Hartford - Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced late Friday night that his administration had reached a second concessions agreement with state union leaders that is nearly identical to the one that union workers voted down last month.

The new deal with the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, worth a projected $1.6 billion in savings to state government over two years and $21.5 billion over 20 years, must be ratified by the rank-and-file and in place before an Aug. 31 deadline set by the state legislature.

The deal was announced shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, or about 30 minutes after leaders of the 15 state unions began filing out of a union hall in Hartford.

"I said all along that I was only willing to clarify terms from the last agreement, and that's what we've done," Malloy said in a statement. "I hope state employees ratify this agreement, but I am assuming nothing. If they ratify it, the vast majority of layoffs and painful spending cuts can be undone.

"If this agreement fails, then we'll unfortunately have to continue to lay people off and implement the spending cuts."

The governor and union representatives said the few changes to the agreement include "clarified" language on health care benefits aimed at dispelling false rumors that workers would be placed into the "SustiNet" program.

The agreement calls for a two-year wage freeze followed by three years of subsequent 3 percent increases. It also guarantees no layoffs for four years.

The agreement would rescind the governor's plan to eliminate 6,560 state positions - about 4,300 actual layoffs - and would also allow the state to roll back contractual raises that kicked in July 1.

To pay the state back, the raises set to happen in 2013 will be delayed for as long as a worker received his or her July 1 raise.

The agreement modifies and extends by five years a 20-year employee benefits agreement made by former Gov. John Rowland. The agreement now expires in 2022 rather than 2017.

Unions spokesman Eric Bailey said the new agreement will save jobs, protect benefits and preserve services.

"The united effort of union leaders has produced an agreement that is not just fair for the members they represent, it's also good for the people they serve and will restore vital public services cut in the governor's alternative budget plan," Bailey said.

He said the ratification process should get under way soon.

"They want to get it done as soon as possible, but nobody's set a deadline," Bailey said.

Negotiations for a new labor agreement restarted this week after SEBAC loosened its voting requirements for contract changes. The coalition of 15 state unions represents 45,000 workers.

The coalition's previous deal with the governor was voted down last month under its old rules, which mandated approval by 80 percent of the rank-and-file. The deal instead got 57 percent of the ratification vote.

Under the new rules, a majority of members' votes is generally sufficient.

Until the new deal was reached, Malloy had said he would continue enacting his Plan B to cut 6,560 state positions with budget cuts totaling $1.6 billion over two years. At least 1,850 employees had been issued notices by mid-week.

Plan B called for raising commuter train fares and shuttering DMV branches, courthouses, Connecticut River ferry service and highway restrooms across the state, among numerous other cost reductions.

Earlier Friday, the town of Lyme filed a lawsuit in New Britain Superior Court in an effort to stop the state from shutting down the ferries.

j.reindl@theday.com