Henry Raymond
Fairfax News => Political Issues/Comments => Topic started by: Barbara on February 17, 2018, 06:03:50 PM
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Through out the week the transportation committee addressed sections of the Transportation bill which includes miscellaneous changes to transportation-law. A presentation was made on the upcoming and current technology in autonomous vehicles and a take away was the concern for maintaining the attention of the driver in escalating levels of automation. Another proposed transportation law change would extend the punishment for someone who provides alcohol for a minor who then has a vehicle accident that causes death or serious bodily injury to include a snowmobile, vessel or ATV as vehicles. The language was requested by a legislator representing a constituent whose son was killed in an accident. The mother gave emotional testimony as to the incident and the lack of consequence.
The Franklin County delegation met with Catherine Dimitruk the executive director of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission at the third Thursday lunch. One of the points discussed was the bridge on 104A which has been identified as a point of concern for years. A scoping report in 2013 was performed and a follow up just completed has moved it forward to be potentially considered for a new decking repair which could also widen it. Pamela Parsons the executive director for NOTCH joined the meeting via speaker phone and shared the difficulty of hiring doctors which she believes will be even more challenging if a program of loan forgiveness is curtailed.
A joint committee meeting of the House and Senate Transportation committees was held to hear concerns from officials present for Town Government day. The Vermont League of City and Town sponsors the day and opened the meeting with a general concern for the challenge of storm water obligations all communities are facing with the municipal road permit. Several community representatives spoke of the stress to meet the basic transportation infrastructure needs and a sense that the Washington proposal is insufficient.
Two bills on the House floor Thursday were voted out of their committees with less than consensus votes. This can indicate there will be discussion of them on the floor and that was the case.. H 624, the protection of information in the statewide voter checklist and H 764, data brokers and consumer protection both spoke to the security and accessibility of our personal information. The intent is a worthy goal but as the testimony revealed there is disagreement over whether either of them achieve it. Both bills will move on to the Senate and have an opportunity to be refined. The first roll call vote of the day on H 294, inquiries about an applicant’s salary history was passed by a unanimous vote of the 137 members present but the roll calls on the other bills came in divided about 2 to 1. Consensus is not always achievable.