Meetings
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[Senator Ruth Hardy (Addison)]: Ours? Not bad. And now we're golden?
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Will the senate please come to order? We'll observe a moment of silence in lieu of a devotional. Thank you. Are there any announcements? We have a senate bill for referral s two eighteen, an act relating to reducing chloride contamination of state waters. It is referred to the senate on appropriations. We have house bills for reference. An act, h five, an act relating to a hearsay exemption for a child under 16 years of age introduced by representative arsenal. It passed the house on 02/05/2026. Listen to the first reading of the bill.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: H five, an act relating to a hearsay exemption for a child under 16 years of age.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill and it is referred to the committee on judiciary. H five forty one, an act relating to interference with voters and election officials introduced by representative Good Now, and it passed the house on 02/03/2026. Listen to the first reading.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: H five forty one, an act relating to interference with voters and election officials.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill. It's referred to the committee on judiciary. H six twenty six, an act relating to sexual exploitation, voyeurism, and disclosure of sexually explicit images without consent. Introduced by representative arsenal and others. It passed the house on 02/05/2026. Listen to the first reading.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Age six twenty six an act relating to sexual extortion, voyeurism, and disclosure of sexually explicit images without consent.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Now you've heard the first reading of the bill it's referred to the committee on judiciary. There are no orders of the day. Senator from Chittenden.
[Senator Philip Baruth (President Pro Tempore, Chittenden Central)]: Thank you, mister president. At this time, I would move that the senate suspend its rules in order to take up for immediate action s r 21.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: The senator from Chittenden has moved that the senate suspend its rules and take up s r 21 senate resolution relating to US Immigration And Customs Enforcement's operation metro surge appearing in the calendar for notice to be taken up for immediate consideration. Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed nay. The ayes have it. The motion carries. Senator from Chittenden.
[Senator Philip Baruth (President Pro Tempore, Chittenden Central)]: Thank you.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Sorry, I got ahead of myself. Senator from Chittenden. SR 21 Senate resolution relating to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Operation Metro surge. Introduced on 02/06/2026 was treated as bill and referred to the committee on judiciary, which reports it has considered the resolution and recommends that the resolution be amended as it appears on page 69 of today's calendar. And that when so amended, the resolution ought to be adopted. Listen to the second reading of the resolution.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: SR 21, senate resolution relating to US immigration and customs enforcement's operation metro surge.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Senator from Chittenden Central.
[Senator Philip Baruth (President Pro Tempore, Chittenden Central)]: Thank you, mister president. Let me start by saying that one of the hallmarks of our time is that we are threatened with losing the ability to be shocked by events that happen on a daily basis. So things that thirty years ago even fifteen years ago would have seemed to us unimaginable happened in such rapid succession that we lose our ability to respond to each other and to respond from this body and others like it. But the events in Minnesota, Minneapolis in particular have broken through that unbelievable set of now common events and have revealed themselves to be even more shocking than what is now currently the norm. And what we're talking about here, mister president, is an operation by the government called US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Operation Metro Surge. One of the hallmarks of that operation has been its shocking tactics and the deaths of multiple people, but here we are talking specifically about Renee Good and Alex Prette. And I would direct senators first to the resolution itself. There are a couple of pieces of language, and I want to stress this comes to us in a bipartisan way. So it has been drafted in a bipartisan fashion. My hope is that it would be voted on in a bipartisan fashion. But I would direct our attention to the second whereas clause. Whereas on 01/07/2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, a US citizen while she was in her car at a location where ICE agents were engaged in Operation Metro Surge and whereas on 01/24/2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, CBP agents fatally shot Alex Freddie, also a US US citizen, at another location where operation Metro Surge activity was occurring. And then just down below, whereas these and multiple other events pertaining to the methods of enforcing immigration law have triggered large protests. That word methods is key. What we're talking about is not lawful immigration enforcement, not lawful law enforcement in general, but tactics that have shocked the nation. That is masked agents committing extrajudicial killings and then I would add to that the immediate defense of those agents, the smearing of the dead and their families, and then that being followed by the agents being spirited out of the jurisdiction. Shocking even today. With that said Mr. President, the the Judiciary Committee worked through this. We made two changes and I'll direct senators now to the today's calendar page 69. These changes are relatively small but, one of them both of them are important. One of them is grammatical. The other is speaking directly to the issue. On page 69, in the first instance of amendment, you will see that, a phrase has been added and that phrase is based on initial and substantial evidence. So that the clause now reads that the senate of the state of Vermont based on initial and substantial evidence unequivocally condemns the extrajudicial killings of Renee Good and Alex Creddie as grave violations of human dignity, civil liberties, and the constitutional protections owed to all persons. Again, that was a bipartisan amendment. I think it strengthens rather than weakens what we're trying to say. The second instance of amendment is a purely grammatical change to promote parallelism in the verb structure if that matters to anyone. But, with that said, mister president, I, again, commend the senate. We don't often take up resolutions. The other body does a great deal more of that than we do. We tend to reserve our, senate resolutions for extremely important moments. This is one of them. So with that said, mister president, that explains the amendment and the basic underlying resolution. It is my hope that we could have a unanimous vote on this. If that's not to be, I hope it will be a very strong bipartisan vote. Thank you, mister Perch.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Are you ready for the question?
[Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast)]: Roll call.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Mister president?
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Roll call has been requested, and when the vote is taken, it shall be by roll. Senator from Windham.
[Senator Wendy Harrison (Windham)]: Mister president, I have some brief remarks. I just wanna express my appreciation that this was a bipartisan resolution that is a significant Thank you for taking into consideration here. It's a reminder to me and the public that this isn't a Democratic or Republican issue. This is about condemning blatant and obvious violations of fundamental rights that are afforded to all persons in this country. That is something that should always night us. The reason that's important. Is that despite some fundamental party differences we can still come together as the monitors and recognize what we plainly see with our eyes. We can recognize those obvious violations. We can recognize when we when we see our social and political norms being disregarded. We can recognize, when the government is clearly overreaching. We can and should have healthy debates, disagreements, and compromises about nuanced policy issues in good faith. Considering different viewpoints and policy deliberations is, at least most of the time, how we get to better policy outcomes. But, again, when it comes to our fundamental rights, when it comes to the words written in The US and Vermont constitution, we should always remain united. So I'll be voting yes on the second.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Are you ready for the question? Senator from Addison.
[Senator Ruth Hardy (Addison)]: Thank you, mister president. I rise to explain my opposition to this resolution. I come to this issue with a background in military service where respect for law authority, due process, constitutional order is fundamental. Those principle guide me in my decision today. The death references in this resolution are deeply troubling and must be thoroughly investigated. Any misuse of force should be addressed through established legal and judicial processes. However, this resolution reaches conclusions and assigns responsibilities before these processes are completed. As legislator, our roles is to determine is not to determine guilt or innocence. Labeling the incident as extraditional killings through a through a legislative act risk undetermined due process and it separates separation of powers. I respect law enforcement who carry out difficult and dangerous duties in law. While oversight and reform are sometimes necessary, and in this case, very much so, broaden commendation and assumption of misconduct weakens public trust and does not advocate meaningful accountability. I strongly support the rights for peaceful demonstration and freedom of expression. Those rights must be protected. At this time, policy decisions should be grounded in verified facts, carefully reviewed, and constitutionally processed in a constitutional process. Sorry. I believe personal accountability is essential on every level, including within government. For that reason, I cannot support a resolution that's substitutes political judgment for legal reveal or calls for sweeping action without complete factual findings. For this reason, I cannot support the resolution as written. Thank you, mister president.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: I would just like to remind everyone that we are on the amendment to the resolution. Are you ready for the question? Senator from Chittenden Southeast, do you would you like your roll call on the amendment, or would you like to wait for the resolution?
[Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast)]: Mister President, I would like a, roll call on both.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Thank you. When the vote is taken, it shall be by roll. Are you ready for the question? If so, the secretary shall call the roll.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Baruth? Yes. Senator Beck? Yes. Senator Yes. Bongart. Yes. Yes. Senator Brennan. Yes. Senator Brach. Yes. Senator Chittenden. Yes. Senator Harrison?
[Senator Wendy Harrison (Windham)]: Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Hashim? Yes. Senator Heffernan? No. Senator Ingalls?
[Senator Russ Ingalls]: No. Senator Lyons? Yes. Senator Morley. Senator Norris.
[Senator Robert Norris]: Yes. Senator Pershli. Yes. Senator Plunkett? Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Ron Hinsdale?
[Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast)]: Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Bahoski?
[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky]: Yes. Senator Watson?
[Senator Anne Watson]: Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Weeks? Yes. Senator Westman?
[Senator Richard Westman]: Yes. Senator White? Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Williams? No. Senator Morley?
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Please listen to the results of your vote. Those voting in favor 25. Those voting opposed four. The motion carries. Now the question is, shall the resolution be read a third time? Are you ready for the question?
[Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast)]: Roll call.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Roll call has been requested, and when the vote is taken, it shall be by roll. Are you ready for the question? If so, I'll if so, the secretary shall call the roll.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Baruth? Yes. Senator Beck? Yes. Senator Benson?
[Senator John Benson (Orange)]: No. With explanation.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Bongartz? Yes. Senator Brennan? Yes. Senator Brock? Yes. Senator Dorris?
[Senator Robert Norris (Franklin)]: No. With explanation.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Pershing? Yes. Senator Plunkett? Yes. Senator Robin Hinsdale?
[Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast)]: Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Bahoski?
[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky]: Yes. Senator Watson? Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Weeks? Yes. Senator Westman? Yes.
[Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast)]: Senator White? Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Williams?
[Senator Terry Williams (Rutland)]: No explanation?
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Okay. I'll let I'll let him reask it. Wayne. Please listen to the results of your vote. Voting in favor 24. Voting against five. The eyes have it and we have read. We have eyes have it and you have ordered third reading of SR 21 for explanations. Senator from Addison, did you request? Senator from Benson, from sorry. Senator from Orange.
[Senator John Benson (Orange)]: Yes, mister president. The resolution I feel may be perfectly legitimate, but I think it's premature until the investigations are completed and we know the actual facts in the two cases. Thank you.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: For explanations, senator from Franklin.
[Senator Robert Norris (Franklin)]: Thank you, mister president. I'm voting no because this resolution declares extrajudicial killing before investigations or courts have established the facts and the legislature should not act as judge and jury in the place of due process. Thank you.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: For explanation, senator Rutland.
[Senator Terry Williams (Rutland)]: Thank you, mister president. I voted no, but I want people to know that I take concerns about public safety and civil liberties very seriously. But the resolution does not advance accountability in a lawful or constructive way. The Vermont legislature does not have authority to direct, condemn, nor interfere with federal law enforcement operations. Doing so borders constitutional lines, invites litigation, and weakens, not strengthens the rule of law. Resolutions should reflect their values without misrepresenting our legal authority. When we use them to imply powers we do not have or to pressure outcomes outside state jurisdiction, we risk misleading the public and politicizing matters better addressed through lawful oversight, the courts, or congress. For these reasons, I voted no. Thank you, mister president.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Senator from Chittenden Central.
[Senator Philip Baruth (President Pro Tempore, Chittenden Central)]: Thank you, mister president, and thank everyone for that vote and brief discussion. With that said, mister president, I would move that the senate suspend its rules and place s r 21 through all remaining stages of passage.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: The senator from Chittenden Central has moved that the senate suspend its rules and s r 21 senate resolution relating to US immigration and customs enforcement's operation metro search be placed in all remaining stages of passage. Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed nay. Ayes have it. We now have third reading of the senate resolution. SR 21 senate resolution relating to US immigration and customs enforcement operations metro surge. Are there any amendments prior to third reading? Please listen to the third reading of the resolution.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: SR 21, senate resolution relating to US immigration and customs enforcement's operation Metro surge.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: The question now is shall the resolution be adopted? Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed nay. No. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it, and the resolution has been adopted by the senate. That's it. Orders of the day. We have some confirmations to take up at this time. We have an appointment reported out of committee and to take up for confirmation. The appointment is for Kai Samsung as commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation for term from and including 04/14/2025 to and including 02/28/2027, and until its successor is appointed and has qualified. The question is, shall the appointment of Kai Sampson be confirmed by the senate? Senator from Franklin for the confirmation report.
[Senator Randy Brock (Franklin)]: Thank you, mister president. I'm pleased to recommend that this confirmation be approved by the senate. The individual, client Sampson, has been, in and out of state government since 2005, and I'm pleased to recall that I did an excellent job as state auditor by appointing him to his first post at state government. He joined the auditor's office as an internal auditor in 2005. And prior to that, he graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in accounting, a degree in that he followed up with a master's degree in public safe public service. He spent about a year at the auditor's office and then went to the Department of Financial Regulation, which at that time was called BISHCA and in the form that we always add acronyms that nobody remembers year after they've been done. The acronym was Banking, Insurance, Securities and Healthcare Administration, which are the various functions that Bishka, which is now the Department of Financial Regulations overseas. He performed a variety of jobs at Bishka, including that of a examiner, subsequently the chief examiner and subsequently the deputy commissioner of financial regulation and from there you left to go to a job with an insurance company in Vermont National Life. National Life, he went through a number of roles and ultimately became chief auditor of that company. He left the company to return to state government in 2014 when he was appointed the excuse me, 2017 when he was appointed tax commissioner by governor Scott and he formed as the state tax commissioner. He as a as a certified public accountant, he's done accounting. He's done oversight. He's formed a variety of roles both in government and at national life. And now with this particular role, he's gone full circle to head up the Bishka function. Each of the elements of Bishka, he has had experience also in the various roles that he's held beforehand. And so I recommend very highly that he'd be considered for, a confirmation of his appointment, to the role that he's in now. Thank you, mister president.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: The question is, shall the appointment of Kai Sampson as commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation be confirmed by the senate. Are you ready for the question?
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Roll call.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Roll call has been requested, and when the vote is taken, it shall be by roll. Are you ready for the question? If so, the secretary shall call the roll.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Brock? Yes. Senator Chittenden? Yes. Senator Clarkson? Yes. Senator Callamore? Yes. Senator Cummings? Yes. Senator Gulick?
[Senator Martine Larocque Gulick]: Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Yes. Senator Hashim. Yes. Senator Heffernan. Yay. Senator Ingalls. Yes. Senator
[Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast)]: Lyons. Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Major. Senator Bahoski. Yes. Senator Watson.
[Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast)]: Yes.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Weeks.
[Senator David Weeks (Rutland)]: Yes. Senator Westman. Yes. Senator White.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Senator White?
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Please listen to the results of your vote. Those voting yes, 27. Those voting no, zero. The ayes have it, and you have confirmed the appointment of Kai Sampson as commissioner of department of financial regulation. And that
[Senator Randy Brock (Franklin)]: Mister president? Yes.
[Senator Philip Baruth (President Pro Tempore, Chittenden Central)]: Point of information. I'm just wondering about the other name and whether it's possible to
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: the senate secretary has informed me that we could take it up, without report and confirm, that appointee.
[Senator Philip Baruth (President Pro Tempore, Chittenden Central)]: I would like to do that, mister president. So I will move that the non underlying name, Sarah Furman of Rutland, be taken up without report and confirmed with a vote, a verbal vote.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: It will it will take out a rule suspension, senator. So that is your motion?
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Yes. I would move that
[Senator Philip Baruth (President Pro Tempore, Chittenden Central)]: the senate suspend its rules in order to immediately take up the confirmation of Sarah Furman of Rutland, at this time.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Senator from Chittenden Central has moved that the senate suspended room rules in order to take up the appointment of Sarah Fuhrman without report and confirm her position, as a member of the Vermont Economic Development Authority. Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor say aye. Aye. I'll oppose nay. Ayes have it, and the motion carries. That's it. One vote. And that motion got us all the way through the confirmation. So Sarah Furman of Rutland is confirmed as a member of the Vermont Economic Development Authority. Very efficiently done, senator from Chittenden Central. Senator from Chittenden Central.
[Senator Philip Baruth (President Pro Tempore, Chittenden Central)]: I do aim to please. With that said, mister president, pending announcements, I would move that the senate stand in adjournment until 09:30AM, Tuesday, 02/10/2026.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Are there any announcements? Senator from Washington.
[Senator Robert Norris (Franklin)]: Thanks Mr. President. Senator appropriations will meet after the Joint Fiscal Committee is meeting. We think that's going to be around 01:30, but stay tuned.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Senator from Washington.
[Senator Ann Cummings]: Thank you, mister president. Senate finance will meet at 01:30.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Senator from Rutland.
[John H. Bloomer Jr., Secretary of the Senate]: Thank you, mister president. Senate government operations will meet at 01:00.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Senator from Windham.
[Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast)]: Thank you, president. Senate institutions will meet at 01:00.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Senator from Bennington. Mister president,
[Senator Brian Campion (Bennington)]: the senate education committee will meet at 01:15.
[David Zuckerman, President of the Senate (Lieutenant Governor)]: Are there any further announcements? Seeing none, the senator from Chittenden Central has moved that senate stand in adjournment until 09:30AM, Tuesday, 02/10/2026. Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed nay. Aye. The ayes appear to have it. And the ayes do have it. And we'll stand in adjournment until 09:30AM, Tuesday, 02/10/2026.