverse racial, ethnic, gender, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds have a voice in the decision-making processes that affect State government policies and practices.

“I strongly believe that government should actively seek out and engage with people and voices beyond those that typically have access and opportunity, because doing so will create a stronger government workforce and more effective and representative public policies.” Governor Lamont said“State government is accountable to the public, and we have a responsibility to maintain trust and confidence by demonstrating our commitment to fairness, inclusiveness and social progress. By doing everything we can to create a fair, equitable and inclusive environment that represents the people of our state, we can address historic and ongoing disparities and advance social justice.”

The implementing regulation directs the Chief Equity and Opportunity Officer to:

• Serving as the state’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy coordinator;
• Support statewide equity efforts to ensure services and resources are accessible to all in Connecticut;
• Conducting comprehensive assessments of current and proposed state agency policies and practices to identify areas where disparities exist and where underserved communities may experience barriers in accessing services;
• Developing a formal process for developing and implementing agency capital plans;
• Coordinating the publication of agency capital plans on a centralized and easily accessible website;
• Developing equity-focused systems, policies, and procedures that implement diversity, equity, inclusion, and support sustainable practices in state agencies;
• Identifying diversity, equity and inclusion training opportunities for all government employees;
• Develop statewide diversity, equity and inclusion benchmarks and measures of progress;
• Overseeing and providing guidance to state agencies on engaging and considering the perspectives of underserved communities;
• Collaborating with state agencies to ensure that communications with residents are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible;
• Integrate equity considerations into the budget process and evaluate the impact of budget decisions;
• Develop strategies to promote fair contracting and purchasing practices.

In addition, the executive order requires all state employees to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion training coordinated by the chief equity and opportunity officer. It also requires all state agencies to develop an agency equity plan with the assistance of the chief equity and opportunity officer.

“The state government has a responsibility to approach our work from an equity perspective” Michelle Gilman, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, said:“This executive order is an important step forward as we work to ensure that every person who applies for government services or employment is welcomed with equal opportunity. I look forward to working with the Chief Equity and Opportunity Officer on this critical effort.”

“We thank Governor Lamont for underscoring his commitment to just government.” Pareesa Charmchi Goodwin, executive director of the Connecticut Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health, said:“Support from the top is essential to ensuring that capital initiatives are prioritized and implemented. We are proud that our recommendations and the work of many leaders across the state are reflected in today’s executive order.”

The Governor’s Office will post a job posting on its website in the coming weeks. Connecticut State Executive Branch Job Portal is seeking candidates to apply for the position of Director of Equity and Opportunities. Governor Lamont emphasized that there is no candidate for the position yet and encourages interested candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

**Charge:Governor Lamont’s Executive Order No. 24-2

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