It is now April, the cruelest month, which means that March has come to an end. And so a couple dozen politicians, staffers, lobbyists and reporters gathered in the Statehouse’s Cedar Creek room at noon to observe one of springtime’s most sacred and serious rites: the presentation of awards for the Statehouse’s March Madness NCAA Championship bracket pool.
For the first time ever (I think), this year’s contest included a pool for the womens’ bracket in addition to the men’s. Rep. Josie Leavitt, D-Grand Isle, put it together after learning from Rep. Jim Harrison, R-Chittenden, the tradition’s current steward, that there presently wasn’t one.
“I was like, ‘What? What about the women?’” Leavitt said. “And he said: ‘Have at it.’ So I did.”
Phil Petty, committee assistant to the House Corrections and Institutions Committee took home the trophy in the women’s bracket. The runner-up was Rep. Jubilee McGill, D-Bridport.
In the group categories for the men’s bracket, the Office of Legislative Counsel usurped the House Appropriations Committee, which prompted Attorney General Charity Clark to cry out “Let’s hear it for the lawyers!” (Presumably because this was a room with quite a few lawyers, this did pretty well.)
The “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda” Award went to Erin Viera, a senior staff associate with the Joint Fiscal Office, who tried to enter the women’s bracket organized by Leavitt but instead entered the national pool, and, for a few brief — but glorious — days, apparently topped it. (VTDigger has been told there are screenshots. We have not corroborated this account.)
The Big Winner in the men’s bracket was Jennifer Carbee, chief counsel for the Office of Legislative Counsel. Carbee shouted out her 12–year-old daughter, who helped her mother pick her bracket one late night “after many hours of drafting.”
“We tried to pick a good combination of likely to win and some upsets. And it looks like it worked out for us. Go UConn!” Carbee said.
The “Better Luck Next Time” Award went to Rowan Hawthorne, committee assistant to the House Education Committee, who came in dead last in the men’s bracket.
Hawthorne’s consolation prize, if that’s what you want to call it, was the reimbursement of her $5 entry fee. As Lt. Gov. Dave Zuckerman handed her the refund in an envelope, Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas exclaimed, “The shade!”
— (Not so) ‘Lucky’ Lola Duffort, who picked Purdue to go to the end
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IN THE KNOW
Strong opinions abound about S.5, the Affordable Heat Act, which would require the state’s Public Utility Commission to stand up a clean heat standard that would incentivize Vermonters to switch to less polluting heating sources. Heating accounts for 30% of the state’s emissions.
Lawmakers in the House Environment and Energy Committee took a slew of testimony from people who expressed a wide spectrum of opinions about S.5 on Tuesday.
A central point of contention: whether Vermont’s low income and marginalized communities would benefit or be harmed by the legislation. While the system’s intent is to create incentives for Vermonters looking to install clean heat measures, many have said the upfront costs of installing electric heat pumps or weatherizing homes could be too steep for those with lower incomes.
Environmental advocates raised concerns about the bill’s inclusion of credits for wood biomass and renewable natural gas. While almost all of the witnesses argued that weatherization would be the state’s most effective strategy for lowering heat prices and reducing the use of fossil fuel heat, many raised flags about the state’s stressed workforce, which could pinch efforts to install new heating technologies quickly.
— Emma Cotton
Former President Donald Trump was arrested Tuesday on 34 felony counts for allegedly falsifying business records and misusing campaign funds in connection to hush money payments issued during his 2016 run for president. He pleaded not guilty.
Trump’s arrest makes history. Before Tuesday, the only U.S. president to be taken into custody on criminal charges was, according to the New York Times, Ulysses S. Grant for speeding in a horse-drawn carriage 150 years ago. The more you know!
In response to Trump’s arrest, Vermont Democratic Party Chair David Glidden issued a brief statement: “Good.”
— Sarah Mearhoff
ON THE MOVE
Without much debate or fanfare, the House Agriculture Committee on Tuesday greenlit H.81, a so-called right to repair bill which would compel manufacturers of agricultural and logging equipment to provide parts, diagnostics and manuals at a fair market value to equipment owners and independent mechanics so they could make their own repairs.
The committee’s 9-2 vote came nearly two weeks after it was first scheduled, at which point the committee’s chair, Rep. David Durfee, D-Shaftsbury, told VTDigger that the bill’s language needed work. As committee members worked to refine the bill, they experienced an onslaught of lobbying from groups hoping to defeat the legislation.
Not having met the chamber’s crossover deadline to move bills out of their committee of origin, H.81 has a narrow path to the governor’s desk this year. The bill isn’t definitively dead this year, but Durfee said that if it passes the House, it’s more likely that the Senate would take it up next year, the second year in the biennium.
— Sarah Mearhoff
Vermonters without access to a retirement savings plan through their employer may have an option facilitated by the state within the next three years, in a collaborative effort between state Treasurer Mike Pieciak and legislators.
A bill, S.135, establishing the VT Saves retirement program received unanimous preliminary approval in the Senate on Tuesday.
The bill would give the Office of the State Treasurer the ability to oversee an independent retirement account — an IRA — on behalf of an estimated 88,000 to 100,000 working Vermonters over age 18 who are not offered that benefit through their employer.
— Kristen Fountain
WHAT WE’RE READING
A sign of spring: Officials warn motorists to mind the migration of frogs and salamanders (VTDigger)
Moroccan restaurant owner claims Burlington landlord is pushing him out (VTDigger)
Burlington airport to be renamed for former Sen. Patrick Leahy (VTDigger)
A new generation fires up the Hazelton family sugarhouse, dormant for years, in Dummerston Center (The Commons)
