Crossover Week Highlights
This crossover week, policymakers were busy moving their priorities toward a floor vote in their respective legislative chambers, and many bills were voted out of committee. Yet when you talk to folks there you also hear that collectively, we are not accomplishing enough. As an advocate, it is easy to be frustrated when I’m tracking a bill that might not be moving or might not seem comprehensive enough. It is also difficult to look at “the wall” of bills within a committee room. Each bill that sits on the wall is a result of a concern brought to the legislature to be addressed. If those bills were to be taken up, Voices would support some and we would oppose others - but each of them have meaning to someone and each of them took time to draft. Our short legislative session makes it difficult to work through the very complex issues facing our state. Despite all of that - there is a frenzy of activity and this communication offers a glimpse of what we are noticing. Note that we’ll be back next week with reflections and analysis on what’s happening with public education.
(Bills that have been voted out of their policy committees and therefore met the crossover deadline are marked with an asterisk)
Basic Needs
Reach Up – The House Appropriations Committee is examining the disparate treatment that Reach Up – VT’s basic needs cash assistance program – receives in the budget year after year. While many programs receive cost of living adjustments, the value of this essential anti-poverty program has been frozen in time, with benefits completely out of sync with children’s basic needs. We appreciate the legislators and advocacy partners engaged in ensuring that Reach Up fulfills its legislative mandate.
Emergency Temporary Shelter – The House Human Services committee has put a great deal of effort into H.91, an answer to the current insufficient patchwork of emergency shelter. It is critical that Vermonters remain sheltered and that we create safe and permanently affordable options that match the current need.
Budget Adjustment Veto – Governor Scott carried through with his promise to veto the budget adjustment act, the midyear true-up of the state budget to reflect shifts in revenue and expenses. The legislature committed $2 million in excess revenues to extend the emergency shelter motel voucher program through June in order to prevent an estimated 750 people – primarily families with children, veterans, and people with disabilities – from losing their shelter once the cold weather rules expire. This extension would have centered the well being of some of our most vulnerable community members while a more permanent solution is generated. Please reach out to your legislator and urge them to override this harmful veto.
Child Safety and Juvenile Justice
Raise the Age/juvenile jurisdiction – H.2*, which proposes to increase the minimum age at which a child may be subject to juvenile delinquency proceedings from 10 to 12, passed the House. Voices will join a press conference next Wednesday asking the Senate to end the delayed implementation of 2018’s Raise the Age law, which extends the maximum age for juvenile jurisdiction to 19. Together, these shifts in the age range for juvenile delinquency move Vermont’s practice closer to alignment with research findings on adolescent development and recidivism, improving community safety.
Hazing, Harassment, and Bullying (HHB) Advisory Council – The Human Rights Commission held a press conference in support of expanding the Advisory Council to ensure greater oversight, accountability, and prevention efforts in our schools. The bill to make this happen had a walk-through in the House Education committee in mid-February but has not had further activity (H.130).
Parent/Child Representation in child protection hearings – H.193 was heard in the House Judiciary committee last week, but is not on the calendar for this week. This bill would establish a working group to look at parent and child representation. While the bill will not meet cross over for this session, Voices would like to see this effort picked up in the Senate and advanced this year.
Online Privacy Protections for Minors – S.69*, a bill to require social media platforms to adjust their algorithms and default privacy settings for users under 18, passed the Senate and will head to the House next.
Health Care & Workplace Protections
Senate Health and Welfare is working on health care payment and delivery reform.
Birth Doula Access – S.53*, an act relating to certification of community-based perinatal doulas and Medicaid coverage for doula services passed out of Senate Health and Welfare and is headed for a full Senate vote.
Unpaid Leave – H.461*, a bill to modernize Vermont’s unpaid leave law, passed out of the House Committee on General and Housing and is headed to a full House vote. H.461 will expand the definition of caregivers and create job protected unpaid leave for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Immigration
S.44* passed out of the Senate Judiciary. S.44 is an act relating to requiring legislative approval prior to entering into certain immigration agreements.
Other Noteworthy Legislative Action
Three bills of interest were read in House Human Services this week that will not make crossover, but can still be considered this biennium or incorporated into related bills:
H.92 - An act relating to Human Services Board fair hearing proceedings
H.30 - An act relating to the use of seclusion and restraint on children and youth in the custody of the Department for Children and Families
H.192 - An act relating to prohibiting solitary confinement for children
You can watch the introductions here (at the one hour mark) to see legislators who take their role as advocates for their constituents to heart, bringing passion, skill, and care to their work.
J.R.S. 15 received a favorable report. J.R.S15 is a joint resolution supporting Vermont’s transgender and non-binary community and declaring Vermont’s commitment to fighting discrimination and treating all citizens with respect and dignity.
The Governor issued an Executive Order to create an Agency of Public Safety, which will go into effect on 4/16 unless the Legislature disapproves.
In the midst of this frenzied week, I was grateful for a reminder of why I do this work: I ran into a two year old that I know walking through the Statehouse with her childcare center yesterday. They were visiting for Early Childhood Day at the legislature. It was wonderful to see so many people who are invested in early childhood together in one space. The joy, thoughtful discussion and collaborative spirit will carry many of us through the challenges ahead. These types of events are a great deal of work - thank you Early Childhood Alliance for creating this opportunity for all of us.
The Voices team and I are always interested in your thoughts and experiences. Please weigh in on these or other policies of interest to you.