News from Monpelier Week 10

Youth Outright Vermont conducted the devotional exercises Tuesday. Students from BFA were in the State house accompanied by their guidance director. It is always a joy to welcome visitors from home. In between floor and committee work I completed the collation of Fairfax’s responses on the Doyle survey and handed them in. The results are hopefully being posted separately. The two questions that tied for the most like responses were on industrial energy siting and the use of opiates in Vermont.
Three roll call votes with one resulting in a tie highlighted Wednesday’s floor time. The tie vote was on an amendment to H171 which proposed to phase in the escalation of legal age for smoking to 21. The amendment failed as a result of the tie. H812 which relates to consumer protections in Accountable Care Organizations and H571 which relates to Driver’s License Suspensions both passed.
The trend for roll calls continued on Thursday. H261 Ban the Box, an amendment to H812, H861relating to treated article pesticides, and H789 relating to forest integrity all were voted by roll after much discussion. Concerns can continue to be addressed as these bills are taken up in the Senate.
House Transportation committee passed the TBill out of committee on a vote of 11-0-0. It will be introduced on the floor the week after next. The Miscellaneous DMV Bill from the Senate is the committee’s focus now.