NEWTOWN- In celebration of Flag Day, State Reps. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) and Martin Foncello (R-107) along with the Scouts of Troop 270 conducted a flag collection drive at the CH Booth Library for those that wished to turn in their worn and tattered flags to be retired at VFW Post 308 in Newtown, in a respectful ceremony.

The Scouts demonstrated for the lawmakers, the proper procedure for folding an American flag.

Additionally, during the collection they received a donation of a flag that flew last…

HARTFORD- State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) strongly supported the bi-partisan FY 2024 – FY2025 state budget.  This year’s budget is made noteworthy by the policy contributions proposed by Governor Lamont and all four legislative caucuses, as well as the use of state surplus dollars to make targeted investments in critical programs, while respecting the fiscal “guardrails”, first introduced by the Republican Caucuses in crafting the FY 2017 – FY 2018 bipartisan budget.

The state does its budgets in…

NEWTOWN — To pay homage to the Flag Day holiday, State Reps. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106), Martin Foncello (R-107) and state Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) in cooperation with Newtown VFW Post #308 and Scout Troop #270 are helping Newtown residents dispose of their worn American flags in a dignified and respectful way.

The U.S. Flag Code specifies that old American flags no longer in service must be properly disposed, and the lawmakers are offering this service free of charge, in conjunction with VFW Post #308.…

State Making $9 Million of This Funding Available to Municipalities

(HARTFORD, CT) –Newtown State Representative. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106), Ranking Member of the Legislature’s Aging Committee and his House Co-Chair State Rep. Jane Garibay (D-60), along with Governor Ned Lamont and Aging and Disability Services Commissioner Amy Porter today announced that the Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services has been awarded $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)…

Today, State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) stood with thousands of Connecticut nonprofit providers who rallied at the State Capitol for additional state funding. These are the people that help support programs for substance abuse and mental health treatment, day and residential services for people with developmental disabilities and other vital services.

Our providers have been underfunded for more than a decade, and we will continue to advocate for increases that pay for services. The House Republican…

HARTFORD- State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) joined 80 fellow-Alzheimer’s advocates on Wednesday May 17 at the State Capitol for a day of advocacy urging Connecticut state lawmakers to support key legislative initiatives to provide critical support for Connecticut’s 80,000 families caring for loved-ones afflicted by Alzheimer’s Disease and other advanced dementias.

Rep. Bolinsky shared his “Why” by relating a bit of family history: “As a 10-year caregiver, this is a cause about which I care deeply…

Reps. Bolinsky, Foncello Applaud Food Scraps Program Grants for Bethel, Newtown

Hartford—State Representatives Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) and Martin Foncello (R-107) are applauding funding for Newtown and Bethel from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) program. Bethel, Middlebury, and Kent will be joining 15 other municipalities, including Newtown, awarded funds last year to implement pilot programs to collect residential food scraps…

HARTFORD- State Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R- Newtown) along with animal advocates held a press conference to advocate for bills and to raise awareness of the correlation between animal cruelty, child maltreatment, and other forms of interpersonal violence.

“These bills are about our humanity, the love we return to our animal companions, and protecting them from cruelty and abuse. As an Animal Welfare Caucus member, I also understand that people who abuse their animals are overwhelmingly likely…

2024-2025 plan provides more tax relief than Governor and Democrats, invests in key areas including education and nonprofit social safety net providers 

HARTFORD—State Reps. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) and Martin Foncello (R-107) along with their House Republican colleagues on Tuesday released a balanced budget proposal that provides more than $1 billion in broad-based tax relief to Connecticut residents while also making historic investments in education and providing more funding for nonprofit providers.…

HARTFORD- State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-Newtown) with Newtown constituent Joellen Lawson, founder of ConnFESS (the Connecticut Foundation for Environmentally Safe Schools), along with other notable state and national Healthy School Advocates, gathered at the State Capitol to honor and celebrate the 20th anniversary of National Healthy Schools Day on April 4, 2023.

Connecticut’s Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) act for schools’ law reinforces our state’s position and commitment to “Healthy Schools”.

Despite Connecticut’s initial 2003 launch of standards for annual inspection, maintenance, and reporting of each district’s air quality conditions by school building, the 2013 legislature relaxed inspection frequencies to once every 5-years. It’s believed this has generally resulted in less healthy school buildings, some of which expose building occupants to hazards like chemical, mold, and other environmental sensitivities. These needs were also, highlighted during the COVID pandemic.

This 2023 legislation will return our state to more frequent, annual inspections and reporting. Together with Governor Lamont’s 2022 commitment to fund a $150-million grant program to assist public school districts in the remediation or replacement of deficient HVAC systems, it is great news for our school children, educators, building support staff and visitors.

Rep Bolinsky observed: “Connecticut leaped to the forefront of indoor air quality legislation in 2003 but slowly let it slip away. 2013 was a pivotal year in relaxing standards. I’ve been advocating for and with Mrs. Lawson to renew, re-formalize and fund this important program for more than 10-years now, and I’m so happy we’re finally getting this done for her, for the state’s school children, and other affected building occupants, like her fellow, affected educators.”

Additionally, Rep. Bolinsky read an Official State Proclamation from Governor Ned Lamont proclaiming April 4^th National Healthy Schools Day.

The all-day event and informational forum at the Legislative Office Building included ConnFESS, it’s dedicated IAQ coalition and CEA invite you to a celebration of National Heathy Schools Day focused on the pathway forward in making every Connecticut school a place with a safe, healthy, work and learning environment.

“Joellen’s advocacy and tenacity has again pushed Connecticut to the forefront in the fight for healthy schools, I am proud to call her my constituent. Connecticut has been a leader in IAQ, for the good of our students and educators. The goal of National Healthy Schools Day is to support a safe and healthy environment for all school children and personnel and the need to highlight the need for improved attention and protection of environmental health in schools for all school occupants,” said Rep. Bolinsky. “Unfortunately, it took the COVID pandemic to reawaken us to the importance of and the responsibility we bear to ensure every Connecticut school is a safe place when it comes to air quality. May our renewed awareness move the ball forward so every student and teacher can safely breathe in their school.”…