Posted on March 11, 2020
HARTFORD – State Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) on Tuesday joined House Republican Leader Themis Klarides (R-114) to testify in strong support of HB 5453, “An Act Concerning the Sandy Hook Workers Assistance Program and Fund.”
The legislation would restore state administration of nearly $104,000 in charitable contribution funds for benefits to teachers, first responders, and other workers impacted by the 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The restoration of these funds was made necessary by the misuse of Sandy Hook Workers Assistance Program (SHWAP) funds by the United Labor Agency (ULA), which, in 2015, was designated by the state Office of Victims’ Services (OVS) to be the fiduciary of remaining SHWAP monies.
The bill would also impose safeguards for the funds by requiring more rigorous oversight by the General Assembly on the fund’s operation and codify mechanisms for future transfers of the fund to a charitable organization, contingent on approval by the legislature. In his testimony, Rep. Bolinsky expressed a preference to transfer administration to the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation.
The House Republican Caucus introduced the bill in February in response to a 2019 state auditors inquiry concluding that the ULA, the charity arm of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, misused the SHWAP fund. According to state auditors, the ULA comingled $115,827 in SHWAP funds with other revenue sources, meaning the monies were likely “used for other purposes.”
“I’d like to thank the leadership of the Public Safety and Security Committee for raising this legislation and recognizing the importance—and urgency—of recovering these funds,” said Rep. Bolinsky, who first called attention to possible mismanagement by the ULA in February 2019 in response to concerns from the SHWAP’s fund administers in Sandy Hook. “I also thank fellow Newtown Delegation members, Representative JP Sredzinski, Representative Raghib Allie-Brennan, and Senator Tony Hwang, for their co-sponsorship, help, and support marshaling this important legislation. All three serve on the Public Safety Committee so, they were not able to testify, although their encouragement was important.”
Rep. Bolinsky concluded, “It’s unfortunate that we even need to legislate on this, but I hope our bill will create safeguards that can be replicated by all charitable organizations administering funds created by the General Assembly in the future. It’s a matter of trust and respect to ensure that charitable donations only be used in the true spirit of the donors’ original wishes.”
“This fund was created in the aftermath of an unthinkable tragedy, and the only way to protect the remaining monies is to remit them back to the OVS and give the General Assembly more oversight of the fund’s operation,” said Rep. Klarides. “Our goal here is not to point fingers, but to make sure that as many people as possible have access to the SHWAP. I truly hope that we can resolve this matter swiftly and in a bipartisan manner.”
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