Leonine Public Affairs Week five had some moments of high intensity as the House deliberated on a bill that would delay forced school mergers and a public hearing on reproductive rights drew a very large crowd of people from around the state (and likely beyond).
On Wednesday evening hundreds of people gathered for a public hearing held by the House Human Services and House Judiciary Committees. H.57 would codify Roe v. Wade in Vermont law as protection against a possible reversal of that landmark decision by the US Supreme Court. The hearing drew impassioned testimony by members of the public with both pro-choice and pro-life views. Statehouse security did their best to control the influx of people with lines stretching out both sides of the building onto adjoining sidewalks. The House Human Services Committee passed H.57 soon after the hearing by a vote of 8-3. The bill now goes to the House Judiciary Committee.
This week also saw lengthy floor debate on H.39, a bill that would delay forced mergers of school districts under Act 46. On Thursday the House passed the bill, which would delay forced mergers for some school districts. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration--more on this later.
Meanwhile, the House General, Housing and Military Affairs Committee continued work on a bill to expand paid family leave. That bill along with a bill in the Senate to increase the minimum wage appear to be headed for a showdown with Governor Phil Scott, who vetoed two similar bills last year.
The Senate continued work on a number of issues ranging from water quality to raising the minimum wage to establishing a tax and regulate system for cannabis. The Senate Appropriations committee spent the week discussing and adding their changes to the annual budget adjustment bill, which the committee passed on Thursday. This bill will go to the Senate floor next week.
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Source: Leonine Public Affairs, Montpelier, Legislative Report Week 5. February 8 2019. leoninepublicaffairs.com. Through a special arrangement with Leonine, Vermont Business Magazine republishes Leonine's legislative report on vermontbiz.com.