Representatives Martin LaLonda, Ann Pugh, Maida Townsend, and John Killacky
We are honored to serve South Burlington the Vermont House. Our thanks to everyone who has reached out so far during the 2020 session. Your feedback provides valuable perspective as we work through bills. Already this session, the House advanced and passed a number of bills to build a strong Vermont economy, invest in our communities, protect the needs of vulnerable Vermonters, and to prepare for the future. Please continue to be in touch during the session. The legislature is expected to adjourn in early to mid-May. Here is some of the legislation we are working on during the 2020 session.
Older Vermonters Act: The number of Vermonters over the age of 65 is projected to jump by 50 percent over the next decade. Our current demographic makes us the second oldest state in the nation behind Maine. We are trying to help the state be ready for this major demographic shift. H.611 directs the development of a broad ranging strategic plan for Aging in Vermont to serve as a blueprint for state government, local communities, private organizations, and philanthropy to build environments and systems that promote healthy aging. It establishes an Older Vermonters Act, detailing a system of services, supports, and protections for Vermont residents 60 years of age or older to remain as independent as possible into their later years. This “bill of rights” ensures that policy decisions relative to older Vermonters enhance their self-determination; safety and protection; financial security; optimal health and wellness; social connection and engagement; housing and transportation; and family caregiver support.
Pre-Kindergarten: The first years of a child’s life form a bedrock of experience and learning that shapes future health, happiness and capacity for success. In 2014, in an effort to give children the best possible opportunity for success in school, the state implemented universal access to pre-kindergarten for 10 hours a week for 35 weeks. Vermont uses a “mixed delivery” system that enables parents to choose a private pre-K provider or a public school pre-K experience. As a result of enabling parents to choose the best fit for their child, it meant that both the Agency of Education and Agency of Human Services had jurisdiction. This has caused some confusion about roles, rules and responsibilities. The House Education and Human Services Committees are working to clarify these roles and to simplify and streamline oversight and requirements as much as possible.
Climate change: The Global Warming Solutions Act (H.688) recently passed the House on a strong vote of 105-37 and turns Vermont’s inspirational goals for carbon emission reductions into requirements and provides Vermont a framework to take thoughtful action to protect our citizens, reduce our emissions, and prepare for the impacts of climate change. It lays the foundation for building a future of resilience, energy transition, and economic development by establishing an accountability framework. It also directs the State to work with community experts to develop a roadmap for action. Taken together, these action steps will move our goals into action, so we proactively adopt policy to address climate change.
Good Samaritan Law: Some laws in Vermont are unfortunate relics of past times. In February, the House passed a bill (H.568) to create a Committee to review Vermont’s prostitution laws with an aim to modernize them while maintaining criminal penalties for trafficking, coercion, and exploitation of minors. In addition, the bill added prostitution to our Good Samaritan Law to protect vulnerable Vermonters. The Good Samaritan Law covers a variety of drug laws. For example, someone using heroin can call 911 to request emergency assistance for a fellow user who has overdosed without fear of then being charged with a crime. By adding prostitution to the Good Samaritan Law, we are helping to ensure that vulnerable Vermonters who are often in dangerous situations have better access to law enforcement protection. Whether one supports decriminalization of sex work, is opposed to decriminalization, or is on the fence, we can all agree vulnerable Vermonters should be kept safe.
Keeping Our Kids Safe: In 2020, The House has continued its longstanding work to protect the most vulnerable Vermonters. This includes ongoing work to update Vermont’s child sexual exploitation laws. While this is a subject that makes many people uncomfortable, it is not a subject we can avoid if we want to protect vulnerable Vermonters. Current state laws do not address existing file sharing technology, which means some people who should be charged with very serious crimes currently have a loophole. The House Judiciary Committee is working on legislation to ensure that anyone who should be facing serious repercussions for sexual exploitation of children will be held accountable.
Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence: The House Judiciary Committee is working diligently to protect those who are currently trying to escape from domestic violence situations. This includes efforts to create the necessary legal framework to recognize and enforce Canadian abuse prevention orders so that our neighbors to the north do not lose needed protection if they visit our state. The Judiciary Committee is also working to offer added protection to Vermonters in these dangerous situations with H.610, a bill that prevents people served with abuse prevention orders from accessing firearms. Often the time after an abuse prevention order is served is the most volatile and the most dangerous for the person seeking relief. Fifty percent of murders in Vermont are domestic violence situations. The Judiciary Committee has developed H.610 so it would offer additional security and safety for endangered Vermonters.
Creating a Fair Justice System: The House Judiciary Committee has continued on its work to create a justice system that is more just, fair, and equitable. The Committee is developing legislation to create a classification system for criminal offenses in the state. The goal is to ensure that similar crimes have similar penalties. This would help codify a fairer justice system for all Vermonters.
Apologizing for Vermont’s Eugenics Movement: The Committee worked on a joint resolution apologizing and expressing regret to all Vermonters harmed as a result of discredited eugenics research, and its sterilization and institutionalization policies. Eugenics was a dark chapter in Vermont history. Members of Abenaki bands, Vermonters of mixed racial or French-Canadian heritage, the poor, and people with disabilities were targeted. Children were removed from families, people were incarcerated or institutionalized, family connections were lost, and the sense of kinship and community was destroyed. In 2019, UVM issued a statement of sincere apology for its “unethical and regrettable” eugenics role. This resolution is an important opportunity for the House to apologize for the harm the eugenics movement caused.
Recovery Housing Update: As Vermont grapples with the unprecedented crisis of people struggling with substance use disorders, Recovery Residences are a key component of treatment alternatives. Studies indicate the need for more than 1,000 additional beds, and communities are working hard to meet the needs of those grappling with substance use disorders. The House General, Housing and Military Affairs Committee worked on a bill (H.873) to create statewide definitions and detailed expectations and operational policies for recovery residences. The bill addresses the zoning for these homes as single-family residential use. Clarity on zoning is essential for both operators and communities. Guidelines and policies for temporary and permanent removal is also addressed, providing for fair due process for both tenants and landlords, in a manner that balances individual and community rights.
Homeless Bill of Rights: In the House, our focus is to create a Vermont that works for all of us. H.492 would protect people without homes (or perception thereof) against discrimination and includes them in the state’s protected classes. Congruent with Vermont’s constitution stating that Vermonters are “equally free and independent” and that all are entitled to the same benefits and protections, the legislative intent of this bill is that a person’s rights, privileges, or access to public services may not be denied of abridged solely because they are without housing.
Increased Minimum Wage: While the House of Representatives could not override the governor’s veto of paid family and medical leave, both the Senate and House did override his veto of increasing the minimum wage of two years to $12.55. Forty-thousand of our lowest paid workers deserve this raise if we are to have a fair and equitable Vermont.
Budget Adjustment FY2020: “Budget Adjustment” occurs midway through the fiscal year. It is a recalibration, a truing up so as to maintain the state budget in balance. The adjustment needed was relatively small: A cumulative 2.74% change, moving the budget from $6.1 billion to $6.118.6 billion. This budget adjustment was supported with internal transfers and additional revenue as reported in both July 2019 and January 2020. The unanticipated revenue was considered “one-time” money, not to be applied to on-going needs. Further, any expenditure needed to be linked to the FY2020 budget.
Collegial work among the House, the Senate, and the Administration resulted in a budget adjustment act which undergirds an ever stronger, healthier Vermont for all Vermonters. The act includes a broad array of important investments in human services. Examples include $162,000 to support 24/7 availability of the 2-1-1 helpline; $1.95 million needed for emergency housing vouchers; $4.3 million to support foster care increases; $153,000 for Child Development Special Accommodations Grants; and $2.9 million to support increased cost of serving patients with increased acuity at nursing homes. There is also $947,000 added toward the residential care cost and increase in caseloads for children with mental health challenges. There is $75,000 to address urgent security needs in the Washington County Criminal Court. Transfer funds are used to address deficits in the Workers Compensation and State Liability Insurance funds, and funds needed for debt service are reduced as a result of bond issuance scheduling.
FY2021 Budget: House Appropriations is currently working on the FY2021 budget. This is the budget which covers the work, the programs of state government from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. The committee is on target to present their proposed budget within weeks after Town Meeting Day Week. The budget will be balanced, with on-going spending in check but with needs of Vermonters addressed.
In the process, the committee goes deep into the numbers, hearing budget testimony from all state-related entities from all three branches of government. They look at new and old initiatives in terms of results-based accountability. They challenge unidentified resources needed past FY2021. They question proposed reductions as well as increases, position changes, perceived program delivery hurdles, use of “one-time” money, and “vacancy savings.” They examine budgeted versus actual spending, carry-forward funds and reserves, and needs not addressed in FY2021 proposals brought to the committee. Throughout, House Appropriations stays in touch with the respective policy committees, and encourages representation sitting in when state programs within their jurisdiction are being discussed.
Advocacy groups are invited to enter testimony formally into the record. Likewise, through nine regional public hearings, the committee reaches out to the public in general. Throughout, written testimony is also welcome. The House will soon send to the Senate a fiscally responsible budget which supports and further strengthens Vermont, its communities, its families, its most vulnerable.