Bolinsky, Legislators Opening New Session

HARTFORD- State Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R-106 Newtown) today joined fellow state legislators for Opening Day of the 2014 Legislative Session in Hartford.

Today marked a departure from the legislature’s constitutional routine, brought on by Mother Nature’s snowstorm, which had forced closure of the Capitol on Wednesday February 5th, the scheduled opening date. Quick-thinking General Assembly leaders instead held a private, administrative opening on Wednesday afternoon and promptly adjourned till Thursday morning, February 6th. This revised date rang-in the first day of the General Assembly’s “short session”, which will last for a three-month period ending on May 7th, 2014. Under the legislature’s Joint Rules, introduction of bills and resolutions in this, an even-numbered year, are restricted to budgetary, revenue and financial matters, or bills submitted by any of the legislative committees.

In the second year of his first term, Rep. Mitch Bolinsky will continue to serve as member of the legislature’s Appropriations, Education and Environment committees. Over the next weeks, each committee will meet to review unfinished business and raise concepts for 2014 bill and resolutions.
This year, the state legislature will be deliberating on alterations to the biennial state budget which was passed last year. The state is now projected to have a $500 million boost of excess revenue. But, despite the anticipation of a one-time “surplus”, non-partisan analysts are projecting a $1.1 billion deficit for the next budget cycle.

Bolinsky said, “It’s good to be back! Despite this being the “short session”, there is a lot of work to do. We just have to do it in a condensed timeframe. At today’s opening session, we mostly took stock of where we are as a state and began the process of moving forward for 2014. Connecticut is still lagging in terms of our turn around. We must focus on job creation, tax relief and spending restraint. I was very happy to hear Governor Malloy speak about some of these issues today in his “State of the State” address. Back in 2012, I campaigned on such principles as “spending no more than you take-in”, “reducing excessive regulations on business” and “rolling back taxes on individuals”. Unless I was dreaming, all three of these subjects were promised by the governor today. That’s pretty exciting news! Now all we have to do is make it happen.”

Rep. Bolinsky and his Republican colleagues are expected to announce their caucus priorities for the 2014 session in the upcoming weeks.