News from Montpelier 2020 week 9

This week was predicted to cause pressure on Committees to finish work on bills as Friday was the deadline for any bills to cross over to the other chamber and continue to be addressed this session. The exceptions to this rule are the “money bills” which include the key bills from Appropriations, Ways and Means and Transportation. With dedicated support from AOT personnel and the General Assembly staff offices, House Transportation was able to vote out the Transportation bill before heading to the Floor Friday for an extended floor session. Pressure also came from the developing COVID-19 crisis. A response was drafted by leadership and includes Friday’s passage of legislation that can be vehicles for support when the true impact is known. H. 681 and H. 742 are both lined up to provide financial and medical aid respectively. The House originates all revenue bills but the Senate may now propose or concur in amendments so the passage of these bills allows action to be taken by the Senate. House Resolution 15 was passed and contains language urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to issue an official statement that employees of its Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agencies will not arrest any person based on immigration status at a hospital, health care facility, or Coronavirus testing site for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. The goal is to mitigate any fears that prevent an individual from being tested and treated.
www.healthvermont.gov is the official website for information from Vermont Department of Health.

Between Tuesday morning when the House reconvened from Town Meeting break and the fall of the gavel at 6:09 PM Friday thirty bills were messaged to the Senate. Starting with Tuesday they were; H.635 relating to regulation of long-term care facilities, H.741 relating to criminal record checks on contractors working in State-owned or -leased facilities also H550 relating to unclaimed property was read and adopted in concurrence with the Senate proposal of amendment. Wednesday’s action included; H.215 relating to the Office of Child Advocate, H.438 relating to the Board of Medical Practice and the licensure of physicians and podiatrists, H.552 relating to the Vermont EPA Pollution Control Revolving Fund, H.723 relating to health insurance coverage for store-and-forward telemedicine, H.728 relating to the miscellaneous changes affecting the duties of the Department of Vermont Health Access, H.754 relating to restructuring and reorganizing General Assembly staff offices and H.794 relating to limiting liability for agritourism. The bills messaged on Thursday were; H. 650 relating to boards and commissions and H.936 relating to sexual exploitation of children. Friday saw the bulk of the action as Rules were suspended multiple times to put bills through all stages of passage. The bills moved on Friday were; H.633 relating to expanding access to contraceptives, H.795 relating to increasing hospital price transparency, H.788 relating to technical corrections for the 2020 legislative session, H.562 relating to the definition of agricultural land for the purpose of use value appraisals, H.683 relating to prohibiting incidental take of migratory birds, H.837 relating to enhanced life estate deeds, H.901 relating to expanding access to adult technical education equipment funding, S.326 relating to the State Advisory Panel on Special Education, H.643 relating to banking and insurance, H.734 relating to prohibiting certain provisions in dental insurance contracts with dentists, H.424 relating to the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, H.109 relating to designating October 12 as Dewey Day, H.588 relating to exempting the Victims Compensation Board from the Open Meeting Law, H.578 relating to operator’s license and privilege to operate suspensions and proof of financial responsibility, H.750 relating to creating a National Guard provost marshal, H.769 relating to veteran status enquiries on program and service intake forms, H.681 relating to employer registration for unemployment insurance and H.742 relating to grants for emergency medical personnel training.
J.R.S. 46 was taken up, read and adopted in concurrence, permitting adjournment until March 24th.
For more information contact me at bmurphy@leg.state.vt.us or 802-849-6545