News form Montpelier week 8 (2017)

The week began with the preparations for the Orange 1 recount. The House of Representatives was facing the absence of twenty three members as well as the loss of the largest public meeting room for Wednesday and Thursday but the recount was aborted. In the rules delineated by the Government Operations Committee and voted by the House, any inconsistency of the handling of the ballot bags or their seals would immediately end the process and affirm the decision of the original recount. An inconsistency was found and the recount ended before it began.
The Transportation committee gave a final review to sections of the Transportation bill and on a unanimous vote sent it out of committee. The Appropriations committee need to approve it before it can be voted on by the full House and sent to the Senate. With that bill done the committee took the opportunity to visit an Inspection station that is participating in an early start of the Automated Vehicle Inspection Program (AVIP). Although new equipment is required to perform inspections the process has no new components. The checklist of safety reviews is simply on an electronic tablet rather than on paper. Two benefits the committee identified for customers will be the photographic evidence of any parts deemed defective and a list of potential vehicle recall information available on the Vehicle Inspection Report. The recall notice is valuable as the address of a used car owner is not always available to a manufacturer when these are mailed. Inspection stations set their own rate for providing the Vermont State Inspection but the Department of Motor Vehicles believes for the vast majority the expense of the new system should cause less than a $5 per inspection increase.
Members from the Associated General Contractors testified before the committee on the concern for workforce education and training. The Agency of Transportation needs a healthy supply of people in the trades and a five year diminishing of participation in these fields was highlighted. Our youth need to be encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Technical Centers and the apprenticeship programs for trades such as Electricians and Plumbers. Fairfax students have benefited from strong community support of the Tech Centers and received honors for performance at competitions such as Skills USA.
Please contact me at bmurphy@leg.state.vt.us, 802-849-6545, or by mail at 7 Lily Rd. The Sergeant at Arms office in the State House will pass on queries as well.