By Michael Bielawski
House bills under committee review this week include promoting “car-free” transportation, attempts to address high education spending, expanding “Dr. Dynasaur” healthcare to adults, and more. Agendas published weekly on the Legislature’s website are subject to change.
A society without cars? – H. 693 (Wednesday, House Committee on Transportation) Sponsored by Rep. Sara Coffey – D, Guilford, and others.
This is the state’s 2024 transportation policy initiative “to improve infrastructure, increase resiliency, and reduce carbon emissions.”
It states the need to transition “away from gasoline-powered motor vehicles, providing car-free transportation options, and helping communities redesign and build more resilient transportation infrastructure enables Vermonters to access jobs, age successfully in our communities, and improve their health.”
Education financing – H. 850 (Monday, House Committee on Appropriations) Sponsored by the House Committee on Ways and Means.
This bill not only changes the way that school children are counted for tax purposes but it also allows for districts to have more time to consider their budgets for the next fiscal year.
It states, “This bill proposes to replace the transition mechanism from Act 127 of 2022 with a new mechanism to help school districts adapt to the new system for pupil weighting. This bill proposes to allow school districts to cancel a district vote on the fiscal year 2025 budget, amend the proposed budget, and hold a vote at a later date.”
Consumer privacy – H. 121 (Tuesday, House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development) Sponsored by Rep. Michael Marcotte, R-Coventry, and others.
This bill seeks to enhance consumer privacy, including that Vermonters should be allowed to know when companies are seeking their data as well as they should allow for an option to opt out.
It states, “A consumer may request that all data brokers registered with the State of Vermont honor an opt-out request by filing the request with the Secretary of State.”
Truth and Reconciliation Commission discussion (Thursday, House Committee on General and Housing). The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Executive Director Faith Yacubian and their Commissioner Mia Schultz will talk about what work they are up to. The organization was recently in the news for asking lawmakers to allow them to have private meetings. Members of the media told the committee that they would be likely unlawful to allow a body working on public policy to have meetings in private.
Reparations for slavery – H. 432 (Thursday, House Committee on General and Housing) Sponsored by Rep. Brian Cina, P/D-Burlington.
The committee will discuss the possibility of having reparations paid by taxpayers to descendants of slaves. The committee was warned by a legislative counsel that legal chall may arise if this effort is taken up.
Executive director of the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance Rev. Mark Hughes recently told the committee that he drew “a direct connection with a continuous line that crosses the arc of history that connects us right back to Chattel Slavery.”
Illegal immigrants in the workforce? – H. 606 (Wednesday, House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs) Sponsored by Rep. Esme Cole, D-Hartford, and others.
They will discuss the bill which would allow non-legal immigrants to obtain special work authorizations. It states, “This bill proposes to enable individuals who meet the requirements for professional licenses to be granted those licenses regardless of their immigration status or lack thereof.”
Expanding socialized healthcare – H. 721 (Thursday, House Committee on Health Care) Sponsored by Rep. Lori Houghton, D-Essex Junction, and others.
This act would expand access to socialized healthcare by allowing adults up to 26 years old to qualify for Dr. Dynasaur. This bill would also increase the income threshold for those wishing to qualify for adults seeking Medicaid. It would also allow mental health treatments to be given to children even without a diagnosis.
It would also include modify the appointments to and duties of the Clinical Utilization Review Board and increase the income eligibility thresholds for Medicare Savings Programs.
The Vermont Council on Housing and Homelessness discussion (Wednesday, House Committee on Human Services). Department for Children and Families Commissioner Chris Winters and Commissioner Alex Farrell of the Department of Housing and Community Development, will talk about housing and homelessness.
In his Feb. 9 newsletter Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman highlighted these pressing issues. He wrote, “In every corner of Vermont, housing has become a major issue. Many people cannot find housing, and if they can, it is often not affordable.”
Re-integrating ex-convicts discussion (Tuesday, House Committee on Corrections and Institutions). Department of Corrections Re-Entry Programs help those who were incarcerated find homes and jobs again via various supports. Kim Bushey, Program Services Director for the Department of Corrections, will speak.
One current initiative that may come up is the state’s transitional housing program. On the Vermont Department of Corrections website it states, “A number of individuals incarcerated by the State of Vermont, who are eligible for release, lack appropriate housing to return to the community and could benefit from services that support successful reintegration and provide links to permanent housing opportunities.”
The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle
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Categories: Legislation
It may be time to put the state of Vermont on a suicide watch.
We have doctors for that .
Much sickness abounds in Montpelier.
Luckily, for those so afflicted there, the lamestream media reports virtually none of it, therefore the sicknesses will replicate and infect everyone.
Ain’t anarchy & Communism grand?
Either the author did not read H. 693 before before composing his fear-mongering headline, or he read it, and decided to be intentionally misleading, divisive, alarmist, and downright deceptive. It’s about alternative transportation infrastructure, not about taking your car away.
From the Commons (Brattleboro, naturally), published last October:
“We can break the car’s cultural grip”:
https://www.commonsnews.org/issue/734/734jones-5
Drip drip drip….
Yet, during the Legislative session, State employees have to give up their parking spaces so the Legislators don’t have to ride the shuttle from another parking area reserved for them. They won’t carpool or take public transporation. I would like to know what vehicles they all drive, the square footage of their homes and how they are heated. I believe it is worth knowing at this juncture.
Melissa,
I can tell you my rep, Representative Tristan Roberts, D-Windham 6, lives in a small home on 262 acres. The land is valued at $257,000 and the house at $110,800 according to Parcel Viewer
https://maps.vcgi.vermont.gov/ParcelViewer/
The property was a gift from his parents after he graduated from Marlboro College. I believe I have recalled that correctly from his blog.
Representative Roberts drives a Prius.
I believe he heats with wood pellets, but I could be wrong.
However, he is the poster child for the prog/left/Marxist crowd and has tremendous anxiety that he uses herbals to manage. You know, the kind with seven leaves. Per his own blog.
He once wrote on his public blog that he worked with a woman at a non-profit in Brattleboro and said something offensive to her. After she complained and he apologized he then wrote a blog and said something to the effect that it wasn’t him or what he said that upset her it was something in her past and he was just convenient and that he would have to rethink hiring another woman again.
When that was made public when he was running for office, he pulled his entire blog down. And that is just some of the ridiculous crap he pulls.
But you asked and I had the answers, at least for mine.
Best,
Pam
Pam, 262 acres valued at $257,000? In Windham County, sales of one acre are at $35K on average – the State of Vermont average is $25K an acre. Does Roberts have a sweetheart tax deal or what? Are Legislator’s getting favorable lowball property assessments while everyone else it getting hosed to make up the difference? If so, interesting and thieves indeed!
How is this not about taking your car away?
(2) Every reasonable effort shall be made to obligate and deploy the
4 monies appropriated for expenditure under this section in fiscal year 2025 in
5 order to achieve a pace of electric vehicle adoption and transition away from
6 personal vehicle ownership necessary to meet the emissions reduction
7 requirements of 10 V.S.A. § 578(a) and the recommendations of the Climate
8 Action Plan (CAP) issued under 10 V.S.A. § 592
“(5) Transitioning away from gasoline-powered motor vehicles, providing car-free transportation options, and helping communities redesign and build more resilient transportation infrastructure enables Vermonters to access jobs, age successfully in our communities, and improve their health while also reducing Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions and meet the State’s obligations under 10 V.S.A. § 578(a) and the recommendations of the Climate Action Plan (CAP) issued under 10 V.S.A. § 592, as both were amended or added by the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2020.”
Seems clearly stated.
What is your reaction to the additional tens of millions of tax dollars being misspent for e-bikes, stormwater mitigation and studies about bicycle storage on Amtrak trains? How about your soon to be obligation as an electric consumer (ratepayer) to fund your neighbor’s electric service upgrade, with an additional “fee” on your electric bill? There is a very clear distinction as to whom will benefit from the GWSA and it’s associated legislation, rules and regulations. John and Jane Taxpayer are definitely not on that list. But there are certainly many legislators that are-
Sounds like the imposition of 15 minute cities and towns is fast approaching. Should be quite easy for the “powers that be” to control who uses what with CBDC. It’s definitely not intended to benefit John and Jane taxpayer. They’ll have nothing and I guarantee they won’t be happy. If people wake up, it’s more likely we’ll see European style farmer protests with lots of excrement thrown at the “palaces” of government. Sadly a good percentage of Vermonters don’t even realize their neighbors are already saddled with a share of their property tax let alone paying for their electric upgrade.
Same. Thing. Ever read the VT reduce or zero carbon emission bills in full? Same thing, but it sounds like the fake news media is much more to your liking.
BTW, NO government entity shall EVER dictate to me what type of new automobile I may or may not purchase in the year 2030 or beyond. No. government. entity.
“It’s about alternative transportation infrastructure, not about taking your car away.”
First it’s machine guns, then it’s “assault weapons”, then it’s handguns. Do you not know how frogs are boiled Brian ?
did you ever see an animal with rabies run around in circles/// look at the governor , house , and senate in vermont/// send in the drug dogs///
Won’t Illegals find it hard to take time off from crime sprees to find jobs? “Car free” transportation when so many already have their own stolen cars? Ex-Cons finding ‘new homes’ when the rest of us can barely afford rent? And oh yes let’s top off these dessert offerings with reparations to descendants of slaves…a money problem? Nah, just part of yet another Problem Package created by problematic politicians who will solve predictable fallout failures with new laws and new taxes…Let’s bring back Mad Magazine and make this the lead story.
What me worry ?
I know I have said this before but it never gets old. Our legislature is now made up of 80% progressive social activists not civic minded business leaders anymore. No wonder Vermont is circling the drain like burlington.
It’s time to start spreading the manure at the State House.
I guess we can all safely assume Public Servant (They need reminding) Coffey is currently taking an EV public bus to the state house….or walking, right???
So what is “a legal chall?” I thought “chall” was southern for “you all.”
Mr. Palmer, I do believe that is a typo. I believe the word might be challenge. I researched it and could not find a thing. That is my best guess.
Respectfully,
Pam Baker
Well now there is an array of initiatives. These folks were voted into office so there must be citizens they represent out there who want these laws. RIGHT? Lord am I out of touch. I can’t anything in this list I’d find near compelling for the common good. Maybe they could search out some laws to repeal? …perhaps laws that are intrusive into the lives of the citizenry?
Voted into office via Dominion machines
Where’s the legislation to reduce government restriction on our lives and enshrine our God given rights? Feel well represented? I don’t. These people are tyrants.
…….”write FJB on all my checks…..” still lovin’ it. Sir, you are a patriot! And yes, all the patriots on VDC are likely square on the FBI’s “Most Wanted Terrorists” list with me and a few other outspoken rebels right up on top…..plus, I have the added audacity to attend church and also possess the pomposity to believe innocent babies shouldn’t be randomly murdered in utero in psychotic fashion in the name of “feminism”. So, yeah, very obviously true threats to any nation that adheres to democratic processes.
See Kathleen…we do have a lot in common!
Indeed! I already knew that…..a lot in common, just not everything. And I personally am fine with that….it’s normal & natural.
Socialism stinks! Progressive values are poison! FJB where he breathes! Two-tiered justice system. Radical tyrants in lock step with the current (Biden) regime. Mad Man Sanders and his crew of communists have destroyed Vermont Flip Flop Phil is a RINO masquerading (pretend to be someone one is not) as a Republican. Keep pushing and eventually the opposition will push back.
grab a bunch of bananas, climb a tree, relax and enjoy the show/// the vermont corporation is broke/// need more federal money and grants along with higher taxes///