Committees in both chambers pushed out dozens of pieces of legislation — some major bills, others not so much — at a rapid rate last week to make crossover on Friday, the deadline for sending bills to the other chamber.
That paves the way for a big agenda on both House and Senate floors this week.
Meanwhile, if last week was all about the policy, this week is all about the money.
The House Appropriations Committee is churning through the final stages of drafting the state budget — the so-called Big Bill — to meet the crossover deadline for bills with money involved.
The House Ways and Means Committee will be working on the revenue side of the package.
Support for the governor’s proposed 2.35 percent tax on independent doctors and dentists is weak in the House. Lawmakers are now looking for other ways to raise the $17 million the governor expected the tax to bring in.
The governor proposed doubling the annual fee on mutual fund registrations to $1,200 — a suggestion that has met almost no opposition. Lawmakers might look at hiking the fee further, though they would likely look to stay in line with the fees in other New England states. Over the next week, the committee will float other alternative revenue options to balance the budget for fiscal year 2017.
While the money committees chug along to meet their deadline, the policy bills that made it off committee walls will flood the House and Senate floors.
The vote counts on bills that came out of House committees last week show strong cross-partisan support. With few exceptions, those bills had unanimous backing, or at least no votes against. A few had one or two committee members absent.
The strongest opposition to a bill came in House Human Services on H.730, which proposes to take steps to make home-delivered meals coverable under the Medicaid waiver known as Choices for Care. That measure passed on a vote of 8-3.
A bill about endangered species, H.522, came out of committee on a 7-2 vote — making it the second most divided vote on the House side. That legislation is also likely to stir up controversy on the floor.
Even measures with multiparty support in committee still could kick up a storm when floor debate starts.
Friday the House Education Committee wrapped up work on a bill that aims to curb local property taxes related to education.
In the Senate, the week is likely to include a lot of time on the floor, though it may not involve many major initiatives.
Two of the biggest bills that came out last week will have to go to the money committees before they’re up for a floor vote, so a vote may be postponed until next week. They are S.230, on the siting of energy projects, and S.243, which takes steps to curb opiate abuse in Vermont.
The Senate Government Operations Committee didn’t finish work on one of its main initiatives of the session — to create a state ethics commission. However, because of an agreement to suspend the rules, the committee will have an opportunity to finish work this week.
A sample of other legislation that is moving along:
• H.623, out of House Corrections and Institutions, would make inmates over age 55 eligible for parole after serving 10 years, or those over age 65 eligible after serving five years. Another bill, H.769, aims to reduce the number of people incarcerated.
• H.183 addresses security at the Capitol complex in Montpelier.
• H.620 relates to coverage of contraceptives under Medicaid and health insurance plans.
• H.261, the “ban the box” bill, would ban employers from asking about a job applicant’s criminal background in the first round of applications.
• S.245 requires hospitals to notify patients when buying up an independent practice.
• S.216 would mandate more transparent information about prescription drug formularies.
• S.220 addresses campaign finance.
• S.215 is a bill regarding the regulation of vision care insurance.
