News from Monpelier Week 13

The focus of the Transportation committee this week was on H228, a bill to add saliva testing to the DUI statutes. We heard testimony from many experts as to the value of a tool being available to law enforcement agents to assist in determining the cause of driving impairment when other than alcohol is suspected. Unlike with alcohol, for drugs there is no set limit that can be assumed to cause impairment so the bill would determine the existence of any level to be evidence of impairment.
A roll call Thursday on H868, an act relating to miscellaneous economic development provisions, gave the House a moment of unanimity with a decision of 134 Yeas and 0 Nays. Other votes throughout the week did not reflect the same consensus of opinion. H93, increasing the smoking age from 18 to 21 years of age, took up a great deal of floor time with many amendments and roll calls. The outcome was to pass the bill on to the Senate with an amendment that made an exception for military personnel.