Bolinsky Putting Forth Numerous Constituent-Driven Proposals
This is the first of a two-part feature on current legislation being proposed by local state lawmakers.
As the only state representative whose district lies completely within the borders of Newtown, Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) appropriately readied for his second term in the statehouse by going back to those very constituents for suggestions for bills to propose in the current legislative session.
Those constituents responded in earnest, providing input for most of the 27 proposals Rep Bolinsky is either authoring, co-authoring, or sponsoring this year.
Among those initiatives are several tied to traffic safety, particularly distracted and impaired driving; better protecting state families from domestic violence; penalizing those who perpetrate the kind of malicious threats that have plagued Newtown causing school evacuations and traumatizing residents; as well as bills tied to broader issues like campaign finance reform, property taxes, and electricity cost.
Rep Bolinsky spent about an hour with The Newtown Bee January 19, reviewing the legislation he hopes will successfully make it into law this session.
Among the proposals related to transportation and public safety are:
*A bill to amend the general statutes to establish a program to exempt fuel-efficient vehicles from the minimum vehicle occupancy requirements in the state’s HOV lanes. Vehicle owners could pay an annual $25 user-fee to permit them access to HOV lanes without meeting the minimum occupancy requirement, with any resulting funds being dedicated toward maintenance for the state’s transportation infrastructure.
*A bill requiring centerline rumble cuts on all state and federal roadways where a yellow centerline is present. Rep Bolinsky hopes such a program will reduce the incidence of head-on collisions and deaths on heavily traveled intercity roadways that are not outfitted with a center median or barrier system. He credited constituent Donald Evans for the idea.
*A bill modifying Connecticut DMV’s graduated licensing restrictions for new 16- or 17-year-old drivers, waiving the two-hour parent training requirement for parents that have taken and can document completion of this requirement with another child within the prior three years.
*A bill allowing the state DOT to place “No Jake-Braking – Residential Area,” “Residential Area — Do Not Engine Brake,” or some other equivalent signage in downhill stretches of interstate or state highways in proximity to densely settled neighborhoods and where over-the-road trucks have historically employed such intrusive, noisy engine braking methods. Local Riverside section residents suggested the legislation.
*A bill to modify Connecticut DMV’s graduated licensing restrictions for new 16- or 17 year-old drivers, exempting the use of hands-free GPS navigation systems from the list of banned “handheld electronic devices.” He hopes such an amendment will benefit “lost, youthful drivers” who are, for lack of experience, less proficient at navigating and dangerous when lost, to lawfully utilize GPS as well as audible “turn-by-turn” voice directions.
*A bill creating a special task force to study creating a statewide system of DWI Courts similar to systems in Minnesota and Arizona. Rep Bolinsky said in those systems, recidivism rates have been reduced, along with costs to the state through lower incarceration rates and dramatic reductions in repeat offenses.
*An open container prohibition that is compliant with federal statutes to reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes, fatalities, and damages resulting from impaired drivers. Rep Bolinsky said Connecticut is one of just 11 states without a federally compliant open container law. The law would prohibit both possession of any open alcoholic beverage container and consumption of any alcoholic beverage in any vehicles except for passengers of vehicles designed, maintained, or used primarily for transportation for compensation such as buses, taxi cabs, and limousines, or the living quarters of motor homes operating on a public highway or any right-of-way (including shoulder) of a public highways.
Tax Breaks For Tolls
And in the event any type of legislation is proposed attempting to resurrect tolls on Connecticut’s highways, Rep Bolinsky said he was prepared to counter with an act to make properly documented in-state tolls paid by Connecticut residents, state income tax-deductible with the intent of having out-of-state travelers pay “their fair share” in the maintenance of aging infrastructure.
“Connecticut taxpayers already pay their fair share and should have the option to recover a percent of their in-state tolls each April 15,” the Newtown lawmaker said.
With Newtown and the state facing escalating incidents of domestic violence resulting in injuries and deaths, Rep Bolinsky is proposing the “DAWN” Act, which stands for Divorce And Women’s Notification Act. It was proposed by constituent Melanie Mattegat and Erica Lafferty, and named after Ms Lafferty’s mother Dawn Hochsprung, the late principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School. The law is designed to make certain children of divorcing parents do not fall through the cracks by mandating reporting by the court system to DCF or DMHAS when a divorce proceeding is initiated by the parents of any minor child receiving state special needs or mental health support services.
Constituent feedback also resulted in Rep Bolinsky proposing an act to “Discourage Anonymous Threats” by imposing enhanced penalties, a defined, minimum jail sentence and stiffer fines for threatening calls, posts, letters, and verbalizations of school threats like the ones that resulted in local school evacuations and early dismissals since 12/14.
He is also proposing an act enhancing school bus security — a bill or study requiring measures to prevent a potential tragedy or act of terror involving school children traveling on school buses.
Local constituents also inspired the idea behind a bill to cap property tax increases for seniors and individuals living on fixed incomes to a percentage not to exceed corresponding Social Security percent increase for the most recent benefit-year for residents having lived in a community for ten years and who derive two-thirds or more net income from Social Security.
The same constituents also suggested Rep Bolinsky work to change affordable housing laws to give full credit (as opposed to current partial credit) for each unit of senior housing that is developed in a community.
Rep Bolinsky also wants to see a special act to change the name of part of the Paugussett State Forest to Sandy Hook Memorial State Forest. This would not only memorialize the loss of life that occurred on 12/14, but would collaterally eliminate current confusion associated with having two Paugussett State Forests, Upper and Lower, in Newtown.