House committees tackle three R’s: Race, Relinquishing guns, Reduction of carbon

By Guy Page

Committees in the Vermont House this week will review bills regarding three of the Legislature’s favorite R’s: race, relinquishing firearms, and reduction of carbon. They also will review three-acre runoff, redemption of beverage containers, reorganizing police under one state agency, and raising the standard for police use of force, and new regulations.

The full schedule of all Vermont House and Senate committees, including Zoom links, can be seen here.

Tuesday:

1 p.m., House General, Housing and Military Affairs is scheduled to vote on S.14, which would invalidate any deed or covenant restrictions on property development that conflict with state law.

Bruce Parker/TNR

The Vermont Statehouse

Later that afternoon, House General will discuss J.R.H. 2 – “Joint resolution sincerely apologizing and expressing sorrow and regret to all individual Vermonters and their families and descendants who were harmed as a result of State-sanctioned eugenics policies and practices.” Nancy Gallagher, Author, “Breeding Better Vermonters: The Eugenics Project in the Green Mountain State,” is scheduled to testify.

2 p.m., House Government Operations will discuss H.196, adding two new full-time positions to support the Director of Racial Equity, currently Xusana Davis.

3 p.m., House Transportation will discuss its committee bill and H.94, to further fund electric vehicles, bicycles, buses and infrastructure and initiatives.

Wednesday:

9 a.m., House Corrections and Institutions will hear state officials discuss the governor’s budget as it relates to compliance with stormwater regulations, including the three-acre runoff rule.

This controversial regulation requires all property owners of three acres or more of impervious surfaces (driveways, parking lots, rooftops, etc.) – including the State of Vermont – to implement expensive phosphorus runoff control systems, or face steep fines. Rutland County compliance alone would cost about $300 million, a DEC official said. A list of every affected parcel is published on the Department of Environmental Conservation website.

In the morning, House Education will discuss H.106, equitable access to a high-quality education, and also will hear a Vermont law school professor discuss the recent Supreme Court decision allowing public tuition funding for parochial schools.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., House Government Operations will discuss creation of the Department of Public Safety, which concentrates much of Vermont police administration, training and policy in one new agency.

9 a.m., Health Care will discuss H.210, addressing disparities and promoting equity in the health care system. Health Commissioner Mark Levine is scheduled to testify. This Democrat and Progressive-sponsored bill would (1) establish the Office of Health Equity; (2) establish the Health Equity Advisory Commission; (3) issue grants for the promotion of health equity; (4) collect data to better understand health disparities in Vermont; and (5) require an additional two hours of continuing medical education on cultural competency in the practice of medicine.

In the afternoon, Human Services will discuss H.171, more funding and training for early childhood education.

9 a.m., House Judiciary will take testimony on H.133, emergency relief from abuse orders and relinquishment of firearms. Pro-Second Amendment representatives scheduled to testify are Eric Davis, President, Gun Owners of Vermont and Chris Bradley, President, Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs. William Moore, Firearms Policy Analyst, Vermont Traditions Coalition, has been invited to testify.

House Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife will spend all day on H.175, to expand the beverage container deposit-redemption system to include water bottles, wine bottles, and containers for all noncarbonated and carbonated drinks, except for milk, rice milk, soy milk, almond milk, hemp seed milk, and dairy products. The bill also would increase the deposit on all beverage containers, except those containing liquor, from five cents to ten cents.

Thursday:

House Corrections and Institutions will learn more about the governor’s plan to sell properties at 9, 13, 14 and 16 Baldwin Street, with proceeds to benefit future capital construction projects. These properties include the Joint Fiscal Office ‘pink lady’ building just west of the State House.

Thursday, 1:30 a.m., the joint Legislature will elect a Sergeant-at-Arms, a National Guard adjutant and inspector general, and trustees of the University of Vermont.

Friday:

In the morning, House Corrections and Institutions will hear the governor’s plan to build a “Women’s Correctional Facility/ Agency of Human Services Multipurpose Campus Facility.” The State is working with an outside consultant to develop a long-term recommendation for replacement of our aging and outdated correctional facilities. A final report is expected to be completed during the legislative session.

House Judiciary will discuss H.145, raising the standard for law enforcement use of force.

Read more of Guy Page’s reports. Vermont Daily is sponsored by True North Media.

Images courtesy of TNR and Bruce Parker/TNR

14 thoughts on “House committees tackle three R’s: Race, Relinquishing guns, Reduction of carbon

  1. State-sanctioned eugenics policies and practices? We STILL have that. Abortion IS eugenics. 70% of women abort a fetus if there is a Down’s Syndrome diagnosis. A few years ago the Charlotte Lozier Institute published this: “New Study: Abortion after Prenatal Diagnosis of Down Syndrome Reduces Down Syndrome Community by Thirty Percent”

    • Touchy subject for sure.
      Who must be required to do what? About which pregnancy situations?
      Who should decide? You, Me, They ,law, courts, public opinion, Church?
      Just How early do parents learn of Downs in the fetus?
      Is this religious, objective, personal, Mother’s health, Public, Legal, financial, ?
      Is Down’s the only warning Parents get of a tough situation with their pregnancy?.
      Are there successful adoptions for Down’s children.?
      Lifetime Costs to parents, taxpayers, Gov’t?
      We have helped friends with Downs children

  2. Expanded beverage container deposit-redemption doesn’t accomplish anything except driving up the cost to consumers. More things to rinse, save and take to a recycling center instead of curbside pickup in some towns or taking to a waste site. Just one more reason for those who can to shop in New Hampshire.

  3. Electric bicycles!!?? Are there that many lazy people that they have to have electric bicycles.
    Give me a break.. use your legs and peddle !!!
    I want to know who in the legislation have investments in electric bikes, cars, and buses..??? It’s been proven that Electric cars do not do good in Vermont winter.
    Buses won’t do well either.
    I bet you that the legislation, governor and leaky leahy, sanders and the little peon welch all have stock in the electric deals.

    Electric bicycles.. shaking my head.

    • How do you heat a cavernous bus with electricity from a battery?

      Ya don’t! Ride cold and fog the windows, condensate running down to rust, rot or mold the interior.

      A fan could blow the moisture out, replacing it with more freezing air.

  4. I find it curious that when someone actually questions whether there is systemic racism, the only answer given is, how dare you even question!! You must be a privileged white!!

    So before we go spending money on positions to combat “systemic racism”, where is the science that shows there is, in fact, systemic racism?

    I too look forward to the day when content of character is all that is needed.

    • If you have to deny that you are racist that means you are racist. There’s no way out of this to the woke mob. If you are white you are racist.

  5. The ‘Racial Equity’ fiefdom will expand by tripling the number of employees. What’s not to like about expanding the number of busybodies forcing more ridiculous rules and regs on a decreasing tax base?

  6. I find it curious when some privileged white people question the existence of racism, while others use their elite status to announce, for example, that ‘Black Lives Matter’, as if their presumptive pronouncements are sufficient to assuage the privilege of their whiteness. One can only hope and pray that those privileged whites, arguing amongst themselves as to who is less the racist, will one day judge all people by the content of their character.

    • Why should we all presume that every white person is priveledged, no effort,
      and every person of color is “under-privledged” -works like hell??

      My 75 years of observation, focusing on now, success is available to anyone who is willing to Prepare and work for it, ……and difficulties in life are found equally.

      We each should be judged by our own character and our own behavior,
      and our own efforts.

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