by Guy Page and Tim Page
The Senate Judiciary Committee this morning removed from a controversial gun control bill a clause that would have prohibited semi-automatic firearms possession under age 21.
The committee vote was unanimous to remove the juvenile gun ban in S4, “reducing crimes of violence associated with juveniles and dangerous weapons.” Gun rights advocates presented an argument that the law – or at least that part of it – would be struck down in federal court.
“To proceed with forward motion….will be moving in the direction that is or should be known to be in direct conflict with the ruling of the highest court in this country, and will unquestionably be in conflict with the oath of office that every legislator takes,” said a statement submitted to Senate Judiciary by the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs.
Other bills in committees this week include:
H40 – faking contraception, would prohibit the nonconsensual removal or tampering of a sexually protective device, establishing the offense as a criminal misdemeanor” and liable for civil damages.
h148 – banning 16-17 year old marriage (see news story in today’s edition.)
H259 – requires every school district adding two students to every school board as non-voting members.
H165 – universal free school meals.
H92 – collection of unemployment after quitting job
H126 – 50% conservation of total land area by 2050
H66 – paid family and medical leave
H89 – shield law for abortion, transgender service providers
H158 – expand Bottle Bill
S32 – ranked choice voting in presidential primary
S. 36 – Arrest without warrant for health care worker assault
S. 3 – Prohibits paramilitary training camps
S. 4 – Juvenile gun control
S. 37 – Protections for abortion and gender-reassignment
S. 56 – Public preschool and other childcare, education changes
Schedule for All Vermont Legislature Committees this week: Click on Committee name for Zoom links. Agenda listings top-line only, not inclusive. Click here to see the complete weekly schedule of all committees on one page. Click here for list of all committees and links to their bills, members and contact information.
House Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry
H. 165 – Requires public schools to serve free meals
Future of Agriculture
FY24 Budget
FY24 Budget
House Commerce and Economic Development
H. 10 – Create VEGI oversight board
H. 121 – Affords data privacy protections
H. 217 – Sets the contribution rate for Workers’ Compensation fund
H. 55 – Unemployment insurance amendments
House Corrections and Institutions
Governor’s FY24 – FY25 Capital Budget Proposal
H. 102 – Amends the Art in State Buildings Program
Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility
State House Expansion
H. 209 – Expands choice of public elementary schools in supervisory union
H. 259 – Requires select school boards to add student members
H. 245 – Provides tuition assistance for foster-care, kinship-care youth
H. 258 – Requires school districts to designate public high school, elementary school, special ed facilities
23-0927 – Establishes strategic goals and reporting requirements for the Vermont State Colleges
Budget
H. 126 – 50% of all Vermont land in conservation by 2050
H. 158 – Expands the beverage container redemption system
H. 276 – Creates a rental housing registry
H. 196 – Wages on State construction projects
H. 218 – Requires good cause for termination of employment
H. 114 – Restricts electronic monitoring of employees and automated HR decisions
H. 111 – Amends housing investment and regulation
H. 157 – Vermont basic needs budget
House Government Operations and Military Affairs
H. 270 – Further deregulates and legalizes cannabis
23-0705 – Miscellaneous changes to election laws
H. 140 – Database of state grants to municipalities
H. 105 – Create $3 mil disaster fund
23-0907 – Miscellaneous changes to law enforcement officer training laws
23-0859 – Extends COVID-19 health care regulatory flexibility
H. 230 – Reduce suicide by reducing “access to lethal means”
Governor’s Proposed FY2024 Budget
Governor’s Proposed FY2024 Budget
H. 112 – Ensures coverage for opiate abuse treatment
H. 241 – Defines policies for recovery residences
H. 222 – Expands legal med-assisted treatment for opioid addiction
H. 94 – Reach Up
H. 171 – Amends adult protective services
H. 40 – Makes contraceptive tampering a crime
H. 288 – Requires financial literacy as part of a High School Diploma
H. 148 – Raises the marriageable age to 18
H. 227 – Enacts the Vermont Uniform Power of Attorney Act
H. 27 – Coercive controlling behavior basis for abuse order
H. 41 – Domestic-/sex-assault cases referred to community justice centers
House Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife
Not yet published
Governor’s Proposed FY2024 Budget
Vermont State Standards Update (Act 184 of 2022, Section 19)
23-0157 – Transportation Program and miscellaneous changes to laws related to transportation
H. 87 – Access to wages before payday
H. 67 – Manufacturers pay for household hazardous products collection
H. 127 – Legalize sports betting
H. 76 – Regulating captive insurance companies
H. 66 – Mandated family and medical leave insurance
H. 238 – Defines Renter Credit program, Landlord Certificate requirements
23-0138 – Protection from nuisance suits against farming
23-0760 – An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects
Small Farms Day
Organic Dairy Farm Crisis
This agenda has not yet been published
Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs
Omnibus Housing Bill
S. 19 – Tobacco prohibitions
S. 49 – Enhances genetic and consumer health information privacy
S. 23 – Prohibits certain forms of discrimination
S. 56 – Public preschool and other childcare, education changes
SNAP Program
Universal School Meals
School Safety Policy Initiative
23-0909 – Miscellaneous changes to education law
S. 83 – Allows State education property tax to be used for infrastructure
S. 35 – Hartford’s infrastructure financing
S. 45 – Establishes elective income tax on pass-through businesses
S. 60 – Authorizes municipal adoption of local option taxes
S. 69 – Creates property tax surcharge on second homes
S. 68 – Expands tax deduction for student loan payments
S. 9 – State Auditor examining State contractor records
S. 75 – Enpowers towns to create civilian oversight of law enforcement
S. 88 – Allows South Hero to adopt a local option tax
S. 32 – Ranked-choice voting for presidential primary elections
S. 37 – Protections for abortion and gender-reassignment
S. 56 – Public preschool and other childcare, education changes
S. 18 – Flavored-tobacco ban
S. 36 – Permits arrest without a warrant
Governor’s FY24 – FY25 Capital Budget Proposal
S. 27 – Reducing usage of cash bails
S. 33 – Miscellaneous judiciary procedures
S. 16 – Exceptions for clergy
S. 72 – Lifts the potency limits on cannabis products
S. 89 – Establishes a forensic facility, allows involuntary psych treatment
Senate Natural Resources and Energy
S. 80 – Various environmental, conservation law changes
S. 81 – Creates program to reduce Chloride water contamination
S. 82 – Studies the impacts of PFAS leaching from landfills
S. 64 – Regulates loud exhaust, idling, child restraints. Bike lanes required
S. 48 – Regulating sale of catalytic converters
S. 77 – Charges GPS navigation providers for drivers violating Smugglers’ Notch winter closure
23-0178 – An act relating to miscellaneous changes to laws related to vehicles