Dear Friends and Neighbors:
I write today with an urgent call to action.
The Connecticut Military Department has introduced a bill, HB-6440 – An Act Concerning the Organized Militia and Governor’s Guard that will defund and abandon a Newtown treasure, our Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard (2GHG).
The proposal was drafted and introduced without input from the Horse Guard, and without department notice to Newtown’s legislative delegation. HB-6440 seeks to remove the State of Connecticut Organized Militia, including our Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard, from the Military Department’s budget, effective June 30, 2025. This leaves precious little time to fully consider, plan and implement reasonable alternatives to assure the continued operations of this beloved, operationally self-sufficient community asset.
I strongly oppose this bill, and will be testifying to change its trajectory to, at the very least, defer this action for an additional year, to June 30, 2026, and provide 2GHG the time necessary to invite proposals, or develop plans to privatize. We want to keep our Newtown-based Horse Guard operating and fully funded long enough to be adopted by another state agency or moved to private ownership in an orderly fashion. There is an alternative bill proposed to extend funding, which I hope will be voted upon in this session. It is HB-5797 – An Act Concerning Funding for the Governor’s Horse Guards.
You should know that Newtown’s Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard, which has operated continuously since 1808 is, indeed, unique among the state’s militia units. It is operationally self-funded except for overhead to maintain the state-owned facility and grounds. As an all-volunteer unit and was legislated to become self-sustaining during Connecticut’s 2016 budget crisis by Public Act 16-52 – An Act Concerning the Leasing of Military Facilities. The goal of the 2016 Public Act was to position 2GHG, through its operations, and those of their 501c3 “Friends of 2GHG”, to generate sustainable revenues by leasing surplus stalls to nonprofits, by parade contributions, special and benefit events. Its dedicated volunteers work hard every year to raise necessary funds to care for and feed the horses of the unit.
