The week started out with the Governor’s budget address, followed by passing bills on poultry slaughter, municipal charters, and captive insurance. By Friday, we finalized voting on the annual Budget Adjustment Act. In addition to my typical Commerce Committee agenda, I attended meetings of the Council of State Governments, discrimination training, and Secretary of State elections. I finished up the week with my first press conference – where I spoke with the Attorney General about the importance of data privacy and bill H.121.
BUDGET ADJUSTMENT ACT:
The House gave final approval to H.839, the FY24 Budget Adjustment Act. This is an annual bill, passed midway through the fiscal year, rebalancing accounts and ensuring that our state maintains a balanced budget. This budget adjustment bill meets the immediate needs of Vermonters across our state, houses those who lack shelter, helps communities devastated by flooding, and makes smart investments for the future. This bill takes care of communities and Vermonters in need of critical support. It passed on a 112-24 roll-call vote and now moves to the Senate. Here are some of the major areas of the bill:
$63M for affordable housing
$17.2M to help unhoused Vermonters
$3.9M for housing stabilization
$2M for food insecurity
$51M for flood recovery
BOTTLE BILL VETO:
For all of us who clean the roadsides on Green Up Day, we see the increasing number of littered bottles. The bottle bill failed to get the 2/3 vote in the Senate required to override the Governor’s veto. Even though there have been many years of work to expand this 1970s law, it failed by three votes. Changes to this law will have to wait until another legislative session.
COMMERCE UPDATES:
The House Commerce & Economic Development Committee had a busy week juggling testimony on multiple bills and topics. We took testimony pertaining to the Film and Creative Media Workforce Development Initiative database from Vermont Arts Council, Vermont Production Collective, filmmakers, and writers. All agreed that Vermont could benefit greatly from tapping into a database that would facilitate the film industry in accessing professionals, equipment, locations, jobs, internships, and apprenticeships. This would have a positive economic impact as demonstrated this summer with the filming of Beetlejuice 2 in East Corinth.
The Better Places Program reported on a pilot project that has assisted 38 projects across the state. This crowdfunding campaign leveraged private funds and grant funding. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $40,000.
S.30: An act related to creating a Sister-State Program. Vermont currently has one sister-state agreement with Tottori Prefecture, Japan, and the bill looks to expand this program by building on current international agreements for cultural, business, educational and tourism exchanges.
H.707: An Act revising the delivery and governance of the Vermont workforce system. We heard testimony regarding the restructuring of the workforce system in the state. The recommendations have been brought to us by the Special Oversight Committee on Workforce Expansion and Development (SOCWED) report for structural changes on the state’s workforce system at the Department of Labor.
H.666: An act relating to escrow deposit bonds. This would allow construction firms to use deposits for building projects as long as they are backed by surety bonds.
H.769: An Act relating to establishing a baby-bond trust program to fund education, home purchase, or business startup for babies born into Medicaid, disbursed when they reach ages 18-30. The program would use unclaimed property funds.
ANIMAL WELFARE:
Over the past few years, there has been much about animal welfare in our town. H.626 is a bill that sets up a comprehensive animal-welfare system. The goals are to create a Division of Animal Welfare within the Department of Public Safety, create licensing and oversight guidelines for animal rescue operations, and clarify which departments and agencies are responsible for guidance, investigation, and enforcement regarding animal welfare and animal cruelty cases.
CONSTITUENT COFFEE HOUR:
Thanks to all those that attended my meeting on Saturday. We had a lively discussion about increased taxes, disability rights, ARPA grants, education, opioid use disorder, childcare regulations, and car inspections. Please contact me if I can be of assistance to you at sjerome@leg.state.vt.us.
Take care,
Rep. Stephanie Jerome (Brandon)
House Commerce and Economic Development Committee (Vice-Chair)
