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. Good morning. In lieu of a devotional today, will you please join me in a moment of silence? Members, we have a house concurrent resolution to read and a special guest here today who is honored in it. HCR three zero five is a house concurrent resolution honoring former representative Francis Matthew Topper for his exemplary service and community service. Please listen to the reading of the resolution.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Whereas throughout his life, Topper McFawn has been known by this distinctive nickname which his mother bestowed on him before his birth with optimistic aspirations, which he has undeniably surpassed. And whereas growing up in a poor neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts and residing in the home of his elderly great great grandfather, Topper McFawn learned the importance of wrangling meal invitations from neighbors. And whereas Topper McFawn's leadership potential was exhibited as captain of his high school boys hockey and cross country teams, and whereas immediate post high school factory employment motivated him to walk, which was more affordable than public transit, to Boston University where he secured admission, skated as a men's hockey terrier, and earned a bachelor's degree in education. And whereas after US Army service and teaching in the Cambridge, Massachusetts public school system, Topper McFawn and his Brownsville wife, Mary Holland, moved to Vermont where he directed a youth employment program at the formerly named Central Vermont Community Action Council Incorporated. And then he thrived during a thirty eight year state executive branch career focused on human services and employment related matters. And whereas he chaired the Barrytown Select Board, served as Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation president, and was a member of the Barry Area Development Corporation. And whereas for nearly two decades, Topper McFawn coached the Spaulding High School Crimson Tide boys hockey team, which won five division one champion game births and two consecutive divisional titles. And whereas in 2004, Fairytown's voters elected Tauburm Gaffin to represent them in the House of Representatives, where he was a respected legislator. He developed many friendships and served as on the House Committee on Healthcare as vice chair. And whereas on 04/03/2026, after nearly 11 terms as a distinguished and proud member of the House of Representatives, Topper McFawn said farewell to life under the Golden Dome. Now therefore be it resolved by the House of Representatives in the Senate that the General Assembly honors former representative Francis Matthew Topper McFawn for his exemplary public and community service. And be it further resolved that the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to former representative Topper McFawn.

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

[Representative Monique Priestley]: Madam speaker, I learned, that who I feel is one of the members with the most, diverse hobbies and talents and, is just an all around, really great colleague. It has a birthday today, the member from Bethel.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Happy birthday, member. Member from Essex Junction.

[Representative Karen Dolan]: Madam speaker, we have another special birthday today. She has been was integral to the commerce committee, then made a beautiful and seamless slide over to your office. I personally appreciate that she comes to work every day with a smile and can do attitude and that she is so good at always finding my lost phone. Please join me in wishing Anna Grace a very happy birthday.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Happy birthday, Anna Grace. Are there any further announcements? Member from Barrytown.

[Representative Gina Galfetti]: Madam speaker, we have some very special guests with us in the chamber today. We are joined today by Mary Anne McFawn, Bennett McFawn, Mollie McFawn, and Kate McFawn Williams. They are the backbone of the McFawn family, a family that has taken me in as an expatriate. As you all know, Topper is my seatmate, and I just am so glad that they're here today and we have this opportunity to honor and celebrate the man who needs no introduction, the mystery, the legend, Francis Tom for McFawn, and I hope you all can help me in welcoming them here today.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Will the former member and guest member from Barrytown please rise and be recognized? Are there any further announcements? Seeing none. Orders of the day. Members, I have an update on bill order for this morning. We will first take up house bill nine twenty one, an act relating to alcoholic beverages. Then we will move to house bill nine zero seven, an act relating to legislative review of reporting requirements. And then the final bill this morning will be senate bill two thirty, an act relating to fair employment practices. So with that, we'll start with House Bill nine twenty one which is an act relating to alcoholic beverages. The bill passed the senate in concurrence with a proposal of amendment that is printed in today's calendar. Member from Cambridge.

[Representative Lucy Boyden]: Madam speaker, the senate has proposed six amendments to h nine twenty one and act relating to alcoholic beverages. I'll briefly walk through the amendments which can be found on page three four five two of today's house calendar. Within section two, subsection c one, the number of fourth class license locations operated by a licensee that can sell products from other licensed manufacturers has been amended to not more than five. Within section six, subsection g relating to malt direct distribution is amended to include that licensed manufacturers shall retain copies of records of distribution and sales made. Additionally and annually, on or before January 15, a licensed manufacturer shall report to the division the total amount of malt beverages distributed during the preceding twelve months. Section seven relating to the perspective sunset of direct distribution has been deleted. Sections eleven and twelve have been added. Section 11 amends the definition of caterer's license to remove location based language and ties it to seven b s a two four one. Section 12 amends seven b s a two four one, caterer's license, to include that the holder of a of a caterer's license is authorized to serve alcoholic beverages at a function at the license holder's own first, first and third, or second class licensed premises. Additionally, the holder of a caterer's license may host not more than five functions per calendar year. Section 13, the effective dates have been renumbered and adjusted. The committee heard from legislative council, office of legislative council, commissioner, department of liquor and lottery, chair, Vermont Main Street Alliance and owner of the Alchemist Brewery, CFO, the Alchemist Brewery, executive director of Vermont Brewers Association, president distilled spirits council of Vermont. On a straw poll of nine zero two, your committee on government operations and military affairs moves to concur with the senate and ask for your support.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The question is, shall the house concur in the senate proposal of amendment? 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 concurred in the senate proposal of amendment. Now we'll take up house bill nine zero seven which is an act relating to legislative review of reporting requirements. The bill passed the senate in concurrence with a proposal of amendment that is printed in today's calendar and the member from Coventry will be moving to concur with a further proposal of amendment there too. But first, to explain the senate proposal of amendment, the member from for Jens. Member from Virgins. And then we'll go to the member from Coventry. Member from Virgins.

[Representative Matthew Birong]: Madam speaker, I'd like to defer to the member from South Burlington.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The member from Virgins yields to the member from South Burlington.

[Representative Emilie Krasnow]: Madam speaker, the house committee on govern of government operations and military affairs heard, the amendment presented by the member from Coventry, about the sister state program and adding this to the reports bill found it germane and an opportunity to correct the constitutional problem that was found in the bill we originally passed. And the government operations committee found it favorable on a vote of nine zero two and asked for your support.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Now the member from Coventry offers a further proposal of amendment thereto that is printed in today's calendar. Member from Coventry.

[Representative Michael Marcotte]: Thank you, madam speaker. The body will remember that h six seventy four passed out of here a few weeks ago. He was dealing with sister state. It went through the senate, passed the senate, went to the governor. I think one day we found out that the governor vetoed the bill because of an issue in the termination clause that was in the bill that gave the authority sole authority to the commission to terminate a sister state agreement. And so we worked with the governor's office as well as our legislative council. We've also worked with the members in the senate, and I wanna thank our government operations committee, the chair in the committee for considering and allowing us to attach this fix to nine zero seven. The fix is real simple and I know the only change that has been made is in the termination clause, and you can find that on 3583 of today's calendar. So it's subsection five. It says the committee may, at one of its meetings, propose to the governor upon a majority vote that an active sister state program partnership be terminated. And it also goes on to state in subsection b that the governor shall have the sole authority to terminate an active sister state partner program partnership. That is the extent of the changes in the sister state language. The only change that's been made since we passed it, since the senate passed it. So madam speaker, I ask for the body support, and again, thank you to our government operations committee.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: So the question is shall the house concur in the senate proposal of amendment with further proposal of amendment there too as offered by the member from Coventry. 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 concurred in the senate of amendment further amendment there too. Member from can you please offer us a motion to suspend our rules to message our action on house bill nine zero seven to the senate forthwith.

[Representative Patricia McCoy]: Madam speaker, I make a motion to suspend rules in order to message our actions on H nine zero seven to the senate forthwith.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: The member from Pulte moves that we suspend our rules to message our action on house bill nine zero seven to the senate forthwith. 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 suspended our rules to message our action on House Bill nine zero seven to the Senate forthwith. Next up is Senate Bill two thirty which is an act relating to fair employment practices. The Senate concurred in the House proposal of amendment with a further proposal of amendment that is printed in today's calendar. Member from Callis.

[Representative Marc Mihaly]: Madam speaker, S two thirty is a miscellaneous labor bill. It came over from the Senate after additions proposed by the General and Housing Committee, the House reviewed and passed the bill on April 30 with amendments sending it back to the Senate. The Senate then concurred within the bill with two further instances of amendment which are now before us. The general and housing committee now recommends concurrence with S two thirty with the two instances of amendment. The first instance of amendment relates to non compete provisions. The house had added two provisions limiting the ability of employers to impose non compete provisions on two groups of employees. The first is lower income hourly employees which are called non exempt. And second, healthcare providers. The senate instance of amendment leaves in the healthcare providers but deletes the prohibition on non competes for the non exempt hourly employees. Your general and housing committee believes the nonexempt provision is in fact important, but unanimously accepted the instance of amendment concerned that the issue was not one that could easily be resolved in the short time left in this session whether via conference or otherwise. It was just too complicated. The Senate's proposed second institute instance of amendment relates to a provision whereby the Department of Corrections and the Vermont State Employees Association are directed to develop a proposal on solicitation in Department of Correction parking lots. The discussion is to be facilitated by the building and general services for consideration by the Secretary of Administration. In other words, a process. We heard from the VSEA, from the Secretary of Administration and from Legislative Council. While there exists already a written policy on solicitation generally around state building parking lots, the Department of Corrections is exempted and there there exists no policy at this time. Despite some feeling in the committee that the measure was unnecessary since parties could meet without legislation, And in fact, they did meet, we heard last week. In the end, your committee unanimously No, your committee recommends concurrence because the language was acceptable and might facilitate discussions. We felt that sending back yet another instance of amendment deleting this section would accomplish little and given the lateness of the session could endanger the underlying bill. So Madam Speaker, your General and Housing Committee recommends concerns with the latest Senate version. The vote was seven four zero. The disagreement lying not on the amended bill as a whole, but simply on whether to pursue matters further with the Department of Corrections piece. So we ask the body to concur with the Senate version of S two thirty as amended.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: So the question is shall the house concur in the senate proposal of amendment to the house proposal of amendment. Are you ready for the question? Member from Pultely. The member from Pultely request that when the vote is taken it be taken by rolls. The member sustained. The member is sustained. When the vote is taken, it will be taken by roll. The question is shall the house concur in the senate proposal of amendment to the house proposal of amendment? Are you ready for the question? If so, will the clerk please call the roll?

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Arsenault of Williston, Austin of Colchester.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Two minutes. Please come to order? Will the house please come to order and members kindly take their seats? I would like to remind members that we are in the middle of a roll call vote. Members and guests are prohibited from using computers, phones or any type of electronic device. Please refrain from the passing of notes in conversation during the roll call. And when the clerk calls your name, please answer in a loud and clear voice so the clerk can accurately record your votes. The question is, shall the house concur in the senate proposal of amendment to the house proposal of amendment? Will the clerk please continue to call the roll?

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Bailey of Hyde Park. Bartholomew of Heartland. Yes. Bartley of Fairfax. Rebecca Vanusky. Yes. Birong River Gens. Yes. Bishop of Colchester.

[Representative Doug Bishop]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Black of Essex. Yes. Bloomley of Burlington. Yes. Bosch

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Bosch

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: of of Clarendon. Clarendon. Putnamary City. No. William Cambridge. Brady Williston. Yes. Birmingham, Georgia. Brigham, I'm Saint Albans Town. Brown in Richmond.

[Representative Patricia McCoy]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Burditt at West Rutland. Burkhardt Brattleboro.

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

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Burkhardt South Burlington.

[Representative Bridget Burkhardt]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Burrows of West Windsor. Yes. Burditt Cabot. Campbell of Saint Johnsbury? Yes. Canfield for Haven? Carris Duncan of Whitingham? Casey Montpelier?

[Representative Conor Casey]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Casey Hubbardton? Chief in East Montpelier. Charlton and Chester. Christie of Hartford, Gina Burlington, Coffin and Cavendish. No. Cole of Hartford. Yes. Conlon and Cornwall.

[Representative Peter Conlon]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Cooper Pownall.

[Representative Jonathan Cooper]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Corcoran of Bennington. Critchlow of Colchester? Yes. Demar of Venusburg? No. Dickinson of Saint Almightstown? No. Dobrovich of Williamstown? No. Dodge of Essex? Donahue of Essex Junction? Yes. Dolgin at Saint Johnsbury? No. Donahue of Northfield? Duke of Burlington?

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

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Durfee of Shasbury? Eastes of Guilford? Yes. Emmons of Springfield? Yes. Feltus of Linden? No. Galfetti, a very town? No. Carris Duncan of Essex? Yes. Woman in Rockingham? Goodnight, Bradborough.

[Representative Ian Goodnow]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Ghostland on Northfield. No. Granting a Jericho. Yes. Greer Bennington. Greg Warrior Fairfield. No. Tango of Berkshire.

[Representative Marc Mihaly]: No.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Harper of Glover? Yes. Harvey of Castleton? No. Hedrick of Burlington?

[Representative Michael Marcotte]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Higley of Lowell? No. Hookham of Norwich? Yes. Cooper Randolph? Potenavessic Junction. Yes. Howard of Rutland City.

[Representative Mary E. Howard]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Hallander Rutland Town. No. Put at Hartford. Yes. Hunter Manchester. Yes. James of Manchester.

[Representative Kathleen James]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Kasenska, Burke. Keyser, Rutland City. Kimball Woodstock. Yes. Kupner, Burlington.

[Representative Michael Marcotte]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Corcoranizer, Brattleboro. Yes. Krasno, South Burlington.

[Representative Emilie Krasnow]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Labor Morgan. No. Mollie Schauburn. Llona South Burlington.

[Representative Marc Mihaly]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Lamonamorstown. Yes. Lerusha Franklin. Lipsky of Stow.

[Representative Michael Marcotte]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Logan of Burlington. Long and Newfane.

[Representative Emily Long]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Long and Milton. No. Leaders of Lincoln. Yes. Lun of Saint Albans City. No. Maguire of Bretland City. Malay of Pittsburgh. Mark out of Coventry. No. As in a Thetford. Yes. McKenna Montpelier. Yes. McCoy Pultney. Yes. McGilliber Port. Yes. Nicholas of Milton.

[Representative Marc Mihaly]: No.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Mollie of Callis. Meniere of South Burlington.

[Representative Brian Minier]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Morgan Ela Milton. Morgan Emma Milton. Morris of Springfield.

[Representative Michael Marcotte]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Morris of Bennington. Mora Weston. Roeke and Putney. Nelson and Derby. Nielsen and Brandon. Michael Benington.

[Representative Marc Mihaly]: North

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: of Fairisburg. Moise of Woke. Neutron of South Burlington. O'Brien of Tunbridge. Yeah. O'Dea Burlington.

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

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Oliver of Sheldon.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: No.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Olson of Starksboro.

[Representative Marc Mihaly]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Page of Newport City. Parsons in Newbury. No. Haso of Colchester. Yes. Pinson, all of Dorset. No. Pat to Hinesburg.

[Representative Lucy Boyden]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Powers Waterford. No. Priestly Bradford. Yes. Bridget of Pollock. Quinby of Linden?

[Representative Michael Marcotte]: No.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Rachel's in Burlington? Seco, it's Randolph?

[Representative Larry Satcowitz]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Shy of Middlebury?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Scully of Burlington? Sheldon of Middlebury? Yes. Sibily of Dover? Yes. Sousie of Berrytown? No. Southworth Of Walden? No. Square Of Underhill? Yes. Steady in Milton? No. Stevens of Waterbury?

[Representative Thomas Stevens]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Stone Of Burlington? Yes. Sweeney of Shelburne?

[Representative Shawn Sweeney]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Tyler V. Corcoran? No. Taylor Munden? Thomas Tomlinson? Torrey Marktown? Walker or Swanton. Wasasak of Berry City.

[Representative Edward "Teddy" Waszazak]: Yes.

[BetsyAnn R. Wrask (Clerk of the House)]: Waters Evans of Charlotte. Yes. Wells of Brownington. No. What about Weitzfield? Yes. What about the? Yes. Winter Of Ludlow. Woodwaterberry. Yes. Jacoboni, Morristown. Yes. Williston. Brigham. I'm Saint Albans Town. Burditt, West Rutland. Chapin East Montpelier. Christie of Hartford. Gina Burlington. Dodge of Essex. Donahue Northfield, Greer Bennington, Lallie Schauburn, Maguire, Rutland City, Morgan Ela Milton, Morgan Emma Milton, Nielsen and Brandon, Alyssa Wilkert, Rachel Center Burlington, and Walker Swanton.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: For purpose of explanation, member from Fairfax.

[Representative Ashley Bartley]: Madam speaker, I voted no because the senate proposal of amendment allows for unfair labor practices on Department of Corrections property. This is not a precedent we want to set.

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

[Representative Thomas "Tom" Charlton]: Section three of this bill is inappropriate. The balance of the bill offers a glimmer of hope for rural health care. And for that reason alone, I vote yes.

[Representative Jill Krowinski (Speaker of the House)]: Members please listen to the results of your vote. Those voting yes, 85. Those voting no, 48. The ayes have it and you have concurred in the senate proposal of amendment. Members at this time we will recess. Please keep an eye on your email for, bill updates for the afternoon session. With that the house will stand in recess until the fall of the gavel at 1PM.