News from Montpelier 2021 session week 9

The Legislature returned from Town Meeting break to a flood of bill introductions. Tuesday saw nearly fifty House bills to be referred to committees. At the end of the week the tally of bills introduced in the House had risen to four hundred and twenty nine. The UVM trustee election results were announced in the reconvened Joint Assembly. Of the four nominees the three receiving the most votes and winning election were Stephanie Zak Jerome of Brandon, Lucy Rogers of Waterville and Catherine “Kitty” Toll of Danville. They will serve for a term of six years. Friday the House concurred on J.R.S. 18, a joint resolution providing for a Joint Assembly to vote on the retention of two Superior Judges and three Magistrates which will take place at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, March 25th.
Floor action this week included Roll Call votes on H.128 an act relating to limiting criminal defenses based on victim identity, H.177 an act relating to approval of an amendment to the charter of the City of Montpelier and H.133 an act relating to emergency relief from abuse orders and relinquishment of firearms. The first of two roll call votes on H.133 was on the committee’s amendment from the “as introduced” and the second was on its passage. Concern was raised that this bill requires an accused to relinquish firearms without their presence at the request for the temporary order. As one member stated in their bill explanation this is a temporary inconvenience to protect the constitutional right to life. S.110 an act relating to extending eligibility for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation and H.88 an act relating to certification of agricultural use for purposes of the use value appraisal program were both fast tracked on votes to suspend rules. The House also passed H.108, H.127, H.195, H.289, H.420 and H.421. The title of these bills are found by entering their number into the search box on https://legislature.vermont.gov/
Throughout the week the General, Housing and Military Affairs Committee continued to work on H.149 an act relating to modernizing statutes related to the Vermont National Guard, H.313 an act relating to miscellaneous amendments to alcoholic beverage laws and H. 157 an act relating to registration of construction contractors and met the goal of voting all three out by the crossover deadline. The committee heard testimony on H.96 an act relating to creating the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Development Task Force and received a briefing on the DoD, Military Community and Family Policy from the Northeast Regional Liaison.
A Resolution honoring former Fairfax resident and Representative Ed Paquin on his retirement from service as executive director of Disability Rights Vermont was offered by all Members of the House and included in the Concurrent Resolution Addendum to the House Calendar for adoption. Found here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2022/Docs/CALENDAR/hc210311a.p
Representative Barbara S. Murphy bmurphy@leg.state.vt.us 802-849-6545