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This was a busy week on the house floor with many thoughtful debates on important legislation. Below are a few of the bills and you can find all bills passed HERE.
H.294 - Prevents employers from asking about an applicant’s salary history while still allowing an employer to inquire about a prospective employee’s salary expectations and providing information about the wages, benefits, compensation or salary offered in relation to the position. This is an important way to help close the pay gap in Vermont. Women in Vermont are paid 84 cents for every dollar paid to men, amounting to an annual wage gap of $7,787. The practice of having to disclose ones current salary only reinforces the pay gap by gender or race in our state. By eliminating this step, we can help level the playing field. The bill passed 137-0. I of course voted yes. H.624 - Prohibits a public agency from knowingly disclosing any information pertaining to a registered voter that is maintained in the statewide voter checklist. When President Trump announced a Commission on Voter Fraud and asked for voters personal information Vermonters were outraged and wanted to protect their personal data. The outpouring of contacts to the Secretary of State’s Office from Vermonters was by far the greatest for any issue seen since Secretary Condos has taken office. Virtually every contact was asking that their individual data not to be shared, or that VT not comply with the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity’s request for the voter checklist data. It's important we have protections in place for Vermonters’ sensitive and personal data contained in the statewide voter checklist and this bill provides that protection. The bill passed 94-37. I voted yes. H.673- An Act Relating to miscellaneous amendments to the Reach Up Program restores consistency between overlapping state and federal rules with the overarching theme being to invigorate workforce development efforts and improve efficiency and effectiveness of our state agencies. Reach Up helps eligible parents to gain job skills and find work so they can support their minor, dependent children. Besides the alignment of rules our changes create more flexibility. For example, right now a single parent household can only have one vehicle and doesn't take into account an older child that can drive. It also adds completion of a literacy program as a qualifier for benefits. This bill passed with a voice vote and I voted yes. H.764-An Act Relating to data brokers and consumer protection seeks to protect Vermont consumers through requiring companies trading in their personal information to register in Vermont and comply with data security standards. The highlights of the bill includes removing the fees for consumers to place AND lift security freezes with credit reporting agencies. Currently those fees are set in statute at $10 to place a security freeze and $5 to lift one. The bill also prohibits the unlawful acquisition of personally identifiable information and prohibits the use of personally identifiable information to commit unlawful acts; requires “data brokers” who buy and license or sell consumer data to register with the Secretary of State as to whether or not they have an opt out process or a “credentialing” process on their customers; requires “data brokers” to report annually on the breaches of personal information they experienced, and the number of Vermonters exposed; and requires “data brokers” to institute and follow minimum data security processes, borrowed largely from Massachusetts statute. The bill passed 92-46. I did not vote on this bill as I work for LexisNexis which is defined as a data broker under this legislation. While not on the floor our House Healthcare Committee continued hearing testimony on the Governor’s proposed budget and made our final recommendation to the Appropriations committee. We could not support proposed cuts that would reduce access to affordable health care services for vulnerable Vermonters. At this time of uncertainty and change in the State and federal health care systems, it is critically important to support affordability, access to primary care services, the Office of the Health Care Advocate, and the core functions of the Green Mountain Care Board. We also recommended that $170,000 of State funds be appropriated to the Vermont Coalition of Clinics for the Uninsured. This money leveraged with federal dollars will enable these nine clinics to continue providing essential health care to uninsured and underinsured Vermonters without imposing charges or fees. The number of patients they serve annually has more than doubled over 10 years, but they have not received any increases to their annual funding allotments during that time. Our full budget recommendation can be found Here. The next step in the budget process is for the Appropriations committee to review all policy committee recommendations to create a final budget to be presented to the full House for a vote. Questions about the budget or any legislation, please join Representative Giambatista and I at our community conversation on Monday February 19th from 6:30 pm to 8:00pm at the Essex Senior Center, 2 Lincoln St. Can’t make it, feel free to reach out directly 802-373-0599. It’s an honor to serve our community!
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It was an interesting week in the legislature: from the Governor’s Budget Address, to the Health Care Access public meeting, to the passage of the House Transportation Committee’s Highway Safety Bill and finally to the “Brain. Science. Addiction. Lets Talk!” community conversation.
The Highway Safety Transportation bill passed by a voice vote of 133-7. Highlights of the bill include: creates civil violations for license suspensions that may be imposed prior to any criminal proceedings for persons under 21 including establishing minimum penalties for using portable electronic devices; enhances penalties for driving under the influence with minors in the car; and establishes primary seat belt legislation. Primary seat belt legislation means police may pull someone over for not wearing their seat belt, even if that is their only violation. In the last four years Vermont highway fatalities have risen steadily from 44 to 69. Last year 52% of fatalities were unbelted. Current Vermont seatbelt use hovers around 85%. With this legislation we expect the percentage to increase by at least 5% based on other states data. Based on Vermont statistics this could save 3 to 4 additional lives and 15 serious injuries each year moving forward. Millions of dollars in medical costs, life insurance premiums, disability payments and lost wages could be avoided, not to mention the physical and mental stress placed on those injured and the family and friends around them. We do know that racial profiling occurs with traffic stops and this caused many legislators to pause on their vote. In Vermont we have Fair and Impartial Policing policies - police must track the race of everyone stopped. That information is made public and reviewed by several committees of jurisdiction. We need to ensure state and local police are eliminating racial profiling while protecting the lives of all Vermonters. The House and Senate Health Care committees heard testimony from 51 witnesses Tuesday night at a joint public hearing on access to health care. The call from more than 400 people who attended, primarily from the Vermont Workers Center, was for implementing Act 48 with universal health care, with some witnesses urging universal primary care as a next step. Witnesses shared stories of healthcare hardships from being underinsured or not being able to afford premiums. Many people put off going to doctors until there is an emergency. This hearing was a reminder that what we do is not theoretical- Vermonters lives are at stake. The Governor’s budget address Tuesday proposed total spending for next year at $3.86m which is an increase of $82m reached without raising any new taxes or fees. Just a few of his proposals include: phased in elimination of income tax on social security benefits for low and moderate income seniors, $3.2m to attract people to Vermont by targeting those most likely to live here, $400k to a ThinkVT innovation fund to help small business expand and $625k in incentives to help renovate and upgrade existing housing stock. What is not discussed in the budget address is what programs are proposed to be reduced or eliminated to afford these new or expanded programs. For instance Agency of Human Services has proposed $16m in reduced spending. We need to understand what programs are impacted and whether Vermonters will be better off. All committees of jurisdiction have begun diving into the details with an expected final budget by mid-March. Lastly, a highlight of my week was the conversation Brain. Science. Addiction. Let’s Talk! Parents and community members came together to discuss substance use disease. We learned how science in the brain both impact and are impacted by substances. I had two big takeaways – youth will seek out risky behavior whether it’s rock climbing or substances. We need to keep our youth engaged in activities that fulfill that need. Also studies show the later you start using substances the less likely one will develop a substance use disease. This correlates directly with the development of the brain. We also heard about the 8th grade curriculum on substances, Howard Center’s First Step and statistics of use in our schools and prevention tips. I look forward to finding a way to continue this important conversation. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or comments: lhoughton@leg.state.vt.us or 373-0599. Thank you for the opportunity to serve Essex Junction! It’s good to be back at the Statehouse. Many people have asked me if this year is different from last and I say a resounding yes! Last year with new leadership in the House, Senate and Executive Branch and 30+ new legislatures a lot of time was spent bringing everyone up to speed. This year all committees are diving right into the important work we must accomplish.
This week the house passed the following: H.593: Unanimous approval of the consumer protection bill. This legislation addresses automatic contract renewals, retainage for construction materials, credit protection for vulnerable persons and use of credit information for personal insurance. H.554: An act relating to the regulation of dams. Purpose is to protect public safety and provide for the public good through the inventory, inspection, and evaluation of dams in the state under the Dept of Environmental Conversation. H.568: Amendments to the Charter of the Town of Barre. H.633: Budget Adjustment Act It was an interesting week in the Health Care Committee. All committee chairs juggle priority setting - time to address proposed bills and issues that are time sensitive versus time to hear, think and talk more broadly about topics that inform and affect decisions across the entire system, in our case the health care system. This week was more of the later and the focus was access and affordability. We started the week with the Department of Health discussing Vermont’s health outcomes; specifically focusing on equity and outcomes for Vermonters by subpopulation. It is important for us to remember the systems that shape daily life and the -isms they create related to categories of race, gender, ethnicity, social position, sexual orientation and disability affect our health. Conditions in which people are born, grow, work, life and age are important determinants in the health of oneself and our population. A study from 2007 shows that access to health care contributes only 10% to health outcomes. We also discussed the concept of diseases of despair and disconnection - both becoming prevalent in our society. We have to look at the interplay of all these factors, and lived experiences, to truly affect change in our health care system and the health of all Vermonters. The Department of Health, through surveys, focus groups and data collection, have created a wealth of data on this topic. All is available to the public at www.healthvermont.gov and there is a very interesting presentation on our committee website. We had a robust conversation with our Healthcare Advocate, Mike Fisher, on affordability of our health care system. We have requested a follow up conversation to better understand the benefits cliff issues in our health care system. Two organizations providing solutions for those unable to afford health care are Pathways Vermont and the Vermont Coalition of Clinics for the Uninsured. Pathways Vermont provided updates on their five programs: Housing First, Veteran Family Re-housing program, Soteria House, a Community Center and a confidential nonjudgmental peer-to-peer support line (833-VTTALKS). An interesting fact from their testimony is the savings their Housing First program achieves. Based on their data the cost to incarcerate someone is $158/day (remember we have many people remaining in jail because they lack housing), the cost of residential treatment is $98/day, the cost of transitional housing is $58/day and the cost for Housing First - to provide permanent housing and support resources - is $43/day. I am a strong supporter of Pathways Vermont and encourage you to check out their website. Vermont Coalition of Clinics for the Uninsured (VCCU) is a network of 9 clinics relying on volunteers to provide no charge health and referral services to our most vulnerable Vermonters. Their testimony was a harsh reminder that in our age of health care reform there are still many Vermonters who cannot afford or have barriers to accessing health care. They are also a strong example of a piece of the system that should no longer fly under the radar but must be viewed within the whole system. Our update on the All Payer Model and the next generation Medicaid pilot further bolstered the point of VCCU needing to no longer fly under the radar. This health care reform effort works with “covered lives” from Medicaid, Medicare and Commercial Insurance. Those served by VCCU are not considered “covered lives”. A large hole in our system. As we know, we are not immune to the decisions being made in our Federal government. With the removal of the ACA Individual Mandate starting Jan 1, 2019 we need to understand the effects this causes to the stability of our Vermont insurance market. We started that conversation this week and expect much more conversation in the coming weeks. Our committee also heard testimony from the Secretary of the Agency of Human Services, on their proposal to build a 925 bed campus. This proposal has generated a lot of media attention; however, it is just a proposal that will be vetted thoroughly by several committees. In summary the proposal would not add new net beds to the system other than bringing all out of state prisoners back to Vermont, would result in the closure of the men’s facility in St Albans and the women’s facility in South Burlington, and would be staffed by Vermont state employees. Stayed tuned for more information. The Speaker of the House, Mitzi Johnson, has asked all committees to view climate change in the context of their jurisdiction. To that end we heard from Vermont Climate and Health Alliance a fairly new organization intent to show the impact of climate change on humans and animals. One interesting fact they provided is that 87 degrees is the temperature where heat related illnesses rise. Currently we have about 7 days of 87 or higher degree temperatures, but in the future we will rise to 30+ days. This will have an impact on our health care system. We will be continuing our conversation on this topic next week with testimony from the Department of Health. This is just what occurred in the House Health Care committee. So much more happened in your Statehouse last week. You can find all testimony at www.legislature.vermont.gov I appreciate the opportunity to serve Essex Junction and am always open to feedback, comments and conversation. Feel free to reach out at lhoughton@leg.state.vt.us or 373-0599 or through this website. This piece was printed in the Essex Reporter as part of a Q&A to all 4 Essex Town/Village legislators.
1. Is there a piece of legislation Essex residents, in particular, should keep their eye on? Why? Unfortunately we have a lot of priority issues that I recommend Essex residents pay attention to. In healthcare our first priority is to understand and mitigate the effects of President Trump’s decision to eliminate the subsidy reimbursements to insurance companies. By law insurance companies must continue to provide the subsidies, so insurance companies will be seeking a method to recoup the costs – most likely insurance hikes in the future. We need to lessen these effects to all Vermonters. We have also begun reviewing the many studies that are now coming due from our large mental health bill last year. It is imperative that we eliminate wait times for treatment, ensure our children’s needs are being met, provide treatment to those in our prison system, and implement policy that moves our culture to treat mental health and physical health as one. Two issues where we are watching federal action is funding for Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and our Federally Qualified Health Centers, like Community Health Center of Burlington. Congress has not yet reauthorized these programs, although they have extended funding for CHIP through March. Both of these are critical programs for the health of our children and for access to primary care. Outside of our committee, the body is working on education funding, minimum wage, child care programs, tax reform, water clean-up, data privacy and our drug crisis, just to name a few. We do not have a shortage of critical issues that affect Essex and all residents of the state. We need residents to stay engaged and reach out with their comments and suggestions. 2. Several major bills have already been introduced this session, topics including recreational marijuana, water quality and minimum wage. What issue are you most passionate about and why? I am most passionate about ensuring that we are spending your tax dollars effectively and equitably with outcomes that help Vermonters who need our assistance while providing economic conditions that help all Vermonters prosper and attract non-Vermonters to our beautiful state. This will be the frame I use when voting on all bills this session. 3. Do you plan to introduce or sponsor any legislation this session? Tell us about it. As I meet with residents we determine together if a policy change is needed to solve their concern. Mostly, so far, all efforts have focused on bills that are already proposed to determine how to make them stronger and more effective. I am currently researching one issue around child support. Now that children can stay on a parent’s healthcare policy until age 26, should we require child support be paid to the parent providing the healthcare until age 21 or higher (assuming income criteria). I welcome all thoughts on this, and any other, issue. Thank you for the opportunity to serve Essex Junction and for your continued support. I can be reached at: Lhoughton@leg.state.vt.us or cell 802-373-0599 or via my website at www.lorihoughton.com. Village community members: I want to hear from you as we approach January and the start of the 2018 legislative session. Please join Representative Giambatista and I for a community meeting at 6:30pm on Monday, November 27. We will gather at the Essex Community Senior Center (2 Lincoln Street at Five Corners). All are welcome to attend and participate.
We want to hear your feedback about local and state issues. Do you have an item you'd like to see the Governor and legislators address next year? Is there a policy of concern or particular interest? Please join us and let us know what is important to you. The November 27 meeting will be the tenth community forum we've held since taking office in January. Throughout the year, participating neighbors have shared their stories about accessing health care, education policy, business development and more. We want to hear from you to make sure your voices are represented when we return to Montpelier. If you can't make the meeting but would like to connect, please feel free to call or email. I can be reached at (802) 373-0599 or lhoughton@leg.state.vt.us. I look forward to seeing you on November 27. NEWS RELEASE – October 27, 2017
Press Contacts: Tim Lueders-Dumont (802) 828-1451 Treasurer’s Office Negotiates 51% Administrative Fee Reduction for Supplemental Retirement Plans Savings Will Accrue to Plan Participants MONTPELIER, VT — Vermont State Treasurer Beth Pearce announced today that members of the State (VSERS), Teachers’ (VSTRS), and Municipal (VMERS) retirement systems will soon be able to save more money for retirement under an agreement with a new third-party administrator, Prudential Retirement. The Treasurer’s Office was able to negotiate a 51% reduction in administrative fees plan participants pay for supplemental retirement, saving members an estimated $3.2 million over 5 years. “As the fiduciary of retirement plans, we work every day to ensure that plan participants can achieve retirement security,” said Treasurer Pearce. “After reviewing multiple proposals, we determined Prudential Retirement would provide excellent value and service to plan participants. Every dollar saved in administering the plans will accrue to the benefit of participating members and to Vermont taxpayers.” The savings and efficiencies achieved in the switch to Prudential builds upon a successful track record of reducing administrative fees paid by plan participants. In February 2016, the per participant fee for the State 457 Deferred Compensation Plan was reduced by 30 percent. Similar fee reductions have been achieved throughout other plans administered by the Treasurer’s Office. Prudential Retirement was selected by the Treasurer’s Office after an open RFP was conducted with each of the three retirement systems’ Board of Trustees. Prudential Retirement was selected as the third-party administrator for the seven preexisting optional plan offerings available to VSERS, VSTRS, and VMERS members. The VSERS, VSTRS and VMERS defined benefit plans are not impacted by this change and will continue to be administered by the Vermont Retirement Division and overseen by the Retirement Boards. The scope of service includes administration of: State 457 Deferred Compensation Plan State Defined Contribution Plan Municipal Employees 457 Deferred Compensation Plan Municipal Defined Contribution Plan Municipal Retiree Health Savings Plan Teachers 403(b) Plan Single Deposit Investment Account Plan The transition to Prudential will occur in February 2018. Plan participants will benefit from enhanced services and lower fees. Additionally, plan participants will be able to access a number of account management options and improved financial literacy planning tools. The Treasurer’s Office and Prudential Retirement will continue to communicate directly with VSERS, VSTRS and VMERS plan participants as the transition occurs. PRESS RELEASE
House Commerce and Economic Development Hearings The House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development is a legislative committee that considers matters related to business organizations, including issues related to privacy and data security breaches. Speaker Johnson has authorized the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to meet this fall to hold hearings around the State to discuss issues related to privacy and data security breaches. Representatives from the Attorney General’s Office, the Department of Financial Regulation, and the Office of Legislative Council will join the Committee in presenting a brief summary of current law and recommended responses to security breaches. Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate have been invited to join the Committee at these hearings. The Committee will hear from the public their questions, experience with breaches, concerns, and suggestions. This topic is a continuation of the Committee’s work last session, and of particular interest in light of current events in relation to the Equifax breach. A list of meeting dates and locations is available below. Sign-up will begin 30 minutes prior to the hearing’s start time. Thursday, November 9th 12:30 p.m. Springfield Town Offices Selectmen’s Hall 96 Main Street Springfield, VT 5:30 p.m. Barton Village Office 17 Village Square Barton, VT Tuesday, November 14th 12:30 p.m. Manchester Community Library Hunter Community Room 138 Cemetery Avenue Manchester Center, VT 6:00 p.m. Department of Health Conference Room 2B 108 Cherry Street Burlington, VT As I'm sure everyone knows the Governor vetoed the budget (H518), the state education tax rate bill (aka Yield Bill H509) and S22 the marijuana bill at the end of the regular session. We returned to the statehouse Wednesday to attempt to override the vetoes (which were sustained) then moved on to pass new legislation. Summaries of each are below. Budget The budget bill (H542) passed yesterday is identical to the version the House and Senate passed on May 18th and vetoed by the Governor, except for three technical amendments. A few highlights of the budget:
Yield Bill Additionally the state education tax rate legislation (originally passed as H509) was added to the budget as an amendment rather than having a separate bill. This bill sets the tax rates for the next fiscal year and has legislation regarding the savings achieved from school employees healthcare plans. Below are the highlights of the passed legislation:
Marijuana This bill originally began in the Senate so they took up the bill first yesterday. They added language agreed upon with the Governor and voted the bill out. However, rules had to be suspended in the House for us to take up the bill. That vote failed. There is no marijuana legislation this year. I suspect it will be discussed again next session. So what did I think of the end of session and the veto session? A colleague on the House floor said it well last night "politics got in the way of leadership". I was dismayed at the closed door negotiations the past few weeks and hope that is not a sign of the future. I'm also saddened that teachers were pitted against tax payers. We should be uniting our communities not dividing them. But at the end of the day we have a fiscally responsible budget with tri-partisan support. For that I am very proud of our small state! If anyone has specific questions or wants to talk, please reach out. 373-0599 or lhoughton@leg.state.vt.us. Rep Giambatista and I will be available to meet on June 28th at Nest Coffee & Bakery on Main St from 8:30am to 9:30am. Hope you can join our conversation! Thank you for allowing me to serve Essex Junction! Have a great summer! Below is an op-ed by Mitzi Johnson, Speaker of the House, published today. I agree that we passed a fiscally responsible budget that still reflects the values of Vermonters while we prepare for the effects of the Federal budget. I also agree that we need to look at the costs of our education system. To do that right we need a process that ensures our children's needs are the focus while valuing all school workers and respecting all tax payers. What happened at the end of the legislative session is not the right process.
By Mitzi Johnson: When your state representatives were sworn in Jan. 4, each pledged faithful, honest service to the people and constitution of Vermont.In my opening remarks as Speaker of the House, I asked them to do this by evaluating and prioritizing our state’s needs to support the long-term health and wellness of our state. Given the vast uncertainty at the national level, and your voices at the local level, your legislators crafted a budget that carefully balances Vermont’s diverse, sometimes competing requests. We worked across political aisles to find budget reductions. Together we invested in housing, higher education, water quality, economic development, child care and mental health. We put more money into the education fund to reduce pressure on your property taxes and raised NO taxes and fees. We spent less than the projected revenues, building savings that will mitigate uncertainty in federal funds. The budget invests in Vermont’s future, makes good on our promises, and does so with great fiscal restraint. It passed 143-1 in the House and 30-0 in the Senate. Former Republican Gov. Jim Douglas praised the budget as a “positive step.” In vetoing the budget, Republican Gov. Phil Scott said no to a morally and fiscally responsible budget, and no to its inclusive, non-partisan process. In addition to the budget veto, Scott vetoed a property tax decrease in H.509 that would have gone directly to Vermont taxpayers. Two years ago, teachers agreed to move from comprehensive health care plans to high deductible plans with much cheaper premium and much higher out-of-pocket costs. The teacher health care savings that have been widely discussed come from that already-agreed upon change. It’s happening no matter what the Legislature and governor do. Those savings are already happening in local negotiations. Centralizing those negotiations in Montpelier doesn’t necessarily increase savings — it just makes it easier for Montpelier to raid those savings to spend it elsewhere. We can’t let that happen. Just how much is the savings on your property taxes? Hundreds or even thousands of dollars? Nope. Under Scott’s last-minute demands, a home valued at $200,000 would, at most, bring savings to Vermont families of less than $22 each year, less than a tank of gas. The House and Senate passed various bills that would have guaranteed savings of $25 to $65 a year, but Scott rejected these as well. A veto of the budget should not be taken lightly. It is the second budget veto in Vermont’s history. If a budget is not in place by July 1, Vermont state government shuts down. In Vermont we do things differently than in Washington, D.C. We work together, solve hard problems, and help out our neighbors. Our economy and our communities do not need MORE uncertainty. Given that there were other options on the table, $22 is not worth the veto that rolls back the investments we made and throws our state into weeks of uncertainty. So how would the investments in vetoed budget have helped Vermonters? The $2.5 million increase in child care services for working families could have helped parents get back to work and build a workforce for small businesses. Higher education is a key component of a strong, healthy future, but it is out of reach for many Vermonters. The Legislature’s budget allocated an additional $3 million that would have improved access to the Vermont State Colleges. The Democratic Legislature earned an “A” grade from the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, which applauded the Legislature’s no new taxes as well as the expanded investments that would have gone to economic development throughout the state in Small Business Development Centers, micro business development, economic development marketing, downtown infrastructure development (known as “TIFs”) and career and technical education. Appreciating the importance of agriculture and forestry in rural economic development, the Legislature made additional investments in working lands, the farm-to-school program, and the logging sector. The vetoed budget included a $35 million housing bond that would have generated a $100 million in construction of affordable and middle-income housing. The Legislature listened to Vermonters underserved by an overwhelmed, underfunded mental health system and made significant investments that would have supported community mental health care and developmental services. We reinforced funding for our home and community based services, including adult day centers and Meals on Wheels. We budgeted significant funds to clean up our state waters. This is an excellent budget that is the culmination of years of difficult decisions and strong work this session across party lines. While legislative leaders will continue to work with the administration to find our way through to agreement that restores these critical investments and property tax savings, Vermonters can be very proud of the Legislature’s budget, its tripartisan support and the solid, fiscally responsible investments their Legislature made in our communities, economy and future. I thought this would be my last legislative update of the session, but we are heading back. The parties are still negotiating the budget and we have a few other important bills to pass. As you may know the House passed a budget that didn't increase revenues or taxes, hence no increase to property taxes or any other tax. The Senate passed a budget that would increase property taxes. The Governor wants his plan for a statewide contract to move forward. We will be meeting Wednesday of this week and hope to conclude by the end of the week. This is still within our budgeted schedule.
As a freshman, last week was definitely interesting. Seeing firsthand how the process worked was great learning experience. A quick recap of the process - as bills pass the House they are sent to the Senate and vice versa. In keeping with the House started the process, the Senate would determine whether to take up the bill. If they do, they will hear testimony, potentially make changes, vote and pass the bill back to the House. The House may concur with any changes and the bill moves forward. If the House doesn't concur they can either try to reach an agreement with the Senate by working informally. If the differences are just too vast, then a committee of conference will be assigned. This committee is made up of three parties of each committee of jurisdiction. They meet and hopefully agree to a final bill. That bill then is presented to both chambers for a yes or no vote - no changes can be made by either body at that point. I am proud of the work we've completed through the session and last week. I supported S135, a large economic development bill, that improves the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive Program (VEGI), expands the state's apprenticeship and internship programs, and creates a voluntary public retirement program - The Green Mountain Secure Retirement Plan - to ensure Vermonters have a simple and affordable option to save for retirement. I also supported S103 a toxic and hazardous substance bill that will further protect our children and H233 that amends the criteria and jurisdiction of the State land use law to protect forest resources in order to support the forest economy, water quality, and habitat. S16 passed expanding patient access to the medical marijuana registry by adding Crohn's and Parkinson's disease. Post traumatic stress disorder is now also included as long as the person is also undergoing psychotherapy or counseling with a licensed mental health care provider. There are many more bills that passed. A full listing can be found on the "vote" page. I look forward to the coming days and will keep you posted. |
