It’s déjà vu in Hartford.

Connecticut lawmakers once again approved $43 million in emergency funding for nonprofits and schools – one week after they first approved the money.

The lion’s share – $40 million – is headed to local school districts to address crippling special education costs threatening to drive up property taxes.

“This is about fairness,” said state Rep. Corey Paris (D-Stamford). “It is about ensuring that no town has to make the impossible choice between supporting students with disabilities and cutting other essential services.”

As more students claim special needs status, costs are skyrocketing.

In Bridgeport, half of all students now qualify for special education services. The district is paying $9.8 million more than the 2017-18 school year, according to the Connecticut State Department of Education.

Across the state, schools are spending more than half a billion dollars extra.

On Monday, Lamont vetoed the emergency funding, arguing that it violated the state’s spending caps.

“You’ve got to start with an honestly balanced budget,” he told reporters. “And I’m not going to compromise on that.”

But the governor did compromise one day later, agreeing to move state surplus money into an off-budget emergency account.

If there’s no surplus, schools get no money.

“If you have no money, you can’t pay it,” said Connecticut House Speaker Matt Ritter (D-Hartford). “But that was always, I think, how it would have operated.”

The deal with Lamont avoided a contentious veto override. But Republicans – who voted for the original funding – slammed the governor’s change of heart.

“I have never seen a governor in my life veto a bill and within three hours, change his mind and cut a deal that does the exact same thing we voted on last week – but it violates the principles of the fiscal guardrails that we put in place,” said House GOP leader Vin Candelora (R-North Branford). “And I wish this governor would come back to Connecticut, stop with the junkets, stop reliving childhood dreams of giving out medals to rock stars, and get in this building and actually govern.”

As lawmakers debated the funding, Lamont appeared with legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards at the Westport Library. Richards, who lives in Weston, received the first-ever Connecticut Governor’s Award of Excellence.

The emergency special education funds should go out in May – after the state confirms budget surplus numbers.

Lamont is proposing an additional $54 million for special education in his new budget – but schools wouldn’t see the money until July 2026.

Lawmakers also approved $2.8 million for groups like Planned Parenthood and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups targeted by the Trump administration.

“They really want to send a message that we’re here to support these groups and the individuals that these groups are serving,” said state Rep. Jason Rojas (D-East Hartford), the Connecticut House Majority Leader.

Following the vote, Lamont issued this statement:

“The improved versions of these bills that the legislature passed today maintain the fiscal discipline and adhere to the sound fiscal management practices that we need to keep our state on the right track. I appreciate legislative leaders for maintaining an open dialogue and understanding our important responsibility of sustaining a balanced budget. I look forward to signing these bills into law.”