by Dave Soulia, for FYIVT.com

During recent new legislator training sessions, several newly elected Vermont representatives revealed startling details about the legislative process. According to multiple sources, lawmakers were informed that every bill introduced in the Vermont Legislature costs taxpayers an average of $1,000. This estimate accounts for drafting, processing, and administrative costs associated with each proposal.

Adding to the concern, two new legislators shared with FYIVT that Democrat/Progressive legislators were encouraged to develop at least three bills each to submit for consideration. These bills, whether taken up by committees or not, contribute to a significant financial burden, particularly given how many stall during the legislative process.

$1.2 Million Spent on Legislative Proposals in 2023-2024

In the 2023-2024 legislative session alone, 890 House bills and 312 Senate bills were introduced, totaling 1,202 bills. At an average cost of $1,000 per bill, Vermont taxpayers shelled out an estimated $1.2 million.

Despite this hefty expense, only about 210 bills—just over 17%—ultimately passed into law. The remaining 83% either stalled or were left in limbo by the session’s end. Those that don’t progress must be reintroduced in the next session, potentially costing taxpayers another $1,000 per bill if lawmakers choose to revive them.

Examples of Introduced Bills

While some proposals address pressing issues, others raise eyebrows for their perceived lack of urgency or importance. Here are three examples of bills introduced during the 2023-2024 session:

S.274

• Sponsor: Senator Rebecca White (D-Windsor District)
• Title: “An act relating to the sale of flushable wipes.”
• Summary: This bill seeks to ban the sale of products labeled “flushable” or “sewer safe,” citing environmental concerns.

H.827

• Sponsor: Representative Emilie Kornheiser (D-Windham-7 District)
• Title: “An act relating to applying personal income tax to unrealized gains.”
• Summary: The bill proposes taxing Vermonters with net assets exceeding $10 million on unrealized capital gains.

H.192

• Sponsor: Representative Mollie Burke (P/D-Windham-2-2 District)
• Title: “An act relating to mandatory instruction in vulnerable user safety and regulation of electric cargo bicycles.”
• Summary: This bill mandates additional driver education courses to include safety instruction for vulnerable road users and establishes rules for electric cargo bikes, which are already covered in the Vermont DMV Driver’s Manual.

The Financial and Legislative Toll

The introduction of bills often reflects the priorities of individual legislators or their constituencies, but the financial toll on taxpayers is undeniable. With most bills failing to progress beyond introduction, it’s fair to question whether Vermont’s legislative process could benefit from reforms to reduce waste and prioritize high-impact legislation.

Encouraging new legislators to propose multiple bills as a matter of routine only compounds the issue. Each proposal, regardless of its merit or likelihood of passage, costs taxpayers the same amount. When reintroductions of stalled bills are factored in, the cumulative cost rises exponentially, often with no tangible results for Vermonters.

Room for Improvement

As Vermont heads into this legislative session on January 8th, the burden lies on lawmakers to recognize the financial implications of their decisions. Taxpayers may also want to consider reaching out to their newly elected representatives and senators to encourage a more judicious use of tax dollars in the rapidly approaching session.

Vermonters deserve better stewardship of their hard-earned money. Lawmakers could take several steps to address this inefficiency:

• Vet proposals before introduction: Encourage bipartisan collaboration to ensure only high-priority bills move forward.
• Streamline the legislative process: Reduce redundancies by discouraging unnecessary reintroductions of stalled bills.
• Focus on results: Prioritize legislation that addresses critical needs rather than symbolic or low-impact proposals.

The cost of introducing legislation may seem small on a per-bill basis, but with over a thousand bills introduced and only a fraction enacted, the financial impact adds up quickly. Vermont’s Legislature must do better to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.