Repercussions from the Blagojevich scandal?  Could be!  Courtesy CTNewsJunkie:

In an unexpected move, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed the US Senate vacancy bill which takes away the governor’s power to appoint someone to a vacant US Senate seat.

“Although the current process for filling a Senate vacancy has worked well in our state for many decades, this bill gives directly to the people of Connecticut the decision on who would fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate,” Rell said in a press release. “Since taking office as Governor, I have done everything in my power to make Connecticut a model for all states when it comes to openness, transparency and citizen participation in government.”

“We are fortunate to live in a participatory democracy, where our people do indeed have a voice in how they are governed,” Rell said. “This law is consistent with my long-held belief that we should take every action possible to involve our citizens in their government.”

Under the new law, Connecticut's Governor must issue a writ of election within 10 days of a vacancy, and said election will occur 150 days after the writ is issued.

I like it.  No more pussyfooting around with lists of "potential appointees," no more backroom deals, and no more "wonder who?" trial balloons in the media.   The simplicity is perfect - got a vacant Senate seat? Have an election!  Sure, it's more symbolic than anything else--Senate vacancies are fairly uncommon in most states--but that kind of symbolism is important, as is the notion of an executive voluntarily limiting their own power.

Of course, there was also some inexplicable opposition, incoherently phrased:

Republican lawmakers had called the bill a “power grab” during lengthy debates in both the House and the Senate.

Um...enabling the voters to select their replacement Senator is a "power grab?"  For whom?  Sheesh...

Kudos to the legislators who pushed it through, and to Governor Rell for supporting and signing it.  I'd like to see other states take this ball and run with it...