February 23, 2021 This document was prepared by members of the Vermont House Democratic caucus to help the public understand the work in our committees during the first half of the 2021 legislative session.

The page numbers link to the appropriate page. (posted by Rep. Scott Campbell, St. Johnsbury)

Table of Contents

Agriculture & Forestry – John O’Brien 2 Appropriations – 3 Commerce & Economic Development – Michael Nigro 4 Education – Jana Brown & 6 Energy & Technology – 7 Government Operations – Peter Anthony & Mike Mrowicki 9 Health Care – 10 Human Services – Dane Whitman 11 Judiciary – Will Notte 12 Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife – Larry Satcowitz & Kari Dolan 13 Transportation – Becca White, Gabrielle Stebbins & 13 Ways & Means – 15

1

Agriculture & Forestry – John O’Brien Working Lands & Farm to School While new bills, like babies, oen aract much oo-ing and ah-ing, it’s good policy for commiees to check in with the “legacies” of past legislaon. Early in the session, the House Commiee on Agriculture and Forestry heard “what have you been up to?” tesmony on two programs it helped create and culvate: the Working Lands Enterprise Iniave (WLEI) and the Farm to School program (F2S). Working Lands (which provides grants and consulng for rural economic development projects) is such a success that the Governor has proposed adding $3 million in a one-me appropriaon to next year’s WLEI budget. F2S, which advocates for, and coordinates, geng local food into our schools, is an on-going win-win-win (farmers benefit economically, healthy students are more focused, schools achieve beer results); the only restricon on expanding its success is financial, as there are never enough dollars for deserving programs.

Ag & Food: Road Map for the Future Eighteen months in the making, with input from over 1,500 Vermonters, the Vermont Agriculture & Food System Strategic Plan 2021-2030 debuted last week with much fanfare and appreciaon. A collaboraon between the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund’s Farm to Plate team (F2P) and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM), the work provides, as Secretary Tebbes summarized, “a road map to the future.” “The Big Book,” all 200 spiral-bound pages of it, is made up of 54 product, market and issue briefs. For the next decade, this go-to resource will be the dog-eared “Ag bible” for policymakers and stakeholders, not to menon a good read for select boards and planning commissions, and a must-have for town libraries. Let’s just say you want to know what the bolenecks in hop producon are. It’s there. Or you want to dig into Vermont food opportunies in major metropolitan markets. It’s there. Or you want to see what the experts recommend for food security, or farm succession, or racial equity in the Vermont food system. It’s all there. Not to menon strategic goals, priority strategies, and credits for the 52 lead authors and 111 expert contributors. Available online at: varmtoplate.com/plan/ or, if you ask the F2Pers nicely, as a hard copy.

Agritourism Protecon: Over to the Senate If House Ag is a proponent of regenerave agriculture, it’s equally commied to regenerave legislaon. Year aer year, only about 17% of proposed bills become law. When the two-year legislave cycle concludes—the so-called “biennium”—all bills that have been proposed, but not passed, die. At the start of the next biennium, those bills that didn’t cross the finish line need to be re-introduced, and, if they merit due diligence, the commiees go back to work on them. The House just passed H.89, a re-working of last year’s H.794 (which died in the Senate). This bill codifies liming liability for agritourism, similar to the exisng statute that insulates, but does not immunize, the equine industry from negligence.

Animal Welfare: Taking Another Look Also, last year, House Ag shepherded H. 254, an act relang to adequate shelter for livestock, all the way to the Governor, who signed it, and it became a new Vermont statute, Act 116. The law gives law enforcement and humane officers, in the event of a livestock cruelty invesgaon, the power to educate and enforce, essenally to tell the overextended farmer or backyard hoarder, “These animals need shelter—either constructed or natural—so they won’t suffer in extreme weather.” This year, House Ag is hearing concern from rotaonal grazing farmers who feel that this

2 regenerave agriculture pracce--even when their livestock are thriving--could land them in violaon of the new law. The upshot: House Ag may revisit H.254/Act 116 and give it a tweak.

The Commiee is also going to resurrect H.940, sister legislaon to the adequate shelter bill. H. 940 died last year when COVID bills were, understandably, given top priority. This bill will clarify who can be a humane officer: going forward, it can only be a law enforcement officer, a humane society employee, or an animal control officer who has passed the updated training requirements on animal welfare and cruelty. Just because you answer the phone at a humane society or you know that Hamburg is a breed of chicken, doesn’t make you a humane officer.

Appropriaons – Maida Townsend

Fiscal Year 2022 Budget (259 words) House Appropriaons is currently working on the FY2022 budget, which covers the programs of state government and its community partner organizaons from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. The commiee is on target to present its proposed budget to the full House in the middle of March.

Balancing the extraordinary infusion of federal and state revenues that will not be sustained over me while meeng the extraordinary need of Vermonters as they endure the pandemic are the principal challenges of developing the budget. In a typical year, there is a structural gap between revenues and expenditures. This year, when we have 10 mes the usual number of people living in temporary housing, when we have five mes the usual number of unemployed people, when every downtown and rural community has businesses that are struggling on a day-to-day basis, the challenge is making strategic use of non-recurring money that will help Vermont build back beer.

The commiee is going deep into the numbers, hearing budget tesmony from all state-related enes from all three branches of government. They are looking at performance accountability in new and old iniaves. They have sought input from the public, hearing from 73 Vermonters in oral tesmony and 29 in wrien tesmony. They have sought recommendaons from each of the legislave policy commiees.

The goals? To cra a fiscally responsible budget that supports and strengthens Vermont communies and families. To protect and li up the most vulnerable Vermonters. To move us beyond a maintenance budget only, across all 14 counes, and leave no one behind.

Federal Support: Dollars Flowing from DC Since the early weeks of the pandemic in 2020, the COVID-related dollars flowing to Vermont from Washington have been substanal. As of mid-January 2021, the federal infusion equaled approximately 20 percent of our state’s economy. It is esmated to yet reach as much as 30 percent.

As of early December, approximately $5 billion had come to Vermont, much passing directly to agencies and departments for specified COVID relief purposes. Within this amount was the $1.25 billion that became the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), from which the legislature had authority to appropriate dollars to target specific support of Vermonters and their communies. Allocaons ranged from assistance to dairy and non-dairy farms, working lands, state parks and other public lands to connecvity, health care stabilizaon, and child care and adult days; from a variety of economic business sectors, both for-profit and nonprofit, to UVM and the VT State Colleges system; from municipalies and pre-K-12 school districts to all manner of housing and jusce-related enes.

3 Because use of CRF dollars had to follow strict federal guidance, unl Washington unexpectedly changed that guidance at the very end of 2020, porons of allocaons were reverted, reallocated, transferred. The boom line is that, as of early February, $6.3 million was back in the CRF. The House Appropriaons Commiee is considering carefully so as to allocate those dollars to the greatest immediate needs.

Note that all of this federal help, with even more on the way, is one-me money. Once we are at the beer side of the pandemic, Vermont must stand on its own in support of Vermonters coping with residual and on-going economic, emoonal, and social hardship.

Budget Adjustment FY2021 Budget Adjustment typically occurs midway through the fiscal year. It is a recalibraon, a truing up so as to maintain the state budget in balance. It is fiscal discipline. It is also an opportunity to adjust for the unforeseen. Here is just a sampling:

● There was a massive mix-up regarding 1099 tax forms sent out by the unemployment unit at the Department of Labor. The FY2021 Budget Adjustment Act (BAA) includes language to enable the most solid measure of validaon of informaon possible in replacing tax documents sent to unemployment recipients.

● VSNIP is Vermont’s low-cost spay neuter assistance program. It is funded by a poron of the registraon cost of dog licenses. With the pandemic, registraons decreased and the fund was depleted. Vets are owed $180,000 for services rendered and $120,000 more is needed for the remainder of the year. The BAA includes the $300,000.

● The federal government removed its required use of COVID relief dollars by December 30, 2020. The BAA authorizes legislave appropriaon through June 30. Available is $6.3 million. The Vermont State Colleges now will have unl December 31, 2021 to use $22.8 million towards COVID costs. A grace period becomes possible for the reporng of hazard pay by employers, such that potenally more eligible employees will be reached.

The BAA is clearly more than an accounng exercise. It is yet another opportunity to reach out, to offer support through these difficult days, weeks and months.

Commerce & Economic Development – Michael Nigro

Protecng Vermont’s Small Businesses (126 words) The COVID-19 pandemic has had serious impacts on many small businesses, including the hospitality, events and tourism industries in parcular. Over the past year, a number of federal and state grants and forgivable loans have helped to ensure the survival of these operaons. However, some businesses (such as those started or purchased in 2020, or late 2019) have not qualified for nor been able to access this assistance due to program criteria. The legislature has been working with the Governor’s administraon to create a $10 million “gap” grant program to help businesses that have received minimal to no assistance. This grant program recognizes that all businesses, whether new or smaller in size, play a crical role in the state’s economic recovery by pung Vermonters to work. Revitalizing Downtowns Aer the compleon of a pilot program, the legislature is working with the Governor to devote $5 million to create the Beer Places Program. This program would provide grants between $5,000 and

4 $20,000 to improve the vitality of downtowns, with a focus on projects that can make an immediate impact to public spaces. Public area beauficaon, bike baths, use of vacant property and storefronts, enhancing farmers’ markets or community gardens, and projects to support downtown performing arts are examples of ways these funds could be used to revitalize town centers. Municipalies, community groups, and nonprofits would be eligible to apply. A further budget request has been recommended to add $5 million to the Downtown Transportaon Fund. This fund supports many larger projects aimed at improving the infrastructure of downtown centers, including streetscape improvements, street lighng, parking and signage upgrades, and pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Correcons and Instuons – Karen Dolan & Michelle Bos-Lun

Funding Capital Projects at State & Local Level The Correcons and Instuons Commiee connues to take tesmony regarding the Governor’s proposed Capital Budget. The $123 million proposal funds building and infrastructure projects across state departments through the allocaon of bonded dollars each biennium. Projects in the pipeline span restoring the slate roofs at the Waterbury State Office Complex, replacing door controls at Southern State Correconal Facility, relocang the courthouse in Newport, and an overhaul of the parking garage at 108 Cherry St. in Burlington. While the majority of funds go to specifically planned projects, a significant amount of money is designated for grants and loans to Vermont communies.

This locally-focused component of the Capital Budget creates important opportunies for municipalies and community enes to leverage state dollars to iniate projects, smulate growth, and address local needs. Some of the grant and loan opportunies considered include: ● Building Community Grants (cover a variety of areas, from recreaon and cultural facilies to historic barn restoraon and economic development iniaves) ● Agricultural Water Quality Grants ● Drinking Water State Revolving Fund ● Municipal Polluon Control Grants ● Land Conservaon and Water Quality Projects

Visit each program’s website to learn more about the applicaon process and deadlines.

Correcons: Invesgang Allegaons, Changing the Culture The Correcons and Instuons Commiee recently reviewed a report produced at the request of the Agency of Human Services by law firm Downs Rachlin Marn (DRM). Commiee members took extensive tesmony about the issues the report raised, as well as the intenon of DOC to change its culture within. The report was the culminaon of months of invesgaon into allegaons of sexual harassment, misconduct, abuse and exploitaon at the Chienden Women’s Correconal Facility. While clear guidelines have been in place regarding these issues since 2014, numerous misconduct allegaons were reported nonetheless. Interim Commissioner James Baker wants to incorporate many of the DRM report recommendaons seeking to change the workplace environment in the state’s correconal facilies and throughout DOC. Proposed changes include: having staff that provide direct service to incarcerated individuals wear body cameras, having pre-employment polygraph tests, and forming both an advisory commission and a special invesgaon commission to address these kinds of misconduct.

5 Educaon – Jana Brown & Kathleen James

Equity & COVID Recovery The focus of the Educaon Commiee’s work this year has been equity and the intenonal allocaon of educaonal resources, instrucon, access, and opportunies according to need. We started by hearing updates from Vermont schools on their COVID-19 response plan, and how schools will connue to move all students forward into the recovery and learning re-engagement phase. Common themes emerged: the most at-risk students need crical supports, the social and emoonal needs of students are significant, access to stable internet has been an ongoing challenge, staffing is difficult due to COVID, and capacity and resources have been seriously stretched. Through all these challenges, staff and students have shown remarkable innovaon and resiliency. We’ll connue to keep an eye on equity as we seek to beer serve all students statewide, while direcng our resources in a targeted way to assist students who struggle.

School Construcon: Taking Stock & Studying Funding Built decades ago, it’s no secret that many of Vermont’s school buildings are aging and in dire need of repair. We are working on addressing the state of our school buildings and significant deferred maintenance needs by moving forward with a commiee bill (DR 21-0782). Vermont is currently the only state in New England without a school construcon funding program; with the excepon of emergency projects, our aid program has been suspended since 2007. The proposed language starts with an update of the school facility standards and a statewide needs assessment survey for all school buildings. It also includes a report on funding opons due in December 2022. Improving the physical learning space yields healthy and energy-efficient facilies and beer educaonal outcomes.

Early Literacy: Shoring Up the Foundaon Literacy is a foundaonal learning skill, and the work begins in the earliest grades. COVID-19 learning recovery and the need to improve Vermont’s literacy test scores has driven our work on H.101, which provides grant funding to build systems-driven, sustainable literacy supports for students. Effecvely supporng literacy instrucon requires a systemac and sustained effort to ensure that all students learn to read by the end of third grade. To help meet this goal, H.101 would allow groups of supervisory unions to work together to improve literacy teaching, provide coaching, measure outcomes, and ensure that students who struggle are idenfied and receive instrucon from highly qualified instructors.

Educaon Funding: The Weighng Study The commiee is connuing to address proposed changes to Vermont’s educaon funding formula. A December 2019 legislave study conducted by UVM (Study of Pupil Weights in Vermont’s Educaon Funding Formula) concluded that the manner in which the state calculates the cost of educang certain categories of students (including low-income, English language learners, secondary and preK, and rural students) is outdated and inaccurate. While this work is starng in the Senate, the commiee is discussing various proposals regarding how to implement the report’s recommendaons and provide more equitable funding across the state.

Vermont State Colleges: A Crical Crossroads Last year, former Chancellor Jeb Spaulding touched off a firestorm when he published a white paper on the crisis facing the Vermont State Colleges. In response, the legislature passed Act 120 of 2020, which created the Select Commiee on the Future of Public Higher Educaon to address “the urgent needs of the Vermont State Colleges and develop an integrated vision and plan for a high-quality, affordable, and workforce-connected future for public higher educaon” in Vermont. Working with the Naonal Center for Higher Educaon Management Systems (NCHEMS), the commiee delivered its second report to the

6 legislature on February 12. The report urges the legislature to “act with urgency” in providing sufficient funding — over the next six fiscal years — to keep the state colleges stable while VSC commits to a far- reaching restructuring plan. Recommendaons include maintaining the Community College of Vermont as a separate enty focused on sub-baccalaureate and workforce-relevant training (especially for adults); combining Vermont Tech, Castleton and Northern Vermont University under a single accreditaon; and an “aggressive coordinaon” of administrave services. The FY22 budget request of $67.4 million includes the historic $30 million base appropriaon, funding to cover the ongoing structural deficit (gap between ancipated revenues and expenses), and investments in instuonal transformaon (IT, project management, markeng and more).

Community Schools Pilot Program As crossover approaches, we’ll connue to take tesmony on H.106, which proposes grant funding for eligible public schools to implement a “community schools” model. This innovave model facilitates the provision of programs and services in a targeted manner to meet the unique needs of students and families around issues such as poverty, mental health, access to basic medical and dental care, and food and housing insecurity. We’ve heard tesmony from Vermont’s best-known community school, Molly Stark Elementary in Bennington, which offers universal breakfast and lunch to address food insecurity, extended hours before and aer school to support working families, in-school health services for low- income students (dental, audiology), and a summer academic program to prevent learning loss.

Energy & Technology – Katherine Sims

Broadband: Supporng Rural Buildout Access to high-speed internet is essenal to daily life. We use the internet to go to work, aend school, see a doctor, interact with government, and connect with our community and the world. Unfortunately, the promise of modern communicaons has bypassed many rural communies in Vermont.

Our comprehensive commiee bill (DR 21-0185) seeks to accelerate community broadband deployment throughout Vermont. Key elements include: funding for pre-construcon expenses, expanded grants and loans for building broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas, a new workforce development program, and protecons for Vermonters’ privacy and unrestricted access to the Internet. This bill would bring over $50 million of new capital to support the construcon of community-based fiber assets in the most underserved parts of the state.

The legislaon also establishes the Vermont Community Broadband Authority to coordinate and fund broadband buildout, to support Vermont’s regional communicaons union districts (CUDs) and their partners, and to advocate at the federal level for programs and policies that will accelerate the deployment of universal broadband in rural Vermont.

Modernizing Our IT Infrastructure For decades, Vermont has under-invested in state government’s informaon technology infrastructure. By dedicang a significant down payment to long-deferred IT projects this year while establishing a funding mechanism for ongoing upgrades, we can address an issue that affects all of state government. The pace required to keep up with the necessary technology replacements and maintain hundreds of applicaons requires a systemic approach and consistent funding. In parcular, the fast-evolving cyber- security landscape brings new threats to the funconality of government systems and the security of private informaon.

7 The legislature is considering one-me investments for systems upgrades such as replacing the four- decade-old mainframe at the Department of Motor Vehicles, modernizing the Bright Futures Informaon System to serve childcare programs, addressing severe technology constraints at the Department of Labor’s unemployment program, and making crical cybersecurity upgrades.

Weatherizaon: Energy Savings & Healthier Homes Vermont has some of the most energy-inefficient housing stock in the naon. Addressing this issue can help our state meet its climate goals, save Vermonters money, improve our local economy, and help cizens be more comfortable and healthy in their homes. The legislature will be providing increased support for accelerated weatherizaon programs. Weatherizing a home oen pays for investment in less than five years and provides connued reducon in greenhouse gas emissions, energy costs, and health care costs, while increasing public health, for many years into the future.

General, Housing & Military Affairs – John Killacky & Tiff Bluemle

A Place at the Bargaining Table for All School Employees In Act 11 of 2018, the General Assembly set up a mechanism for negoang school employees’ health care benefits on a statewide basis. The first go-round convinced both sides that Act 11 needed statutory revisions. The House passed those revisions, which incorporate recommendaons from both the Vermont Naonal Educators Associaon and the Vermont School Boards Associaon, on Feb. 17. The bill would allow negoaon teams to bargain premium shares and out-of-pocket expenses that are different for support staff members, teachers and administrators. If the pares are unable to reach agreement, current law provides a dispute resoluon process. H.81 would increase the transparency of this process, parcularly related to the health insurance costs to be borne by employees and employers.

Formal Apology for Eugenics House General is considering a Joint Resoluon (J.R.H.2) that would formally apologize for the role of the in supporng Vermont’s eugenics program. In 1931, the General Assembly officially endorsed eugenics through statute by passing an “Act for Human Beerment by Voluntary Sterilizaon,” which sought to prevent procreaon of “idiots, imbeciles, feeble-minded or insane persons” to improve the public welfare. Historians tesfied that eugenics project acvies extended beyond sterilizaon to removing children from their families and instuonalizing or incarcerang individuals, with generaonal implicaons.

The resoluon affirms and apologizes for the General Assembly’s role in state-sanconed eugenics policies and pracces. In addion to the apology, the resoluon further commits that further legislave acon should be taken to address the connuing impact of eugenics policies and the related pracces of disenfranchisement, ethnocide, and genocide.

Increasing Recovery Beds Statewide Commiee work connues on H.211 to improve the quality and increase the number of recovery beds throughout the state. Recovery residences are a key component of treatment alternaves for substance use disorders. The bill would exempt homes cerfied by the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences from certain landlord and tenant legal relaonships. The cerficaon process provides a toolkit with statewide definions, detailed expectaons, and operaonal policies, which will improve the quality of recovery homes across the state.

8 The bill also clarifies zoning standards for recovery homes as single-family residenal use. It would eliminate barriers and discrepancies among towns related to locang recovery homes. It would allow recovery homes to be located in proximity to transportaon, employment, and necessary support services. Vermont changed zoning standards more than 30 years ago for independent living group homes for people with disabilies. It is me it provides similar clarity for recovery homes.

The bill also establishes guidelines and policies for temporary and permanent removal of recovery home residents. The guidelines would ensure due process for both tenants and landlords and would balance individual and community rights. Currently, no standards exist in this arena as well.

Government Operaons – Peter Anthony & Mike Mrowicki

2020 Elecons: We Want to Hear From You! The Government Operaons Commiee heard from Secretary of State Jim Condos, who praised the great work of elecon officials and volunteers, as well as the amazing turnout of voters, all under difficult circumstances. According to the Secretary’s office, a record-breaking 360,000-plus Vermonters cast ballots in the November 2020 general elecon, smashing the previous record of roughly 327,000 ballots in 2008. Town clerks appreciated the legislaon passed that made accommodaons for the 2020 primary and general elecons, especially allowing the advance counng of early ballots.

Some quesons for the commiee’s consideraon arose - and we want to hear from Vermonters. Is there a beer way to conduct primaries than sending three ballots to all voters? Should town clerks receive funding for addional dropboxes, which were successfully used? If you have feedback, please be in touch with me.

U.S. Census & VT Reapporonment Every 10 years, the U.S. Constuon calls for a naonwide census and reapporonment process. This ensures that any populaon changes are reflected in legislave districts to maintain equal representaon. This me around, COVID and other factors have thrown a wrench in the gears, and the Government Operaons Commiee is hearing that the U.S. Census data won't be ready unl September 30.

While Vermont doesn't have a big job with our single U.S. Congressional district, state legislave districts will have to be aligned with any populaon shis. One naonal trend that may impact some districts is a move away from mulple-member districts. Last year, the legislature passed a bill to change the Chienden County format from one district with six senators to two districts with three senators. The current state populaon sets the suggested number of constuents per House district at 4,200. The Secretary of State's website has a map with some preliminary looks at reapporonment and some districts that are not meeng the 4,200 threshold. That process will have a different meline now, given the Census delay. Learn more here.

Pensions: Bridging the Unfunded Gap State pensions are grabbing lots of headlines recently. Vermont oversees the pension management for three groups: state employees; teachers in pre-K to 12 schools; and municipal workers. The upkeep and viability of these funds is a vital oversight concern for the Legislature. In a January report, Treasurer Beth Pearce recommended changes that would significantly reduce the $4.5 billion unfunded pension and other rerement liabilies — for example, increasing employee contribuons, or reducing cost-of-living

9 adjustments for future rerees — but it’s important to remember that her report is just a starng point. The Speaker has commied to bringing together all stakeholders to cra an equitable soluon, and the Government Operaons Commiee has so far heard from the Joint Fiscal Office, Treasurer Pearce and key employee groups. The process of determining the best course of acon will be me-consuming and laborious. Stay tuned.

Health Care – Leslie Goldman

Soluons for Healthcare Workforce Crisis Vermont is facing a healthcare workforce crisis. The Rural Health Task Force submied a report on Jan. 10, 2020 (before COVID) that highlighted needs in nearly all healthcare professions and sengs. One year later, we have an even deeper understanding of the needs of our healthcare workforce.

The Health Care Commiee is exploring this problem in depth. We know that the populaon in Vermont and our healthcare workforce is aging. Demand for healthcare and long-term care services and support are increasing. It is esmated that roughly 5,000 nursing-related posions were needed prior to the pandemic, a deficit that’s likely to increase.

Soluons are being implemented to address this problem, including scholarships and loan forgiveness for healthcare providers, tax incenves to retain newly graduated nurses, and modifying professional requirements so more nurses can be trained. One parcularly excing new program is the Vermont Workforce Loan Program (VWLP). Since incepon, the VWLP has awarded 69 scholarships to students in LPN/RN programs. This compares to 5–8 annual scholarships awarded in previous years since 2015. The Health Care Commiee is exploring how to extend and expand this program.

Addressing Healthcare Disparies A disturbing reality has been brought into focus by the pandemic. Data from a December 2020 Vermont Department of Health report reflects the disproporonate effects of COVID-19 on Vermonters who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC): “Although BIPOC Vermonters represent 6% of the populaon, they represent 18% of COVID-19 cases. In addion, BIPOC Vermonters have significantly higher hospitalizaon and chronic disease rates, relave to white non-Hispanic people with COVID-19.” A recent Health Dept. survey reveals that health disparies are greatest for Vermonters of color, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilies, and those living in poverty.

Health disparies based on social determinants are not new. H. 210, an act relang to addressing disparies in the healthcare system, was introduced to address these worrisome concerns. The bill proposes to: (1) establish the Office of Health Equity; (2) establish the Health Equity Advisory Commission; (3) issue grants for the promoon of health equity; (4) collect data to beer understand health disparies in Vermont; and (5) require an addional two hours of connuing educaon on cultural competency in the pracce of medicine.

Meeng Mental Health Needs The Health Care Commiee has spent significant me and focus on mental health in VT, taking tesmony from the Dept. of Mental Health, designated agencies, and specialized service agencies. Mental health is an essenal part of overall health for adults, children and families. The commiee is exploring funding avenues to strengthen our system, as we know there will be increased demand as a result of pandemic- related stress. Pathways Vermont Support Line, funded by the Dept. of Mental Health, has averaged 1,200 calls per month in the last year with a dramac increase of calls during the COVID-19 pandemic.

10 The Support Line is open 24/7 to provide confidenal, nonjudgmental support and connecon to all Vermonters. Anyone can call (833) VT-TALKS or to text, dial (833) 888-2557. COVID-19 has significantly increased the stress in all our lives and having these resources available is crucial. Human Services – Dane Whitman

COVID-19 Response: Ensuring Lasng, Equitable Recovery The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented public health emergency. In response, the legislature has worked relessly to leave no Vermonter behind. We dedicated more than $60 million in hazard pay to our essenal workers. We allocated the resources necessary for long-term care facilies to deliver services safely to older Vermonters. We assisted mental health and substance use counselors to operate remotely through telehealth. We provided the resources to sustain childcare and aerschool programs, and supported organizaons that assist our most vulnerable Vermonters.

With the vaccine roll-out well underway, we are expecng the next round of federal funding to connue supporng our communies. These federal funds, passed in December 2020, will further assist the state’s COVID tesng, contact tracing and vaccinaon efforts. Emergency rental assistance will be provided to help those who cannot pay rent or ulity bills. Childcare providers will receive a boost in funding, as will mental health and substance use prevenon programs. The legislature looks forward to connuing the work with our communies to ensure that relief efforts go to those who need it most.

Ambious Plan for Childcare System High-quality childcare is an investment in Vermont’s future. By increasing access and affordability for Vermont’s families, we help parents stay employed and contribute to their local economies. By increasing childcare worker wages, we can support and grow our early educator workforce. By priorizing the well-being and development of our children, we are giving the next generaon of Vermonters a head start to success.

H.171 will make these investments a reality. The reforms offered in this bill are based on feedback from Vermont’s parents, providers, employers, and community members. Not only does H.171 make childcare more affordable, it removes barriers to access, ensures fair wages for providers, establishes workforce development programs, and creates a study to idenfy future revenue sources.

We know that childcare is essenal to keeping our communies strong. Meanwhile, Vermont’s child care system is sorely in need of resources. H.171 is a monumental step towards funding child care in a way that reflects its true value to our state.

Sustainable Future for Community-Based Care Thousands of Vermonters, from the very young to the very old, are supported by private nonprofit providers who accept Medicaid as payment for services. These providers are oen referred to as home and community-based providers. They serve people with a variety of risk factors including, but not limited to: significant health care issues; drug and alcohol use; and support needs related to aging, mental health issues, and developmental disabilies. As a state, our policy reflects the evidence-based findings that people achieve the best care and outcomes when served in their communies, close to friends and family, rather than in instuonal sengs. However, we have yet to develop a sustainable system to pay for these community-based services. H.153 begins to provide the framework to consider changes and recognize cost of living adjustments to the Medicaid rate reimbursement system for these crical supports to vulnerable Vermonters.

11

Judiciary – Will Noe

Protecng Children from Sexual Exploitaon We are connuing our hard work protecng Vermont’s most vulnerable. One of the first bills passed out of the House of Representaves this year was H.18. This bill closes a loophole in exisng law and makes this the second year in a row we have ghtened and improved laws regarding sexual exploitaon of children. More children will be protected and more predators held accountable once H.18, which prohibits simulated sexual acts involving real children, becomes law. Our children are our most precious and vulnerable Vermonters, and we will connue our work to protect them and hold those who would harm them accountable.

Ending “Trans Panic” Defense While many of us prefer to envision our society as moving steadily forward in terms of acceptance and compassion, the sad truth is that 2020 was the most deadly year ever for transgender and gender- nonconforming Americans. All too oen when a transgender person is physically assaulted, the realizaon of their transgender identy is used by the aacker as a court defense or to lessen any acon taken by the court system. We are working on a bill, H.128, which would prohibit a defendant in a criminal proceeding from using the vicm’s actual or perceived gender identy to jusfy their acons. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. They deserve equal protecon under the law and we are working to ensure that this is actually the case.

Clarifying Use of Force Near the end of the legislature’s extended session last year, and in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the naonwide outcry that arose in response to it, we passed legislaon establishing new standards for use of force by law enforcement officers that specifically prohibited chokeholds. This year we are revising and clarifying this law via H.145. All Vermonters deserve the assurance that they will not be subjected to excessive use of force by law enforcement in any situaon. Our law enforcement officers deserve clear and concise understanding of what Vermont law allows and prohibits while they conduct their jobs and protect the public. Our work on this important legislaon will add clarity to the law and beer establish the protecons for all Vermonters put in place last year.

Smoothing Paperwork Path for Home Buyers & Sellers COVID has disrupted many aspects of our daily lives. One important event that has been completely altered is the buying or selling of a home. While we are in quaranne, it is not possible to get the buyers and sellers into the same room for the signing of legal documents. As a result of this, signings are currently being done by other people using power of aorney for the actual buyer and seller. Because this is a new process, it is inevitable that some of these documents will contain errors—not properly referencing the power of aorney used to carry out the signing of the documents, for example. We are working on a bill, H.199, that will ensure the validaon of these documents despite the errors that may creep into the current process. Vermonters aempng to get through the challenges of COVID should not discover years later that one of the most important legal transacons they will ever conduct, the buying of their home, is not technically valid. We are working to ensure stability in this process for Vermont homeowners.

12 Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife – Larry Satcowitz & Kari Dolan

Bringing Bole Bill into 21st Century Vermont’s beverage container and redempon law, the “Bole Bill,” was enacted in 1973 to address roadside lier and increase recycling. It was last updated 30 years ago to add liquor boles and containers of beer, wine coolers and carbonated beverages. Aer three decades, another update is needed to address the growing variety of beverage containers and rising lier and recycling needs. The update has three main parts. First, an increase in the deposit from $.05 to $.10. The nickel deposit has not changed in nearly 50 years. If the deposit had kept up with inflaon, it would be closer to $.30 today. Second, an expansion of the types of containers accepted, to include wine boles, hard cider and non-carbonated drinks except for milk. The third part of the bill would provide an increase in the handling fee given to vendors. The Bole Bill has been an effecve policy that incenvizes recycling and reduces waste. Containers covered under the Bole Bill have greater market value for recycling than those that go through the general recycling stream. Updang the Bole Bill will allow us to capitalize on market demand and ensure that less waste ends up in the state’s only operang landfill. Protecng Water Quality Water quality standards are the foundaonal tool that the state uses in its efforts to restore and maintain the health and proper uses of its surface waters. These standards are codified in the Clean Water Act and approved by the EPA; they are used to assess the quality of water for drinking, swimming, fishing, boang and habitat funcon. H.108 clarifies the long-me interpretaon and pracce that Vermont’s water quality standards apply to all surface waters, including rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands. The bill also updates the state’s Clean Water Act Secon 401 provision to help the state beer manage large projects that may discharge to Vermont’s surface waters. This includes projects that are subject to a federal permit or license, such as an interstate energy project. Promong Forest Health & Biodiversity The Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife Commiee is developing strategies to support forest health, including iniaves to support and enhance wildlands and intact forests. Protecng the biodiversity of our forests is essenal. We are facing a moment in me when forest fragmentaon, habitat loss, the loss of connecng habitat, and the introducon of invasive pest and plant species are severely impacng our wildlife, diminishing the abundance, diversity, and nave species type of wildlife populaons. Biodiverse forests not only serve to protect our wildlife, they also store precipitaon during severe weather events, and are a cost-effecve means of sequestering (absorbing) and storing carbon. The commiee is looking at how our neighbors, New Hampshire and Maine, support wildland conservaon.

Transportaon – Becca White, Gabrielle Stebbins & Diane Lanpher

Transportaon Modernizaon Act The Transportaon Modernizaon Act of 2021, introduced with 70 co-sponsors, moves climate and equity goals into the Transportaon Budget Bill. The bill seeks to: ● Save Vermonters money ● Reduce climate polluon ● Expand exisng programs like the state electric vehicle (EV) incenve and Mileage Smart

13 ● Make it easier for low- and moderate-income Vermonters to purchase low- and zero-emissions vehicles that are cheaper to fuel and maintain ● Connue fare-free transit to eliminate transportaon costs for people who might not be able to afford it otherwise ● Expand the Complete Streets program and improve high-traffic corridors for cyclists and pedestrians

These costs associated would ideally be funded through the increased federal monies that are coming to Vermont to support transportaon. The commiee will work with the Administraon to find the right financial allocaons for these goals.

Infusion of Federal Funds The Transportaon Commiee has moved into high gear during this virtual legislave session and has been working on priories like invesng in community infrastructure, maintaining our highways and bridges, increasing rider access and affordability in suburban and rural communies, incenvizing the transion to electric vehicles, and making high-MPG cars more affordable for all income levels.

While transportaon revenues remain below pre-COVID levels, we are fortunate to be receiving an infusion of federal funds, an esmated $50 million with the potenal for more. The commiee is determining the best use of these funds to support Vermonters by comparing the recommended budget from the Administraon with the priories of commiee members.

When COVID Arrived, AOT Was Ready In March 2020, when the COVID-19 state of emergency was declared in Vermont, so much was unknown. It was an unprecedented crisis requiring an immediate response. One of the few state agencies prepared for this level of emergency response was the Agency of Transportaon (AOT). AOT is one of Vermont’s only agencies with an instuonalized Incident Command System approach to responding to and recovering from a wide range of emergencies, including a global pandemic.

On March 16, 2020, the AOT acvated its Transportaon Incident Command Center (TICC). The TICC led the agency’s unexpected transion to teleworking while the staff connued to deliver on AOT’s mission to maintain safe highways, inspect bridges, adverse and construct projects, and operate a statewide mulmodal transportaon system, while ensuring that the agency connued to operate safely.

Since acvaon, the TICC has supported numerous statewide operaons and completed more than 700 tasks. These tasks include the delivery of Personal Protecve Equipment (PPE) to hospitals and other medical facilies, collecon and analysis of traffic data to enable the Administraon and Health Department to understand the impacts of movement on infecon rates, assistance with food distribuon at state airports and other locaons, seng up medical surge and pop-up tesng sites, idenfying and deploying employees to work in other areas of state government as needed, and contribung resources to the vaccine planning effort.

Vehicle Electrificaon The legislature and administraon have supported several efforts in recent years to help Vermonters transion to electric vehicles and to expand EV public infrastructure across the state. The Agency of Transportaon serves on an interagency team that’s administering the current grant program for charging staons. The first two funding rounds granted approximately $1 million to add roughly 30 charging staons across Vermont. The third funding round will dedicate about $1.7 million to fill gaps in

14 the fast-charging network along highway corridors. Once constructed, these new charging staons will put fast chargers within about 30 miles of almost every address in Vermont.

In the FY22 budget, the commiee is reviewing the connued financial support needed to expand Level 2 charging at workplaces, mul-unit dwellings, downtowns and other desnaons. The legislature worked with various stakeholders to remove the Public Ulity Commission jurisdicon over public charging staons, thus allowing charging companies to construct and operate new staons without the need to obtain a Cerficate of Public Good and to price charging by the per-kilowa hour.

Federal grants have increased Vermont’s ability to purchase electric buses for the statewide transit system. Two buses are currently in service and an addional 12 have been ordered. In the FY22 Transportaon Bill, the commiee is reviewing a long-range plan that outlines the costs, meline, training, maintenance and operaonal acons required to move to a fully electrified public transportaon fleet.

With the assistance of electric distribuon ulies, Drive Electric Vermont (DEV) connues to administer a point-of-sale or lease incenve program for new plug-in electric vehicles. DEV provides consumer educaon and outreach relang to electric vehicles, research and data tracking and stakeholder coordinaon.

Ways & Means – Carol Ode

House Ways & Means The Ways and Means Commiee views our work in the context of six pillars that underlie good tax policy: sustainability and reliability, economic compeveness, fairness, simplicity, accountability and tax neutrality. To watch a four-part online workshop on these principles, hosted in recent weeks by the commiee, click here.

School Budgets & Yield Bill Every year the legislature sets the educaon property tax rate in the “Yield Bill.” This is a complicated formula based on the sum of school district budgets, the number of equalized pupils, and the balance needed in the Educaon Fund aer other revenue is taken into account. This has been a difficult year for revenue projecons (along with everything else) and a leer from the Tax Department sent in December, based on outdated projecons, pointed to significantly increased tax rates. Fortunately, thanks to significant federal spending and direct federal payments to individuals, we saw increased consumer spending statewide that led to revenues in the Educaon Fund above and beyond our expectaons. Much of this spending happened online and Vermont has been well-poised to collect sales tax on those online sales because of recent legislaon allowing us to collect taxes on such purchases sold into the state.

Addionally, proposed spending from school districts, as reported to the Agency of Educaon and not yet approved by voters, points to a lower increase in school budgets than ancipated. If this trend connues, the average educaon spending increase—which is what tax rates are based on—will be less than 1 percent. We will connue to work on this issue and on final rates, but this is the latest in a series of signals that our educaon property tax rates are likely to be substanally lower than were predicted in December. The yield bill that was passed out of commiee (H.152) will likely keep property taxes close to flat across the state.

15 Tax Structure Commission Recs Approximately every 10 years, the Vermont Legislature charges an independent tax commission with looking across our system of taxaon to make recommendaons for the future. We just received a dra of their report, and it includes recommendaons for moving to a fully income-based system of educaon taxes, broadening the sales tax base, and seeking to tax wealth more accurately through capital gains, estate tax changes, and more. Their recommendaons are not immediately aconable but will help guide our work over the next few biennium.

Corporate Income Tax Changes Proposed corporate tax changes in H.189 are intended to shi the tax burden away from corporaons with a significant physical presence in Vermont by (1) changing to a “single sales factor,” a switch many neighboring states have made as our naonal economy moves towards a higher proporon of service- based corporate income; (2) changing methodologies to determine how to apporon profits (from the “Joyce Rule” to the “Finnigan Rule” — for a deep dive, click here) and (3) changing how to consider any corporate sales not taxed in any other state when assessing total and apporonable sales. Our intent is for the corporate tax burden, in general, to connue a shi to out-of-state corporaons and support our Vermont employers.

Legislature Steps in to Help with 1099-G Forms The Legislature temporarily suspended a limited set of privacy provisions, to which the Department of Taxes must otherwise adhere, to help the Department of Labor recfy errors aer it mistakenly sent thousands of the wrong 1099-G forms to Vermonters. This legislave change, included in the Budget Adjustment Act, will allow the DOL to send corrected 1099-G forms by the end of February.

16