By Michael Bielawski
The Crossover deadline for most bills to be voted out of committee is steadily approaching on March 15. Senate bills under committee review this week include adding “gender expression” as a Constitutional right, having the Vermont Climate Council and a newly formed Climate Resilience Officer guide natural disaster response policies, and more. Agendas published weekly on the Legislature’s website are subject to change.
The election of sheriffs – Proposal 1 (Tuesday, Senate Committee on Judiciary) Sponsored by Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison, and others.
The proposal “would amend the Constitution of the State of Vermont to allow the General Assembly to establish by law qualifications for individuals to be elected to and hold the office of sheriff. Currently, there are no specific qualifications for being a sheriff in Vermont, including no requirement that a sheriff have or maintain law enforcement officer certification.”
Jeanette White, former senator for Windham County, and legislative counsel Tim Devlin will speak. The sheriff is currently accountable only to the electorate, and the position is regarded by some as a final safeguard against government overreach and abuses against the people. Supporters say it’s needed because of law enforcement, administrative and financial abuse or negligence by elected sheriffs.
A Chief Climate Resilience Officer? – S. 310 (Tuesday, Senate Committee on Government Operations) Sponsored by the Senate Committee on Government Operations.
This bill is intended to modify policies dealing with sewer management in the interest of flood mitigation. Near the bottom of its lengthy stated purpose is a hint of climate-related initiatives. It would “create a Chief Climate Resilience Officer in the Department of Public Safety.” It further mentions that the prioritizing of which towns get mitigation efforts will be guided by the the Vermont Climate Council. They will “establish guidelines for disaster mitigation measures and costs that will be eligible for grant funding” among other roles.
Making “gender expression” a Constitutional right? – Prop 4 (Tuesday, Senate Committee on Judiciary) Sponsored by Sen. Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, D-Chittenden, and others.
This bill is a “Declaration of rights; government for the people; equality of rights.” Its purpose is to “specify that the government must not deny equal treatment and respect under the law on account of a person’s race, ethnicity, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin.”
Composition of the State Board of Education – S. 203 (Friday, Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs) Sponsored by Sen. Martine Gulick, D-Chittenden Central, and Sen. Andrew Perchlik, D/P-Washington. The bill gives the Legislature the right to appoint the majority of the members. At present, all members are appointed by the governor. Control over education policy in Vermont is a tense issue at the moment because of recent projections by state economists for a 20% rise in property taxes next year.
Funding for tech centers – S. 207 (Friday, Senate Committee on Education ) Sponsored by Sen. Alison Clarkson, D-Windsor, and others.
This bill commits the Legislature to implement task force recommendations on “funding for and governance of career technical education.” Tech centers have become a hot-button issue, especially at Gov. Phil Scott’s press conferences over the years because the trades are currently lacking adequate employment throughout the state.
Library book selection policy – S. 220 (Tuesday, Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs) Sponsored by Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-East Middlebury, and others.
This bill relates to public libraries’ selection process for books and electronic materials. It states it is to “require public libraries to adopt policies governing the selection and reconsideration of library materials,” in particular protecting libraries’ rights to circulate controversial books on controversial titles.
Currently, Lieutenant Gov David Zuckerman has been doing activism around the state via his “Banned Book Tour” at which he alleges that parents calling for the removal of books glorifying transgenderism and other controversial social justice viewpoints are violating free speech rights.
A new post office for Montpelier? J.R.S. 41 (Wednesday, Senate Committee on Government Operations) Sponsored by Sen. Anne Watson, D-Washington.
This is a “Joint resolution requesting that the U. S. Postal Service reestablish, as rapidly as possible, a full-service U.S. Post Office in downtown Montpelier.” The post office has been out of service since the 2023 summer flood.
Online-only public meetings – S. 55 (Wednesday, Senate Committee on Government Operations) Sponsored by Sen. Alison Clarkson, D-Windsor, and others.
Lawmakers will continue to work on a bill that would allow for public meetings without a physical location. This time Aileen Chute, the Selectboard Chair for Putney will speak and George Blakesleee who is the town clerk for Guilford will be invited.
Electronics and online policy at schools – S. 284 (Tuesday, Senate Committee on Education) Sen. Terry Williams, R-Rutland, and others.
This bill proposes to restrict “electronic devices and digital and online products in schools.” Two attorneys from the Social Media Victims Law Center, Laura Marquez-Garrett and Mathew Bergman, are among several to speak.
According to the Centers website, they work “to hold social media companies legally accountable for the harm they inflict on vulnerable users. SMVLC seeks to apply principles of product liability to force social media companies to elevate consumer safety to the forefront of their economic analysis and design safer platforms that protect users from foreseeable harm.”
The Cannabis Control Board (Wednesday, Senate Committee on Agriculture)
James Pepper who is chair of the Cannabis Control Board is invited. The matter of marijuana potency has come up for debate lately. Currently, according to an ABC News report, there have been multiple studies on a potential connection between high-potency marijuana and an increased risk of addiction and/or psychosis. Vermont and Connecticut are the only states currently with THC limits for marijuana.
The author is a reporter for the Vermont Daily Chronicle
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Categories: Legislation
how well did the impeachment of the franklin county sheriff go///they do not an want a law officer elected by the people/// that way these crooks can control the police and select the ones they want that will do their bidding/// the people want all the money you spent on the phony impeachment returned to the tax payer// now/////////now////
My overall opinion, after reading all of them, is the continued (attempted) control of Legislature of everything. With most, or all, of them when I read who was sponsoring a bill it was my first clue.
Ignorance is indeed bliss!
They could save themselves a lot of time and hot air if they just rescinded the Vermont Constitution and began a secession movement in order to establish a dictatorship. SMH
They want more control, eh? Let’s play a grade school game. Can you balance a budget, or even come close? Can you sit in conference and not giggle and tee hee about not reading proposed legislation, then proceed to pass it anyhow. Kids, you need to learn the basics. No more more power until you can responsibly handle what you already have, then we’ll negoiate. Time for a nap now.
montpelier post office/// who owns the building that the post office was in/// is this building owned by the post office or private ownership/// why is this building not being repaired///
the sheriff needs to take a walk , with his special dog , around the state house parking lots/// would be good healthy exercise for both them/// do not warn any body about the walk///
You cannot install Communism without complete control. Of course, these dimwits again don’t realize that once they have conquered this domain for their Hitlerian leaders, they too shall be crushed and in short order eradicated by the state once they are no longer fit enough to be used as ever-obedient foot soldiers.
Alles klar, Herr Kommissar? Nah!
There seems to be a lot of proposed changes to the State Constitution lately. Personally I’ve always figured that if you don’t like it here, there’s no law that says you can’t move back to where you came from, or has that been changed too ?
It sounds like most of the people posting on this site don’t like it here anymore – there’s no law that says you can’t move, so why don’t you?
Wouldn’t that be sweet. I love my Communist hellhole that just got a billion dollar contract with tons of high paying jobs.
It’s not that we don’t like it here, it’s that we don’t like what ‘here’ is being changed to. It’s slowly becoming a fascist state.
Hi Mark,
You mean move back to Barre ?That’s where I’m “from”. Born and raised, as was my father. My mother, she was “from” Richmond. (Vt) etc. etc.
You have misunderstood Mark what the people are saying, it’s you and the current carpet baggers they want to have move.
As mentioned before, Prop 4 includes constitutional rights to “gender identity” and “gender expression” but not religion. I’m sure it was just an oversight.
It’s absolutely amazing how much of the new, ludicrous legislation comes from: Legislator Truly Stupid, D/P-Any County Vermont.
How dare anyone declare that there be equal rights and respect for people who don’t know their place !
A Billion dollar contract in Vermont with high paying jobs? Chris, you just don’t pay attention. Global Foundries owned by the UAE, and is a NEW YORK based chip maker. That 1.5 billion dollars is going toward an 11.5 billion expansion of their facility in New York. Oh yes, they will also “revitalize” the Essex Plant. That means they will keep the paint shiny, the lights on, and its employees bamboozled until they finally move the entire operation to their new facilities….in NY. Vermont pays a price for its high energy costs.
Perhaps Vermont’s supply chain will be the next cut and severed? Considering what is going on with our western neighbor, New York, the only investors left will be drug cartels, human traffickers, and money launderers – the only industries succeeding here now anyway. The last real Vermonter leaving, please bring the flag. The Legislature has a new one featuring a bar and sickle ready to wave proudly. The mass exodus is about to commence bigly if this BS continues unimpeded. Perhaps the South will win the next civil war they are so hellbent on starting and Obummer even made a movie to get us prepared.
Vermont’s small population though means a conservative influx, if it happened, could change things quickly.
now are you telling me tel//// lie//// vison/// was blowing smoke up our nose about global foundries/// i am sure the real estate brokers are hoping for the vermont new normal/// keep hoping///