Vermont Legislature SmartTranscripts:

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Will the house please come to order and members kindly take their seats. Good morning. The devotional today will be led by pastor Ben Whitinghill of the Rivertown Church in Brattleboro.

[Pastor Ben Whitinghill (Rivertown Church, Brattleboro)]: Good morning. Good morning. I'd love to begin by just expressing sincere gratitude for all of your hard labors that you do for all the people you represent in our great state. Somebody said two hours is a long way to drive for three minutes and I my genuine thought is you guys worked so hard for us. It's just a small way of giving back to you, and that's what I hope that this is this morning. I hope you know that the church around the state is praying for you in the midst of wearying labors and long days that God would give you strength and that he would help you to lead with wisdom. So it's a real joy for me to be with you this morning and to offer you what I hope is an encouragement on the brink of Easter. I have a poem that I'd like to share with you, but I'd love to set it up with a brief scripture and a bit of context. Seven hundred years before the passion of Christ, the prophet Isaiah wrote of him saying, he was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. As one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted, but he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah goes on to describe this suffering servant going silently to his death, and Jesus said very many times, no one takes my life from me. I lay it down willingly. He went to the cross so that he could lay down his life in our place, all to forgive us of our sin and bring us peace with God. So I wrote this poem called The Sound of Calvary to help people imagine the scene. Can you hear the silence of the savior? The crowds breathing their contempt, him not responding to their behavior, strong and spotless as he went. Can you hear the hammers pounding, iron rending his hands and feet? Can you hear his anguished cries sounding, though his father's will to meet? Can you hear the people's jeering, hear the spit fly from the thieves? Can you hear their mocks and sneering at the one who bore our griefs? Can you hear the shrieks of pride undone as the maker undawns the day? Hear the crushing of the only son as the father turns his face away. If you've heard the sounds of sin's great cost, listen close to what you've heard. Then hear the savior from the cross as the lamb gives the final word. Can you hear him, guilty one? His response to all your sin, it is finished. It is done. Through his flesh, now enter in. The veil now ripped asunder. The father's welcome here. Behold the sound and wonder. By Christ's blood, he draws you near. May God bless you and grant you mercy and grace this Easter to hear the savior and trust him. Thank you so much. Thank you.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Will you please rise as page James Laughlin of Barrie City leads us in the pledge of allegiance? I

[James Laughlin (House Page, Barre City)]: pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God with indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Members we have two house bills for introduction today. The first is house bill nine fifty which is an act relating to compensation for certain state employees, the pay act introduced by the committee on government operations and military affairs. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk (First Assistant Clerk)]: H nine fifty, an act relating to compensation for certain state employees, the pay act.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Now the bill has been read the first time and as a committee bill that carries an appropriation is referred to the committee on appropriations pursuant to house rule 35A. And the second is house bill nine fifty one which is an act relating to making appropriations for the support of the government introduced by the committee on appropriations. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk (First Assistant Clerk)]: H nine fifty one, an act relating to making appropriations for the support of government.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Now the bill has been read the first time and as a committee bill that affects the revenue of the state is referred to the committee on ways and means pursuant to house rule 35 a. We have six senate bills for referral today. The first is senate bill 138 which is an act relating to commercial property assessed clean energy projects introduced by senator. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk (First Assistant Clerk)]: S one thirty eight, an act relating to commercial property assessed clean energy projects.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Now the bill has been read the first time and is referred to the committee on energy and digital infrastructure. Next is senate bill one eighty one, which is an act relating to eliminating the requirement for a precedent investigation for imposition to a deferred sentence introduced by senator Hashim. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk (First Assistant Clerk)]: S one eighty one, an act relating to eliminating the requirement for a pre sentence investigation for imposition of a deferred sentence.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Now the bill's been read the first time and is referred to the committee on judiciary. Next is senate bill two zero six which is an act relating to licensure of early childhood educators by the office of professional regulation introduced by senator Lyons. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk (First Assistant Clerk)]: S two zero six, an act relating to licensure of early childhood educators by the office of professional regulation.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Now the bill has been read the first time. It's referred to the committee on government operations and military affairs. Next is senate bill two nineteen, which is an act relating to an energy navigator program report introduced by representative Hardy and others. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk (First Assistant Clerk)]: S two nineteen, an act relating to an energy navigator program report.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Now the bill has been read the first time and is referred to the committee on energy and digital infrastructure. Next is senate bill two thirty nine, which is an act relating to the child abuse and neglect reporting working group introduced by senator. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk (First Assistant Clerk)]: S two thirty nine, an act relating to the child abuse and neglect reporting working group.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Now the bill has been read the first time and is referred to the committee on human services. And finally, Senate Bill two ninety one is an act relating to travel disclosures for the legislators and certain executive officers introduced by senator and others. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk (First Assistant Clerk)]: S two ninety one, an act relating to travel disclosures for legislators and certain executive officers.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Now the bill has been read the first time and is referred to the committee on government operations and military affairs. Members, we received requests to read four house concurrent resolutions that the house and senate adopted pursuant to the consent calendar. The first is h c r one ninety eight which is a house concurrent resolution congratulating the twenty twenty five Rice Memorial High School Green Knights Division two championship girls soccer team. Please listen to the reading of the resolution.

[Reading Clerk (Assistant Clerk)]: Whereas the twenty twenty five division two girls soccer championship game played under the lights of Burlington High School can be accurately described as a thrilling athletic encounter, hitting top seeded Rice Memorial High School against second ranked Harvard Union High School. And whereas in a contest that showcased defensive polish, the Green Knights and Highlanders goalies combines combined save toll exceeded 35 resulting in a late and low scoring evening on the pitch. And whereas with the with merely three minutes and fourteen seconds remaining in regulation play, Harwood shattered the scoreless logjam, but Rice replied in kind with only one minute eleven seconds left in the second half. And whereas the teams fervently battled into a second overtime period when with nine minutes thirty eight seconds to go, Harwood executed a seemingly goal scoring sequence only to experience disappointment twenty five seconds later as the referees canceled the goal with the assessment of an offside penalty, and this set the stage for Rice to score a walk off goal nearly seven minutes later and clinch an unimagined two one victory. And whereas Green Knight's Peyton Burrick, Bailey Clark, Reese Billings, Eddie Curtin, Maddie Lacey, Celeste Hines, Esme Seer, Ruby Levinson, Maddie Plouffe, Lucy Bart, Stella Cruz, Savannah Nelson, Abbey English, Sarah Goodeis, Izzy Lacey, Grace Bowen, Alex M. O'Neill, Riley Lutin, Celia Leclaire, Summer Nelson, and Lisa Gillianelli will long remember this fairy tale concluding game. And whereas head coach Aubrey Ouellette and assistant coaches Catherine Fisher and Anna Krause, Abby Turner, Kaylee Sullivan, and Zaf Boutinvich were delighted with the 2025 season. Now therefore be it resolved by the senate and house of representatives that the general assembly congratulates the 2025 Rice Memorial High School Green Knights division two championship girls soccer team. And be it further resolved that the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Rice Memorial High School.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Next is HCR one ninety nine which is a house concurrent resolution congratulating the Rice Memorial High School Green Knights Division one field hockey team on winning a second consecutive championship. Please listen to the reading of the resolution.

[Reading Clerk (Assistant Clerk)]: Whereas the undefeated top seeded and fifth ranked in New England Green Knights carried their sticks into the University of Vermont's molten winder field for the season's ultimate division one challenge against the second seeded Champlain Valley Union High School Red Hawks with great confidence and exuberance. And whereas this eager anticipation proved merited as the rice goalie prevented any first half CVU scoring while her teammates shot one first quarter goal and three more in the second. And whereas down but still determined, the red hawks asserted themselves in the third and fourth quarters with one goal in each, but their efforts fell short of the necessary offensive production as rice won the game in the division one in the division one title four two. And whereas the Green Knights who wrapped up Bryce's second consecutive perfect season were Mollie McKibney, Claire Robley, Ela Tetro, Violet Clow, Claire Hamilton, Abby Patrick, Zoe Zoe Martinez, Audrey Morris, Eden Roberts, Mary Moyer, Mary Ann Nun, Anna Walsh, Eliza Fisher, Jillian Grimes, Mary Rasco, Kate Larkin, Sofia Chan, Maggie Robinson, Bella Walsh, Ellie Larkin, and Paige Johnson. And whereas head coach Kelly McClintock and assistant coaches Lucy Stillman and Bailey Sherwin were pleased with the team's great 2025 success. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the senate and house of representatives that the general assembly congratulates the Rice Memorial High School Green Knights field hockey team on winning a second consecutive division one championship. And be it further resolved that the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Rice Memorial High School.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Next is HCR two nineteen which is a house concurrent resolution designating March 2026 as athletic trainers month in Vermont. Please listen to the reading of resolution.

[Reading Clerk (Assistant Clerk)]: Whereas the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers was founded in 1982 as an organization committed to the education of its members, the enhancement of the profession of athletic training and the creation of better health care for the population it serves. And whereas the phrase athletic trainers used to describe their role is providing care you can count on, and whereas athletic trainers are employed in professional collegiate and high high school organizations, industries, physicians offices, rehabilitation clinics, every branch of the United States military. And whereas athletic trainers work together to promote and practice their profession within the state. And whereas athletic trainers have a long history of providing quality health care for athletes and persons engaged in regular physical activity. And whereas as highly skilled health care professionals, athletic trainers specialize in immediate, acute, and emergency care, examination, assessment, and diagnosis, injury prevention, risk management, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of persons who have experienced injuries and illnesses. And whereas the National Athletic Trainers Association represents and supports the more than 45,000 members of of the athletic training profession including over 130 athletic trainers in the state of Vermont. And whereas leading organizations concerned with athletic training and health care have united in a common commitment to raise public awareness of the importance of the profession and the role it serves in the provision of quality health care services. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the senate and house of representatives that the general assembly designates March 2026 as athletic trainers month in Vermont, and be it further resolved that the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: And finally, h c r two twenty six is a house concurrent resolution remembering with great sadness the historic and interconnected 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters that struck the Tuhoku region of Japan. Please listen to the reading of the resolution.

[Reading Clerk (Assistant Clerk)]: Whereas on 03/11/2011 at an underground location off the Northeast Coast of the Oshika Peninsula in Japan, there occurred a nine point o magnitude earthquake, which the Japanese government has designated the Great East Japan earthquake. And whereas this earthquake, the largest ever recorded in Japan and the fourth largest documented earthquake on the planet since this type of data was first collected in 1900, lasted six minutes, and precipitated tsunami that in inundated over 200 square miles of coastal Japanese land and triggered waves that at their maximum height rose over 100 feet, the equivalent of a 12 story building. And whereas the official casualty count from these combined disasters numbered six thousand two hundred and forty two injuries, including two hundred and eighty four firefighters, two two thousand five hundred and fifty three missing persons, and tragically, nineteen thousand seven hundred and fifty nine deaths. And whereas these two cataclysmic events triggered an equally horrific disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant causing three nuclear reactor meltdowns and the discharge of radioactive water, which forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of area residents, many

[Reading Clerk (First Assistant Clerk)]: for

[Reading Clerk (Assistant Clerk)]: an extended period of time. And whereas the financial cost of these interconnected catastrophes is estimated to have exceeded $300,000,000,000, possibly the costliest natural disaster in modern history. And whereas on 03/11/2026, the people of Japan and the world are pausing to remember these tragic events and their impact on Japan. Now therefore be it resolved by the senate and house of representatives that the general assembly remembers with great sadness the historic and interconnected 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and natural disasters that struck the Tohaku region of Japan. And be it further resolved that the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to consul general of Japan, Sayichiro Takahue Takahashi in Boston, and to doctor Masatoshi Kida and miss Reiko Kida in recognition of mister and missus Kida's two plus decades of endeavoring to enhance the friendship, cultural understanding, and warm relationship between the peoples of Japan and Vermont. Are

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: there any announcements? Member from South Burlington.

[Representative Bridget Burkhardt (South Burlington)]: Madam speaker, please help my fellow South Burlington representatives and me welcome and congratulate some of Rice High School's proud athletes, their coaches, and families for their recent accomplishments. The attributes that serve student athletes are qualities that will serve them well throughout their lives, including perseverance, self discipline, and focus. In addition to these achievements, it is also worth noting that the girls field hockey team has ranked fourth in New England and earned a place at the fall national invitational, a first for Vermont hockey team. They're seated in the gallery.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Will the guests and the member from South Burlington please rise and be recognized? Member from panel.

[Unidentified Member from Pownal]: Madam speaker, we've heard a resolution commemorating the fifteenth anniversary of the Fukushima disaster and earthquake. May I read from a letter from a guest in the balcony?

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: You may.

[Unidentified Member from Pownal]: The letter is from the consul general of Japan in Boston, the aforementioned Seiichiro Takahashi. As a representative of the government of Japan and as someone from Iwate Prefecture, one of the areas most severely affected by the great East Japan earthquake, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Vermont House of Representatives for adopting this resolution on remembrance and friendship with the people of Japan on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary of the disaster. March 11 is a day I will never forget. At the time, I was in Rome, Italy serving as a counselor at the Japanese embassy. It was the morning of March 11. When I turned on the TV news, I saw aerial footage of a massive wave heading toward a major city. I watched wondering what movie this might be. And the caption, Sendai Port appeared on the screen. I immediately sensed that this was no ordinary event. First, I called my wife in Tokyo. The line was dead. I called my parents' home in Iwate Prefecture. The line was dead. I finally managed to reach my wife half a day later, and it took five days to reach my parents. With the power out and no way to stay warm, they kept their car running in the parking lot. Shortly after this devastating natural disaster, the Vermont legislature adopted a joint resolution in both chambers to show solidarity with Japan. The great East Japan earthquake claimed the lives of approximately 20,000 people with about 2,500 still missing. Even after fifteen years, the scars left by this immense tragedy have not fully healed. However, the friendship and solidarity shown by the people of The United States to Japan during that difficult time gave hope and encouragement to many. In addition to the 25,000 US military personnel who took part in operation Tomodachi and the many medical professionals who rushed directly to the disaster areas, numerous organization and and organizations and individuals in the New England region held countless charity events and fundraising activities. Vermont has deep and profound ties with Japan, being one of the world's leading centers for Japanese language education. I sincerely hope this resolution will serve as an opportunity for the relationship between Vermont and Japan to further develop in the years to come. Madam speaker, the consul general of Japan and Boston, Zhiichiro Takahashi, and political affairs consul, Kiyosuki Kawamura, are in the balcony. Our friends are here. I would like to welcome them.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Will the guests of the member from PONO please rise and be recognized? Member from Berkshire.

[Representative Lisa Hango (Berkshire)]: Thank you, madam speaker. March is National Athletic Training Month. We have just heard the reading of a resolution honoring Vermont athletic training professionals. Many in this body know that I have great respect for the hard work and dedication that these health care providers give to their communities. They work long hours, often early mornings, late evenings, and weekends to ensure that athletes and weekend warriors remain healthy and strong. They help us regain physical strength in the workplace, on sports teams, and at schools or in military service. Not only do they work diligently to make sure injured athletes or employees heal fully, but they are also on the front lines of prevention. They instruct athletes on the most effective way to run, jump, and lift weights, advise our workforce on proper posture for sitting, standing, and lifting in the workplace, assist older Vermonters back to better mobility after sustaining lifestyle changing medical events, and are trained to recognize mental health conditions and physical challenges in both children and adults. They these dedicated professionals are a valuable piece of the health care delivery puzzle. Today, madam speaker, please help me welcome Jess Moore, president of the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers and associate head athletic trainer at Norwich University Eugene Santos, governmental affairs chair of VAAT and associate head athletic trainer in the UVM athletic medicine department, and Chris Despins, head athletic trainer at Saint Johnsbury Academy to the State House. They are seated in the gallery.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Will the guest member from Berkshire please rise and be recognized? Member from Lincoln.

[Unidentified Member from Lincoln]: Thank you, madam speaker. Imagine if on a cold winter's morning, you and several of your schoolmates hiked across the land for a couple of miles to a structure and then gathered firewood needed to heat the structure, and then sorted out who would do which task, including getting some water that might have been frozen. Imagine further that the battery array is fired up, and once collective tasks were sufficiently completed, you pulled out your Chromebook and started working on GIS, Google Earth mapping of wetlands, or calculated parabolic structures, or read the words of Henry David Thoreau, or read your own words. Cell phones are left at the door. There are real face to face interactions and problem solving and discussions and learning. How does a group figure out how to run its own community? And also very importantly, how does one sharpen a pencil using a knife? Sometimes there are projects that interact with the broader community such as a garden for growing food, fresh produce to be enjoyed and brought to the local food shelf, but mostly it seems there is the joy and challenge of place based learning in and on the Vermont landscape. This is Pond Brook, a fully accredited Vermont school with an approved interdisciplinary curriculum that is an exploration of science, society, mathematics, culture, art, literacy, technology, and health, all through the lens of the Vermont landscape. This is curriculum centered on the adolescent person, seventh through tenth grade. I have the great pleasure of introducing 14 pond brookians who are seated up in the balcony. Jasper, Nico, Hadrian, Liam, Tyler, poet, Mark, Willow, Owen, Simone, Dalvin, James, Sawyer, and Andre. And their teachers, Cammy Thompson, science, Casey Burgardt, Eric Warren, social studies and language arts. Their year long focus this academic year is entitled We the People. Can you please help me welcome the people of Pondbrook to the People's House?

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Will the guests of the member from Lincoln please rise and be recognized? Member from Glover.

[Unidentified Member from Glover]: Madam speaker, I have another group of place based students to welcome to the house today. The food ethics class from Sterling College on Craftsbury Common has joined us today, one of Vermont's smallest and most unique colleges. They're here with their teacher Liz Chadwick and students Lily Anne Keeley, Abigail Robinson, Abigail Weinstein, Finn Horik, Alex Wano, Joaquin Robledo, Chris Prescott, and Karen Ponsor. And please help me welcome them to the people's house.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Will the guest, the member from Glover, please rise and be recognized. Member, are there any further announcements? Member from Cambridge.

[Representative Lucy Boyden (Cambridge)]: Thank you, madam speaker. The rural caucus received an email from me last night with a couple of reminders of upcoming events and meetings. Please read it if you haven't already, and I'm happy to answer any questions. The rural caucus will meet tomorrow morning from eight to 08:45 in Room 10 and on Zoom to discuss rural health care. Additionally, the rural caucus will be hosting a hosting a listening session to hear from rural Vermonters tomorrow from 05:30 to 7PM in Room 10 and on Zoom. All are welcome.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Member from Montpelier.

[Representative Conor Casey (Montpelier)]: Madam Speaker, the working Vermonters Caucus will have a check-in tomorrow in Room 41 at noon. We'll squeeze in.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Are there any further announcements? Members before I gabble in for orders of the day, I want to give you an update on bill order. We will start with House Bill eight sixty one which is an act establishing an Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator. The second bill we will take up is House Bill nine thirty one which is miscellaneous changes to education law. We will then return to the order of the calendar starting with eightseventeen, nineforty one, ninetwenty eight, ninethirty two and then we will return to see if ways and means need more time. So we may need to bump some other bills down. So just a reminder on the order, house bill eight sixty one, house bill nine thirty one, house bill eight seventeen, then nine forty one, then nine twenty eight and then nine thirty two. Are we ready for house bill eight sixty one? Members, we are, ensuring that we have our ALS interpreter ready for the bill. We are good to go with that. Orders of the day. Members, we will begin with house bill eight sixty one which is an act relating to establishing an Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator. The bill was referred to the committee on general and housing which recommends that the bill be amended as printed in today's calendar. The member from West Windsor, representative Burrows will speak for the committee. Then carrying an appropriation, the bill was referred to the committee on appropriations which recommends that the report of the committee on general and housing be amended as printed in today's calendar. The member from Waterbury, representative Stevens will speak for that committee. Please listen to the second reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk]: H eight sixty one, an act relating to establishing an Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Member from West Windsor.

[Representative Elizabeth Burrows (West Windsor)]: Oh, thank you, madam speaker. I wanna take a moment to just take this in. The reason I need to take this in is that we have never been here before. And today, an American sign language interpreter interpreter is translating this floor speech on the house live feed so that members of our deaf community may watch and understand what is happening as it is happening. And for that reason, I just wanna take a moment to thank our sergeant at arms, Agatha Kessler, for figuring out how to make this happen. And for creating needed accessibility in this building. Megan Canela for arranging for interpretation. Erin Cruman for arranging its broadcast, and clerk of the house, Betsy Ann Rask, for coordinating the timing of this bill presentation. This is what coordinated access looks like, and it has been amazing to watch happen. Thank you all. If you ever wanna know why I walk these halls with a cane or why I'm constantly asking for this building to may be made easier to navigate, please ask me and I will tell you. I am one of so many people who were never thought of when systems or buildings were constructed. I spent much of my life my younger life on crutches and was often told to suck it up because no one really wanted to hear about it. And so I lost whatever voice I had in the process of swallowing my complaints. I didn't push back on barriers that my peers didn't have to clear. I didn't even point them out because I didn't know I could. The social conditions that we carry with us. Pranks, yelling, teasing, derogatory names, comments including those made with well meaning intentions. All of it stays with us. Even today, as a 56 year old public servant, I hear comments from my own legislative colleagues, like maybe you should have thought of that before you decided to run for office. Comments that reveal not just indifference, but a very basic lack of understanding what access actually means. Our needs are not special. They are very plain, but we can't access remedies on our own. Thankfully, we also have rights. The Americans with Disabilities Act became federal law in 1990. It is a baseline, a baseline for autonomy, dignity, and participation. It contains the right to autonomy for every single American with a disability. I am one of more than one hundred and fifty thousand Vermonters who live with some type of disability. Roughly half of us live with multiple disabilities. That's according to the Vermont Department of Health's twenty twenty four state health assessment. From that report, disabled Vermonters are less likely to use preventive health care services, in part because health care providers are sometimes unable to offer accessible offices and services. Long wait times, transportation difficulties, long travel times to meet with specialists cause many Vermonters with disabilities to not receive timely, high quality care. Disabled Vermonters are more likely to struggle to find jobs. Approximately fifty nine percent of adult adults with a mobility disability and sixty five percent with multiple disabilities in Vermont earn less than $25,000 a year. Vermonters believe in taking care of each other and so we invest tax dollars in services for disabled Vermonters. But we need to ask, are we doing it effectively? Vermont's state administration is organized into multiple semi independent agencies and departments, each with significant autonomy over programs, staffing, and policies. Accessibility procedures differ across all those agencies. Accommodation processes vary widely. Accessibility expertise is uneven. Many agencies do have dedicated accessibility specialists, and they do outstanding jobs at providing access. But for some agencies and departments, ADA responsibilities are added onto existing roles. ADA compliance depends heavily on individual knowledge and initiative with training that may be optional or inconsistent. The point is that the ADA is applied wildly unevenly across our state government. Add to that, the fact that we also lacked lacked coordination across departments that directly impact disabled Vermonters. Transportation supports, health care related services, employment services, and digital access or benefits platforms, all administered by by separate departments, ignores the fact disabled Vermonters do not experience transportation policy in isolation from health care policy or employment policy. They experience all of it at once. With no central authority ensuring that these programs are aligned in practice, eligibility rules conflict, service time lines are misaligned, and systems that are each functioning individually can still fail collectively. Having a statewide ADA coordinator would not only improve compliance, it would coordinate these programs to actually function as a system. Identifying where gaps between programs create barriers and aligning policies to avoid blocking access to services, ensure that cross agency initiatives are designed with accessibility from the start rather than patched together after the fact. This kind of coordination turns disconnected services into a coherent pathway. It means that people with disabilities experience one state government that functions consistently. We can do that in a small state like ours. We can use our smallness as an advantage. In Vermont, ADA compliance responsibilities are fragmented. Employment accommodations for state employees are handled through human resources. Physical access to state buildings is handled by BGS. At the agency of digital services, technology requests are handled individually without a consistent overarching approach that evolving the, to evolving accessibility standards. And in some cases, our state leaves federal funding and other grants on the table for upgrades required by the ADA. Because responsibilities are split, no single office is obligated to monitor overall compliance. Agencies and departments may assume another office is responsible for certain accessibility issues. This is termed a diffuse accountability problem, and it leads to preventable barriers and ultimately harm to Vermonters who rely on these systems with no ultimate accountability. This was actually why the ADA was conceived of in the first place. And now let's look at our towns. In a rural state like ours, a statewide ADA coordinator can function as a technical assistance hub, helping dozens, if not hundreds of municipalities comply with federal disability law. Without that support, towns are left to navigate sometimes complex requirements on their own when they could be supportive, supported and cooperative in their efforts. An ADA coordinator can provide training for town clerks and select boards, guidance on planning commissions and zoning boards, clear standards for accessible website design, and support for election officials working to ensure accessible voting. This dramatically lowers the administrative burden and saves municipalities both time and money. Many rural town facilities are older buildings, historic town halls, libraries, and municipal offices. A statewide coordinator can help towns prioritize accessibility improvements, guide reasonable modifications, and connect them with state and federal funding sources helping them to avoid costly mistakes. A statewide office can also connect municipalities to shared resources that create shared infrastructure that small towns could not afford on their own. Some may ask whether this creates another layer of government. It does not. This position replaces fragmentation with coordination. It ensures that the systems we already fund work together. And if there are concerns about cost, I would ask what is the cost of continuing as we currently are? The cost of litigation, the cost of duplicated efforts, the cost of missed federal funding, the cost of retrofitting systems after they fail instead of designing them appropriately from the start. Over time, coordinated compliance encourages better planning, universal design, and preventive investment, reducing emergency expenditures and long term costs. Doing nothing is not neutral. Doing nothing is expensive. And let's get to the hardest part of this, prejudice against disability often called ableism. The Vermont Human Rights Commission reports that just under sixty percent of the discrimination complaints they regularly receive relate to disability alone. When we think about discrimination prevention, one of the most effective and cost efficient tools we have is education. Education may not change every mind or heart, but it can change behavior, and it can help people fully understand what fair treatment means and what it looks like. It can help people start to monitor and recognize when they are running afoul of federal law. A statewide ADA coordinator can provide that education across state and local government, and in doing so, help prevent harm, reduce complaints, and save significant public resources. It has been more than three decades since the ADA was passed, and additional updates to it have been made in the interim. We are not at the beginning of this conversation. We are far into it. Our state has too often relied on inconsistent application, claims of limited capacity, and at times luck to meet its obligation. This is not a strategy. H a 61 offers a clear and practical step forward, the creation of a statewide ADA coordinator within the agency of administration. I will now walk you through this short but mighty bill that proposes the creation of this position. You can follow along in today's calendar on page thirteen ninety six. The first section states the purpose of the bill that a permanent ADA coordinator position be created to work within the agency of administration for the purpose of coordinating across state government and in collaboration with agency partners, all state programs, services, and activities accessible to and available for individuals with disabilities. The next section outlines the requirements for candidates applying for the position and who ought to be part of the decision making process in filling the role, ensuring that the hire hiring process is centered on direct input from those affected by the role. The third section enumerates the duties of the ADA coordinator. Among them are that the coordinator shall work directly with state agencies and departments to advance, coordinate, and monitor statewide compliance efforts, ensure communications with individuals with disabilities are as effective as those with individual as those with individuals without disabilities giving primary consideration to the individual's preferred method of communication, educate state employees on their legal obligations, disability access requirements, ableism, and prevention initiatives, and facilitate partnerships among governmental departments and disability advocacy organizations to align policies, programs, and implementation strategies that support compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Accessible Services. The final section announces the supports and appropriation for the role and the effective date of 07/01/2026. Madam speaker. Besides all of the other things I mentioned that creating an ADA coordinator position can do, most important of all is creating a voice, a voice with a level of authority. That voice brings with it inclusion in decisions that affect more than a 150,000 of us. As I said at the very beginning, we have never been here before. This bill isn't just about compliance, ableism, and efficiency. It's also about creating consistent autonomy, consistent dignity, and consistent accountability. Because this is not just about policy. It's about shifting the responsibility of figuring out how to live with a disability away from the individual and their their capacity to adapt to where that responsibility really belongs as part of the system itself. If there's anything that actually embodies our state motto of freedom and unity, it is in creating the conditions in which Vermonters with disabilities may be part of that freedom and part of that unity. The committee took testimony from the executive director of the Vermont Human Rights Commission, a committee member oh, sorry. A community member and former Vermont Center for Independent Living employee and legislative council. The bill was voted out of house general and housing favorably on a vote of ten zero one, and we respectfully ask members of this body for your support. Thank you.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Member from Waterbury.

[Representative Theresa Wood (Waterbury)]: Thank you, madam speaker. Your house human services committee would like to thank the member from West Windsor, in particular her comments this morning, and also the committee on housing in general for this bill. We had some lengthy discussion about it and enjoyed the opportunity to hear about the rationale for it. And I asked members to think about thirty six years ago. That's when the ADA was passed, thirty six years ago. And if we think that this is not necessary, I can just point to very specific examples that we see in our committee about requests for reasonable accommodation. In state government, there's very many different interpretations of what reasonable accommodation means. And I can tell you that people who access their communities with a wheelchair are not being provided reasonable accommodation in such public services as housing in some cases or emergency housing in other cases. And we have numerous appeals before the Human Services Board. All of these things are things that I think can be addressed by the presence of an ADA coordinator across state government. So with that, your committee on human services voted in a straw poll nine zero two, and thanks in favor of the bill, and thanks the committee for presenting it.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: And now speaking for the committee on appropriations, member from Waterbury.

[Representative Thomas Stevens (Waterbury)]: Thank you madam speaker. We also thank the member from West Windsor for coming to our committee to explain this long awaited bill, long necessary bill for our building here, not just for our building but for our government to really fulfill the promise of the Americans with Disability Act. We recommend that the report of the committee on general and housing be amended and this appears on page thirteen ninety eight of today's calendar by striking out section two, the appropriation doing what we do in this committee and the for the coordinator and the section three for the effective date in their entireties and inserting in lieu thereof the new section two to read as follows. We wrote that this act shall take effect on 07/01/2026 provided that the sum of $150,000 has been appropriated in the fiscal year 2027 budget for the Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator position established in section one. We were unable to find funds for that at this present time, but hold out hope that in the process between now and adjournment, we can find those funds. The committee vote to, support the bill was seven four zero. Thank you.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Member from West Windsor.

[Representative Elizabeth Burrows (West Windsor)]: Thank you, madam speaker. I need to ask another member of my committee.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: You like a brief recess?

[Representative Elizabeth Burrows (West Windsor)]: I'd like a brief recess so that I can ask

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: I my have to stand in recess for a moment. Will members of the general and housing committee please meet in the will of the house? Thank you. Will the house please come to order and members kindly take their seats? Will the house please come to order? Member from West Windsor.

[Representative Elizabeth Burrows (West Windsor)]: Thank you, madam speaker. On a very recent straw poll, the house the house general and housing committee found the house, appropriations committee's, amendment to be favorable on a vote of nine zero two. Or straw poll vote, not an official, but a straw poll vote of nine zero two. And we thank the, member for bringing it forward. Thank you.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: So the question is shall the report of the committee on general and housing be amended as recommended by the committee on appropriations? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say nay. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it and you have amended the report of the committee on general and housing. Now the member from Wolcott, representative noise, offers a further amendment to the report of the committee on general and housing that the first assistant clerk emailed to members at 03:50PM yesterday. This amendment is also posted on the house overview webpage and paper copies are available at the main table, member from Lookup.

[Representative Daniel Noyes (Wolcott)]: Thank you, madam speaker. This amendment comes out of a discussion your human services committee had with the sponsor of the bill last Friday. It addresses section twenty three thirty one and can be found on page thirteen ninety that that can be found on thirteen ninety seven of today's calendar. Section d outlines the duties of the coordinator. This amendment introduces a new subdivision nine, which authorizes the coordinator to apply for grants and accept donations in support of the position. This language applies a similar approach taken in August that was approved by this body on March 13. Thank you.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: And now for the committee on general and housing, member from West Windsor.

[Representative Elizabeth Burrows (West Windsor)]: Thank you, madam speaker. The committee conferred with, the representative this morning and heard the amendment. It was found favorable on a straw poll of 08/2003, and we thank the member and the human services committee for bringing it forward. Thank you.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Member from Waterbury.

[Representative Theresa Wood (Waterbury)]: Thank you, madam speaker. And the house human services committee found this amendment, favorable on a straw poll of nine zero two.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: So the question is, shall the report of the committee on general and housing be amended as offered by the member from Wilkert. Are you ready for the question? Yes. So all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say nay. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it and you have amended the report of the committee on general and housing. Now the question is shall the bill be amended as recommended by the committee on general and housing as amended? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say nay. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it, and you have amended the bill. Now the question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for that question? Member from Burlington.

[Representative Barbara Rachelson (Burlington)]: Madam speaker, I rise in strong favor of h eight sixty one. I'm so grateful to the sponsors of this bill and to the health and to the committee on general and housing for taking up the important bill. As I've mentioned on the floor before, my mother contracted polio in 1955. It left her paralyzed in one leg, and as she has aged, the challenges of getting older combined with post polio syndrome have left her with severe physical limitations. When I was growing up, I watched how much of the world was cut off to my mom due to her disability. The barriers made it hard for her to work as well as created major obstacles for her fully participating in the community. Even after the ADA passed, not enough changed. My mom could not attend my children's graduations from middle school since the school auditorium was not ADA accessible at the time. She's never come to visit me here at the State House in part because of the barriers of getting here and getting in the building. She cannot easily access dental care or certain medical care because of accessibility. While she lives in New Jersey and won't benefit from this bill, many Vermonters will benefit. I know from trying to help advocate for her in New Jersey that I have gotten the runaround calling lots of state agencies and elected officials, and I'm a social worker and a legislator. I'm so proud to vote for this bill and know it will make a huge difference in the lives of so many people, and not just the people with disabilities, but of all of Vermont because when we cut off people from participating, we all lose out. Thank you.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for the question? If so, member from Morristown.

[Representative David Yacovone (Morristown)]: Madam speaker, I also rise in support of this bill. I just want to stress the imperative nature of this position for the accessibility of our moms who's living with disabilities. It is high time, thirty six years later, that we address the systemic inequities that we continue to face that are causing us to meet, to not meet the needs through inefficiencies and duplication. And so I hope that we get to read this a third time and I support this bill eight sixty one. Thank you.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say nay. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it and third reading is ordered. Now we'll take up House Bill nine thirty one which is an act relating to miscellaneous changes in education law. The bill was introduced by the committee on education, a member from Cornwall, representative Conlon will speak for the committee affecting the revenue of the state. The bill was referred to the committee on ways and means which recommends that the bill be amended as printed in today's calendar. The member from South Burlington, representative Burkhardt will speak for that committee. And then Karen and appropriation, the bill was referred to the committee on appropriations which recommends that the bill ought to pass when amended as recommended by the committee on ways and means. The member from Burke, representative Kaczynska will speak for that committee. Please listen to the second reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk]: H nine thirty one, an act relating to miscellaneous changes in education law.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Member from Cornwall.

[Representative Peter Conlon (Cornwall)]: Madam Speaker, H nine thirty one has several distinct sections, all quite different from one another, and will be presented by different members of the House Education Committee. The bill would clarify the the sale of a school in regard to the moratorium on new independent schools. It would return Vermont to being a full member of the Education Commission of the States. It would line up statute and rulemaking timelines for class size minimums, and it would allow the agency of education to conduct criminal background checks on specific employees. The body will see that sections three through 12 will not be presented as they are subject of a committee supported amendment by house ways and means. With that, I would like to yield to the member from Richmond for the first section.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The member from Cornwall yields to the member from Richmond.

[Unidentified Member from Richmond]: Thank you, madam speaker. Section one of h nine thirty one concerns the moratorium on the approval of new approved independent schools. The language in section one creates a very narrow exception to our current moratorium on the approval of initial applications. This narrow exception is specific to therapeutic approved independent schools and involves a change of ownership for a school that is currently approved to operate and will continue to operate after the ownership change. The original approved independent school moratorium language was created in the budget bill of 2023. In section e five eleven point one, the current language of the moratorium reads that notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the State Board of Education shall be prohibited from approving an application for initial approval of an approved independent school until further direction by the general assembly. Section one of h nine thirty one proposes to add a new subsection c which I will briefly walk through now. Subsection c provides that notwithstanding the current law subsections a and b of the current moratorium language. The moratorium on approval of new approved independent schools shall not apply to changes in ownership of therapeutic approved independent schools as that term is currently defined in statute. If submission of an application for initial approval is required as a result of a change in ownership of a therapeutic approved independent school that at the time of the change in ownership is approved by the State Board of Education and the school will remain of therapeutic approved independent school after the change in ownership is complete. The moratorium created pursuant to subsection a shall not apply and the agency of education and the state board of education shall process the initial application according to current applicable state and federal law. So that was a lot of legal language about our current moratorium, but to sum that up in conclusion, the exception language proposed in h nine thirty one applies to a very narrow and specific set of circumstances. If a currently operating therapeutic approved independent school changes ownership and if the school will remain a therapeutic approved independent school after the ownership change is complete and if the agency of education and the state board of education determined that an application for initial approval is required after that ownership change, then the moratorium that's currently in existence does not apply and the agency and the state board of education shall proceed to process the application. And for the next section of this report, I yield to the member from Williston.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The member from Richmond yields to the member from Williston.

[Representative Erin Brady (Williston)]: Section two of the bill deals with the interstate compact for education. Through this section, Vermont would be rejoining the Interstate Compact for Education, which establishes and maintains close cooperation and understanding among state executive and legislative leadership on a nationwide basis related to education policy. Vermont was originally a member of the compact but withdrew in 1994. By rejoining the compact once again, Vermont will gain full membership privileges in the Education Commission of the States, which is the organization that was created after the establishment of the compact in 1965. The Education Commission of the States provides personalized support and services to all 50 states, the District Of Columbia, and US territories to help education leaders create effective education policy ranging from early care, k 12 education, all the way through workforce development. The Education Commission of the States has provided useful and timely reports, research, and testimony to your house education committee as well as several other house and senate committees. The dues for the education commission of the states annually are $53,100 and are already accounted for and built into the agency of education's budget for fiscal year 2027. The large I will just note that, there are about 12 pages of language in the bill here related to the interstate compact for education. That is universal language for all members of the compact. That is not something Vermont has drafted nor can we change. We are simply adopting the compact language that exists across the country. For sections three through 12 of the bill beginning, with cooperative educational service areas, we are going to omit, a description of that part of the bill as these sections will be deleted in the house ways and means committee amendment, that will be coming momentarily. So I will now defer to the member from Linden who will pick up with section 13 of the bill.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The member from Williston yields to the member from Linden.

[Unidentified Member from Lyndon]: Section 13 amends twenty twenty five's acts and resolves number 73, section seven, failure to comply with class size minimums. Act 73 states that if the secretary of education determines that a school is not meeting class size minimums over the course of three consecutive years, then they may recommend action to the State Board of Education. The effective date for this provision is 07/01/2026. Act 73 also requires the State Board of Education to initiate rulemaking to ensure compliance with class size minimum standards on or before 08/01/2026. These dates ring conflict and that rulemaking regarding class size minimum standards does not need to initiate until a month after the clock starts on whether or not a school is meeting class size minimums. H nine thirty one section 13 amends act 73 section seven to reconcile those dates. Section seven a in our bill is word for word what is currently in Act 73 section seven. There are no changes. Section seven of Act 73 becomes seven a and seven b is added. Seven b is new language. The three consecutive school years of noncompliance will not count until either the state board of education updates the education quality standards to reflect the addition of class size minimums or 07/01/2027, whichever comes first. H nine thirty one does not make any amendments to policy regarding class size minimums. It only amends the effective date conflict. I now yield to the member from Glover.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The member from Linden yields to the member from Glover.

[Unidentified Member from Glover]: Sections fourteen and fifteen will require the agency of education to conduct criminal background checks on employees and contractors who potentially may interact with children. This came at the request of the agency. The process laid out in sections fourteen and fifteen is the same process that is laid out for superintendents. I will now yield back to the member from Cornwall.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The member from Glover yields to the member from Cornwall.

[Representative Peter Conlon (Cornwall)]: H nine thirty one, the all the sections take effect on 07/01/2026. The committee heard from legislative council, from experts from the Joint Fiscal Office, from the chair of the State Board of Education, from the vice chair of the State Board of Education, from the Northeast Regional Director for the Education Commission of the States, the Executive Director of the Association of Educational Service Agencies, a professor and leading scholar on public education financing systems from the University of Miami, the president of the Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators, and the former president of the Vermont Council on the of of Special Education Administrators. Madam speaker, the committee voted eleven zero zero in favor of the bill, and we look forward to the body's support. Thank you.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: And now speaking for the committee on ways and means, member from South Burlington.

[Representative Bridget Burkhardt (South Burlington)]: Thank you, madam speaker. Your committee on ways and means reviewed h nine three one because it could affect the revenues of the state. We recommend that the bill be amended as outlined on page one three nine eight of today's calendar. Our amendment removes the sections that changed the name of boards of cooperative education services to cooperative education service areas as that name change will be addressed in a different bill, I believe. The amendment also shifts responsibility for payment for certain background checks from prospective agency of education employees from the employee to the agency itself. The joint fiscal office prepared a fiscal note regarding h nine three one as amended and it's dated March 19 and it can be found on the ways and means committee page or on the JFO web by searching for the bill number. The only sections of the bill with a clear albeit small fiscal impact are sections fourteen and fifteen. These sections of the bill would require the agency of education to work with a law enforcement agency to obtain fingerprints from certain candidates for employment that may have direct unsupervised interactions with children. The Vermont Crime Information Center would use the fingerprints to obtain background checks from the FBI. And the AOE estimates that it hires roughly 34 employees requiring background checks each year and that the fees per background check total about $47. So this results in an estimated expense of approximately $1,600 in the fiscal year 2027 and beyond. The as described by the member from Williston, the agency of education already pays dues to the education commission of the states as part of our sort of participation, although not full participation yet in the interstate compact for education. So those $53,100 of dues are already in its budget for fiscal twenty twenty seven. There are two sections of the bill that have an unclear fiscal impact, although the impact would likely be small. First, the bill clarifies that approved independent therapeutic schools may change ownership and while still maintaining their approval. The fiscal impact of this change is unclear, but would presumably be small since very few if any independent schools change hands in a given year. Second, the bill holds schools harmless for not meeting class size minimums until either the state board of education updates the education quality standards to include class size minimums or 07/01/2027. And again, the fiscal impact of this is unclear, but there could be a small one. We heard from the following witnesses, a fiscal analyst from the joint fiscal office, legislative council from the office of legislative council. Your committee on ways and means found the bill favorable as amended by a vote of nine one one, and we recommend that the bill ought to pass.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Member from Cornwall.

[Representative Peter Conlon (Cornwall)]: Madam speaker, the the name change between BOCES and CESAs came at our request. The committee did not take a straw poll. However, when brought up within the committee, there was no dissent, and I think we could read that as support for the amendment.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: And now speaking for the committee on appropriations, member from Burke.

[Representative Kaczynska (Burke)]: Thank you, madam speaker. Members of the appropriations committee received detailed testimony from legislative council regarding the details of h nine thirty one that contains a series of recommendations as presented in today's calendar. The appropriation committee also received testimony from the joint fiscal office estimating that this bill would have a minor or de minimis increase in state expenditures. With a vote of eleven zero zero, your committee on appropriations recommends that the bill ought to pass when amended as recommended by the committee on ways and means. Thank you, madam speaker.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The question is, shall the bill be amended as recommended by the committee on ways and means? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say nay. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it, and you have amended the bill. Now the question is shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say nay. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it and third reading is ordered. And now we'll turn to House Bill eight seventeen which is an act relating to mental health support and substance use disorder prevention in schools. Prior to third reading, the member from Ferrisburg, representative north offers an amendment to the bill that is printed in today's calendar. Member from Ferrisburg.

[Representative Rob North (Ferrisburgh)]: Thank you, madam speaker. I appreciated the discussion, friendly question that I enjoyed with the original presenter of the bill. We continued that discussion offline over the weekend through some negotiations over potential changes. I thought those negotiations were going well, but unfortunately we ran out of time and they were cut short this morning. So what stands is my original proposed amendment. I strongly stand in favor of of parental rights, and yet the committee, when I presented this morning, didn't agree with me on that and rather overwhelmingly. So I'm going to take leave of the house if by your favor, madam speaker, and withdraw my amendment because I have a pretty good idea how the vote would come out in the house. Thanks.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Absent objection, leave is granted. The question is, shall the bill be amended as offered by the nope. Sorry. Members, please listen to the third reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk]: H eight seventeen, an act relating to mental health support and substance use disorder prevention in schools.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The question is, shall the bill pass? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say nay. Aye. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it, and you have passed the bill. Next is house bill nine forty one, which is an act relating to municipal regulation of agriculture. Member from Shaftesbury.

[Representative David Durfee (Shaftsbury)]: Madam speaker, I move that we delay action on h nine forty one for two legislative days.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The member from Shasbury moves that we postpone action on House Bill nine forty one for two legislative days. Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor please say aye. Aye. All those opposed please say nay.

[Representative David Durfee (Shaftsbury)]: The

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it and you have postponed action on House Bill nine forty one until Thursday. Next is house bill nine twenty eight which is an act relating to technical corrections to fish and wildlife statutes. Please listen to the third reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk]: Page nine twenty eight, an act relating to technical corrections to fish and wildlife statutes.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The question is, shall the bill pass? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed please say nay. The ayes appear to have it, the ayes do have it and you have passed the bill. Up next is House bill nine thirty two which is an act relating to the regulation of forestry under act two fifty. Please listen to the third reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk]: H nine thirty two, an act relating to the regulation of forestry under act two fifty.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The question is shall the bill pass? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say nay. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it, and you have passed the bill. May I please see the member from Brattleboro and the member from Bradford at the podium? Alright members, have an update on bill order. We are going to keep with the calendar schedule by doing two House Bill two eleven next and then House Bill five seventy seven. Members depending on time, to assure you we will be taking a lunch break, so I will keep you posted on that timing. So with that, we will take up house bill two eleven which is an act relating to data brokers and personal information. The bill was referred to the committee on commerce and economic development which recommends that the bill be amended as printed in today's calendar. The member from Bradford, representative Priestley will speak for the committee affecting the revenue of the state. The bill was then referred to the committee on ways and means which recommends that the bill ought to pass when amended as recommended by the committee on commerce and economic development. The member from South Burlington, Burkhardt will speak for that committee. And then carrying an appropriation, the bill was then referred to the committee on appropriations which also recommends that the bill ought to pass when amended as recommended by the committee on commerce and economic development. The member from Putney, representative Molliecki will speak for that committee. Please listen to the second reading of the bill.

[Reading Clerk]: H two eleven, an act relating to data brokers and personal information.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Member from Bradford.

[Representative Monique Priestley (Bradford)]: Madam speaker, right now, while we were standing here, there are hundreds of companies making money off of your personal information. Your name, your address, your phone number, your political affiliation, your health conditions, your financial struggles, and you have no idea it's happening. These companies are called data brokers. They don't make a product you've purchased. They don't provide a service you've signed up for. These are companies that operate entirely in the background that most Vermonters have never heard of that are under no obligations to tell you that they have your information. They face no meaningful consequence for refusing to delete it. They collect information about you often without your knowledge, package it, and sell it to whoever will pay. Advertisers, debt collectors, stockers, scammers, anyone. Vermont saw this coming. Back in 2018, Vermont passed the first data broker registry law in the country. We required these companies to register with the state. That was a real step, but registration alone does not give a Vermonter any power. Knowing who is profiting from your personal information is not the same as being able to stop them. This bill takes the next step. It gives Vermonters something they don't have today, the right to say no, to request the deletion of personal information, to interrupt the sale of their personal information. You can find h two eleven in today's calendar on house on the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee webpage. H two eleven makes several changes to the state's laws regulating data brokers and how the personal information of Vermonters is protected. Section one of the bill begins amending the definition section where a number of key changes and additions are made. Brokered personal information is amended to mean any information that is linked to an identified individual or to a device that is linked to one or more individuals in a household. This broadens the scope of the definition, which is currently instead limited to an exhaustive list of data elements. Definition of data broker is also amended to update the meaning of direct relationship used within the definition of data broker. The definition is widened which will likely capture more entities as data brokers subject to state registration and regulation. Definitions of precise geolocation, processor, publicly available information, and sale are added to establish consistency with other Vermont privacy laws. Next, the bill amends section twenty four thirty one in title nine, which regulates how data brokers can acquire and disclose brokered personal information. Language is added that will require data brokers to maintain procedures ensuring they only sell brokered personal information to verified buyers and that the buyers will not use the information to violate state or federal law. Next, the Security Breach Notice Act found in section 2,435 is slightly amended to allow the Department of Financial Regulation to better enforce violations of the act. The data broker security breach notice act is added in section 2,436 of the bill to require that data brokers notify consumers and the attorney general when it suffers a data breach that has resulted in the unauthorized acquisition of brokered personal information. The act is very similar to the Security Breach Notice Act requiring data brokers to notify consumers within forty five days of a breach and the attorney general within fourteen business days of a breach. Violations of this section are enforced through the Vermont Consumer Protection Act. Section 2443F of the bill includes a technical correction to the student privacy subchapter that ensures that just the subchapter is enforced through the Vermont Consumer Protection Act. Section 2,446 of the bill amends the current subchapter regulating data broker registration. The bill requires data brokers to register as such within thirty days of acting in the state and increases the annual registration fee to $900 A data broker will also have to maintain a bond in the amount of $20,000 that runs to the state, for any liability arising under the data broker sub chapter. The section also amends the current information that data brokers must provide when registering with the state. New requirements include whether the data broker collects sensitive data of Vermonters such as their precise geolocation or reproductive health care data. Also, whether the data broker collects the consumer's account information and government's ID information, and whether it has sold the consumers data to another government, a foreign actor, or to a developer of a genetic artificial sorry, generative artificial intelligence system. The fine for a data broker who fails to register is increased from $50 per day to $200 per day along with the cap of $10,000 being removed. Languages added that a data broker is fined $1,000 per day if it fails to provide all registration information. Filing materially incorrect information incurs a one time penalty of $25,000 and a fine of $1,000 per day that the information is not corrected. Subsection c creates a new deletion requirement for data brokers. Vermonters will have the right to request that a data broker delete their brokered personal information. A data broker will be required to provide a page on its website where a consumer can easily find the deletion request and get a response back within thirty days. A data broker is permitted to deny a consumer request to delete their brokered personal information if one of the following exceptions are met. Retention of the information is required by law or required to comply with a court order or the information is used to furnish a consumer credit report necessary for a legal claim, necessary to fill fulfill a specific legal requirements on behalf of a business the data broker is bound by a written contract to fulfill, Used to prevent identity theft, fraud, harassment, or to preserve the technical integrity of a system. Collected or used for the national precursor log exchange. Process slow solely in the data brokers capacity as a processor to a business in which the consumer has a direct relationship, used in connection with underwriting, issuing title insurance, or completing an appraisal. Any brokered personal information retained under one of the exceptions must be separated or segregated from data used for any other purpose, deleted immediately upon expiration of the requirement to keep and not sold, used, shared, or processed for any other purpose. A data broker must allow also allow the consumer to appeal a decision to not delete the consumer's data. The bill then requires a secretary of state who manages data broker registrations, create a page on its website where consumers can view a spreadsheet of all registered data brokers along with the URL to a page where the consumer can request the data broker delete consumer's information. Enforcement of this section is also through the Vermont Consumer Protection Act. Section two of the bill, charges the secretary of state to study the feasibility of an accessible deletion mechanism that would simplify the process for consumers to have their brokered personal information deleted. The secretary will assume that such a mechanism will have several features including allowing a consumer to delete all of its information held by all data brokers through one deletion request. It would also study the creation of a data broker registry fund that would support and offset the cost of creating such a mechanism. An appropriation of $50,000 is being requested to provide the secretary's office with assistance of a consultant. The report would be due back to the general assembly by 12/01/2028. Finally, the act is effective on 01/01/2027 to give the secretary's office time to update its data broker registry system. This bill does not stop data brokers from operating. It does not prevent them from collecting data. It does not interfere with law enforcement investigations, court orders, or legal processes. It does not apply to government entities acting in their ordinary course of operation. It does not prohibit retention of data when required by law, but any data kept under that exception must be segregated, cannot be sold or shared, and must be deleted the moment the legal requirements expires. This bill does not ask data brokers to do anything that responsible companies aren't already doing. This bill gives every Vermonter the right to request deletion of their brokered personal information. Think about who needs this the most. Domestic violence survivor, someone who thought they had finally found safety, whose new address is for sale to anyone willing to pay. The veteran whose contact information has been packaged and sold to scammers. The teenager whose digital footprint is already being monetized before they're old enough to vote. The family who has no idea their financial patterns are being bought and resold without their knowledge or consent. We've been working to build a comprehensive privacy framework for Vermonters. This is a foundational piece of that work. Cannot build meaningful data privacy while leaving the data broker industry operating in the shadows. We heard testimony from the following, legislative finance manager for the joint fiscal office, legislative council, office of legislative council, President of the Association of Vermont Credit Unions, and Attorney three from Cal Privacy, and Assistant General Counsel for the Department of Financial Regulation, the President of the Vermont Bankers Association, the director of policy and legislative affairs for the attorney general's office, the deputy director and director of enforcement for electronic privacy information center, founder of Victory Medium, a lobbyist representing property and casualty insurance, global data protection officer from Lexis Nexis Risk Solutions, director of business services from the Secretary of State's office, deputy secretary of state from the Secretary of State's office, the vice president of the First American Title Company, an attorney formerly at the FTC division of privacy and identity protection, a former data broker employee, assistant attorney general, attorney general's office, founder of Venn Factory, associate director of policy privacy rights from the privacy rights clearinghouse, a policy analyst from consumer reports, a legislative council from the oh, I already said that one. Consumers, communications and engagement director from Vermont Public Research Interest Group, a resident of Montpelier, chief strategy officer from Cohort ID, and a lobbyist representing a data broker. The bill passed out of committee favorable, with amendment on a vote of nine two zero. Your committee on commerce and economic development respectfully request your support on the amendment of this bill.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: And now speaking for the committee on ways and means, member from South Burlington.

[Representative Bridget Burkhardt (South Burlington)]: Thank you, madam speaker. Your committee on ways and means reviewed h two one one because it will have an impact on the revenue collected by the state. The joint fiscal office prepared a fiscal note regarding h two one one dated March 19, which can be found on the Ways and Means Committee page or on the JFO website by searching for the bill number. I will walk you through the highlights of the note. Vermont currently charges data brokers an annual registration fee of $100. The bill would increase the annual fee to $900. The increase in the registration fee is expected to generate approximately $226,400 in additional annual fee income based on the 283 data brokers currently registered with the secretary of state. The amount could be higher since a national company that reviewed Vermont's data estimates that there are 441 brokers active in the state. You've already heard a description of increases in the civil penalties related to the bill. I will not repeat the details. No estimate has been made of the fiscal impact of those penalties. As described previous, each data broker now must maintain a $20,000 bond with the state to cover liability that may arise through their activities in Vermont. Again, no fiscal estimate has been made of the impact of that change in the bill. The bill proposes an appropriation of $50,000 to fund a study by the secretary of state's office on the feasibility of developing an accessible deletion mechanism. The secretary of state's office would make an interim report to the legislature on or before 12/01/2027 with a final report due by 12/01/2028. And, again, no fiscal impact has been estimated for that. We heard from the following witnesses, a senior fiscal analyst from the joint fiscal office and legislative council from the office of legislative council. The committee found the bill favorable on a vote of ten zero one, and we recommend that the bill ought to pass when amended as recommended by your committee on commerce and economic development.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Members at this time, can I see members of the house leadership crew at the podium, please? Will the House please come to order and members kindly take their seats? Members after conferring with House leadership, our plan, for now is we are going to recess for lunch. It is my understanding that no caucuses public caucuses will be happening today. So we were gonna take a lunch break and then be back, at the fall of the gavel at exactly 1PM. The house will stand in recess until the fall of the