There are 14 committees in the House of
Representatives. Of the 869 bills that
have been introduced in the House last year and this year, about 125 have been
considered in committee and passed by the House and sent on to the Senate. Another
30 introduced in and passed by the Senate were sent to the House. Of these, 108
were passed by both and sent to the Governor for his signature. Each committee is still working on many bills
we hope to complete during the remainder of this session. Here are some of the results of our work so
far this year.
Energy
and the Environment
Our renewable energy sector is growing at a
significant rate with Vermont having the highest rate of jobs in the solar
industry on a per capita basis, tripling the state’s solar jobs since
2012. The net-metering expansion bill,
H.702, that my committee, Natural Resources & Energy, worked on and which
was passed by the House and sent to the Senate, will continue this growth
through 2016 when the federal renewable energy tax credits expire. The industry is now approaching a point where
solar energy is becoming an affordable commodity for average homeowners. We also have the battery recycling bill,
H.695, ready to be voted on by the House when we come back from Town Meeting
break. I have written about both of
these bills in more detail in my weekly articles, and they can be found on my
website. We have also worked on a pair
of land use bills, H.809 and H.823, that will encourage development in
designated downtowns and growth centers by streamlining the permitting process
while discouraging sprawl and strip development. H.809 has passed the House already and is now
in the Senate.
The
Corrections & Institutions Committee has also been looking at ways for
state government to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The State of Vermont spent $14 million on
energy in FY12, emitting millions of tons of carbon dioxide. Over the
past six years the legislature has worked to provide a strategy and the
necessary tools for the State to reduce its energy consumption annually by
5%. Past action of the Legislature has required the incorporation of
energy efficiency and thermal conservation in any new state building or any
renovation over $250,000 and to include renewable energy resources as
appropriate. It has required the Department of Buildings and General
Services to analyze energy consumption in each property and to conduct energy
audits in 20% of its properties annually so that it may understand how to
strategically improve its buildings. The first group of properties was
completed in 2013. This year we are moving forward to add the final tool
necessary to accomplish the goals of saving money and reducing greenhouse gas
emissions by creating an Energy Revolving Loan Fund of up to $8 million, using
a credit facility the State Treasurer will make available. With the
creation of this fund, the State of Vermont will now be able to make a
significant difference in its energy consumption, reduce its carbon footprint,
and provide leadership in building management.
Health
Care
The
Health Care committee continues to keep close watch on the enrollment updates
and the technical challenges with Vermont Health Connect. The good news in
Vermont is that our insurance carriers, our navigators and our health care
providers are working very closely together to be sure that Vermonters don't
see a lapse in coverage because of the technical glitches. The value of this
cooperation really can't be overlooked. Although there are still technical
problems with the VHC web site, the insurers are working very hard to do what
is right by Vermonters. As we come to the end of the open enrollment period, it
is very important for Vermonters who are uninsured or were on VHAP or Catamount
to get on the Vermont Health Connect website and enroll by March 15 for
coverage beginning on April 1. If you have insurance now that renews later in
the year, you will still be able to enroll on your enrollment anniversary. If
you need help resolving an application that is in process, or if you need to
enroll please contact me and I can help you get connected with an enrollment
navigator.
The
Lyme Disease bill, H.123, has just been voted out of committee and will be
voted on by the House. Lyme disease is
on the increase in Vermont, and many Vermonters who have contracted the disease
have experienced frustrating and lingering symptoms. The Health Care committee
has heard extensive testimony from Vermonters whose lives have been
significantly impacted by this disease. There is disagreement in the medical
community about the best way to treat people whose symptoms don't clear up with
the standard course of treatment, and many physicians have been reluctant to
treat the symptoms beyond what is recommended by the CDC. H.123 is modeled
after what New York did in 2005 to assure physicians that if they follow treatment
guidelines from the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the Infectious Disease Society
of America, they will not be subject to disciplinary action regarding those
treatments.
Transportation
Highway
safety is a long-standing priority of the Legislature. Hand held cell phone
use, like drunk and drugged driving, poses a significant threat. The committee
heard testimony about studies that compared the distractions associated with
holding a cell phone to that of driving intoxicated. This year, the House passed a bill, H.62,
that prohibits the handheld use of portable electronic devices on Vermont
highways while a vehicle is in motion. Portable electronic devices include cell
phones, PDAs, MP3 players, GPS and other mobile electronics. The bill allows
the use of these devices in hands-free mode. It also allows drivers to activate
or deactivate a device if it is mounted in a cradle or otherwise fixed to the
vehicle. There are several other exceptions to the handheld prohibition.
They include:
·
Law
enforcement may use handheld devices in the course of their duties.
·
Agricultural
vehicle operators may use a handheld device to receive a dispatch.
·
Anyone
may make a call in an emergency to law enforcement or other emergency
personnel.
·
Commercial
drivers fall under the commercial motor vehicle laws, which mirror federal
regulations, including prohibition of the use of handheld mobile phones and
other devices.
Penalties for violating the provisions of H.62
would be the same as texting while driving. A $100 fine and 2 points would be
assessed for a first offense. H.62 is an important step toward promoting
highway safety.
Opportunities
for Improving Our Education System
Last
year, Vermont students ranked second in the nation on the National Assessment
of Educational Progress tests. Similar test scores showed that, if Vermont
was its own country, our students would rank seventh in the world in academic
performance. Our commitment to education at the state and community level
is strong and yields exemplary results.
Our education financing system, established under Act 60 in 1997 and
refined under Act 68 in 2003, is regarded as one of the most equitable in the
nation. The Education Committee heard multiple reports from national education
policy expert Lawrence Picus and statewide leaders. Equity remains an important value that we should uphold when making
any modifications to the system. While
we are proud of our education system, there are opportunities for bringing it
into the 21st century and creating a more transparent, sustainable funding method.
We have heard from constituents about the burden of escalating property taxes,
losing vital programs in our schools due to funding and scale, a desire for
measuring student outcomes against our spending, and maintaining local control
while increasing budget transparency. The
legislature has made education governance and financing a top priority for this
session. I will continue to provide
information about this as it develops.
