New bill – expanding Racial Equity staff, spending
Approved bills – no feminine hygiene tax, pandemic UI extended, judge retention vote scheduled, gender identity victim protection, non-citizen voting in Montpelier, facial recog tech, animal cruelty investigation, relinquishment of firearms.
A Vermont House resolution to admit Washington, D.C. as the 51st state has been sent to a committee for further study.
The Vermont House of Representatives today passed ‘Covid Relief Bill’ H315, allocating $79 million in federal and state funding, according to release from the office of the Speaker of the House.
The Vermont House of Representatives will meet remotely for the rest of this year’s session, House Speaker Jill Krowinski said.
New House bills would take pension from cops found guilty of excessive force; create “Youth Council”; reduce cash bail; raise income tax; give Legislature nominating board control over candidates for National Guard leadership; increase water quality monitoring and reporting. Also – a bill for background checks on firearms.
Bills up for House committee review this week would encourage home visitation by school workers, allow candidates to spend campaign money on personal expenses, let a judge order police to take away firearms, study a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” for Vermont, promote BIPOC home ownership, and reimburse farmers for crop damage caused by black bears.
Committees in the Vermont House this week will review bills regarding three of the Legislature’s favorite R’s: race, relinquishing firearms, and reduction of carbon. They also will review three-acre runoff, redemption of beverage containers, reorganizing police under one state agency, and raising the standard for police use of force, and new regulations.
Legislation that would tweak state law about elections (non-citizen and ranked choice voting), climate change, home ownership, school mergers, sale of unpasteurized milk, and child welfare are among the bills introduced into the Vermont House this week.
With a mortality rate rivaling that of baby sea turtles crossing the sand to the ocean, most bills proceed no further than introduction. For a list of all House bills, see the Vermont Legislature website. To contact media and lawmakers about legislation, see Vermont Daily media/legislator contact list in article and Google Doc formats.
A recount held in North Hero Friday confirmed the election of Republicans Leland and Michael Morgan to the two seats in the Grand Isle – West Milton House districts.
