VCDR 2023 Weekly Summary of Legislative Activities, Committee Agendas and Calendar of Events
February 27 – March 3 , 2023
Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights
Legislature
The Legislature reconvened Wednesday January 4th for the first year of the new 2023–2024 Biennium. The Legislature is back meeting in person after 3 years of working mostly remotely during the COVID epidemic. Remote access and live streaming will continue for those who prefer to watch the House and Senate proceedings and legislative committees remotely.
There are 51 new legislators this year after the November elections, a historic turnover in the Legislature. The House has 9 new chairs of key committees, and the Senate has 3 new chairs. Representative Jill Krowinski has been elected speaker of the House once again, and Senator Philip Baruth is the new Pro Tempore of the Senate. Committees have been assigned and legislators have begun their committee work. A number of the House Committees have been restructured with name changes and different jurisdictions.
Legislative leadership have promised to tackle pressing issues including climate change, education finance reform, paid family and medical leave, and an overhaul of the childcare system for Vermont parents.
Each week will find the VCDR Legislative Platform, Legislative Pages, Highlights of Legislative Activities, Selected Testimony and Legislation Updates, Committee Highlights, Legislation Introduced, Articles of Interest and other in the weekly newsletter.
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***VCDR PLATFORM***
Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights 2023 Legislative Platform
VCDR Website: www.VCDR.org
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***THIS WEEK***
Disability Awareness Day at the Statehouse
“We Are Your Neighbors”
On Wednesday March 1, 2023
Members of the Disability Community and the Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights will be in the Card Room and testifying in several committees.
Online Forums –
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FY 2024 Budget Hearings
Second Public Hearing on the Governor’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
The Vermont House Committee on Appropriations and Senate Committee on Appropriations will hold its final hearing
Tuesday February 28, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.
via in person at the State house in Room 11 or via videoconference (Zoom).
See the full press release here
- Tuesday February 28th: THIS SESSION IS NOW FULL
Written testimony is encouraged and can be sent to [email protected]
Or mailed to House or Senate Committee on Appropriations c/o Erin Viera/Andrea Smith, 133 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633
The hearing will be available to watch live on YouTube at the following link: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-appropriations
For more information about the format of these events, contact Andrea Smith at [email protected] and Erin Viera at [email protected].
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***TESTIMONY ***
**NEW** REACH -UP Testimony
H.94: Testimony on Behalf of Voices for Vermont’s Children
H.94: Voices for Vermont’s Children Presentation
H.94: Reach Up Basic Needs Chart
**NEW** Adult Protective Services
H.171: Definition of Vulnerable Adult, on Behalf of DAIL
**NEW** Comments on Vulnerable Adult Definition -Advocates
LINDSEY OWEN
KIRSTEN MURPHY
H.171 An act relating to adult protective services
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0171/H-0171%20As%20Introduced.pdf
Adult Protective Services planned changes https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Human%20Services/Adult%20Protective%20Services/W~Katie%20McLinn~Adult%20Protective%20Services%20Potential%20Changes%20Section-by-Section%20Summary~2-2-2023.pdf
The Vermont Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deaf/Blind Advisory Council
Testimony on Public Hearing on Housing https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/document/2024/13/Date/2-16-2023#documents-section
HOUSING PUBLIC HEARING – THURSDAY
You can watch the hearing that happened on Thursday here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfrEutxEtVE&t=1714s
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***LEGISLATIVE PAGES***
Vermont Legislature
https://legislature.vermont.gov/
VT Legislative Committees
https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/13
Announcements
https://legislature.vermont.gov/home/noteworthy/announcements/
To Look up a bill:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/search/2024
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***JOINT FISCAL INFORMATION***
Joint Fiscal Page: https://ljfo.vermont.gov/
Senate Appropriations Budget Adjustment:
FY 2023 BAA
- STEPHANIE BARRETT
- WORKING DRAFT FY2023 BAA SAC Annotated2024/WorkGroups/Senate Appropriations/FY2023 BAA
- WORKING DRAFT FY2023 BAA Web Report2024/WorkGroups/Senate Appropriations/FY2023 BAA
SENATE BAA Highlights
https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Uploads/4fc6c2dda7/SAC_-_FY23_BAA_SUMMARY_One_page-v2.pdf
HOUSE FY23 BAA-Highlights
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***FY 2024 BUDGET***
The budget is $8.4B total, with $150M dedicated to state match for drawing down federal funds. Major spending categories include housing and weatherization, stabilizing the healthcare system, prevention, childcare, higher education, and tax relief.
- An additional $10M in one-time stabilization funding for healthcare costs,
- $9.2M for prevention work in the primary care system plus additional support for mental health services in the Northeast Kingdom
- $10M for public safety officers to work with mental health experts on the ground.
- Housing $26M in one-time funding for General Assistance housing
- $10M for the Healthy Homes initiative
- $21.5M to VHCB; $20M to the Missing Middle revolving loan fund for more middle-income rental units; and $500k for municipalities to update zoning laws.
- An additional and ongoing $56M for childcare subsidies
- A total of $78.2M across all state funds for Vermont state colleges.
- A $17M tax relief package that would fully eliminate the tax on military pensions.
- $4M to help refugees, immigrants and new Americans settle in VT communities.
- Executive Summary Budget Book: https://finance.vermont.gov/sites/finance/files/documents/FY2024%20Executive%20Budget%20Summary.pdf
- Budget bill language (proposed by Governor Scott): https://finance.vermont.gov/sites/finance/files/documents/FY2024%20Governor%27s%20Recommended%20Budget%20Language.pdf
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***ARTICLES of INTEREST***
**NEW**Vermont’s adult protection law is poised for an overhaul By Kristen Fountain Feb 26 2023
**NEW** Senate panel advances major housing bill, overhauling municipal zoning and Act 250 By Lola Duffort Feb 22 2023 https://vtdigger.org/2023/02/22/senate-panel-advances-major-housing-bill-overhauling-municipal-zoning-and-act-250/
State Increases Oversight of Springfield Schools Due to Special-Ed Violations By ALISON NOVAK Published February 17, 2023
Senate advances spending bill that extends emergency housing through June — but not for all By Lola Duffort Feb 15 2023
House committee advances spending bill extending emergency housing through June – VTDigger:
Thousands of Vermonters will lose Medicaid with end of Covid funding
an D’Ambrosio Burlington Free Press https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/money/2023/02/09/many-vermonters-will-lose-medicaid-coverage-as-covid-funding-dries-up/69854677007/
Extra 3SquaresVT food benefits are ending in mid-March:
Gov. Phil Scott unveils budget proposal with funding for child care & housing, tax cuts – Vermont Public | By Peter Hirschfeld https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2023-01-20/gov-phil-scott-unveils-budget-proposal-with-funding-for-child-care-housing-tax-cuts?ct=t(THE-FREQUENCY-2
Scott Outlines His Biggest Vermont Budget Proposal Ever: $8.4 Billion By KEVIN MCCALLUM https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/scott-outlines-his-biggest-vermont-budget-proposal-ever-84-billion/Content?oid=37414454
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***COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTS***
House and Senate Committee Pages: https://legislature.vermont.gov/
Weekly Committee Agendas: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/weeklyAgendas/2024
Below please find highlights of House and Senate Committees this week. You can go to any committee page to find documents, bills, and testimony by date, witness, bill numbers and key word searches. The House Appropriations Committee generally meets on Mondays until they pass the budget over to the Senate; most other committees meet Tuesday through Friday. Some of the names and charges of House Committees have been changed this session. Committees will spend the week being introduced to staff and the administration and receive updates in most committees.
House Committee Assignments: https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/2023-2024-Committee-Assignments-v2.pdf
Senate Committee Assignments: https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/GENERAL-366011-v1-2023_Standing_Committee_List.pdf
HOUSE COMMITTEES
House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, Food, Resiliency: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/8
House Committee on Appropriations: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/9
The Committee will continue to take testimony on the FY 2024 Budget all week and on Tuesday will hold the second joint public hearing on the FY 2024 Budget with Senate Appropriations at 5:00 PM. Slots are full but you can submit written testimony and watch om live stream: : https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-appropriations
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-appropriations.
House Appropriations Budget Assignments: Budget Assignments – 2023-2024
House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/11
The Committee will discuss their sections of the FY 2024 budget and prepare their memo on the Budget for House Appropriations
Bills in committee:
H. 55 – An act relating to miscellaneous unemployment insurance amendments
H. 87 – An act relating to regulating earned wage access services.
H. 92 – An act relating to expanding eligibility for unemployment insurance.
House Committee on Corrections and Institutions: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/17
The committee will discuss the Governor’s Recommended FY24 – FY25 Capital Budget Proposal all week.
House Committee on Education: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/10
On Tuesday the committee will take up Universal School Meals and PCB Testing in Schools. On Wednesday there will be testimony for Disability Awareness Day on “Restraint and Seclusion” in schools, Mel Houser, M.D., Executive Director, All Brains Belong and on Thursday they will hear from the Congressional offices and Mental Health Accessing Federal Support for Students’ Mental Health in a Joint Hearing with House Health Care.
Other Bills in Committee:
H. 209 – An act relating to public elementary school choice within a supervisory union
H. 259 – An act relating to school board student members
H.245 – An act relating to tuition assistance for youth in foster and kinship care.
H. 228 – An act relating to financial literacy in Vermont’s public schools and Mental Health Services in Schools
House Committee on Environment and Energy: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/19
On Tuesday the committee will take up H. 126 – An act relating to community resilience and biodiversity protection and likely vote on the bill.
H.126 – https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0126/H-0126%20As%20Introduced.pdf
House Committee on General and Housing: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/13
On Tuesday the committee will hear about SASH for All, work on the budget Memo to House Appropriations and take testimony on H. 157 – An act relating to the Vermont basic needs budget on both Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesday the committee will hear testimony forDisability Awareness Day from Maryellen Griffin, Vermont Legal Aid and Julie Cunningham, Families First VT
Other bills in committee:
H. 276 – An act relating to creating a rental housing registry
H. 135 – An act relating to capping annual rent increases and security deposits
H. 157 – An act relating to the Vermont basic needs budget
H. 111 – An act relating to workforce housing.
H. 66 – An act relating to paid family and medical leave insurance https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0066/H-0066%20As%20Introduced.pdf
House Committee on Government Operations and Military: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/14
On Tuesday the committee will take up H. 270 – An act relating to miscellaneous amendments to the adult-use and medical cannabis programs
H.270https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0270/H-0270%20As%20Introduced.pdf
House Committee on Health Care: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/15
The committee will take up the Governor’s proposed FY 2024 Budget all week and on Thursday the committee will hold a Joint meeting with the House Committee on Education. Accessing Federal Support for Students’ Mental Health. The meeting will be livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/@VTHouseEd
On Thursday they will also take up H. 283 – An act relating to initiatives to prevent death by suicide.
Bills in Committee:
H.230 – An act relating to implementing mechanisms to reduce suicide
H. 77 – An act relating to Vermont’s adoption of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact
H. 86 – An act relating to Vermont’s adoption of the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact
H. 62 – An act relating to the interstate Counseling Compact and on Thursday and
H. 62 – An act relating to the interstate Counseling Compact https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0062/H-0062%20As%20Introduced.pdf
House Committee on Human Services: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/16
On Tuesday the committee will take up H. 171 – An act relating to adult protective services and review their Budget memo to House Appropriations on Tuesday and Thursday the Committee will take up H. 94 – An act relating to removing the Reach Up ratable reduction.
On Wednesday the committee will hear from self-advocates and family members on disability services for Disability Awareness Day:
Georgann Pedrotty, Parent, Developmental Disabilities Housing Initiative,
Jess Traverse, Self-Advocate, Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered,
Tony Buck, Self-Advocate, Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered
Sarah Launderville, president, Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights
On Wednesday Thursday and Friday, the committee will take up
H. 222 – An act relating to reducing overdoses. H.222 https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0222/H-0222%20As%20Introduced.pdf
Bills in Committee:
H. 94 – An act relating to removing the Reach Up ratable reduction.
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0094/H-0094%20As%20Introduced.pdf
H. 112 – An act relating to opioid use disorder response services
H. 241 – An act relating to recovery residences.
H. 190 – An act relating to removing the residency requirement from Vermont’s patient choice at end of life.
H. 171 – An act relating to adult protective services in House Human Services https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0171/H-0171%20As%20Introduced.pdf
House Committee on Judiciary: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/18
On Wednesday the committee will take up H. 230 – An act relating to implementing mechanisms to reduce suicide
H.230 https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0230/H-0230%20As%20Introduced.pdf
House Committee on Transportation: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/20
House Committee on Ways and Means: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/21
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the committee will take up H. 66 – An act relating to paid family and medical leave insurance.
SENATE COMMITTEES
Senate Agriculture: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/22
Senate Appropriations: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/23
Senate Appropriations Budget Assignments: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/Senate%20Appropriations/Highlights/2023-2024%20Budget%20Assignments.pdf
The agenda is not yet published.
Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/23
No agenda at this time.
Bills in committee:
Omnibus Housing Bill DRAFT 7.2
S. 49 – An act relating to protecting genetic information privacy and consumer health information
S. 23 – An act relating to prohibiting certain forms of discrimination
Senate Education: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/24
On Tuesday the committee will take up PCB Testing in Schools in a Joint hearing with Senate Education. Testimony will be livestreamed via the House Education YouTube channel and on Thursday they will hear from Vermont Legal Aid on 23-0756 – An act relating to school safety.
Senate Finance: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/25
Senate Government Operations: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/26
Senate Health and Welfare: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/27
On Tuesday the committee will take up S. 37 – An act relating to access to legally protected health care activity and regulation of health care providers, S.56 – An act relating to childcare and early childhood education and S. 36 – An act relating to permitting an arrest without a warrant for assaults and threats against health care workers and disorderly conduct at health care facilities.
On Wednesday the committee will take up S. 56 – An act relating to child care and early childhood education and will here from Kate Larose, Pandemic Equity Coordinator, Vermont Center for Independent Living for Disability Awareness Day, and on Thursday the committee will take up S.36 and S.56 again.
Bills in Committee:
S.36– An act relating to permitting an arrest without a warrant for assaults and threats against health care workers and disorderly conduct at health care facilities
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/S-0036/S-0036%20As%20Introduced.pdf
ACT 167 – An act relating to health care reform initiatives, data collection, and access to home- and community-based services. https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2022/Docs/ACTS/ACT167/ACT167%20As%20Enacted.pdf
Senate Institutions: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/28
Senate Judiciary: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/29
Bills in Committee:
S. 36 – An act relating to permitting an arrest without a warrant for assaults and threats against health care workers and disorderly conduct at health care facilities. https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/S-0036/S-0036%20As%20Introduced.pdf
Senate Natural Resources: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/30
On Wednesday Thursday and Friday, the committee will take up S. 100 – An act relating to housing opportunities made for everyone.
S.100 https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/S-0100/S-0100%20As%20Introduced.pdf
Bills in committee:
S.5 – An act relating to affordably meeting the mandated greenhouse gas reductions for the thermal sector through electrification, decarbonization, efficiency, and weatherization measures all week long.
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/S-0005/S-0005%20As%20Introduced.pdf
Senate Transportation: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2024/31
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***REPORTS***
Basic Needs Budget and Livable Wage Report – 2022: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20General/Labor/Basic%20Needs/W~Dan%20Dickerson~Basic%20Needs%20Budget%20and%20Livable%20Wage%20Report%20-%202022~2-1-2023.pdf
JFO – Basic Needs Presentation: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20General/Labor/Basic%20Needs/W~Dan%20Dickerson~JFO%20-%20Basic%20Needs%20Presentation~2-1-2023.pdf
RAND CHILDCARE REPORT
The Legislature commissioned a report on child care expansion cost. The report says that expanding subsidies and assistance universally to 5x the federal poverty rate would cost an additional $258M over current family support. RAND presented several possible options for raising this revenue, including a payroll and sales tax and other.
- Vermont Early Care and Education Financing Study (RAND Report): https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Uploads/ed5a5aa58c/RAND_RRA2213-1.pdf
- Here’s the presentation RAND gave to Senate Appropriations and Senate Finance in a joint hearing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7Bf7Zeq7t0
- Child care overhaul would cost between $179 million and $279 million, new report estimates – VTDigger: https://vtdigger.org/2023/01/17/child-care-overhaul-would-cost-between-179-million-and-279-million-new-report-estimates/
- Report: fully funded Vt. child care carries $645M price tag: https://www.wcax.com/2023/01/17/report-fully-funded-vt-child-care-carries-645m-price-tag/
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Submitted by Karen Lafayette, VCDR Coordinator [email protected]