News from Montpelier Week 8

[Barbara]

The last week before our Town Meeting break had a pace all its own. The stack of Doyle Polls placed on every member’s desk foretold preparation for Town Meeting.
The FY2016 Budget Adjustment act, H611, came back from the Senate with Amendments and the House concurred with a few technical amendments. The 53rd week of Medicaid expenditures that has yet to be funded did receive “top billing” for any General Fund revenues not otherwise allocated at year end. H458, an act relating to automatic voter registration through motor vehicle driver’s license applications was given preliminary approval. The language changes the current ‘opt in’ on the application to an ‘opt out’.  Heated debate preceded the vote on HR 13, a resolution urging that the State of Vermont remove the stocks of companies with coal holdings and the stock of the Exxon Mobil Corporation from its pension investment portfolios.
Wednesday morning, members of the Transportation committee toured the Quechee Gorge Bridge. A joint hearing is scheduled for March 8, from 2:30 to 4 in Room 11, on H593, an act relating to safety measures at the Quechee Gorge Bridge. Testimony on Trespass on Rail property, license suspension for criminal or point offenses only, digital mapping, municipal clean water regulations and vulnerable users of highways was given in the Transportation committee room throughout the week.

[nhibbard]

Any plans to get rid of the renter rebate and have a phased tax credit for housing?

[Barbara]

There has been informal discussion of the cost of the rebate/income sensitivity program. I will follow up and see if anything formal has been proposed. A quick call to Rep. Brannagan, a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means confirms nothing formal has been proposed for this year.