by John Herrick vtdigger.org Vermont moved a step closer to requiring that manufacturers label products containing genetically modified organisms sold in the state.
The Senate on Tuesday voted 26-2 to give preliminary approval on the GMO labeling bill, H.112. The bill would go into effect July 1, 2016. It still needs final approval from the Senate and then must be reconciled with a slightly different House version.
The scientific community is divided on whether GMOs are harmful to human health, but Vermont lawmakers say the bill is about consumers’ “right to know” what is in their food.
“It’s simply about information for consumers to make a decision,” said Sen. David Zuckerman, P/D-Chittenden, the bill’s lead sponsor. “Some consumers may think genetic engineering is the best thing since sliced bread.”
The Attorney General’s Office expects to defend the legislation in court. Whether the bill violates constitutional protections against compelled speech; laws prohibiting adverse impacts on interstate commerce; and rules prohibiting conflicts between state and federal law are among the legal questions the state could answer in court.
The bill sets up a $1.5 million special fund to defend the law in court. The money will come from private donations, state appropriations and other settlements awarded to the state.
Lawmakers are confident the state can defend the bill.
“Our goal was to make this as defensible as we possibly could,” said Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington, whose committee unanimously backed the bill this month.
A recent VTDigger poll found overwhelming support among Vermonters for labeling GMOs.
The bill still needs final approval from both chambers.