Albis Leaves Legislature to Join Lamont's Administration

EAST HAVEN, CT - There will need to be a new state representative serving East Haven as James Albis is leaving the seat to become a member of Gov.-elect Ned Lamont's new administration.

That means a special election will have to be held in East Haven. Under state law, the governor has 10 days to issue a writ of election to choose a successor in the 99th State House district. That special election must be held on the 46th day after the issuance of the writ of election. Major party conventions must take place by 36 days before the special election.

Albis had this to say on his Facebook page about his decision on Tuesday morning.

"I want to let all residents of my hometown of East Haven know that I have accepted a position with the new administration of Governor-elect Ned Lamont in the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Though I will no longer officially be representing our town in the legislature, I will now have the opportunity to focus on some important issues currently facing our community such as coastal resiliency.

"My longtime interest in the environment was born when East Haven faced the harsh realities brought on by Hurricane Irene during my first year in office in 2011. That experience was a major inspiration in my decision to pursue a graduate degree in environmental management, which will be very useful as I undertake my new responsibilities.

"It has been the biggest honor of my life to represent the town I grew up in. Serving as your state representative for these past eight years has been fun, interesting, and challenging. I can’t begin to thank my fellow East Haven neighbors and friends enough for your support over the years. And I owe a heartfelt thanks to my family for their unwavering love and encouragement. With this new chapter, I look forward to ensuring the interests of our community are reflected in the energy and environmental policies I will shortly begin to work on."