Blog

Tomorrow (Monday) I’m going to join leadership from the Agency of Natural Resources and the Agency of Commerce for a brief event at Glen Park (59 Glen Street, Brattleboro, VT.) to celebrate the investments we’ve begun in our state’s mobile home infrastructure.

Tomorrow (Monday) I’m going to join leadership from the Agency of Natural Resources and the Agency of Commerce for a brief event at Glen Park (59 Glen Street, Brattleboro, VT.) to celebrate the investments we’ve begun in our state’s mobile home infrastructure. As you likely know, almost ¼ of our district’s residents live in Tri-Park, the largest cooperative manufacturing home park in the state. I’ve been working hard to ensure necessary resources are coordinated to reach this community that is STILL struggling with some of the impacts of Hurricane Irene. This is affordable housing at its most livable— accessible, self managed, cooperative. Come join me at 1pm?

As bills are introduced and referred to committee, I’ll try to share a few highlights each week. You can find these bills (and all the others) on our legislative website.

Universal School Meals: H165. Vermont’s school budgets are locally voted and then funded out of a statewide fund. Before the pandemic, some districts chose to serve free school lunches to all students, some districts were eligible for federal money to cover the costs of free meals for all students (due to higher poverty rates) and some schools only provided free meals to those who were federally eligible. During the pandemic, a federal provision covered the cost of free meals for all Vermont students regardless of family income or paperwork and last year, we extended this provision for a single year. This temporary provision was the issue I’ve received the MOST constituent communication about— more than climate, gun safety, or reproductive freedom. I’m looking forward to figuring out ways we can make it permanent this year.

H. 89 - An act relating to civil and criminal procedures concerning legally protected health care activity. This bill is in a category of legislation that we refer to as “shield laws” to protect Vermont-licensed providers of reproductive or gender-affirming health care from the threat of criminal or civil liability imposed in other states that ban or restrict such health care. It also provides some protections for out-of-state patients receiving such care from Vermont providers. You can read more about this new front in the fight for reproductive rights here.

On the Floor

I was so pleased with the budget adjustment act that we passed on Friday. This budget adjustment bill (BAA) H145 includes unduplicated appropriations of $8.7B. This BAA makes strategic, one-time investments in infrastructure, housing, and other areas of need in the state as well as the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mid year budget adjustment process is usually a technical exercise correcting for underspending and overspending across the various departments of state government. However the net general fund increase from the planned FY 2023 budget in this BAA is $91M. Sources of unexpected funds include leveraging of federal Medicaid funds, revenue forecast upgrades, reversions and interdepartmental transfers, vacancy savings, and carry forward funds. It was an intense floor fight as we debated the need to extend emergency housing through the cold months of Spring until we can establish a comprehensive plan to meet Vermonters needs.

We have an extreme housing crisis that is leaving many folks out in the cold but I was surprised to learn in this Guardian article that we’re doing even worse than many other states. Other notable aspects of Budget Adjustment include:

• Adds $50M GF to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) to create perpetually affordable homes for Vermonters and to address the state’s housing supply challenge.
• Provides $3M GF to DCF for the CARES Housing Voucher Program for families experiencing homelessness.
• $2M GF to continue to provide coordinated care teams to continue wraparound support services to clients in the General Assistance Temporary Housing Assistance Program.
• Adds $5M GF to ACCD to continue the Vermont Housing Incentive Program (VHIP).
• Provides funds to address Brattleboro Retreat budget pressures and increases the facility’s bed count and per diem rate with $22.4M total funds.
• Funds rate increases for Skilled Home Health services, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), and Hospice providers.
• Provides an additional $2.1M GF to Adult Day Providers for operating funds through June 30, 2023.
• Adds $350K GF to the State Refugee Resettlement Office for Employment Assistance Grants for New Americans.
• Sets aside $9.2M GF for the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to address the needs of organic dairy farmers. This final appropriation benefited enormously from a few passionate dairy farmers in our district– both the Thurbers at Lilac Ridge and the team at Rebop. Participation really matters and I have such gratitude that in the midst of all the struggle to keep us fed, they took the time to come testify. The lone Republican who voted yes on the Budget Adjustment bill said simply: No Farm, No Food.