By Guy Page
The Vermont House voted 96 yes, 35 no, and 18 absent Thursday afternoon on H72, harm-reduction criminal justice response to drug use bill, a/k/a safe injection sites.
The bill now goes to third and final reading today, and (if approved) will go to the Senate. It was was introduced last year by Rep. Taylor Small (D/P – Winooski).
A handful of jurisdictions, including New York City, and Rhode Island, have legalized safe injection sites where illegal drug use is not an arrestable offense. The centers provide overdose prevention and counseling services.
The bill elicited comments of both support and opposition on the floor of the House.
“The State of Vermont does not have the substance abuse contingency of care infrastructure in place to support this harm reduction model,” Republican Rep. Eric Maguire of Rutland said.
Rep. Art Peterson, a Clarendon Republican, explained his vote as follows: “Passage of H.72 will make Vermont drug dealers very happy.”
Rep. Barbara Rachelson (D) of Burlington voted yes and explained thusly: Research shows that overdose prevention centers make a positive difference by reducing public drug use, decreasing syringe litter, lowering the demand on local health care providers and emergency responders, connecting people to other services, and most importantly preventing drug overdoses. Let’s not lose any more Vermonters to overdoses, a preventable cause of death.”
Gov. Scott has said repeatedly in recent days that he opposes legalizing safe injection sites as “a bridge too far.” He has vetoed previous safe injection site legislation. Although the House vote did not achieve the 100 vote threshold for over-riding vetos, these 18 lawmakers were absent:
Andriano of Orwell
Bartley of Fairfax
Beck of St. Johnsbury
Birong of Vergennes
Campbell of St. Johnsbury
Cina of Burlington
Cordes of Lincoln
Demrow of Corinth
Graham of Williamstown
Higley of Lowell
Lalley of Shelburne
McCann of Montpelier
McFaun of Barre Town
Oliver of Sheldon
Pouech of Hinesburg
Priestley of Bradford
Walker of Swanton
White of Bethel
Lawmakers voting NO:
Arrison of Weathersfield
Branagan of Georgia
Brennan of Colchester
Brownell of Pownal
Burditt of West Rutland
Canfield of Fair Haven
Clifford of Rutland City
Corcoran of Bennington
Demar of Enosburgh
Dickinson of St. Albans Town
Donahue of Northfield
Galfetti of Barre Town
Goslant of Northfield
Gregoire of Fairfield
Hango of Berkshire
Harrison of Chittenden
Hooper of Randolph
Labor of Morgan
Laroche of Franklin
Marcotte of Coventry
Mattos of Milton
McCoy of Poultney
Morgan of Milton
Morris of Springfield
Morrissey of Bennington
Page of Newport City
Parsons of Newbury
Shaw of Pittsford
Smith of Derby
Taylor of Milton
Toof of St. Albans Town
Williams of Granby
Wilson of Lyndon
Maguire of Rutland City
Peterson of Clarendon
All other lawmakers (except Speaker Krowinski, who was present but did not vote) voted Yes.