Meetings
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[Senator Terry Williams (Rutland)]: Where's all of them?
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Will the senate please come to order? We'll take a moment of silence in lieu of a devotional. Thank you. Are there any announcements? Senator from Washington.
[Senator Ann Cummings (Washington)]: Thank you, mister president. I move that the committee on finance group be relieved of h seven twenty seven, an act relating to sustain sustainable data center deployment, and that the bill be committed to the committee on natural resources and energy.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: The senator from Washington has moved that the senate finance committee be relieved of h seven twenty seven, an act relating to sustainable data center deployment, and that the bill be committed to the Committee on Natural Resources and Energy. Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. The ayes have it, and the motion carries. Senator from Rutland.
[Senator Brian Collamore (Rutland)]: Thank you, mister president. I'd like to move that all gubernatorial appointees
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: from Rutland, could we wait and do that at the end? Most certainly. Thank you, sir. We now have a house. Another one for referral. 944. Okay. House bill for reference. Under rule 31, we have h nine forty four, an act relating fiscal year twenty twenty seven transportation program and miscellaneous changes to law related to transportation being on the calendar for notice and affecting the revenue of the state under rule 31. It's referred to the committee on finance. We now have that one goes to is that under 31? Okay. I got two that say finance, but that goes to appropes. Yeah. We have h seven sixty two being on the calendar for notice in affecting the the expenditures of the state under rule 31 as referred to the committee on appropriations. Alright. I'm all out of order here. Got it. We now have h nine fifty five. An act relating to the next steps in transforming Vermont's education system. It passed the house on 04/17/2026. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: H nine fifty five, an act relating to the next steps in transforming Vermont's education system.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Having failed to meet crossover, but having been given pre, not that one.
[Senator Brian Collamore (Rutland)]: Not yet.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: It this is, under rule 44, going to be referred to the rules committee. It's okay. The rules committee was late, so they didn't get their work done. So we had to make adjustments on the fly. Orders of the day. Let's see. We not that one. We have h four ten for third reading. Are there any amendments prior to third reading? Seeing none, listen to the third reading of the bill.
[John H. Bloomer Jr. (Secretary of the Senate)]: H four ten, an act relating to the calculation of recidivism and other related criminology measures.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: The question is, shall the bill pass in concurrence with proposal of amendment? Are you ready for question? If so, all in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed nay. The ayes have it, and we have passed h four ten in concurrence with proposal of amendment. We now have on the calendar for action h seven twenty three introduced on 01/20/2026. It was referred to the committee on natural resources and energy, which reports it is considered the bill and recommends that it ought to pass in concurrence.
[Senator Terry Williams (Rutland)]: Listen to the second reading of the bill. H seven twenty three, an act relating to posting of land.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Recognize the senator from Rutland, senator Williams, for the report of the committee on natural resources and energy.
[Senator Terry Williams (Rutland)]: Thank you, mister president. It likes to report age is seven twenty three in active link. It's posting of land to be found on page thirteen forty three of the today's calendar. This is a narrow targeted bill that clarifies how Vermont land posting law operates in practice and resolves confusion across from a recent interpretation of statute. And there are a lot of posting bills out there this year. I think there were a total of four. This is, as if the bill came from the house. I'm gonna do a section by section. Section one amends 10 VSA section fifty two zero one, which governs how private land is posted against hunting, fishing, and traffic. The central change in this bill is straightforward. Eight seven point three defines the term posting annually to mean once every twelve months of three hundred and sixty five days. Why this change is needed? Prior to this bill, statute used used the term annually, but did not define it. As a result, a recent interpretation tied posting to the calendar year, which means that land posted in November could expire on December 31. Landowners could have, could lose protection in a matter of weeks, and compliance required reposting in the middle of the winter. This created inconsistency across the state and confusion for landowners, town clerks, and law enforcement. What this bill does? H seven twenty three resolves that issue by establishing a rolling twelve month period beginning on the date the land is posted and recorded with the town clerk. This restores a common sense understanding of the law and ensures that the landowner receives a full year of protection from the date of posting. What it does not do, it's equally important to be clear about what this bill doesn't do, does not change the requirement that the land be posted with visible signs, does not change spacing or boundary requirements, does not change trespass law or enforcement authority, and it does not alter the existing reasonable person standard and statute which continues to apply in situations where a sign may be missing or imperfect. It balances interest. Vermont has long balanced the request for private property rights and continued public ask access for outdoor recreation. This bill does not shift that balance. Simply ensures that the rules governing in posting are clear, predictable, and workable for everybody involved. Section two, the effective date. That provides that the act shall be effective upon passing, allowing this clarification to apply immediately. In closing, the seven twenty three defines annually as a twelve month period It replaces an unclear calendar year interpretation, and it reduces unnecessary burden on landowners. And it maintains all existing posting and enforcement requirements. For that reason, mister president, I I urge the, senate body to support this bill. The bill vote was voted out of, senate natural resources and energy five zero zero. And we heard testimony on this bill from the sponsor of the one of the sponsors of the bill. The commissioner, chief warden, and general counsel of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, president of the Vermont Federation of Sportsman Club, the legislative, committee chair of the Vermont Municipal Clerks and Treasurer's Association, farmers, landowners, and, of course, legislative committee. Thank you, mister Perchlik.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Are you ready for the question? Senator from Windsor.
[Senator Alison Clarkson (Windsor)]: Thank you. May I inquire of the reporter? The reporter's interrogated. Thank you. I'm wondering what educational provisions are provided in this bill to notify landowners of of these changes.
[Senator Terry Williams (Rutland)]: Can you repeat the question, mister president?
[Senator Alison Clarkson (Windsor)]: I'm wondering what educational measures are being undertaken to inform landowners of these changes.
[Senator Terry Williams (Rutland)]: I don't know the answer to that, mister president, but I can find the answer by third reading.
[Senator Alison Clarkson (Windsor)]: Thanks. I'd appreciate that. Thanks.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: The question is shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. The ayes have it. You've ordered third reading of h seven twenty three. Senator Perchlik.
[Senator Brian Collamore (Rutland)]: Thank you, mister president. I would move that the rolls be suspended and that all gubernatorial appointees who appear in the calendar on page thirteen ninety six, whose names are not underlined, be taken up together and without debate, and that they be confirmed by the senate.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Senator from Rutland is moved that the rules senate rules be suspended and that all gubernatorial appointees who appear in the calendar on page thirteen ninety six whose names are not underlined be taken up together and without debate and that they be confirmed by the senate. Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor, aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. Ayes have it, and the motion carries. That completes the orders of today. Senator Perchlik.
[Senator Andrew Perchlik (Washington)]: Thank you, mister president. I move that pending announcements, the senate stand in adjourned until 09:30AM Tuesday, 04/21/2026. And if I could ask members of the rules committee when we gavel out to meet in this corner for a very brief, meeting, and thank
[Senator Ann Cummings (Washington)]: you.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: There any further announcements? Senator from Washington.
[Senator Ann Cummings (Washington)]: Thank you, mister president. Senate finance will meet at 01:00.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Senator from Washington. Thank you, president.
[Senator Andrew Perchlik (Washington)]: Senator preparations will also meet
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: at 01:00. Senator from Rutland.
[Senator Brian Collamore (Rutland)]: Thank you, mister president, as well the senate government operations committee.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Senator from Windham.
[Senator Ann Cummings (Washington)]: Thank you, mister president. Institutions will also meet at one.
[Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (President of the Senate)]: Lot of 01:00 meetings. Yeah. Are there any further announcements? Seeing none, the senator from Chittenden Central has moved that the senate stand in adjournment until 09:30AM, Tuesday, 04/21/2026. Are you ready for the question? If so, all in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. The ayes have it. We'll stand in adjournment until 09:30AM, Tuesday, 04/21/2026.