Legislative Updates

Legislator's discovery of $10 million "missing" from Governor Scott's budget, a medicaid pilot program, and freedom of student expression were just a few of the topics addressed under the golden dome this week. The Legislature and Administration are still at odds over the budget and education funding after the House shot down Scott's plan to move school budget votes last week.

Here’s What Happened this Week:

Legislative Update sent to Supporting Partners on February 6, 2017

Friends,

A week into the Legislature’s consideration of Governor Scott’s budget proposal and the ship has already been sunk. Marijuana legislation is moving forward under a bipartisan banner. The Legislature hears about a reduction in caseloads in the Agency of Human Services that are leading to savings.

Legislative Update sent to Supporting Partners on January 27, 2017

Friends, 

This week Governor Scott gave his first budget address and set off reactions from a number of groups, both positive and negative. Proponents of early childhood education, child care, higher education, opiate treatment, and mental health lauded the governors proposed budget. Public educators, school boards, and teachers unions were less than impressed with Scott’s plan to move additional liabilities to the Education fund and ask teachers to contribute more towards health care premiums. We break things down for you below: 

Legislative Update sent to Supporting Partners on January 20, 2017

Friends,

This is the first legislative update of 2017. You are receiving this newsletter because you are listed as a supporting partner of Campaign for Vermont. We will provide in-depth tracking of what’s going on in the State House to keep you up to speed on issues that matter to you.

These emails will generally be sent out every Friday and are in addition to our periodic general updates. If you would prefer not to receive this newsletter, please email [email protected].

Much of Montpelier is still in a holding pattern waiting for the Governor’s budget address to set the tone for the rest of the legislative session. This will give legislators a starting point for their legislative priorities. If there are any issues in particular that you are interested in learning more about, let us know!

What happened this week:

• Testimony continued in the House Government Operations Committee over contested elections and how the Secretary of State should deal with recounts. There were a few very close elections this past legislative session that called into question the process for recounts and declaring election winners.
• State Treasurer Beth Pearce introduced a water-cleanup proposal that would levy a per-parcel fee. This is expected to yield $25 million per year and would cover about half the cost of water cleanup programs over the next 20 years. This proposal was considered in both the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife, and Senate Committee on Natural Resources.