News from Montpelier 2019 week 5

Friday the remarks of several members of the House were recorded in the Journal of the day. They were all in recognition of Black Lives Matter Day, declared by Gov. Shumlin in 2015 and followed a devotional reading of one of Rev Martin Luther King Jr’s speeches. A devotional opens the House floor every day and varies from music, to poetry, to prayer, to a simple moment of silent reflection before the Action of the calendar commences. Anyone who wishes to provide the devotion is invited to contact the House Clerk Assistant Chris Ditmeyer for instruction and scheduling at cditmeyer@leg.state.vt.us . They appreciate knowing whose constituent is making the offer, so they can connect us.
The work of the Transportation committee continues to be focused on the T-Bill. It is made up of near two dozen sections and each requires testimony from the Agency as well as advocates and topic experts. The electric vehicle incentive program for low- and moderate-income Vermonters was presented to the committee by a director and an environmental policy manager from the Agency of Transportation. Follow up presentations included the Climate Commission recommendations toward an EV charging network and contributions to funding transportation and electricity rate structure.
Floor action on Wednesday carried over to Thursday on H. 39., an act relating to the extension of the deadline of school district mergers required by the State Board of Education. Two amendments that would offer an additional year to the districts who received notice in November of forced mergers were offered; the first being more inclusive of all districts that have concerns about meeting the 2019 deadline in Act 46 and the second allowing some but not all extensions. The floor debate was extended and impassioned and was reflected in the close roll call vote of 69 yeas and 74 nays to the first amendment, which failed. The second amendment presented by the House Education committee passed on a roll call of 134 yeas to 10 nays. The discussion will now continue in the Senate.
The reason the consideration of H. 39 was interrupted and recommenced on Thursday was to prepare the House chamber for the public hearing on H. 57, an act relating to preserving the right to abortion. The testimony was passionate from both perspectives of this issue and I believe helped alter the language of H. 57 to the strike all amendment Draft No 1.1 voted out of the Committee on Human Services Thursday. It is now in the House Judiciary committee.
Please continue to contact me at bmurphy@leg.state.vt.us or 802-849-6545 or through the Sergeant at Arms office.