Legislative Report 2/21/2022 - 2022 Town Meeting Legislative Report

 

Town Meeting marks the halfway point in the Vermont legislative session, and it’s a good time to highlight some of the work the legislature has accomplished.  The House passed some significant legislation in these first two months, and we will continue to work on our key priorities in collaboration with the Senate prior to our anticipated May adjournment.

 

One of our priorities is to use Vermont’s share of federal stimulus funds to boost recovery and set the stage for a strong future, while building a balanced budget that reflects our values as we tackle the complex and interconnected challenges of housing, workforce, and childcare. Of the $1.049 billion Vermont received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), over $600 million was allocated for

fiscal year 2022 (FY22) investments, leaving more than $400 million available. This infusion of federal dollars will not be sustained over time, nor will state revenue levels which have been outpacing forecasts. In developing the FY23 budget, our challenge is to make strategic use of one-time money to address extraordinary ongoing needs in order to support and strengthen Vermont communities, families, and vulnerable Vermonters now and into the future.

 

Workforce development is another one of our legislative priorities this year. With 25,000 job openings in Vermont and an unemployment rate of just 2.5 percent, we’re trying to identify and remove the barriers that are preventing people from working or returning to work. We’re also listening to education and training providers to see if we can provide better opportunities for Vermonters to gain postsecondary credentials and degrees of value, which increase earning potential in rewarding careers. Vermont’s 17 regional Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers provide critical pathways to improve career readiness for students and adult learners and play a big role in workforce development. Stakeholders across Vermont in the business, nonprofit, education and government sectors have committed to a common goal of having 70 percent of Vermonters possess a postsecondary degree or credential of value, such as an apprenticeship, certificate or license. The legislature is considering several proposals to revamp and support CTE, with bills under consideration in several committees. While there are worker shortages across the board, the shortage of nurses has put severe pressure on our healthcare system due to COVID-19. This is exacerbated by a shortage of nursing professors. The legislature is looking for ways through scholarships and grants to support Vermont’s colleges in expanding their nursing programs, attracting nursing professors and helping current RNs who wish to become professors.

 

The Legislature recognizes that climate change is an existential threat to our way of life and several bills aim at reducing our greenhouse gas emissions in the two categories producing the most emissions: transportation and heating. I have previously written about two bills from my committee, Energy and Technology, that promote municipal energy resilience and help Vermonters reduce their dependence on fossil fuels for heating. The House Transportation Committee is reviewing the Governor’s “Transportation Bill,” which recommends approximately $40 million in investments to support a state highway electric vehicle (EV) charging network and incentives for EVs as well as electric bicycles, ATVs, and snowmobiles. The Transportation Innovation Act (H.552) has similar objectives and also includes funding for transportation programs for lower income Vermonters and continuation of zero-fare public transit. These initiatives will be helped by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law by President Biden in November 2021.

 

There is a lot of work being done in many other areas including pension funding, support of the forest economy, registration of construction contractors, support for mixed-income and multi-family housing, racial and social justice, telehealth initiatives, toxic waste, and more. Bills dealing with these issues will be coming up for a vote in the two weeks after Town Meeting to meet the crossover deadline when bills need to be passed in order to be considered by the Senate.  Stay tuned.

 

Legislative Report 1/23/2020 - The Transportation and Climate Initiative: How it works

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Vermont at 43% of total emissions. Our neighboring states are facing the same problem with transportation being the highest GHG source. So, in 2018 Vermont joined with 12 other eastern states from Maine to Virginia and the District of Columbia

Photo from VT Agency of Natural Resources TCI website

to design a regional program called the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) to reduce GHG emissions from transportation.  Details of the design were released in December, 2019, and Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources has invited public comments on the proposal.

The concept behind TCI is similar to that of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), of which Vermont is a member along with 8 other states in the northeast.  RGGI, established in 2009, is a market-based program to cut GHG emissions from electric generation.  RGGI has been successful in reducing region-wide emissions from 188 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in 2009 to 80 million in 2019. The revenues Vermont has received from the program have been a major reason why our electric rates have been relatively level over that period and why we have been able to transition most of our electric energy to renewable sources. TCI will operate in a similar way to reduce climate-changing emissions and invest in cleaner transportation, healthier communities, and more resilient transportation infrastructure.

All pollution reduction mechanisms have compliance costs which are eventually paid by consumers. The TCI “cap and invest” system is designed to drive down the price of compliance and lessen the cost to consumers while providing a mechanism to reduce fossil fuels used for transportation. This is how it will work.

1. A limit, or cap, is set on the amount of CO₂ that is released from vehicles using transportation fuels. The initial cap is based on a “business as usual” scenario and is reduced over time.
2. Transportation fuel suppliers must obtain an allowance for every ton of CO₂ resulting from the fuel they sell.
3. The total number of available allowances is limited based on the cap. An auction is held to determine the price per ton of carbon to meet the cap. Transportation fuel suppliers can bid on available allowances.
4. States receive payments based on the revenues raised from the sale of allowances. Each state then determines how to best invest proceeds to reduce transportation carbon emissions through subsidies of transportation options that emit less CO₂. These might include electric and hybrid-electric vehicle and charging station incentives, mass transit improvements, park-and-ride lots, and encouraging smart development. Attention will be given to relieving the cost impact on low-income and rural Vermonters.

Although Vermont has participated in the TCI design process, Governor Scott has been less than enthusiastic about signing onto this multi-state agreement.  He has stated his opposition to any concept that includes carbon pricing.  However, we must also consider the costs of not participating. Since we are in a regional market, Vermont may be subject to the increased cost of fuel without getting any of the benefits.  We also face the costs associated with more extreme weather that damages our roads and bridges, drowns our crops, and downs our power lines. Furthermore, it is disingenuous to talk about concern for climate change without taking the steps to reduce our contributions through a more efficient transportation policy. The legislature may elect to participate only to face a veto.  It is time for our Governor to translate words and intentions into action.

  

I welcome your emails (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com), phone calls (802-233-5238), or in-person contacts.  

The Word in the House 3/20/2014 - Transportation Budget

There are three bills that are must-pass in every session of the legislature: the Transportation bill, the Miscellaneous Tax bill and the Budget bill.  Because these bills deal with raising and spending money, they are constitutionally required to originate in the House.  The first of these to come up for a vote is usually the Transportation bill; and indeed, it will be voted on this week.

The Transportation bill is important because it raises the revenue and provides the state’s share of funding to maintain our highways, bridges, local roads, railways, airports, and public transportation.  This year’s $665M budget contains no new taxes, thanks to the forward thinking changes made last year to the way gasoline is taxed as well as to the aggressive pursuit of federal grants for a variety of projects.  There are $104M in one-time funds in this Transportation budget, including $15M of Federal Highway Emergency funds, $41.1M in grants and earmarks, $45M in FEMA funds and $3.6M in Emergency Relief and Assistance Funds as Vermont continues to recover from tropical storm Irene and other storm disaster events.

It is no surprise that this winter’s harsh weather, while great for the ski areas, has been tough on the road crews and the maintenance budget.  In the meantime, winter doesn’t seem to want to release its hold on us.  So, the Transportation Committee included $3M in flexibility to allow the Secretary of Transportation to transfer funds from the regular maintenance category to the winter maintenance category to cover the extra costs.  This transfer will not impact appropriations for town programs. Another supplemental appropriation of $1.6M was included for spring leveling specifically targeted to improve Class 1 Town Highways as well as other state roads. 

Alternative transportation infrastructure is also supported by the budget.  One interesting project is the Cross Vermont Trail.  This is a bike trail that is planned to span the state from East to West.  $84K has been appropriated to help secure a $1.2M federal earmark that may be in jeopardy if the project doesn’t move forward. 

    The committee was also able to find some efficiency savings by moving Vermont’s Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) better known as “Vermont Local Roads” from its current home at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester to the Vermont Transportation Training Center (VTTC) in Berlin. LTAPs provide training and technical advice to municipal transportation employees and officials.  The committee weighed the concerns of local officials who like the level of customer service they get from the current Vermont Local Roads program against the obvious benefits of using the existing VTTC space and administration to increase programming with the same budget. This move will eliminate $80k-$90k annual charges for rent, payroll services and administration, triple the amount that can be spent on training/programming with level funding, and preserve and expand current programming for municipal road officials and employees.

Charlotte is expected to receive more than $200,000 from the state for bridge, highway and road maintenance.  State police coverage is also funded through this budget.

 
Let me finish by reminding you that you may be able to find a little extra money for yourself.  The State Treasurer’s Office has more than $57 million in unclaimed property.  Financial property becomes “unclaimed” after a business or non-profit entity loses contact with a customer for a period of years.  There is no charge to claim funds through the State Treasurer’s Office.  Search at www.MissingMoney.Vermont.gov or call 802-828-2407.

2014 Legislative Town Meeting Report - 3/4/2014

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.

Legislative Report 3/28/2013 - Taxation Angst

This week and the next the House will be sending three big bills over to the Senate: the transportation bill, the tax bill, and the budget bill. Each of these bills touches on fundamental fiscal responsibilities that we in the legislature take very seriously.

You elected me to be your voice in the legislature, reflecting your concerns about the economy, our infrastructure, our education system, the environment, and how we support our own citizens by ensuring that our fiscal plan reflects your values. You want us to spend wisely and keep in mind that your budget is being stressed as well. By the end of this session we will pass a balanced budget that meets the financial obligations of state government in a fiscally responsible way.

Concerns about tax increases have been at the top of the list of emails and phone calls I’ve received in the past week.  At the statehouse we all share your concern about tax increases.  We have all been looking at cutting spending where appropriate within the areas of our committees' jurisdiction, as well as looking for efficiencies in state programs to avoid tax increases.  Misleading TV ads about "$70 million tax increases by Democrats" as well as misleading claims by special interests serve only to distort the reality we have to work with.  An example is the claim that fuel oil taxes were going to increase by 12 cents per gallon.  The reality is that a nominal 1/2% increase on the wholesale price (less than 2 cents/gallon) was ever considered, and that was dropped because of competing budgetary concerns.  If it had been adopted, it would have meant an increase of $15 to $20 to a household's heating bill for the entire heating season.  This would have helped more homes to get weatherization services to reduce the amount of heating fuel needed.  However, we on the Natural Resources and Energy Committee elected to depend only on current funding sources which will get us through the next heating season.  This means that we'll have to come back to this issue again next year since one of those funding sources resulting from the CVPS-GMP merger will eventually disappear.

This past week the House passed a Transportation Bill that restructures how gasoline taxes are assessed.  The bill is $4 million less than what was requested by the Agency of Transportation and $800,000 less than last year's budget.  The restructuring of the gas tax was essential because of the huge decrease in gas tax revenues leading to underfunding of needed road and bridge repair work and other transportation services.  About 39 million fewer gallons of gas were purchased in Vermont in 2012 compared to 2005 because of more efficient vehicles and fewer miles being driven.  While this is good for the environment, it does not produce the revenues needed to maintain our aging roads and bridges essential to keeping drivers safe.  This year’s Transportation bill has split the taxation of gasoline between a cents-per-gallon basis and a percentage of the price per gallon (minus state and federal per gallon taxes).   This will lead to a 6.9 cent increase in 2014, rising to 7.7 cents in 2015, and 8.8 cents in 2016 at current prices.  (In comparison, New Hampshire just voted to increase their gasoline tax by 12 cents/gallon.) It is also worth noting that 1/3 of our gas tax revenues are collected from out of state drivers.

A common criticism is that the Transportation Fund is being raided for other purposes.  While this may have been true in the past, it is no longer so.  Other than transportation infrastructure expenses, the only other programs receiving Transportation Fund money are a small percentage for Fish and Wildlife-related transportation expenses and $25 million for DUI enforcement by State Police.

I appreciate your concern about rising taxes and will seek to critically balance the needs of Vermont taxpayers with the needs to keep Vermont healthy, strong and everything that makes Vermont a great place to live and work.

You can reach me by phone (425-3960) or by email (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com).

The Word in the House - 2/21/2013 - The Transportation Challenge

We are now six weeks into the legislative session.  Governor Shumlin delivered his budget priorities,  the legislature passed a Budget Adjustment Bill that brought last year’s budget, based on projected revenues, in line with revenues actually realized, and now the work to come up with a budget for the 2014 fiscal year is being addressed. 

Separate from the general state budget is the Transportation Budget.  Vermont's transportation system has faced some extraordinary challenges in recent years, with four federally declared disasters in 2011, including spring floods followed by Tropical Storm Irene.  This year we face different transportation challenges, one more immediate and another reaching far into the future, that have an impact on the Transportation Fund.

The Long Term challenge: As Vermonters drive less and shift to more fuel-efficient vehicles, state revenues from gas taxes have steadily declined. These state fund reductions are combined with federal uncertainties such as highway trust funding and possible federal transportation reauthorization reduction. With this in mind, one can begin to see that Vermont's long-term transportation funding stability is seriously at risk.  A summer funding study committee worked to determine the annual gap between available state transportation revenue and the cost to meet basic transportation needs. They have reported the Vermont gap is estimated at more than $240 million per year, each and every year. The needs estimate includes the cost to preserve the state's existing transportation system in a state of good repair. It assumes that preserving the functionality of the road network is fundamental to meeting basic travel needs of people and goods. It does not include major roadway expansion beyond projects already in the pipeline.

The Short term challenge:  The $657 million, FY2014 transportation budget presented by the Governor assumes the Legislature is able to identify a revenue package that enables Vermont to maximize all of its available federal funds. Federal formula funds require a state dollar match. If Vermont is unable to provide this match, then federal formula funds must be returned and projects would be delayed and/or suspended. The additional funding needed to fully fund the proposed FY2014 transportation budget program is $36.53 million in state funds. Without action, we place at risk our ability to match all the available federal transportation dollars which would require cutting $123 million dollars in projects from this coming year’s budget.

The Proposed Solutions: The Agency of Transportation has proposed the following steps to achieve the immediate funding gap:

·    Utilize transportation Infrastructure bonds providing yielding $8.3 million after issuance costs and debt reserves;

·   Decrease the current per gallon gas tax by 4.7 cents, from 19 cents to 14.3 cents per gallon. This reduces the transportation fund by $15.32 million;

·   Index per gallon gas tax to inflation (revenue neutral first year). This action assists in a small way with the long-term structural funding problems mentioned earlier.

·   Sustain gas tax revenues by adding a 4% assessment on retail sales price, yielding $43.56 million.  This assumes $10.89 million for each one percent based on $3.79/gallon price estimate.

Combining all the recommended funding options obtains the $36.54 million needed to fully access and maximize Vermont's federal funds. They are a starting point, and the House Transportation Committee is in the process of discussing, hearing testimony and evaluating all options.

I am indebted to Rep. Diane Lanphere (D-Vergennes) for the information in this article.  I have heard from many of you on a variety of topics and continue to welcome your input. If you would like to get in touch with me about this issue or any other issue before the legislature, you can email me at myantachka.dfa@gmail.com or call me at 425-3960.

State Roads Update - 5/4/2011

For Immediate Release  

Contact:  Sue Minter  802-828-2657

May 4, 2011

State Roads Update:
VTrans Working To Keep Roads Safe

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is working to stay ahead of the weather to keep roads open and safe for the travelling public. Lake Champlain has reached historic levels following continued precipitation throughout April and melting snow pack from the very snowy winter, and numerous rivers and streams are at flood level across the state. VTrans has maximized its resources to shore up roads wherever possible, and implement detours where needed, in order to keep the travelling public safe.

In an effort to keep the public aware of the road conditions across the state, the Agency of Transportation reports the following state road conditions across Vermont (note that this report does not cover the status of town roads):

State Road Closures:

Route 129 in Isle La Motte, (just ahead of

West Shore Road

) is closed due to water over the roadway and possible culvert damage. Motorists are advised to avoid this section of roadway.

Route 36 in St. Albans, between

Georgia Shore Road

and

Bronson Road

(1 mile west of St. Albans) is closed due to flooding. Motorists are advised to avoid this section of roadway.

Route 125 near Chimney Point between Route 17 and

Town Line Road

is closed approximately 13 miles west of Middlebury. Route 17 remains open following VTrans’ action to add fill to flooded areas.

Maid Stone State Highway

is closed due to flooding. Motorists are advised to avoid this section of roadway.

Route 73 in Brandon, along the Otter Creek is closed. Motorists are advised to avoid this section of roadway.

Smugglers Notch, Jeffersonville to Stowe, remains closed, weather pending.

Areas of Ongoing Concern:

With continued precipitation, VTrans, in association with Vermont Emergency Management, continues to monitor several problem areas, particularly roads along Lake Champlain and swollen rivers. These roads are not currently closed but may be reduced to one-lane traffic.

I-89 South bound in Milton will be one-lane traffic due to instability of the right lane.

Route 2 Causeway (Milton) is open to traffic.  VTrans is working to keep this road open with gravel and stone.  Road may be reduced to one-lane travel to accommodate VTrans activities. Motorists advised to proceed with caution.

Route 2 in Alburg, between routes 78 and 129, Wagner Point. Some water in the road but both lanes are open. Motorists are advised to reduce speed and exercise caution.

Route 118 between Montgomery and Belvidere. There are multiple locations (on 118) that are reduced to one-lane traffic due to slope slides. These are extended events that will last until further notice.

Route 122 in Lyndon, between the Interstate and

Wheelock Road

. One-lane traffic due to slope failure. This will be an extended event that will last until further notice.

Route 114 between Canaan and Island Pond, through Norton. Motorists will experience several single-lane areas due to multiple slope failures.

For more information please call 802-828-2648 (7am -5pm) or 211 (Vermont Emergency Management). Road condition information is also found at: 511vt.com. This site is updated throughout the day between the hours of 7am -5pm.

Legislative Report - 4/17/11

In the last report, I wrote about the Health Care bill, H.202, and mentioned a forum that was held in Shelburne on April 5^th.  That forum was attended by around 100 people, including many Charlotters.  It was reported in the Burlington Free Press as well as in the Shelburne News, both of which can be found online.  I thought it would be a good idea to review some of the other important legislation that was passed by the House in the last few weeks. 

The Appropriations bill (H.441) establishes the $4.7 billion balanced budget that Vermont will follow for FY12.  The Appropriations Committee reviewed reams of documents designed to help them understand what the requested money is for, how each agency is meeting its outcomes and goals in the present year and for next year, and how they plan to meet those outcomes with less money and still carry out their mission. This year, after several years of budget reductions, the loss of Federal stimulus money, and continued caution regarding the pace of Vermont's own economic recovery, agencies had to state that in many cases, the level of service they provide to Vermonters would be reduced.  If revenues improve, some of the cuts may be restored in next year’s budget adjustment bill. 

The Transportation bill (H.443) has at its core the generation and distribution of nearly $553 million of transportation funds. The towns are supported strongly within this budget, and it includes a municipal sidewalk grant program.  The policy section of the bill also includes clearing the budget book of some expired bridge and road projects based on input from Towns, Regional Planning Commissions and VTrans.  No bonding was included in the 2012 fiscal plan. However, authorization to bond was approved if a federal grant is awarded for the Western Rail Corridor improvements.

The Hospice and Palliative Care bill (H.201) also passed.  It encourages, but does not mandate, health insurers to provide coverage for a terminal care program and an “enhanced hospice access” benefit where members may access hospice care without being required to first discontinue curative therapies.  A national insurance company has found that such coverage saves them money. Vermont will apply for a waiver so that such coverage could be available to recipients of our State health care programs and allow individuals who have been admitted to hospice to apply for the Choices for Care program as well, which helps pay for in-home services.

A bill (H.42) prohibiting the use of credit reports and credit history in most employment decisions was passed last week.  It strikes a balance between reducing arbitrary barriers to employment for Vermont workers and addressing the screening needs of employers in certain circumstances.

A provision of the Vermont Energy Bill of 2011 (H.56) that financed the Clean Energy Development Fund through a 55-cent monthly electric fee was deleted at the last minute before the bill was passed.  Instead, an alternative suggested by the Shumlin administration that would free up some CEDF money that is currently committed to commercial solar tax credits was approved. It would allow those companies qualified to take the tax credits the option of accepting an up-front grant worth 50% of their projected tax credits.  The amount of funds that would be freed up is expected to equal roughly the amount that would have been raised through the 55-cent monthly fee.  A little more than $2 million, this amount is enough to keep vital, job-supporting CEDF grants going for another year.

I will not be holding any more “Representative Meetups” this legislative session, however, I welcome your input by phone (425-3960) or by email (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com).  I expect the session to end the first or second week of May.  My website will remain active.