By Guy Page
Vermont farmers are dumping milk while shoppers worry about food supply. The tug and war over “compassionate release” of inmates from Vermont prisons continues. Should evictions and foreclosures be postponed? Are Vermont minorities being adversely impacted by Covid-19? Vermont school districts are in a bind because it’s hard to schedule revotes on failed school budgets, and the state education fund is at least $40 million in the hole after every surplus and rainy day dollar has been spent.
To see the committee meetings recorded on Zoom and available on YouTube, click on the committee name below. Click here for weekly schedule of all committee meetings.
HOUSE
Tuesday: Dairy supply and distribution, Food systems, farmers markets
Friday: Committee Discussion
Wednesday: Covid-19 unemployment
Commerce & Economic Development
Thursday: Meeting with industry groups about their issues and needs
Tuesday & Thursday: S.338 justice reinvestment (probation & parole for inmates)
Tuesday: Covid-19 response: Mental Health
Friday: School district budgets, possible Act 173 (Special Ed) delay
Tuesday: Covid-19 committee discussion
Wednesday: committee meeting
General, Housing, & Military Affairs
Tuesday: S.333 – moratorium on evictions, foreclosure during state of emergency
Wednesday: remote notarizations, elections contengency planning
Thursday: Covid-19 response legislation
Tuesday: H.742 – VT response to Covid-19
Wednesday: Diversity & equity issues
Thursday: Covid-19 response – update on federal funds, community hospitals
Tuesday: foster care, family visitation
Wednesday: economic services
Thursday: home care workers
Agenda not published
Natural Resources, Fish, & Wildlife
Agenda not published
Wednesday: H.942, Transportation Bill. Covid-19 discussion.
Wednesday: committee discussion
Friday: School district budgets
SENATE
Thursday: C-19 response committee discussion
Agenda not published
Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs
Tuesday: C-19 response – state, federal housing programs and assistance.
Wednesday: C-19 response – workers compensation
Tuesday: Act 173 delay, default educational budget, higher ed projections & needs
Thursday: TBD
Tuesday – C19 response – treasurer’s report, short-term borrowing, local government issues
Thursday – education financing
Tuesday – property taxes
Thursday – funds affecting municipalities, EMS, law enforcement
Friday – DPS update, posting notices
Tuesday: C19 response – foster care implications, H.742
Wednesday: Medication, pharmaceutical issues, diversity and equity issues
Thursday: update on federal funds, community hospitals
Friday: Broadband & internet issues
Agenda not published
Judiciary
Wednesday: public safety update, corrections update, foster care/visitations update, judicial confirmations, offender release during emergency, sunset of Racial Disparities Act, Justice Reinvestment II
Agenda not published
Agenda not published
Read more of Guy Page’s reports.
RE; Milk Dumping:
When was the last time anyone heard from the processors and the retailers, in a positive fashion? When the retailers have to be told there is no shortage of milk, and their prices have not changed one cent on a unit, that speaks volumes, and it is not in favor of the dairy producers either. Getting these monsters to the table should be the next move, because nothing will change otherwise. How long is it going to be before these facts will be learned, ALL entities will work toward a solution, rather than 1 or 2 entities continually being a part of the problem?
All proving a very simple maxim: Government doesn’t work.
Hear, hear!