Two years into a pandemic, semi-remote legislating remains a glitchy affair. House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, was visibly annoyed during a floor session Wednesday afternoon as she pleaded with lawmakers to please — please — mute themselves.
The speaker was attempting to explain the effect a yay or nay vote would have on an amendment to H.157, a bill creating a registry for contractors, when she was interrupted by a stray “Oh, shit!”
“Members, I am going to remind you one more time,” Krowinski said, pausing to sigh deeply. “Please make sure you are muting yourselves.”
It was apparently to no avail, for another participant unintentionally piped up 15 minutes later.
“Lookin’ a little gray out there!” exclaimed either Rep. Warren Kitzmiller, D-Montpelier, or somebody near him, as Rep. Tom Stevens, D-Waterbury, was making his pitch for H.157. (Kitzmiller’s camera was off.)
This time House Majority Leader Emily Long, D-Newfane, jumped in. “Hold on, representative. Can we have an all-mute?”
— Lola Duffort
IN THE KNOW
A proposal to create a statewide registry of long-term rental properties has passed its first hurdle in the Senate.
The Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs moved S.210 out of committee Wednesday. The bill would place all properties rented out for more than 90 days a year on a statewide registry.
The bill is similar to a bill passed by the Legislature last year but vetoed by Gov. Phil Scott.
To address concerns expressed by the governor when he vetoed last year’s bill, this year’s version exempts seasonal housing that is winterized and properties with three or fewer dwelling units if the landlord lives in one of them.
The bill would move health inspections from town health officers to the state Division of Fire Safety. Tenants and landlords, too, could complain about health hazards such as mold, rodents, rubbish or bedbugs and ask for a state inspection.
The Department of Fire Safety already conducts inspections of potential fire hazards.
Senators opted not to regulate short-term rentals for now, but the chair of the committee, Sen. Michael Sirotkin, D-Chittenden, said if this bill becomes law, he foresees another registry for short-term rentals.
— Fred Thys
Members of the state House Government Operations looked at four changes to Burlington’s city charter Wednesday morning. The measures, passed by Burlington voters in 2021, would expand the city’s authority to pass ordinances on housing, elections and energy regulation.
One of the charter amendments before the Legislature would restrict landlords to only evicting tenants when there is “just cause.” Another would enact ranked-choice voting in City Council elections, allowing voters to list multiple candidates in order of preference and using an instant-runoff system to ensure that the winner has the support of a majority of voters.
A third charter change would pave the way for city councilors to institute carbon pricing on new, commercial construction projects in the city, while a fourth would add one Burlington resident and one Winooski resident to the city’s Airport Commission.
The charter changes must be approved by the House, Senate and — absent a veto override — the governor to become law.
— Jack Lyons
A coalition of 42 legislators have endorsed a bill that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs, by reducing the penalty from a misdemeanor or felony offense to a civil offense with a $50 fine.
H.644 is modeled on a decriminalization law in Oregon that went into effect last year, according to a press release issued Wednesday by its sponsors.
— Riley Robinson
Want to run for local office but not willing to seek the required signatures amid a pandemic?
This coming town meeting season, you won’t have to.
On Wednesday, Gov. Phil Scott signed S.223, which suspends requirements for local candidates to file petitions to place their names on March 2022 municipal ballots.
The governor also has approved two related temporary bills: S.172, which will allow the state’s 246 communities to replace 2022 town meetings with Covid-safe mailable secret ballots or warm-weather gatherings, and S.222, which allows municipal governing boards to meet solely online.
— Kevin O’Connor
ON THE MOVE
The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare voted S.74 out of committee Wednesday morning on a 4-1 vote. The bill would make three changes to Vermont’s medical aid in dying law, known as Act 39, which allows terminally ill patients to request a prescription to end their life.
The current bill would allow patients to request the prescription via telemedicine, instead of requiring in-person doctors visits. It would scrap the current 48-hour waiting period between a patient finishing the request process and obtaining the prescription. It also would extend legal protections beyond physicians to nurses, pharmacists and other licensed health care professionals involved in medical aid in dying. The revision presented Wednesday also struck gendered language from the text, changing “he or she” to “the physician” or “the patient.”
Voting in favor were Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden, Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison, Sen. Ann Cummings, D-Washington, and Sen. Cheryl Hooker, D/P-Rutland. Sen. Joshua Terenzini, R-Rutland, was the only “no” vote.
“The decision to vote ‘no’ on S.74 was not made lightly,” Terenzini wrote in an emailed statement to VTDigger. “My heart breaks for those who suffer to varying degrees at the end of their lives. Death is still one of life’s greatest mysteries. To stay consistent with my own personal beliefs and ethical pillars, (and after listening to many of my constituents,) I continue to be against the taking of any life, whether it be from an abortion, the death penalty, or Act 39. I know that these are divisive topics throughout Vermont, and I respect everyone’s opinion.”
The bill also stipulates that health care employers cannot penalize an employee for either participating in medical aid in dying, or refusing to participate in the process, said Jennifer Carbee, the Legislature’s chief counsel, at Wednesday’s meeting.
The full Senate is expected to vote on the measure in the coming days, after which it would move to the House for consideration.
— Riley Robinson
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
It’s Endorsement Week. U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who is vying for higher office, on Wednesday announced that eight of his Democratic congressional colleagues are backing his U.S. Senate campaign:
- Rep. Adam Schiff of California
- Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland
- Rep. Karen Bass of California
- Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas
- Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama
- Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island
- Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania
- Rep. Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands
The new endorsers were each involved in the impeachment trials of former President Donald Trump, the House investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and/or the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Welch’s campaign in their Wednesday release touted the group as one that “has been on the frontlines of the fight for the future of American democracy.”
COVID CORNER
More than 500 Vermonters have died from Covid-19.
The state Department of Health reported eight new deaths Wednesday, bringing the death toll for the pandemic to 507.
Nearly half of those deaths — 249 in total — have occurred since July 2021, when the Delta variant began driving up case counts after a spring lull.
Despite the protection offered by vaccines and clinical treatments, deaths accumulated during the Delta wave more quickly than at any other time during the pandemic, according to health department data. Vermont reported 62 deaths last month, continuing a record-breaking streak of severe outcomes. December 2021 was the second-deadliest month of the pandemic.
The state has reported 25 deaths so far in January.
— Erin Petenko
IN CONGRESS
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has been posting videos on social media of him walking the halls of his Washington, D.C., office building on the Hill, addressing the camera. Senator, where are you going? Are you lost? Is the hall never-ending? How are there never any other people there? Blink twice if you need help.
— Sarah Mearhoff
WHAT’S FOR LUNCH
The journalism you’ve all been waiting for: Wednesday’s chef special in the Statehouse cafeteria was chicken parmesan. Tomorrow shepherd’s pie is on the menu.
The Golden Dome’s eatery also now has capacity limits, and one lawmaker — who declined to be named — grumbled to VTDigger that they no longer knew where the side-deals were getting hatched, given how empty the room was. We share their concern.
— Lola Duffort
WHAT’S ON TAP
Thursday, Jan. 20
The House floor will take up second reading of the Budget Adjustment Act.
9 a.m. — Senate Judiciary will hear testimony on S.254, which would end qualified immunity for police officers
9 a.m. — House Ways and Means will hear from the Joint Fiscal Office on education finance restructuring
WHAT WE’RE READING
An ALS Registry Could Help Find Environmental Risk Factors for the Incurable Disease (Seven Days)
Vermont is no longer collecting school Covid data (VTDigger)
Making mittens for Bernie Sanders can change your life. Or not. (VTDigger)
Corrections: The original version of this newsletter misstated next steps for S.74, the medical aid in dying bill. It next moves to the Senate floor for consideration and then to the House. Additionally, the original version gave an incorrect number of a bill that would create a statewide registry of long-term rental properties. It is S.210.
