By Michael Bielawski
With the Crossover deadline for most bills to be voted out of committee set for March 15, House bills under committee review this week include expanding “Dr. Dynasaur” healthcare to adults, pushing more public money towards climate mandates, new taxes on income and more. Agendas published weekly on the Legislature’s website are subject to change.
The Renewable Energy Standard – H. 289 – (Tuesday, House Committee on Ways and Means) Sponsored by Rep. Amy Sheldon, D-Middlebury, and others. This update to the state’s current Renewable Energy Standard (RES) would require 100% of Vermont utility’s electricity be derived from renewable power. i
The RES sets required carbon-reduction goals in transportation, heating, and electricity production. Joyce Manchester, a Senior Economist/Associate Fiscal Officer for the Joint Fiscal Office is invited. Specifically, H.289 requires that 63 percent of each retail electricity provider’s annual retail electric sales during 2023, increasing by an additional 10.6 percent every two years, until reaching 100 percent by Jan. 1 2030.
A recent poll by Campaign for Vermont shows Vermonters don’t want to pay anything at all to support the Democrat’s climate agenda.
Equity in Zoning policy? H. 687 – (Tuesday, House Committee on Environment and Energy) Sponsored by Rep. Amy Sheldon, D-Middlebury, and others. It’s unclear how racial equity pertains to land use policy, but Jay Greene, who is Racial Equity Policy & Research Analyst for the Office of Racial Equity, will speak to the committee. The bill itself deals with land conservation and development policies related to Act 250, the state’s zoning law. It “provides a regulatory framework that supports the vision for Vermont of human and natural community resilience and biodiversity protection in the face of climate change.”
Homeless Bill of Rights committee vote – H. 132 (Tuesday, House Committee on General and Housing) Sponsored by Rep. Thomas Stevens, D-Waterbury, and others. This bill deals with the rights of homeless people in Vermont. It would allow homeless people “to use and move freely in public places, including public sidewalks, parks, transportation, and buildings, in the same manner as any other individual and without discrimination on the basis of the individual’s housing status.” Past versions of the Homeless Bill of Rights have foundered on downtown business owners’ concerns that homeless people will be a nuisance to shoppers and diners in municipal economic centers.
Ban on ‘no cause’ evictions – H. 616 (Tuesday, House Committee on General and Housing) Sponsored by Rep. Thomas Stevens, D-Waterbury. Jean Murray who is the director of the Housing for Everyone Law Project for Vermont Legal Aid will speak to the committee. The intent is for “temporary protections to tenants against no-cause evictions.” The bill does not specify what constitutes a “no-cause eviction” but it does list situations that will continue to be justified evictions such as not paying rent or criminal activity.
Landlords have objected to similar bans on the grounds that evicting tenants at the conclusion of their lease is not permitted. They say ‘no cause’ evictions would essentially grant a life-time occupancy to an apartment, unless the landlord can demonstrate the tenant has violated one of the limited number of eviction-worthy rules.
Short-term rental housing registry – H. 449 (Wednesday, House Committee on General and Housing) Sponsored by Rep. Tesha Buss, D-Woodstock.
Julie Marks who is Founder and Director of the Vermont Short Term Rental Alliance Inc. will speak among others. The bill states, “An owner of a short-term rental… shall, annually, within 30 days after renting a unit, register with and pay to the Department of Housing and Community Development an annual registration fee of $135.00 per rental unit.”
Dr. Dynasaur for adults – H. 721 (Wednesday, House Committee on Health Care) Sponsored by Rep. Lori Houghton, D-Essex Junction)
In all there are 11 people invited or scheduled to testify, and there will be a possible vote on Friday. This is about “expanding access to Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur” including to let young adults up to age 26 use Dr. Dynasaur, a program intended originally to serve children and teens. It also increases Medicaid reimbursement rates to providers. No cost figure is included in the bill, although it does authorize a $250,000 study to plan for some of the proposed transitions.
Banning flavored tobacco and E-liquids? – S. 18 (Tuesday, House Human Services) Sponsored by Sen. Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, D-Chittenden, and others.
Jennifer Carbee who is Director and Chief Counsel for the Office of Legislative Counsel is invited. It was recently pointed out on VDC that these efforts to ban certain nicotine products could fail because the state could lose $7-14 million in tax revenues.
Wealth Tax – H. 828 (Wednesday, House Committee on Ways and Means) Sponsored by Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, D-Brattleboro.
This is an “act relating to the creation of a personal income tax surcharge” – AKA a Wealth Tax. Patrick Titterton who is Senior Fiscal Analyst for the Joint Fiscal Office will testify and others. It calls for a 3% income tax on Vermonters making over $500,000.
Climate infrastructure – H. 586 (Thursday, House Committee on Ways and Means) Sponsored by Rep. Katherine “Kari” Dolan (D) Waitsfield, and others.
This relates to “flood protection and climate resilience infrastructure and financing.” Chirag Lala who does energy policy for the Center for Public Enterprise and others are invited. Again at a time when Vermonters have voiced in a poll that they want no new expenses associated with the climate agenda, this bill states “There is established within the Authority the Climate Infrastructure and Resilience Fund, the purpose of which shall be to enable the Authority to make loans and provide other forms of financing for climate change mitigation and resilience project.”
Saving the bees – H. 706 (Wednesday, House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry) Sponsored by Rep. Robin Chesnut-Tangerman, P-Middletown Springs, and others.
This bill is to ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, which are considered dangerous to bees and humans. Legislative Counsel Michael O’Grady will be speaking among others. Its text states, “This bill proposes to prohibit the sale, offer for sale or use, distribution, or use of any neonicotinoid treated article seed for soybeans or for any crop in the cereal grains crop group. The bill would also prohibit the application or treatment with a neonicotinoid pesticide for multiple other uses.”
The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle
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Categories: Legislation
“The Renewable Energy Standard – H. 289 – (Tuesday, House Committee on Ways and Means) Sponsored by Rep. Amy Sheldon, D-Middlebury, and others. This update to the state’s current Renewable Energy Standard (RES) would require 100% of Vermont utility’s electricity be derived from renewable power.”
This might work if we took biofuel by rendering the Democrats in thd Legislature. Win-win.
Been in Vermont since birth almost 54 years and I’m leaving in the summer. Vermont isn’t Vermont anymore its a progressive/ liberal mini California
I agree with you, The VT paradise prior to Governor Snelling, is now the liberal outhouse built by democrats. And it is getting worse and seems like it will never improve. The US has states with vistas that dwarf VT’s, no sense staying where fools are in charge… even easier if you are RETIRED and not dependent on a job.
“to use and move freely in public places, including public sidewalks, parks, transportation, and buildings, in the same manner as any other individual and without discrimination on the basis of the individual’s housing status.”
I think there should be more specific language in the bill: unhoused (as they like to say) are encouraged to camp, rest and panhandle on public sidewalks in front of legislators’ houses, a public list of addresses of said legislators shall be made readily available to unhoused individuals by posting in areas frequented by them.
I wish I could convince my wife to move across the river to provide housing for another liberal who wants all this crap.
If renewable energy can lower my fuel bills 25% or more, and they are not more unsightly then the billboards we outlawed when sanity governed the legislature, DO IT. Otherwise, more nuclear and hydro on our rivers creating more lakes for tourist and citizens.
It’s clear they’re working to install all the goals of Agenda 2030 in Vermont. “Sustainable Development” of the New World Order, restrict access to wilderness (Human Free Zone), abolishing private property, smart cities, restriction on “non essential travel, rationing of energy and all natural resources, destruction of motherhood and fatherhood, destruction of genders, total dependence on the state, carbon footprint surveillance system, universal basic income for compliant citizens, radical assisted suicide and abortion laws, 100% genetically manipulated food and soil, etc. etc.
My question is, do they understand that is what they’re doing, or are they just plain ignorant tools?
“Jennifer Carbee who is Director and Chief Counsel for the Office of Legislative Counsel is invited. It was recently pointed out on VDC that these efforts to ban certain nicotine products could fail because the state could lose $7-14 million in tax revenues.”
Isn’t it amazing how much the state cares about our health and well being by trying to limit our access to unhealthy choices?…right up until it affects their revenue stream, huh…how ‘bout that!
For the record, I personally DO NOT support the state in any effort that attempts to limit free market choice of any product. Folks should be free to make their own choices good or bad unless it brings harm to another…so ruin your life if you wish, but do no harm.
timothy price, ha ha, my laugh for the day. I hope though that they are NOT renewable and they are indeed finite. I know, it certainly doesn’t seem that way sometimes, but the thought of them being a renewable resource is quite distressing.
These people in the majority positions in the Legislature, want anyone with a bank account, to turn it over to the State Treasury. Blue Collar workers, that are backbone of the Nation’s economic system are slated to leave as well. These carpetbagging morons from wherever in this country have fixed Vermont so it is a petri dish for the Dark Blue state of California. MY, MY!! These idiots have run up spending so that taxes for most of us will be out of the question. The education system has shown to be a top of the order Disfunction Junction operation. Ask kids in high school today to figure a math problem in their head & see what the response is. Can’t do any of that at all! And then to require energy be all renewable in whatever short time frame is just not possible….. 100% that is. All these exercises are not about the environment, or carbon residues, none of that. The energy platforms are being used as a conduit for control of us folks that have lived in Vermont all of our lives, and managed town and state business just fine…. until the morons moved in and have upset every damned piece of business that was functioning well for longer periods of time than I care to figure out.
We are finished, guys and gals, there will not be any more glimpses of old Vermont as we knew it growing up.
Thank you Baruth and all your pals from whatever the scummy area was they and you embarked from. I cannot thank you and will not for the transition to what we are and what more is on the way. Enough is enough.
i have said on other posts/// camp on the state house lawn/// you will be among friends///
And so again we see intrusive legislative overreach is real. How long are we going to empower our legislators dithering around in our lives like this? Lets entertain a fantasy aspiration: How about a legislative ethos where we audit the impacts of laws/regulations …where we repeal those laws chafing the constituents or lacking constituent consensus and where laws have sunset/expiration dates?
Great idea Curtis, but it will not fly with the supermajority. It is their plan to just keep piling it on, and it appears to be working for them; the idiots’ express is fast tracking to a destination near you….. all within VT of course. The only thing that will beat this is a massive get out the vote effort, to put these carpetbaggers where they belong once and for all. It is now or never. Unfortunately also, is the divide between common sense and good judgement and the Dame “type” leadership in the R party, which equates to a big round ZERO. I never thought I would see days like this, but back at that time I had not heard of Paul Dame and Phil Scott either.
So Vermont will soon be like burlington. No Thanks. We can thank the public school system for indoctrinating several generations of idiots who vote for people like boornie and zuckyman to further destroy our once wonderful state…the inmates are truly running the asylum in Vermont.
i guess you people have not come to under stand you are be controlled by a cult/// cult/// a religious system/// got to be satanic///
H.721- expanding access to young adults up to age 26 for Dr. Dynasaur is nothing but “cherry picking”. It is providing coverage to the most healthy segment of the population . I thought children could remain on their parents health insurance plans til age 26. If young adults do not have to purchase health insurance it will make it more expensive for the people that do have to purchase health insurance. Actually nobody has to purchase health insurance and more and more people are realizing that health insurance is a worthless product. Costs and deductibles are out of reach for most Vermonters. People would be better off paying for actual health care.
It is obvious that the legislature does not know how to fix unaffordable health care.
Our Health care system is on the verge of collapse. Health care should be for all or it should be for none. It is not fair or right to force people to pay for others health care while they go without. I’m talking about paying for teachers health care with property taxes, or state workers health insurance with taxpayers money.
The bill states, “An owner of a short-term rental… shall, annually, within 30 days after renting a unit, register with and pay to the Department of Housing and Community Development an annual registration fee of $135.00 per rental unit.”
Does this apply to the hotels and motels who are providing rooms to homeless people such that each of them would owe the state $135 per unit, after the state is picking up the tab for those same rooms ???
Not long ago government existed to solve problems for the people living within its jurisdiction. This suite of legislative proposals proves that government now views people as the problem. If we have ceased to be the sovereign, who or what has replaced us?
The saving the bees bill is the least bad of these.
Each and every one of these bills are stupid!
3%? Let’s make it 30%. Let’s stick it to those filthy-rich kulaks once and for all. That’ll teach them to be successful.
Money has the potential to buy power.These morons cannot stand to have anyone else with that kind of an asset. So they proceed to level the playing field. Look what is happening to Donald Trump, if an example is needed. Once Trump is where they want him, firearms confiscationing will begin. These people are vicious, with the ends justifying the means, we the people mean absolutely nothing to them. Think about the changes in just the last 5 years folks; it is not looking good.
In the end these morons will cease to exist.
As stated before, and bears repeating…..Vermont has become a state (especially its legislators) that specializes in taking blood and vital organs from a dead horse, and then moving on to kill the next horse.
What a plan, let’s pass more foolish legislation and keep taxing, taxing taxing before
the well runs dry……. and it will.
Wake up people, they just don’t care, and you put them in office you need to make a change, a real change they’ll understand ” No More ” when you vote them out.
In response to Michael Hall note above:
Maybe the morons referred to earlier will cease to exist, but it will not be soon enough, to mitigate damages. Stopping them at the ballot box is the ONLY thing they understand; and if it is a long enough period, maybe just maybe, they will move outa’ here.