907 bills in House, 334 the Senate, including bias training for school bus drivers, high-capacity mag ban, state collection of racial, gender info of business owners, repatriation of Abenaki lands, EV mileage tax, stormwater fee delay, new state pension system

by Guy Page

January 27, 2020 – As of today, the 2019-20 Vermont Legislature has introduced 1,241 new bills and eight proposed Constitutional amendments.

The Legislature also has introduced 290 resolutions: eight Joint Resolutions of the House (JRH), the 13 House Resolutions (HR), 226 House Concurring Resolutions (HCR), eight Senate Resolutions (SR), 35 Joint Resolutions of the Senate (JRS), and 17 Senate Concurrent Resolutions (SCR). During the entire 2017-2018 session, 1,224 bills were introduced, the highest total (until this year) for at least the 10 previous years.

It is not known whether more bills will be introduced this year. Most bills do not become law. And like plain-looking boys and girls at the southern Cotillion, many do not receive a second glance after introduction.

Click here for a complete listing and details of bills. The following is a partial list of bills introduced last week into the Vermont House. No judgement here is made on whether they are good, bad, or indifferent: “Et cave ne vet” (“let the voter beware”).

H.881, bias training for school bus operators. Reps. Kevin Christie and Rebecca White (both D-Hartford).

H.883, State reimbursement for school construction projects.    

H.884, requiring menstrual hygiene products in public school restrooms for grades 6 through 12. Reps. Colburn (P-Burlington), Gonzalez (P-Winooski), and White.

H.885, funding positions at UVM and state colleges to teach emerging technologies and to a new grant program for use by the UVM to establish a quantum computing program.      

H.886, instruction on the Holocaust and other acts of genocide and mass violence. Rep. Linda Myers (R-Essex Junction).

H.887, prohibit information sharing between Vermont and federal law enforcement. Colburn, Mollie Burke (P-Brattleboro), Brian Cina (P-Burlington). 

H.888, ban possession, manufacture and export of high capacity ammo magazines. Cina.               

H.889, protecting consumers from robo-calls and email solicitations. Many sponsors, bi-partisan.               

H.892, requiring Secretary of State to collect racial and gender information on operators of Vermont businesses. Rep. Emilie Kornheiser (D-Brattleboro), Sarah Coffey (D-Guilford), Redmond (D-Essex), White.               

H.894, prohibiting State sale of personal information      

H.897, the repatriation of traditional Abenaki lands, would establish a task force to consider how to voluntarily transfer land to Abenaki, with a report due November 2021. Cina, Gonzalez, Hal Colston (D-Winooski).

H.831, delay by two years implementation of stormwater management plan that would assess high fees on owners of impervious surfaces (parking lots etc.). Reps. Fagan, Harrison and other Rutland County and other GOP, and also Progressive Robin Chesnut-Tangerman (Middletown Springs).    

H.834, reduced motor vehicle registration fees for veterans and maintenance of a database of veterans in Vermont. Vietnam vet and Rep. Robert Hooper (D-Burlington), others.

H.835, a vehicle miles traveled tax for plug-in electric vehicles. Reps. Scott Beck (R-St. Johnsbury), Ken Goslant (R-Northfield), and other Republicans, and also Rep. Matt Trieber (D-Rockingham).

H.836, allows lawsuit against person who calls cops with intent to hurt another. Colburn.

H.838, creates an exception to prohibition on firearms possession by persons convicted of violent crimes if conviction is for violating an abuse prevention order and offense was committed before July 1, 2015, Reps. Savage (Swanton), Brennan (Colchester), and others, all Republicans.

H.839, tax relief for retired military, working youth under age 26, and renters. Rep. Bill Canfield (R-Rutland), others.  

H.840, exempting first $15,000 of government pension income from State taxation. Rep. Hooper, others.

H.841, repealing the sales tax exemption for cloud services and reallocating meals and rooms tax funds.

H.842, requiring active community notification upon release of sex offender who committed an offense against a minor.

H.843, assault of a sports official.             

H.844, allowing probation and parole officers to carry firearms while on duty.     

H.845, review of orders placing the Vermont National Guard in federal active duty status               

H.847, prohibiting flags other than the U.S. flag and State of Vermont flag from being flown on public school property in Vermont. Rep. Brian Smith (R-Derby).               

H.848, a new State Employees’ Retirement System and State Teachers’ Retirement System          

H.849, method of taxation on electronic cigarettes          

H.850, employment protection for volunteer firefighters              

H.851, establishing a good cause standard for termination of employment           

H.854, the modification of a motor vehicle’s exhaust system       

H.855, display of front vehicle number plate.

Photo caption: Native-American rock art discovered in the West River near Vernon, VT.