VCDR 2018Weekly Summaryof Legislative Activities, Committee Agendas and Calendar of Events
February 20 – February 23
Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights
VCDR will publish a weekly legislative calendar of events, committee schedules, and floor activities during the 2018 Legislative Session. This is the second year of the two year legislative biennium.
These weekly alerts will contain summaries of legislative activities, committee agendas, and House and Senate Calendar items that would be of interest to the disability community. The complete committee schedules will not be found here, but a link has been provided for the complete Legislative Committee agendas, the Legislative Calendar and Journal Page, and the Legislative Web-Site.
You will find highlights of the week’s Legislative activities for specific committees, public hearing notifications, and calendar activity of interest in this weekly report, as well as a listing and brief explanations of legislation introduced at the end of the committee schedules when available.
This Committee Schedule is generally published on Monday of each week, but is subject to change throughout the week. Please check the calendar online, on the Vermont Legislative web page for updates.
***LEGISLATIVE WEB PAGE***
***COMMITTEE INFORMATION ***
Committees have their own web-pages, where you can find documents and written testimony as well as committee schedules.
House & Senate Committee Assignments:
Make sure when you go to this page you click on "SHOW ALL MEMBERS"
Complete Weekly Committee Schedule House and Senate:
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** Calendars and Journals **
House Calendars:
House Journals:
Senate Calendars:
Third reading on S.280 Child Poverty Council
(Names spot for (F) a member appointed by the Vermont Coalition for DisabilityRights;
(G) a member appointed by the Vermont Affordable Housing
Coalition;
Senate Journals:
As a general rule the House and Senate meet at these times during the session:
Floor Times:
House / SenateTuesday: / 10:00 am / 9:30 am
Wednesday: / 1:00 pm / 1:00 pm
Thursday: / 1:00 pm / 1:00 pm
Friday / 9:30 am / 11:30 am
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***LIVE STREAMS***
You can listen on VPR:
Listen to House and Senate activity when they are in session
VCDR - **Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights**
Information may also be found on the VCDR Website:
The VCDR Website is now online. Some pages are still under construction.
Please visit our FACEbook Page
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***Joint Fiscal Page ***
The FY 2019 Budget documents and Department and Administration testimony can be found on the Joint Fiscal Page.
THERE ARE BUDGET REDUCTIONS PROPOSED for FY 2019!!
Budget Program Analysis - Explains the “rationale” for the Human Services Cuts:
DAIL Budget Testimony Narrative
DAIL Detailed Budget Spreadsheet Report
AHS Departmental Budgets
Agency of Human Services Budget Ups and Downs
***EVENTS***
Vermont Low Income Advocacy Council
Day at the LEGISLATURE,
Friday, February 23
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***ARTICLES of INTERST***
**NEW –Senate passes Minimum Wage Bill.
**************************************************************************************** PUBLIC HEARING ***
PUBLIC HEARING ON EDUCATION FINANCE PLAN
A Vermont House committee is set to hold public hearing next week on a plan to shift education funding from the property tax to income tax. The House Ways and Means Committee has been working on a plan toremove income sensitivity and substitute an education income tax.
Under the proposal the rate would be uniform for every municipality while the first $47,000 of income would be exempt. The measure would also keep a statewide tax on non-residential property.
Summary of Working Education Financing Proposal:
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The Public Hearing on EDUCATION FINANCE PLAN
Wednesday, February 21 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM
at the VT Statehouse.
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**NEW School income tax to get public vettingBy Tiffany DanitzPacheFeb 18 2018,
**NEW Legislators drafting special education reform plansBy Tiffany DanitzPacheFeb 19 , 2018
Finance commissioner says education funding proposal falls short By Tiffany DanitzPache VT Digger
***Committee Highlights***
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The House Appropriations Committee will take up the Governor’s proposed FY 2019 Budget 18-0457 - An act relating to making appropriations for the support of government Monday all week. On Tuesday they will review the Committee of Jurisdiction’s responses to the FY 2019 Budget proposal and discus the legislation all week.
Committee on Human Services Budget letter to Appropriations:
Committee on Health Care:
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Wednesday morning the House Committee Corrections and Institutions will discuss H.844 - An act relating to reforming the parole systemwith DOC in regards to Presumptive Parole as outlined in H.844 on Tuesday. OnWednesday they will take up H. 874 - An act relating to inmate access to prescription drugs and on Thursday morning the with discuss the Medication Assisted Treatment study and hear a presentation from the Dartmouth students in regards to their MAT study results.
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The House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development
The Committee will discuss, take testimony, and work on their Workforce Development Committee bill all week and take up other Economic Development and Workforce Training Bills on Thursday. ***********************************************************************************
The House Committee on Education will take up 18-0693 - An act relating to enhancing the effectiveness, availability, and equity of services provided to students who struggle and hear from a member of the Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators and the Director of Student Support Services, Champlain Valley School District.
Current Draft on Special Education – Draft Request 18-0693, Draft No. 8.1, 2-12-2018 House Education/Committee bill - Special Education(DRAFT 8.1)
Special Education Funding Proposal - AOE Response
The House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs will take up 18-0849 - An act relating to improving rental housing safety on Tuesday, and on Wednesday they will take up H. 412 - An act relating to establishing a homeless bill of rights and prohibiting discrimination against people without homes
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The House Committee on Health Care Committee will take up the Governor’s FY 2018 budget and discuss the Mental Health sections and hear from the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, Chief Legal Counsel, and the Financial Director, Department of Mental Health. They will also hear from the Executive Director of the Green Mountain Care Board and the Executive Director of Vermont Psychiatric Survivors.
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The House Committee on Human Services will discuss Nursing Home Oversight on Tuesday and Thursday and on Wednesday they will take up Child Development and Pre-K.
*************************************SENATE**************************************
The Senate Appropriations Committee will take up the Governor’s proposed FY 2019 Budget - 18-0457 - An act relating to making appropriations for the support of government
- Tuesday - Vermont Health Access (DVHA),
- Wednesday -Vermont Departmentof Health
- Thursday - Agency of Education
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The Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs will once again take up S.265 - An act relating to workforce development on Wednesday morning.*************************************************************************
The Senate Committee on Education will take up S. 229 - An act relating to State Board of Education approval of independent schools and Pre-Kindergarten on Tuesday afternoon.
S.229 Draft Amendment 2.2
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On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate Committee on Finance will take up S. 224 - An act relating to co-payment limits for visits to chiropractors hearing from the Department of Vermont Health Access. They will discuss Social Security Income Tax and changes to the tax code and finally take up:
S.294 - An act relating to an income tax deduction for home modifications required by a disability or physical hardship and walk through the bill.
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TheSenate Committee on Government Operations
S.162An act relating to services for individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind DRAFT 1.1
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The Senate Health and Welfare Committeewill take up S. 53 - An act relating to a universal, publicly financed primary care system again on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. On Thursday morning the Committee willalso take up S. 225 - An act relating to access to Vermont Prescription Monitoring System data by academic researchers and coverage by commercial health insurers for costs associated with medication-assisted treatment
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***Upcoming Events***
Disability Awareness Dayat the LEGISLATURE,
WEDNESDAY, February 28th
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***LEGISLATION OF INTEREST***
House Bills
H. 892 An act relating to regulation of short-term, limited-duration health insurance coverage and association health plans
Introduced by House Committee on Health Care
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to regulate short-term, limited-duration health insurance coverage, including limiting the duration of the coverage to less than three months, prohibiting renewal, and requiring prominent disclosures regarding the scope of the coverage. It would also provide the Department of Financial Regulation with rulemaking authority to regulate association health plans to the extent permitted under federal law.
Senate Bills: No Senate Bills since 1/12/2018
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Submitted by Karen Lafayette