Meetings
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[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Senate, please come to order. Welcome senator from Chittenden. Nice to see you here. Our devotional exercises will be conducted by the reverend Christie Leary from the Leaders of Faith Foundation of Windsor. Welcome.
[Rev. Christie Leary]: Good morning.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Good morning. Good morning.
[Rev. Christie Leary]: It's both a pleasure and a privilege to be with you today and happy New Year.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Happy New Year.
[Rev. Christie Leary]: Thank you. With the twenty twenty six New Year coming here, new beginnings and a new start and the start of a second half of your legislative biennium is upon us. This session brings with it some promise for what lay ahead, and perhaps some might feel the burden of what had been in the previous session. Regardless, 2026 is a fresh new start for both the legislature and for you personally. Scripture states in Lamentations three twenty two and twenty three that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies or compassions never come to an end. They're new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. What does this scripture mean for us? Let me pose a couple of questions. Has anyone here made a mistake or regretted doing something? Has anyone ever been unkind to someone or acted selfishly? Probing questions, I know. Or has anyone ever spoken harshly in their anger and later regretted it? Of course, on the opposite side of that coin, has anyone ever had the opportunity and ability to help someone and yet chose not to? I think that I can confirm with a 100% accuracy that we have all done these things or similar things. I also think that it's highly likely that many of us had regrets as well as as well with regards to words and actions that we have done, perhaps or perhaps not done in the past. You see, no one is perfect. Not one, Jesus said. Mercy here in the original language can mean compassion that forbears or forgoes punishing a person even when justice demands it. It is not it is it does not deny the mistake or the wrongdoing. Rather, mercy acknowledges it and chooses compassion as its response. The good news is that scripture states here that god's mercies towards us never come to an end. They're new every morning. His mercy never runs out. Micah seven eighteen says, yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you. Therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion. Let me pray for us. Dear Lord, thank you for your mercy and compassion today and every day. We are grateful for it. Thank you for your steadfast love towards us, and I ask for your divine guidance and wisdom for all those who serve in this chamber. May providence grant mercy and compassion to all those who ask for it. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Would you please rise and join me in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America Are there any announcements? Senator, I'm from Central.
[Senator Virginia "Ginny" Lyons (Chittenden)]: Thank you, mister president. Today is our mandatory discrimination and harassment training that will take place immediately following the fall of the gavel at the end of the session. It'll take about five minutes to set up the technology for it. So once we've gaveled out if senators could remain in their chairs we will pick that up five minutes or so after the fall of the gavel. Thank you, mister president.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: We now have senate resolution. That's the right one. JRS 32 joint resolution relating to weekend adjournment on 01/16/2026. Please listen to the reading.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives When the two houses adjourn on Friday, 01/16/2026, it'd be to meet again no later than Tuesday, 01/20/2026.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Now you've heard the reading of the resolution and the question is, shall the Senate adopt the resolution on its part? Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor, aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. Ayes have it, and we have adopted the resolution. We now have a senate res are we on to bills? Okay. Senate bills for introduction. We have s two thirty seven, an act relating to restructuring the parole board introduced by senator Vyhovsky? Vyhovsky. I no longer have my phonetically correct paper up here so bear with me. Thank you senator. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: S two thirty seven an act relating to restructuring the parole board.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill, and it is referred to the committee on judiciary. We now have s. We now have s two thirty eight, an act relating to revenue for education and housing development introduced by senator Clarkson and others. Listen to the first reading.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: S two thirty eight, an act relating to revenue for education and housing development.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill, and the bill is referred to the committee on economic development. You now have s two thirty nine, an act relating to the child abuse and neglect reporting working group introduced by senator Vyhovsky. Listen to the first reading of the bill.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: S two thirty nine, an act relating to the child abuse and neglect reporting working group.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill and it's referred to the committee on economic development. Shouldn't then that one go to economic development? That's what it says on my paper should go to health and welfare. Gotcha. On the wrong line. Correction. That bill is referred to the committee on health and welfare. We now have s two forty, an act relating to developing state owned affordable housing. Introduced by senator Vyhovsky. Please listen to the first reading.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: S two forty, an act relating to developing state owned affordable housing.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: You've heard the first reading of the bill, and the bill is referred to the committee on economic development. S two forty one, an act relating to the regulating and use of artificial intelligence in the provision of mental health services introduced by senators Gulick and others. Listen to the first reading of the bill.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: S two forty one, an act relating to regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the provision of mental health services.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill, and it's referred to the committee on health and welfare. S two forty two, an act relating to dementia, respite, and dementia capable programming introduced by senator Brock and others. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: S two forty two an act relating to dementia, respite, and dementia capable programming.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill and it's referred to the committee on health and welfare. S two forty three, an act relating to distribute distributing funds to the Vermont Language Justice Project introduced by senator Gulick. Please listen to the first reading.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: S two forty three, an act relating to distributing funds to the Vermont Language Justice Program.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill, and it is referred to the committee on health and welfare. S two forty four, an act relating to the repeal of twenty twenty five acts and resolve number 73, Introduced by senator Vyhovsky. Listen to the first reading of the bill.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: S two forty four, an act relating to the repeal of twenty twenty five acts and resolves number 73.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill, and it is referred to the committee on education. S two forty five, an act relating to allowing telehealth appointments to be recorded with patient and provider consent, Introduced by senator Gulick and others. Listen to the first reading of the bill.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: That's two forty five. An act relating to allowing telehealth appointments to be recorded with patient and provider consent.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: You've heard the first reading of the bill and it is referred to the committee on health and welfare. Orders of the day. We have j r h six joint resolution authorizing Green Mountain Voice State Education Program to use the state house facilities on 06/25/2026. Listen to the reading of the resolution. I think I've got that one. Okay. The resolution has been read already and set forth on Fridays in Friday's journal, which is before you. The question is, shall the senate adopt the joint house resolution in concurrence? Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor, aye. Aye. All those opposed, nay. The ayes have it, and we have adopted the resolution. That completes the orders of the day. Are there any announcements? Senator from Chittenden.
[Senator Virginia "Ginny" Lyons (Chittenden)]: Thank you, Mr. President. Pending announcements, I would move that the Senate stand and adjourn until 1PM, Wednesday 01/14/2026 and just again a quick reminder to remain in your seats once we've gaveled out. Thank you Mr. President.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Are there any further announcements? Senator from Chittenden. Thank you Mr. President. Senate Health and Welfare will meet five minutes after the fall after the, session. Thank you. Are there any further announcements? Senator from Windsor. Senator Economic Development Housing and General Affairs will meet at 11:00 after our training. Thanks. Senator from Windham. Senator this year we'll meet five minutes after the training. Senator from Lamoille. Transportation will meet at 11:30. Senator from Washington. Senate of Natural Resources and Energy will meet at eleven. Senator from Rutland.
[Senator Brian Collamore (Rutland)]: Thank you, mister president. Senate government operations will meet with the house counterparts at 01:00 in Room 11 hear from the two candidates for adjutant general.
[Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Are there any further announcements? Seeing none, the senator from Chittenden has moved that the senate stand in adjournment until 1PM, Wednesday, 01/14/2026. Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor, aye. Aye. Opposed nay. The ayes have it, and we will stand in adjournment until 1PM, Wednesday, 01/14/2026.