— About a dozen lawmakers entered the House chamber this afternoon to pass emergency COVID-19 legislation, but their plans were cut short. Rep. Cynthia Browning, D-Arlington, called on Speaker Mitzi Johnson, D-South Hero, to assemble a quorum of lawmakers before a vote was pursued.
“I think it’s very serious how we vote in this building,” Browning said. “And to have a ‘Rump Parliament,’ a ‘Rump’ House be approving these things … I just don’t think that’s right.” Browning was criticized for putting lawmakers’ health at risk by requiring 76 members to congregate into the chamber.
Vermont Democratic Party Chair Terje Anderson said in a statement that Browning’s request was an “irresponsible step that unnecessarily risks the health of our House members, Statehouse staff, and others during a time everyone who can should be following the ‘stay at home’ order.” – Xander Landen
— Once enough lawmakers were brought in, the House approved a rule change that will allow the chamber to move forward with remote voting, if three-quarters of legislators approve it in a forthcoming virtual vote.
They also passed a resolution that would allow committees to vote remotely. – Xander Landen
— In an all-Senate conference call this morning, Pro Tem Tim Ashe told senators that they should expect the legislative session to extend into the summer, and possibly into the fall, due to setbacks caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
He said senators should use the next week and a half to prioritize all coronavirus-related solutions. Then, he said, work can begin to resume on other legislative priorities. – Grace Elletson
— During a Senate Judiciary Committee call, discussion turned to arraignments in court proceedings and defendants trying to avoid being held on bail. John Campbell, executive director of the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, told lawmakers that some defendants have even claimed to have COVID-19.
In one case, he said, a courtroom in Caledonia County had to be closed after a hearing so it could be cleaned and disinfected after a hearing involving a person who said he had COVID-19. “So we’re having that occur and we’re trying to figure out how to deal with that,” Campbell said. – Alan Keays
— The education fund is projected to take a hit from the coronavirus — a loss of $30 million-$45 million is expected primarily due to declining sales tax revenue. But property taxes fund most of the state’s education budget, and the deadline for property tax filings have not been pushed back, unlike income and meals and room tax deadlines.
However, Abby Shepard with the Office of Legislative Council, reminded Senate Finance lawmakers that property owners do have the option in statute to request an abatement of their property taxes if they are unable to pay. More requests to abate property taxes may surface this year, causing a further hit to the ed fund. – Grace Elletson
— Mark Perrault with the Joint Fiscal Office also briefed Senate Finance about the state of the education fund — but not before being chastised, in jest, by Sen. Ann Cummings, D-Washington. “There’s too many red numbers on there,” she said, referring to Perrault’s revenue projections.
“I’m going to be the bearer of bad news today, I’m afraid,” Perrault said. He pointed specifically to the reserve projections the fund was expected to have this year — about $36 million, which Perrault said was right on target. Now his office projects that reserve may drop to $9 million. – Grace Elletson
