Legislative Updates

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on April 30, 2017.

The Legislature appears to be on track for adjournment on Saturday May 6^th. There are few remaining action items on the agenda waiting to cross the finish line, including the budget, ethics bill, paid family leave, and marijuana.

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on April 23, 2017.

The Senate has finally emerged with their version of the state budget. Like the House budget it does not directly raise any new taxes or fees. This proposal shifts part of teachers retirement to the Education Fund (similar to what Governor Scott proposed). This will, however, likely increase property taxes slightly over the coming years. It also shifts some Medicaid dollars into support services for young children and raises $5 million in revenue through stricter compliance with existing law.

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on April 19, 2017.

The House Government Operations Committee is moving forward with ethics legislation after receiving push-back last week from House members. Still no word from the Senate on the budget, with just a few weeks left before lawmakers vacate Montpelier this is the only must-pass legislation.

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on April 9, 2017.

Ethics legislation hit a roadblock in the House this week when a prominent committee chair testified against independent ethics oversight of legislative officials. Marijuana legalization also showed signs of life this week for the second time after making a miracle comeback earlier this year.

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on April 2, 2017.

The big news of the week was a near-unanimous vote on the House budget proposal. After tossing the Governor’s education funding plan, the House Appropriations Committee got to work and came up with a plan that raises no new taxes or fees. They did this mostly through efficiencies in business processes, cuts to human services, and better enforcement of existing laws.

Here’s What Happened this Week:

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on March 26, 2017.

It’s a big week coming up for the legislature. A number of big issues are on the table and things are bound to get heated. Recount proceedings, legalized marijuana, Act 250, and education property tax rates are only a few of the things on the menu for lawmakers in the Vermont House.

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on March 18, 2017.

It was an odd week in the Legislature, normally the week of crossover is filled with much political bartering and confusion. It seems the snowstorm earlier this week may have sequestered that. All in all, political discourse has been surprisingly tame. Several important bills are moving forward and there are others that clearly will not make the cutoff.

Here’s What Happened this Week:

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on March 4, 2017.

The last week before the Town Meeting break was surprisingly tame. No real surprises, but a number of issues are headed to the floor, trying to make the March 18^th crossover deadline. Lawmakers will have just one week after they come back from break to vote out their bills.

Here’s What Happened this Week:

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on February 26, 2017

The race is on in the Legislature to push legislation forward before the Town Meeting break and the crossover deadline where a bill must be voted out of one chamber in order to be considered by the other during this legislation session. If a bill does not make the crossover deadline it will be tabled until next year.

Here’s What Happened this Week:

Legislative Update Sent to Supporting Partners on February 19, 2017.

The Legislature seemed to hit its stride this week as it settled into the budgeting process and bills began moving onto the floor in both the House and Senate.

Here’s What Happened this Week: