Through a special arrangement with VBM,Leonine Public Affairsprovides a summary of legislative activity in Montpelier for the Veto Session of June 21, 2017.
Leonine Public Affairs The Vermont General Assembly gaveled to a close at 7:48 pm on Wednesday, June 21, following a day-long veto override session. Lawmakers gathered to respond to the governor’s veto of two bills, H509, an education finance bill, and H518, the FY18 budget bill. Lawmakers also considered H511, a bill to legalize the use of recreational marijuana. H.511 was originally a highway safety bill that was amended to include the compromise language on marijuana legalization.
The legislature adjourned in May with the understanding that Governor Scott would likely veto the budget and property tax bills because they did not include his proposal to negotiate teacher health insurance benefits on the state level instead of the local level. After weeks of back-and-forth, the Governor and legislative leaders announced late Tuesday evening that a compromise had been reached. The plan was revealed Wednesday morning at a joint press conference by Governor Scott, Senate President Tim Ashe, and House Speaker Mitzi Johnson.
The compromise agreement directs the Agency of Education, in consultation with the Department of Taxes and VEHI, to calculate the difference between each district’s FY17 health care spending and their projected FY18 health care spending. This calculation will be based on certain “benchmarks” that are established in the law including specific splits in premiums and cost sharing. The State will then reduce education payments to school districts over the next two fiscal years based on these calculations. Total reductions will be $8.5 million in FY18 and $4.5 million in FY19.
A commission is established to further study the issue and report back by November 15, 2017. All contracts that are not finalized or near finalized by the enactment of the budget will expire in the summer of 2019. This will provide another opportunity for a debate on whether to adopt a statewide teacher health plan. The bill also sets the residential and non-residential property tax rates. Click here to see a section-by-section summary of the agreement.
A number of lawmakers from both sides of the isle expressed frustration with the closed door negotiating process and the substance of the agreement. Despite this unease, the House and Senate each approved the agreement by voice vote and sent the entire budget bill to the Governor for his signature.
The other outstanding question during yesterday’s veto session was whether the legislature would be able to pass a revised marijuana legalization bill. Legalization advocates in the legislature had been meeting with members of the Governor’s staff for weeks to hash out a compromise bill following his veto of S.22. Around mid-day Wednesday it was announced that the parties had come to an agreement. The Senate suspended rules and passed the new bill on a voice vote, putting the fate of legalization in the hand of House members. Legalization advocates in the House needed 106 votes to suspend rules, but received only 78, putting to rest any chance of a bill passing this year.
The adjournment resolution allows the Speaker and Senate President to call the General Assembly back on October 23, to possibly respond to federal budget cuts, and if not, January, 2018.
RELATED: Scott, lawmakers make budget deal with $13 million in property tax savings
Source: Leonine 6.22.2017 www.leoninepublicaffairs.com/