Legislative session begins in Hartford

The 2022 legislative session began in Hartford Wednesday.  
The session will run until May 4 with a lot of business to get to.
Legislators were met by a mix of supporters and protesters. A group of students outside the Capital building in Hartford called on lawmakers to drop COVID-19 mitigation tactics in schools immediately for their mental health. 
Some of the big topics up for discussion this session will include tax relief, health care reform, children's mental health amid the pandemic and juvenile crime.
Gov. Ned Lamont's emergency powers are set to expire next week, and one of the first orders of business is for lawmakers to determine whether to extend several of the executive orders put in place during the height of the pandemic.
The one that's been the most controversial is the statewide school mask mandate.
Gov. Lamont recommended lifting the mandate at the end of the month, but the state departments of public health and education still have the authority to keep the mandate, at least for the next few months. The House is expected to vote Thursday and the Senate on Monday on the emergency powers.