Vermont Legislature SmartTranscripts:

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: You're looking solid.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: I have all afternoon for the week. We're live. I'm all afternoon.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: So welcome back to the Senate Committee on Government Operations Committee meeting of Thursday, 01/15/2026. As you can tell, we're all in a very jovial mood on this snowy Well, have pick up for the weather. Yeah. We will be reconvening tomorrow for more work on S-twenty three, for those of you who didn't enjoy our earlier session. But we wanna take a look at reports repeal survey right now. This is something that, by statute every five years now, we have to take a look at in terms of the reports that this committee has asked different agencies to do and find out whether we, and we have three choices, feel that the report is no longer useful and should be repealed, that the report is useful but not of permanent importance and therefore should continue until the next report reviewed. Or third, the report is fundamental and should be permanently kept. And some of these, as you look through the fourth column, you'll see it goes to other committees. The first one, however, is only a government operations committee report, and this is the report on Superior Court Public Records cases. I'm a little bit surprised that it doesn't go to judiciary as well, but anyway, this is an annual report that is due on or before January 15 every year, and it comes from the court administrator's office. I have to admit, I don't think I've ever read.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: I've never read it. And the question I have for you is it expired on 2020, so why are we bothering? I think they have

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: to keep doing it unless we tell them not

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: to Every do five years. So this is the review in that fifth year, and we could either say yes or no. Right.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: So I I hate to ask this question, but I'm going to. And which is we aren't necessarily particularly if we haven't read these. Like, these reports have some import to somebody somewhere. Who is the best person to speak to? What's the report addresses and why it's implied it was deemed important at the time

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: it was requested. Probably Tucker. I understand our biggest

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: So then I hate to say this, but I would like to be waiting for some time with us because I really am shooting in the dark here. Otherwise, I'm just completely in the dark making it because I'm not informed enough person on this. Some of them I know about and some of them I don't. Oh, no.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Wish we just kept going with twenty three. Don't know.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: You want me to text him?

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: We've reached out. He probably got hung up somewhere because he's not a late fellow. He's usually here on time. Tucker was contacted by Emory as one of his last things here, and I'm positive that he knew that we were meeting today. I thought he was gonna join us by Zoom, but anyway.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Thank you.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Just again to bring this up, Title II says, and all the chairs of every Senate committee got this memo from Tucker. Yes. The General Assembly established an intent to repeal certain reporting requirements after five years. Additionally, the law requires that the Office of Legislative Council prepare a list of reports subject to repeal in each biennium, and that's why we're doing this today. We're not doing it today. The attached spreadsheet identifies the reports that are subject to the five year repeal from 2017 to 2028, and covers subject matter within your committee's jurisdiction. If a report requirement is repealed, that information that the report provides will remain available to committees pursuant to committee requests. There should be no reduction in accountability from any state agency. The question is whether a legislatively required ongoing report is necessary for legislative work. Eliminating unnecessary ongoing reports will allow the agency staff to redirect their efforts to more substantive work. We suggest that the question for each committee member is this, have you used and will you need to use these reports in your legislative decisions? Please review the spreadsheet, identify those reports you still need, three columns, etcetera, etcetera. Please return the survey no later than Friday, January 23 to the House Committee on Government Operations. The failure to respond by January 20 will be taken to mean the report requirement should be repealed. That is our if you want, we can go through these. You would rather I have

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: think I'd rather have Tucker. He can probably cruise through these pretty fast. Okay. There are a lot

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: of fun facts. I just looked up the first one, and it doesn't appear that the court administrator ever actually did.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Well, see, those are the ones that we should just Why? Reveal of them.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: Well, this is also one of my concerns around government accountability. We tell people to do things. We ask people to do things. We ask them to do rulemaking. We ask them to do reports, and they just don't.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Or they do, and we never read them.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: Well, I'm I'm on the page right now. I searched for it.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: They don't have it. I know. But a lot of these, I wonder whether you know, because we get emails saying, here's your report. And I go, I I don't have time

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: for this Yeah. Right But I I read a lot of but I and these I'm you know, because it's not my You're kidding. They never submitted this report?

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: It's not on the reports page. The last time we have any reports from the court administrator was in 2020. Right. Which is when it expired. My Right. But it's not it's not this. The report it's an updated report on act one twenty section a 18. This is two eleven act number 59 sec subsection 15. It's it's a different report.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Yeah.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I looked through the whole list of reports we've ever gotten from the court administrator, and this one has never come in.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Oh. And that's not just on our web page. That's

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: It is. You can find any legislative report on our web page.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Under reports and resources? If they're posted to the reports, which is case. Well, they should be.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: But but this is and and this is but that's concerning. I hear you too. Like, we shouldn't be asking them to do reports we don't need, but we also need a mechanism of accountability when we're not doing the things we told them to do.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: I know, Jojo. I mean, yeah.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: And it's not supports. I mean, when we did the Government Accountability Summer group, we found hundreds of instances of rulemaking that the administration just didn't do.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Yeah. Okay, then I will suggest we adjourn for the day and we'll, have to catch up with Tucker at some point and put this back on. We only have next week to do it. So,

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: so I think we can we just wait and see here. Can we just give Tucker another minute or two and find out where the hell he is?

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: Might I? Oh, I'm sorry. It's online. Sorry. I think there's definitely things in here that we need background information, Rutucker, but I would imagine that some of them on here we may not, and we might be able to just make a decision on. Yeah. Yes. I think that's For example, the annual report on IT and cybersecurity. I feel like we probably always need that. Oh, absolutely.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Where is that, son?

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: That is the very last one on page

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: So we'll

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: oh. Okay. Let's first remove quickly. I'm just asking him again since he's joining us.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: But I think we can go through and pick off the ones that we don't

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: it's hard to see, so I had to use my magnifying glass to read them, all of you with young eyes.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Do you read the genuine progress indicator?

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I don't know what that is, but I

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: don't the genuine progress indicator. That's that's great. I mean, I haven't read it this year. I will admit. It is delivered to us by the the the

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Agency of administration.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: The agency of administration, the chap who now took over Sue's spot, you know, Sue's, you know, whatever his name was Pat McDonald's sister Sue. Oh,

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: yes. I know what you mean.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: And

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: So you're suggesting we keep that?

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Yes. Absolutely. Permanently or just We ought to review it. Yeah. Because

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: it is

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: a dictator My

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: question is not review it. My question is whether we should keep getting the report.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Yes.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Okay.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: It should be keep being produced, and we should make it important by taking it up.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Okay.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: Okay. So I added two additional columns to members because of the way we're doing this. One is that we need more information, and one is that we should keep it, but it doesn't need to come to the committee.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Oh, there's an idea. Okay. So which Okay. I like that one. I'm Go on with that. I need my own problems. So just don't senate economic development.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: So I I will not make any decisions for senate economic development.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: I'm already included on too many. We're already included on these. Okay. So that was the genuine progress.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: That was number two. Yep. So I'm just gonna say, but not to this committee, and that's where I checked that one.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: I was wondering if that I think the report of the treasurer's local investment advisory committee is very useful. I would agree. I think that's essential. And is that every year or every other year? Is annually. It's annual. I think that's but what does expires 2021 mean? I'm not gonna worry about that. Yes. Alright. I'll put it in.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: The first one we know I'm just gonna put a big question right now. We don't

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Excuse me. I have a response from Tucker. Oh. I let Emery know that I was unavailable until 03:30. I can join the room in fifteen minutes if you still need me. Yes. Yes.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Okay. The report on drone use by law enforcement agencies.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I think that that is important.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Here goes the house and since the cops, judiciary and judiciary. Alright. Temporary employees employed by the Department of Corrections.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I think it is useful right now, but it may not need to be permanent, because right now there is a lot of temporary employee usage, but I'd like to see less, and if we get there, then I don't think we need it anymore.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: I'm gonna put that in column two. Yes. The report on the state ethics commission.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Yes. I think we should keep that. Oh, essential. And, actually, as I added it to my priorities, I do think we need it. We're trying to figure out what we're doing. They don't have any money. I know. But we need to give them money. We need to give them money, and then

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: This may not be the year. Right? That's all I can say.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Well, I don't care. Okay.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: The next one

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: top priority of this legisl this general assembly, to have an ethics commission, and we need to.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Performance accountability requirements and contracts and grants.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Think that is important. I think it's essential. I mean, not happening. Mean, I I only. It expires in 2022. That's what I'm

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Green Mountain Secure Retirement Plan. Why are we getting oh, okay. Is

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: that what is that? Well, I don't

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: have time for, let's just put

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: a question that's one of our question marks.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Report on the use of electronic control devices, training, etcetera.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I think anything related to law enforcement training right now, we should definitely keep our eyes on.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Every year though, or just permanently?

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I think permanently.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: This comes in the Senate Judiciary, so you're definitely required to read them.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I know. I do. I do read them. I don't always, because they all come in at the same time, I don't always get to all of them by this point.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: EMS advisory committee. Oh, that's that's important. We have done a lot of work on EMS. We have.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: And we're still doing work

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: on it. And there's still a niche

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: of Licenses issued in service mem to service members and veterans.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: No. I think that I think we could get rid of I think we could get rid of it. I'm gonna Sorry.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I I keep apologizing. I do think we can get rid of it unless we hear from the maybe the governor's Veterans Advisory Council that we shouldn't.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Wait a minute. What kind

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: of licenses are these? I don't know.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: So these are o p r these may be o p r licenses. So let's ask if you're keeping those up. Ask Tucker if that's OPR. If it is, yes, we should be looking at it because it's a major improvement tool.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: We're Drug saving licenses for service members and veterans.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Yes. It's just in our workforce crisis here. We need to Annually is okay. I'm not gonna make it buy. Is that is it required annually? Yes.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: But we could make it.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: We could make both of those biannual. Biennial? Particularly, license is

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: not licenses, that would be transportation. Hold on. Wait for this. Could we combine them into one report about veteran workforce licenses and get it every other year?

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Well, one of them is comes from DPS, the other from the secretary of state. Mhmm. So it might be difficult.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: Why? Why? Yes. Let's ask Tucker why. Yeah. There's so the the next one is also licenses to service members.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: That might be the one that you flagged for me. He said that there is a There's a whole bunch. Four into one. Yes. That's what I'm thinking that's what he meant.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: I have to write that maybe. What we just identified.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: Yes. Okay.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Including this next one. This next Yes. Because the fourth is the next one.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Yeah. And that was this one, this one, this one.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: And the top of the next page. And that. Okay. You wanna

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Report filed if a privatization contract has not achieved the required cost savings Essential. For a

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Okay. They actually also have to make We don't time to review it because that is the accountability.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: What does on condition mean? Does that mean we only get it if it happens?

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Let's ask, Tucker. Okay. Phenomenal.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Repositions of seasonal employment.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Do we need Well, we're

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: gonna get that anyway somewhere else, aren't we?

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: We do. We get it in the HR report, don't we? Yeah. So we get rid

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: of Well,

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: let's make Okay. Sure that's what we're talking

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Usage of temporary employees by the judiciary.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I would like to keep receiving that one for the time being so that I think that that will go

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: on too. Well, this sorry. Let me just say that this goes back to the whole temporary employee piece in terms of vacancy savings and budget.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: That's why I wanna keep it for the time being. But if we get to a point where that's not happening, I think we could repeal it.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: But we have issues with the government building a budget around temporary about vacancy savings.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Oh, no. I was hoping we would, but we didn't make it.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Okey dokey. No.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: But it was really irritant. Yeah. Oh, think retirement funds, integrity funds. I don't even know what that I don't

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: know what that means.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: But all retirement funds should have integrity, so I think we should ask Tucker.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: That's from the governor.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Yeah, comes from Windsor Bidding budget.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: I wanna know more, but generally I see retirement and given how recently we were in a retirement disaster, I'm hesitant to

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: No, let's ask Tucker for further clarification, but let's keep it.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: And the last one is a plan to achieve and preserve fiscal integrity of retirement funds of state employees and teacher retirement funds.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: Let's keep

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Let's request it.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: And I know we K. That's it.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: No. The last one is

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: We've already done it.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: I did the IT and secure cybersecurity. That is perfectly That's where we started. That's good. Oh, sorry. I didn't know this.

[Sen. John Morley III (Clerk)]: So see, look. We have put shit on Yeah. Four things.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Okay? And I can actually be. Was very useful.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: I'm glad.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: I'm embarrassed to say how often

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: I did. Buy you one of those Sherlock Holmes ones. My father's got one of those. Tells it a spyglass. Yep. Is he joining us by

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: No. He's coming. Okay. He'll be here in about six minutes. So I Okay.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Quick five minute break. We'll go offline from five in the back.

[Sen. Alison Clarkson (Member)]: Sorry to see that Stanley

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Chair)]: has