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Has it really only been a week since I last wrote? In that time we’ve admitted that children aren’t returning to their school facilities, we’ve closed down non-essential travel and most of us are staying home. Simultaneously, many of us are working harder: as front-line workers, caring for family, and adapting to new systems.

Has it really only been a week since I last wrote? In that time we’ve admitted that children aren’t returning to their school facilities, we’ve closed down non-essential travel and most of us are staying home. Simultaneously, many of us are working harder: as front-line workers, caring for family, and adapting to new systems.

Throughout the last week the Vermont Senate and House collaborated to pass COVID-19 response legislation. The legislation focused on three primary pressing needs: healthcare systems, economic stress, and government operations. H.742 and H.681, are omnibus COVID-19 relief bills. H.681 grants temporary authority to the Secretary of State to hold elections in a different manner in 2020, such as switching to a vote by mail system, and makes changes to open meeting laws to allow for fully remote meetings. H.742 expands the state’s unemployment insurance system to include those whose jobs were affected by the coronavirus and protects employers who lose employees during the pandemic from having to pay higher unemployment insurance rates when staff leave. It also loosens regulations so that health care providers who would normally need additional credentials can temporarily practice in Vermont. The bill expands the use of telemedicine and gives the state the authority to temporarily delay the provider taxes owed by hospitals and other health care providers. We also passed rules changes allowing us to continue our own work remotely and this is just getting started. In fact you can watch all of our committee work on youtube! Just follow the link on any committee page on the legislature’s website.

In the midst of all this other change, the Speaker of the House appointed me to the House Committee on Ways and Means. This is the committee that examines and sets tax policy, raises necessary revenue, and establishes fees. Taxes (while unpopular) are at the heart of building a government that works and is accountable to the needs of our communities. Taxes are how we bring our resources together towards the common good. One line of the official description of our committee jumps out at me: “the better to equalize the public burden.” This will be a complex question in the months ahead, I’m honored I get to answer it in partnership with all of you. I look forward to the new challenge in this incredibly difficult time— both the opportunities for learning and the essential service to our state. Here is our committee page if you want to join us:

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2020/21

This last week also saw the passage of the CARES Act by the U.S. Congress. As a backdrop to the measures taken in Vermont to mitigate the crisis, the U.S. House gave final approval on Friday to a $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief package. This bill gives Vermont as much as $2 billion in support. Among other appropriations for Vermont, it provides over $5 million to support public health preparedness, and over $4 million in assistance for emergency child care for workers deemed essential to the coronavirus response. The bill also significantly expands Unemployment Insurance eligibility and benefits, including to self-employed workers. The exact implications and administration of this expansive legislation will become clearer in the coming weeks and I will be sure to share that information as it’s available.

There are challenges ahead for everyone. It’s going to take all of us. Everything that we are doing, that we are being asked to endure, is towards a best case scenario in a situation that will be painful. We will all experience loss by the time this virus has spread through the population— many of us will experience illness whether it be severe or mild. I hope we can get through this together.

I’m available by phone, email, or social media. Olga and I are airing new episodes of The Montpelier Happy Hour Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays and you can now find them on both Brattleboro Community Radio and BCTV. Additionally, your three Brattleboro Representatives (Mollie, Tristan, and I) are hosting weekly zoom calls every Saturday at 9am. You can join us on your computer or by phone: Click https://zoom.us/j/8916240279 or One tap for mobile: +16465588656,,8916240279# or Dial by fingers on landline: +1 646 558 8656 (Meeting ID: 891 624 0279)

During this time it is crucial that I remain accessible to you and help to sustain a government that works for each of us. If you have a need for something or a question you can’t find help for, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Yours in solidarity,

Emilie