Week of March 7, 2020 VT legislature
LIAISON TEAM REPORT: CROSSOVER LEGISLATIVE OVERVIEW
(Crossover date for 2020 is Friday March 13th)
Governor Open Office: Wednesdays 8 to 9am
Lt. Governor Open Office: Fridays 8:30am to 10am
Floor Times: These traditionally do not change during the session.
Note: Legislature is traditionally not is session on Mondays and adjourn at 12noon of Fridays
NOTE: COFFEE WITH LT GOVERNOR ON FRIDAY 13th March 8:30am to 10am Statehouse Ceremonial Office.
NOTE: LGBTQ+ VISIBILITY DAY TUESDAY 31ST MARCH (INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER VISIBILITY DAY: THIS IS ALSO OUTRIGHT SPONSORED YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AT STATEHOUSE
Bills of interest and Crossover status:
H-107 Paid Family and Medical Leave
Senate voted to override veto of Governor. House unable to override veto of Governor.
Liaisons have requested copy of Sununu/Scott proposal for voluntary family/medical level
S-23 Minimum Wage
Senate voted to override veto of Governor. House also voted to override.
$11.75 on 01/1/2021
$12.55 on 01/01/2022
5% each subsequent 01/01.
JRH 7: Joint resolution apologizing to all Vermonters harmed as result of state sanctioned & eugenically inspired sterilization.
(NOTE: This bill specifically identifies the targeting of the Abenaki community.)
House General Housing & Military Affairs: scheduled for committee vote on 03/10/2020
H-83 Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation
Signed into law by Governor on 02/27/2020
H-207 Charter Change City of Montpelier: Non-Citizen Voting
Passed House 04/2019 thus not subject to 2020 crossover date
Bill still in Senate Government Operations
H-568 Immunity in Reporting Crimes by Sex Workers/Study Commission decriminalization sex work.
Passed House on 02/21/2020 (Yeas: 126 Nays:19 Absent: 3)
Assigned to Senate Judiciary
H-492 Homeless Bill of Rights
House General Housing & Military Affairs: scheduled for committee vote on 03/10/2020
H-610 Firearms and Domestic Violence
House Judiciary: scheduled for committee vote on 03/12/2020
H-611 Older Vermonters Act
House Human Services: Scheduled for committee vote on 03/12/2020
H-688 Climate Change
Passed by House on 02/21/2020 (Yeas: 105 Nays:37 Absent: 6)
Assigned to Senate Natural Resources and Energy
H-714 Implicit Bias training for school employees
Assigned to House Education: No action scheduled
S-169 Firearm Procedures (24hr waiting period): Override of Governor’s Veto
Bill still on Senate Notice calendar for action
May not be acted upon
S-285 Statehouse artwork project
Bill written to represent the diversity of leadership stories and leaders who have significantly contributed to Vermont’s unique history.
List includes LGBTQ+, women, Abenaki, & marginalized ethnic and social groups. 80% of collection to include individuals who identify as women.
Assigned to Senate Institutions: No action scheduled
S-296 Limiting Out-of-Pocket expenses for insulin drugs
Senate: Third Reading scheduled for 03/10/2020
S-324 Prohibiting Robocalls
Passed Senate on 02/21/2020 (Yeas: 27 Nays: 0 Absent:3)
Assigned to House Commerce and Economic Development
BILLS BEING FOLLOWED BY VT CARES:
S 234 Misc. Judiciary Procedures
Senate Judiciary: Scheduled for committee vote on 03/10/2020
H-568 Immunity in Reporting Crimes by Sex Workers/Study Commission decriminalization sex work.
Passed House on 02/21/2020 (Yeas: 126 Nays:19 Absent: 3)
Assigned to Senate Judiciary
H-571 Testing Bloodborne Pathogens for persons assisting in emergency situations
Assigned to House Human Services: No action scheduled
FOR CONSIDERATION AS SUMMER WORK GROUP WITH EXPECTATION OF INTRODUCING LEGISLATION DURING NEXT SESSION 2021.
Non-Binary option on VT birth certificate: Alliance Liaison team has been contacted by an out-of-state resident who has attempted to have their VT birth certificate amended to identify as non-binary. VT Dept. of Health staff stated this option is not currently available; among their reasons was the inability to make this change with current software. The Liaison team is currently in the information gathering process. GLAD/Boston has offered their assistance. The out-of-state individual has also spoken with staff at the Pride Center of VT. This initiative could be expanded to include identification of all VT issued ID that includes gender and the addition of a non-binary option. Per DMV, thus far there have been 300+ requests for non-binary identification on VT Driver’s Licenses.
State of Washington has passed a ban on the use of a gay/transgender panic defense. Their bill was in recognition of the murder of a transgender youth, Nikki Kuhnhausen. This has again raised the question of VT enacting a similar ban. There have been some preliminary conversations with the Office of the Governor, Office of the Attorney General, and State’s Attorney Association.
(Crossover date for 2020 is Friday March 13th)
Governor Open Office: Wednesdays 8 to 9am
Lt. Governor Open Office: Fridays 8:30am to 10am
Floor Times: These traditionally do not change during the session.
Note: Legislature is traditionally not is session on Mondays and adjourn at 12noon of Fridays
NOTE: COFFEE WITH LT GOVERNOR ON FRIDAY 13th March 8:30am to 10am Statehouse Ceremonial Office.
NOTE: LGBTQ+ VISIBILITY DAY TUESDAY 31ST MARCH (INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER VISIBILITY DAY: THIS IS ALSO OUTRIGHT SPONSORED YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT AT STATEHOUSE
Bills of interest and Crossover status:
H-107 Paid Family and Medical Leave
Senate voted to override veto of Governor. House unable to override veto of Governor.
Liaisons have requested copy of Sununu/Scott proposal for voluntary family/medical level
S-23 Minimum Wage
Senate voted to override veto of Governor. House also voted to override.
$11.75 on 01/1/2021
$12.55 on 01/01/2022
5% each subsequent 01/01.
JRH 7: Joint resolution apologizing to all Vermonters harmed as result of state sanctioned & eugenically inspired sterilization.
(NOTE: This bill specifically identifies the targeting of the Abenaki community.)
House General Housing & Military Affairs: scheduled for committee vote on 03/10/2020
H-83 Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation
Signed into law by Governor on 02/27/2020
H-207 Charter Change City of Montpelier: Non-Citizen Voting
Passed House 04/2019 thus not subject to 2020 crossover date
Bill still in Senate Government Operations
H-568 Immunity in Reporting Crimes by Sex Workers/Study Commission decriminalization sex work.
Passed House on 02/21/2020 (Yeas: 126 Nays:19 Absent: 3)
Assigned to Senate Judiciary
H-492 Homeless Bill of Rights
House General Housing & Military Affairs: scheduled for committee vote on 03/10/2020
H-610 Firearms and Domestic Violence
House Judiciary: scheduled for committee vote on 03/12/2020
H-611 Older Vermonters Act
House Human Services: Scheduled for committee vote on 03/12/2020
H-688 Climate Change
Passed by House on 02/21/2020 (Yeas: 105 Nays:37 Absent: 6)
Assigned to Senate Natural Resources and Energy
H-714 Implicit Bias training for school employees
Assigned to House Education: No action scheduled
S-169 Firearm Procedures (24hr waiting period): Override of Governor’s Veto
Bill still on Senate Notice calendar for action
May not be acted upon
S-285 Statehouse artwork project
Bill written to represent the diversity of leadership stories and leaders who have significantly contributed to Vermont’s unique history.
List includes LGBTQ+, women, Abenaki, & marginalized ethnic and social groups. 80% of collection to include individuals who identify as women.
Assigned to Senate Institutions: No action scheduled
S-296 Limiting Out-of-Pocket expenses for insulin drugs
Senate: Third Reading scheduled for 03/10/2020
S-324 Prohibiting Robocalls
Passed Senate on 02/21/2020 (Yeas: 27 Nays: 0 Absent:3)
Assigned to House Commerce and Economic Development
BILLS BEING FOLLOWED BY VT CARES:
S 234 Misc. Judiciary Procedures
Senate Judiciary: Scheduled for committee vote on 03/10/2020
H-568 Immunity in Reporting Crimes by Sex Workers/Study Commission decriminalization sex work.
Passed House on 02/21/2020 (Yeas: 126 Nays:19 Absent: 3)
Assigned to Senate Judiciary
H-571 Testing Bloodborne Pathogens for persons assisting in emergency situations
Assigned to House Human Services: No action scheduled
FOR CONSIDERATION AS SUMMER WORK GROUP WITH EXPECTATION OF INTRODUCING LEGISLATION DURING NEXT SESSION 2021.
Non-Binary option on VT birth certificate: Alliance Liaison team has been contacted by an out-of-state resident who has attempted to have their VT birth certificate amended to identify as non-binary. VT Dept. of Health staff stated this option is not currently available; among their reasons was the inability to make this change with current software. The Liaison team is currently in the information gathering process. GLAD/Boston has offered their assistance. The out-of-state individual has also spoken with staff at the Pride Center of VT. This initiative could be expanded to include identification of all VT issued ID that includes gender and the addition of a non-binary option. Per DMV, thus far there have been 300+ requests for non-binary identification on VT Driver’s Licenses.
State of Washington has passed a ban on the use of a gay/transgender panic defense. Their bill was in recognition of the murder of a transgender youth, Nikki Kuhnhausen. This has again raised the question of VT enacting a similar ban. There have been some preliminary conversations with the Office of the Governor, Office of the Attorney General, and State’s Attorney Association.
For 2017-2018 legislature reports click here.