IN JAN. 22’S FINAL READING…
Statehouse art may (finally) diversify, lawmakers cut a deal on minimum wage and advocates lobby for paid leave support before it comes to a vote tomorrow.
THE TOP TAKE
Of the dozens and dozens of portraits hanging on the walls of the Statehouse, only three feature women, and none depict visible minorities. (Can you name the women? Answer below!)
Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison, wants to change that. Her bill, S.285, would establish a State House Artwork and Portrait Project Committee, which would curate the building’s art collection with an eye toward increasing diversity in subjects and artists and broaden the artistic media on display. Or, as Hardy put it, “reconceiving the curatorial aspect of Statehouse art.”
Currently, the Statehouse walls are dominated by ex-governors, a 200-year parade of men plus Madeleine Kunin. That may reflect how Vermont’s political power used to be apportioned, but it’s a striking contrast to the way things are today.
“One time I came to testify on gun legislation with a group of friends, all girls,” said Hardy’s daughter, Anya Hardy-Mittell. “We looked at the walls and said ‘Wow, there’s a whole bunch of white guys.’”
Other lawmakers have noted similar uncomfortable moments when they lead school groups on Statehouse tours. Plus, as Hardy noted, “Some of the portraits are not really very good.”
Hardy’s bill has attracted 12 co-sponsors in the 30-member Senate, which speaks well for its chances. She will formally introduce the bill before the Senate Institutions Committee on Thursday afternoon.
Before writing the bill, she sought the counsel of Statehouse curator David Schutz, who currently has sole discretion on Statehouse artwork — and would serve on the new committee.
Schutz isn’t totally on board with Hardy’s bill, but said, “We’ve been grappling with these issues for years now.” He welcomes the bill as a way to “prompt conversation on issues we’ve been discussing.”
He cautions that a new committee would face a bunch of thorny issues. Like, if you open the door to portraits of non-governors, where do you draw the line? Should the artwork directly reflect the life and purpose of the building? And, since the state has never paid for any artwork — including gubernatorial portraits — the question of funding will quickly arise. A quality portrait can cost $30,000 or more.
Hardy hopes that the state will begin providing money for Statehouse artwork. In times of tight budgets, that will be a difficult argument to make.
(Answer: The three women on Statehouse portraits are former governor Madeleine Kunin, former House speaker and lieutenant governor Consuelo Bailey, and Edna Beard, the first woman to serve in the Legislature.) – John Walters
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
— A minimum wage compromise has been finalized in conference committee and is heading to the House for a vote Friday. The bill would increase the minimum wage to $11.75 in 2021, then $12.55 in 2022, before reverting to the current system tied to inflation. – Grace Elletson
— At a press conference, Rep. Robin Scheu, D-Middlebury, pushed her resistant colleagues to support the paid leave bill headed to the House floor for a vote tomorrow. “If we wait for something that is perfect we may have nothing for a long time,” she said.
Some Progressives have raised concerns that the bill lacks mandatory temporary disability insurance and are refusing to vote in favor of it. House leadership has been running a counter effort to shore up yes votes, hoping to hit the override mark of 100. – Grace Elletson/Kit Norton
— Advocates say flavors like unicorn puke and mint chocolate chip cookie are driving kids and teens to become addicted to flavored e-cigarettes. Burlington High students said at a press conference that tobacco products are also disproportionately marketed toward people of color.
BHS sophomores Safiya Ibrahim and Grace Brown shared a poem about this frustration: “Are you black? Live near a convenience store, or in a low income neighborhood? Well we’ve got just the thing for you — nicotine! For the nico-teens.” – Grace Elletson
— Randi Weingarten, national president of the American Federation of Teachers, stopped by the Statehouse Wednesday and told lawmakers on the Senate Education committee that she supports their efforts to make community college tuition free.
“We also need to think about … the unintended consequences when you do free tuition in community colleges but not for the other state colleges that are very much in an existential crisis,” Weingarten said. – Grace Elletson
— Officials with the Council of State Government proposed reforms Wednesday to the state Department of Corrections community supervision programs, which they say could free up $11 million to $14 million in spending on prison beds by fiscal year 2025.
The reforms, which included changes to the DOC furlough system and allowing for added earned good time, are part of the “Justice Reinvestment” review. Senate Judiciary is set to meet Friday to start working on legislation stemming from proposed changes. – Alan Keays
— The House gave preliminary approval to a $22 million budget adjustment that includes $2.6 million to support health care reform efforts involving OneCare Vermont, specifically for “developing a population health management and analytics platform.”
It also includes $252,000 for a rate increase at the Brattleboro Retreat and $1.3 million to pay for an additional 48 beds at a private prison in Mississippi now housing about 270 Vermont inmates. – Xander Landen
— The Statehouse was particularly congested today — multiple lawmakers were heard grumbling as they waded through the Cedar Creek Room, where back-to-back morning press conferences took place amid frequent tour group interruptions.
Angelica Caterino, Statehouse tours coordinator, confirmed that six official tours were booked through her office for the day. – Grace Elletson
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK
The Senate is trying out new ways to engage with a broader range of constituents. The Senate President Pro Tem’s office created new Twitter and Instagram accounts, @SenateVT, both of which are being run by Marta Bartholomew and Chatham Moss, interns from the University of Vermont.
VTDigger’s Grace Elletson caught up with the UVM seniors to learn more about the new social media accounts.
GE: Why were these new accounts started?
CM: We’re really giving daily updates about the Statehouse, especially to the younger generation who aren’t so in the know. But we want to reach audiences of all ages. But that was why we decided to do Twitter and Instagram.
GE: What kind of content will you be posting? I saw that you snapped a picture of lawmakers shaking hands at the end of the minimum wage committee conference negotiations, so moments like that?
CM: Exactly, especially things like Prop 2 that just passed yesterday which was a huge deal. And then tomorrow Tim Ashe has some of our professors coming in to talk about gun purchase waiting periods. So all the stuff that happens between the House and the Senate, but we’ll mostly just be focusing on the work of the Senate.
MB: Because most people don’t get the chance or don’t feel like they can come to the Statehouse and don’t get to see what’s happening here, I want them to get a sense of what’s happening here.
CM: I also want the social media posts to show them that they can come, they’re welcome to come, and be a part of the conversation.
