By the time this article is published
the legislature will be within a day or two of adjourning. It's a
time of hurry-up and wait for some of us who are on committees that
have finished as much work as they will do this session. I spent a
good part of last week in the vaccine hearings. Other committees
dealing with tough issues or which are finalizing work on Senate
bills are still going at it. The legislature began the week a day
early on Monday in an effort to finish by this Friday or Saturday.
Some of the bills which have made it
through both the House and Senate with differences that could not be
resolved have been assigned to conference committees. These
committees consist of three members of the House and three members of
the Senate who will meet to negotiate a version of the bill that all
six can agree on. This compromise version will then go before both
bodies for an up or down vote. No amendments will be allowed. Two
bills which must be passed before adjournment, the Budget and the
Revenue bills, have been assigned to conference committees that will
have to work together to come up with a balanced budget.
Several important House bills will have
been voted on by the Senate this week including the Water Quality
bill (H.35) and the Energy RESET bill (H.40). I consider these
must-pass bills because the first is necessary to begin effectively
controlling the phosphorous pollution going into Lake Champlain and
the second is necessary to avoid a 6% increase in electric rates that
will result from policy changes by Connecticut and Massachusetts if
the bill doesn't pass. I have written articles, which can be found
on my website, on both of these bills.
Last
week saw the passage of several bills by the House. S.44 establishes
a Universal Children’s Savings Account Program in Vermont. The bill
creates a special fund that would provide every Vermont child with
college savings account funded with $250 at birth. VSAC will
administer and manage the program, including working with private
foundations, philanthropists and other donors to fund the accounts.
VSAC will also work with families and children to provide financial
counseling, education, and support. Children of low-income families
may receive additional initial deposits if the money is available.
Families will be invited to match contributions and participate in
savings programs.
Another
bill, H.355, establishes a licensing requirement for professional
Foresters. Some landowners have been harmed as a result of their
dealings with persons claiming to be foresters. Currently, Vermont
and Rhode Island are the only New England states that do not have
forester licensing. By licensing the profession through the
Secretary of State's office, this measure will help landowners by
ensuring that foresters have a minimum level of education and
qualification for practicing forestry in Vermont, will promote
continuing education in the forestry field, and will provide a basic
level of credibility and accountability for the profession.
Finding
money unexpectedly is always a nice surprise. So, let me once again
note that there are hundreds of listings for Charlotters at the State
Treasurer's Unclaimed Property database which can be accessed at
http://www.vermonttreasurer.gov/unclaimed-property.
Check it out and see if you might be among the lucky listings.
Other states have similar lists, so if you've ever lived someplace
other than Vermont, you might try those places as well.
I
continue to welcome your feedback on issues. I can
be reached by phone (802-233-5238) or by email
(myantachka.dfa@gmail.com).
