Legislature to rest of state government: Do what we tell you to do

By Michael Bielawski

This week lawmakers in Senate committees will examine public meetings behind closed doors, more climate initiatives, permanent funding for temporary housing Act 250, policing, and more. Agendas published weekly on the Legislature’s website are subject to change. The agenda for all the committees can be seen here.

Perpetual emergency shelters? – H. 879 (Wednesday, Senate Committee on Health and Welfare) Sponsored by the House Committee on Human Services.

This bill dealing with the state’s Emergency Temporary Shelter Program would “establish the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program to replace the General Assistance Emergency Housing Program.” Rather than fund temporary housing on an as-needed basis, the bill would add temporary housing as a permanent state budget item. The bill calls for $24 million in fixed spending and another $20 million from budget surplus, if available. 

Continuous shelter programs, also known as ‘homeless hotels’ and the state’s short-term replacements for them, are proving exasperating for the already strained state budget. 

Vote on public bodies meeting behind closed doors? H. 649 (Tuesday, Senate Committee on Government Operations) Sponsored by Rep. Elizabeth Burrows, D/P-West Windsor, and others.

This bill dealing with the Vermont ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ calls for “to create certain exemptions from the Open Meeting Law for meetings of the Commission and to permit commissioners to confer with each other.”

The bill may also give the Commission power to fire its members. It states “to establish a panel with authority to fill vacancies on the Commission and to remove or reprimand commissioners for cause.”

Climate policy integrated into Act 250 land development – H. 687 (Thursday, Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs) Sponsored by Rep. Amy Sheldon, D- Middlebury, and Rep. Seth Bongartz, D-Manchester.

Senate Natural Resources and Energy is expected to combine H.687 with a somewhat more new housing-friendly Senate bill, S.311. 

H.687’s language suggests that climate-related initiatives will be integrated into land use policy and an Environmental Review Board would “be heard” when decisions are made concerning development permits.

It states, “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, as described in 2023 Acts and Resolves No. 59. It would strengthen the administration of the Act 250 program by changing the structure, function, and name of the Natural Resources Board. It requires that appeals of Act 250 permit decisions be heard by a five-member board called the Environmental Review Board.”

Saving the bees – H. 706 (Tuesday, Senate Committee on Agriculture) Sponsored by Rep. Robin Chesnut-Tangerman, P/D-Middletown Springs, and others.

This bill would “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.n The bill would also prohibit the application or treatment with a neonicotinoid pesticide for multiple other uses.”

It states in its findings section that 60% to 80% of Vermont’s plants depend on pollinators. It also states, “Many pollinator species are in decline or have disappeared from Vermont, including three bee species that the State lists as endangered. The Vermont Center for Ecostudies and DFW’s State of Bees 2022 Report concludes that at least 55 of Vermont’s native bee species need significant conservation action.”

Housing Inventory Study (Wednesday, Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs)

Six professionals dealing with housing matters were invited including Alex Farrell, commissioner for the Department of Housing and Community Development. Gus Seelig, Executive Director for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board is scheduled.

According to the data company Economic Research, the active listing count for available homes in Vermont as of March is 1,112. That’s down from 7,875 in July 2016, an 86% drop or 6,763 fewer available homes.

Paying for school infrastructure – H. 871 (Tuesday, Senate Committee on Education) Sponsored by the House Committee on Education.

On the Morning Drive radio show on Monday morning Paul Dame, Chair of the Vermont Republican Party, stated that the deferment of investments in school infrastructure has been ongoing for many years.

A School Construction Aide Taskforce Report which came out in February states, “The findings underscored urgent needs, with an estimated annual spending requirement of $300 million over 20 years to address facility deficiencies and create 21st-century learning environments.”

Who picks our education leaders? (Thursday, Senate Committee on Education)

The topic of discussion will be the State Board of Education Hiring Committee.

House lawmakers had been working as recently as mid-March on a bill, S. 203, which would have transferred power away from the governor to the legislature regarding selecting members for the State Board of Education. The bill was never passed out of the House to the Senate.

Jennifer Samuelson, the chair of the Vermont State Board of Education, Lyle Jepson who is executive director for the Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region, and Jenna O’Farrell, the executive director of the Northeast Kingdom Community Action/VCAP are scheduled or invited to speak. It’s unclear if they will focus on who selects the board members.

Power shift in policing policy? H. 872 (Wednesday, Senate Committee on Government Operations) Sponsored by the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs.

This bill dealing with “miscellaneous updates to the powers of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council and the duties of law enforcement officers” may include some substantial shift of control over the code of conduct officers must adhere to.

It states, “The Council shall create, implement, and modify by rule a statewide policy known as the Law Enforcement Officers’ Code of Conduct or Code. This Code effectuates the principle that law enforcement officers serve the communities of Vermont and protect all persons against illegal acts in a manner consistent with the high degree of responsibility and respect for human dignity required by the profession.”

New government oversight committee? H. 702 (Thursday, Senate Committee on Government Operations) Sponsored by Rep. Jessica Brumsted, D-Shelburne, and others.

This “act relating to legislative operations and government accountability” is supposed to help in the legislative process to make sure bills are written to do as intended with the mechanisms to make it happen, among other responsibilities.

It states, “The Committee shall exercise government oversight by examining and investigating matters of significant public concern relating to State government performance. The Committee shall examine the possible reasons for any failure of government oversight and provide findings and tangible recommendations to standing committees of jurisdiction to prevent future failures.”

Vote on work licenses for immigrants? – H. 606 (Wednesday, Senate Committee on Government Operation) Sponsored by Rep. Esme Cole, D-Hartford, and others.

There may be a vote this week. Executive director of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council Heather Simons and legislative counsel Tim Devlin will speak.

This bill dealing with “professional licensure and immigration status” would “enable individuals who meet the requirements for professional licenses to be granted those licenses regardless of their immigration status or lack thereof.”

The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle