Vermont Legislature SmartTranscripts:

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Welcome back to the Senate Committee on Government Operations Committee meeting of Wednesday, 01/28/2026. And up next for our consideration is our committee bill, which if I understand procedurally must be voted out of committee by basically today. So we're gonna run through it quickly. Senator Vyhovsky has had this drafted, and Tim Devlin is here to, provide us with, words upon the paper. I know I say that a lot, but it's true. That's what, alleged counsel will focus too. They put words on the paper. They don't talk about intent or why a senator did this or why a senator didn't do that. So it's eligible to just keep that sort of neutral objective overview when talking to the pledge counsel. So I'll let Senator Vyhovsky go through it first. And this is one that I'm sure we've, knowing this committee, I'm sure we will change the language in this bill, but We'll have time to do that after it's introduced. We will. So senator Vyhovsky?

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Yes. Absolutely. So we've had a little bit of discussion in this committee, brought up, when Douglas Steen was here, brought up again when secretary Clarkson was here about government accountability and the importance of government accountability. And two years ago, I think it was two years ago, I served on the summer government accountability committee, which was set up after we got rid of the standing government accountability committee. And that committee put forward a report and recommendations, some of which were put into into a bill that came to us from the house that the senate had made some changes to. That language, the language that the senate changed, what came to the house is what is in this bill that we will be looking at. And my hope is that this will be a placeholder for us to actually dig into the work of doing government accountability and thinking about how we wanna do that and structure that. The language I used was simply, like you said, a placeholder because it's sort of the last point at which the senate was doing any work in this direction. So I'm not particularly tied to the language, and I'm not actually going to walk through what's in it because I can't speak to the intent of our past selves two plus years ago. But I do think that legislative council can give us a little bit of history of that summer government accountability committee and the report that was put forward and the the words on the page as a starting point for us to figure out what we wanna do. And then procedurally, as the chair said, we will vote this out and recall it right back to to do the work. I have no intention that this language go to the floor and be voted forward because I I think there's more work to do. And I'm thankful to the committee for entertaining, for doing that work. Senator White. Thank you. I'm just thank you. And I'm just hoping to find the language. I think is this It's the one you emailed titled government accountability. Is that correct? That would be Yes. Well, Tim's

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: gonna hopefully turn it up on the screen.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Okay. You

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: can. Yep.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: That's I

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: don't have my eye. Oh, I do. There was

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: a You I've had it. I know.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Prop. The authenticator couldn't been

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: in the court.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Anyway. It is in the email that I sent to the committee entitled Government Accountability Committee Bill. Oh, committee bill.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Tim, you could join us if you'd like.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: Thank you very much, community members, for having me. For the record, my name is Tim Valdezlund. I apologize. I don't have a link there, so we can do there's two things. Lynn, I guess you could send me a link, or we could just put the bill on and I could tell you to, you know, kind of slide.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Why don't you just put it up on the thing, on the screen?

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: Whatever's easiest for the committee. But in the meantime, let me just kind of see what we can

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Do you request it, then I can go ahead and ask Actually, for a

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: don't have access to the Zoom at all.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Sorry.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Okay.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: But as that resolves, and all day's lit, let me go into just a kind brief overview of how this bill got to work. Senator Vyhovsky did a political job of kind of setting the table here, so it's gonna sound redundant, but please feel free to ask any questions coming in that board down if they have to provide additional detail, either for now, or I can kinda look into things provide additional resources as we go forward next time I provide testimony. So the initial standing committee, the Government Accountability Committee, or GAC, as it was, euphemistically GAC.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: As I recall.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: That was sunset in 2023, and as a result, the report was considered the the the general sentiment was there needed to be recalibration of what the committee did, and so it was recast as a summer government accountability committee or summer gang, and they were tasked with a wide sweeping purview of Bob and a really wide open question of having to do government accountability, as the name suggests. And let's see, over that 2023, we're pretty short lived committee. They took a whole lot of testimony, and there's a report that they put out in 12/13/2023. I can provide that to them to put up on them. Okay. Maybe for just general bruising later on, and this will detail a list of witnesses and resources, and there's some presentations that are kind of built in and attached to that report. Importantly, they put out detailed recommendations for strengthening government accountability. In addition to that, if you have too much time or interest, there is a near bullet list of 11 points, which they recommended. Some, but not all of which, essentially migrated into the fermentation building I have in Florida now. The large ones being creation of a joint government oversight and accountability committee as a standing committee. Let's see, adjusting the timing of certain reports as they're provided to legislature and throughout state government, and then kind of, we describe this as a misalignment, a grab bag of items like adjusting processes for LCAR. Let's see, training for general assembly members, a few different aspects, the importance of government accountability or, certain recommended, best practices. And some of these, just kind of bringing your ear that maybe best left to the rules as the senate rules to really address some of the case in house matters versus when it comes to legislation. So anyways, but that report is certainly interesting for you, and it's burned. Let's see. We brought to a house version of, the bill, encapsulating some of the recommendations. A Two different ones. I think there may be three of them. There was one, in this biennium introduced in the house. I think that's still in the Long House bill box. I'd have to check. However, this one comes from last biennium a house bill, as I don't know I was getting ready to mention, and this was the last iteration of this committee's proposed strike all amendment to that. And what was lost along the way was there was a the House proposed creating some positions in JFO, kind of building out that office there, and by and large, this is where it's a movie. That would be kind of the most striking difference between the two. But now I so let's see.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Yes. Are you a question?

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Yeah. So my and thank you is

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: all in money. I cannot

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: when it's in threads, you lose the attachments. You cannot find the attachment. So I've got Tanya's email. I found your response saying thank you, but there's no attachment.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Okay. Look. Yesterday, you got an email from Timothy Dublin Okay. Which arrived at

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: I have it open. Can't break it. I'll get back to that.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Senator Clarkson. No. I just need to

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Excuse me.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Did you

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: look at the pile of paper on your desk there? Because I think I printed it for you.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: It's got top one. One page.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: 26 deaths.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Oh, are the best.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: They would live.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Put it on the page.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Thank you. That's even better. But it is curious that in the thread, the attachments. Yeah. I'm just saying. Could we put

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: That'll happen with the reply first.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: I'm Okay. I can also We haven't loaded yet.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: So Okay. Well, just so I can look at it because I still Oh, don't have any Oh, you did? Oh, you did? Sent it to me again. Text message. Oh.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Wow.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Amazing. Thank you. You're welcome. I always find someone. Sorry.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: And no. That's okay. So trying to remember for us, we have a There's no bill number yet, so we have a drafting request number, which is 26.0754. We've got 1.2 for the committee's review. So this is six sections long. The first section is just about a first year run through, provides purpose and findings and some kind of formal definitions to start. The second section will create that new standing committee, which you can see in much more detail as well. Sections three and four together update who is reporting to that to be created committees. Sections five will create some changes in

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: the default date of reoccurring reports that are being submitted to

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: the legislature. That is '6. That '6. That is '6. That will create a review of granted warning procedures. Yeah. So Pardon me. Yes?

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: May ask a technical question? Sure.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: We use the term standing committees for the committees like this that are anchored, that are standing committees. All of our other committees are not standing committees. They are Oh,

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: so interesting question. I was actually concerned. All committees that are not summer committees are standing because they're permanent, but not all of those are committees of jurisdiction. That's how I have been delineating. Okay. I may be incorrect on that, but that's how I've

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: seen So standing this committees would be the ethics thing.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: Both this and the ethics committee would be standing because they're permanent.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: And interesting, and the oversight and judicial nominee, those are all So I view our committees are, but they're standing committees of jurisdiction. Yes.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: That's all I consider.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: And But those all standing committees have jurisdiction too.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: They do. Yeah. Interesting. Yeah. That was quite true. Yep.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Yeah. I think in common parlance, I understand what you're saying, and I We have 11 standing in the senate. Exactly. That meet that regularly during the session, like daily.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: All

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: the other committees are sort of I don't wanna call them special, but they they meet whenever they get wanna get together kind of thing, but they're

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: not Yeah. I called them

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: ad hoc. Yeah. They It doesn't.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Anyway, you just used the term sanity, and I had thought that was a very specific

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: I thought you would adjust how I clarification. Same page. So section one, we first start with the purpose and findings section of the bill, and really this outlines purpose, and then, again, formally defines these kind of forms of art, for example, what government accountability means according to this bill. And we'll go over government oversight needs as well. And,

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: sir, Collamore, would you like me

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: to do a line by line read through these?

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Or Well, if if everybody can see it

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: I would say- Oh my god, and I have enough, and thank you.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Then if you've got a question for Tim, and it does expand or flesh out a little bit more than just accountability. Oversight to me is a different function than accountability. The original group was the GAC, the Government Accountability Committee. This has two sort of different purposes, accountability and oversight, and they're different, although closely aligned, I think. So if no one has questions about that, we'll let Tim just continue on to Both. Section two. Both necessary. Yeah. It just never apparently came up as a matter of discussion when that original gap meeting was met. And

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: the original one was formed by Diane Snelling. Diane was on

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Yeah. I'm gonna guess it was

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: '12 2012, something.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: I'd have to look that up.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Yeah. In our lifetime.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Oh, wow. Here. I was on him '14.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Yeah. That's what I yeah. And Diane was still on it at point.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Diane, if you're listening, we're missing you.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: So section two will create a new chapter under title two, which is where we have statutes, particular to the legislature. Chapter 20 will be Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee. First section of that will be two VSA 1971, creation of the committee, which establishes the joint plan, Government Oversight and Accountability Committee. And like other committees, this would be membership appointed at each biennial session. And importantly, committees shall work independently and with other legislative committees to assist with matters relating to the oversight and issues of significance significant public concern. So that will be the kind of purpose as stated. Let's take into the stat as printed on the Vermont statutes annotated as printed on the first section, which is session part. The sub subsection b is where we get into composition. There'll be eight members, four from each body, so four from the house or four from the senate. And, it's important to point out that within each of those, not two sorry. Not more than two of whom shall be from the same party. In addition to, say, two members at large appointed from each chamber, one appointment shall be made from each of the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, the Senate Committee on Government Operations, and the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations. So the composition of this does differ as well from the other GAC. We have the Chief Performance Officer on the other, I think that's the only difference,

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: and that person had a vote and was a full member of the committee. Sue Zeller was Chief Performance Officer at

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: the time, but I noticed this is just legislative amendment. Correct, it's strictly legislative. Okay. C pertains to how the chair will be elected, which is from among its members and not only a chair, but a vice chair and a clerk, and they shall adopt rules for their own procedures as well. And then, of course, that shall rotate biannually and, minutes shall be kept and documents will be maintained on file, the quorum shall consist of

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: five minutes. Does that imply, Tim, that says the committee shall keep minutes of its meeting, does that mean one of the members has to act as the secretary to literally write down what happened, or are we, because of our technology, able to just put it on Zoom and that relieves of of of that duty?

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: That's a great question. I would believe that'd be addressed in the rules that would be adopted. Okay. But I think you should refer to the item or some combination. Subsection D, committee shall meet as necessary for the prompt discharge of its duties, and this was also changed in the cost version, which I think was something like every two weeks or as necessary. Subsection E has to do with, let's see, attendance not during session, and compensation, which is just the regular procedure, to fit somebody under the summer committee. And let's see. This shall have section f, turning on page four now, has to do with administrative and legal and fiscal services to be provided by the Joint Fiscal Office, the Office of State of Operations, the office actually, that needs to be updated because it is no longer No. Yes. At state operations, state, and the Office of Legislative Counsel. Those services as particularly around will be a number two committee. So

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: operations have

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: just been folded into council? Yes. For the most part.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: I think maybe certain smaller parts have gone to the JFO as well.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Yeah. Because Scott's That doesn't.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: Right.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: So it's just a walk now in the lab like many other

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: That's right. So the community assistance, I believe, yep, are part of the life savings.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Okay.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: Okay. Moving on to the

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: But since they're staffing it, that might be who can take some notes at the very least. They can't do it on video. Like Yeah.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: I I guess that'll be the whatever holds the group decides to live by. I just it was it jumped up at me like somebody's literally gonna be sitting there taking minutes.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: The next to be added section would be two VSA nine seventy students, the duties and the powers of the to be creative committee. And a one a is to I think just the easiest for me to read verbatim rather than try to rephrase them off of them. One a, the committee shall exercise government oversight by examining and investigating matters of significant public concern. That's kind of a term we'll later. Relating to state government performance. Committee shall examine the possible reasons for any failure of government oversight and provide findings and tangible recommendations to standing committees in jurisdiction to prevent future failures. B, the committee shall select the issues of significant public concern to examine and investigate, but a majority of the current committee members who have accused themselves of the matter. The committee shall consider issues of significant public concern referred to the committee pursuant to a resolution adopted by either chamber of the general assembly. So there's two different methods. Four of those significant issues I don't know if she's spending

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: a lot of time on this definition of the

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: Yes. And so, just to rehab, the committee can select something itself or something can essentially be referred to by either chamber or by resolution. It's used in the section brief for definition of what is that issue of significant public concern means any of the following list, if not necessarily all of them, but just any one. Is any issue that, one, affects the state as a whole, two, affects the vulnerable population, three, cost the state more than a $100,000,000, Four, implicates a serious failure of state government oversight or accountability. Five, arises from previously enacted legislation. Six, constitutes or six constitutes a failure to adequately respond to state or federal audits, and it's in the discretion of this committee to really kind of promote the opinion. They want granularity or from either chamber if they want to provide a resolution to have a. Let's see. The second duty of this committee, committee shall, in coordination with the legislative committee on administrative rules or LR, evaluate executive entities directed to adopt rules to ensure consistency and accountability in the rule making process. Three, the committee shall on an annual basis issue a The support shall include, let's see, which issues, the committee has examined and investigated, including any relevant information undone. It current objectives of the committee, for review of those issues, and if any have not been met, also the objectives for review of issues of concern for the upcoming two years too. So it's also forward forward. And then also a one for any additional resources that would be required in the committee to actually execute that work. Moving on to the powers, not just duties on the committee. One, the committee shall have the power to issue subpoenas, administer votes in connection with the examination investigation matters of government and oversight, and accountability of planning to issues associated with the public concern. Two, the committee may take or cause deposition to be taken as needed in an investigation right here. How many of commission? Let's see. Commission oh, yes. That should be a commission. Thank you. I'll be updated. Strike. Thank you. If any questions about the duties or powers? Senator Clarkson?

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: This is not what I understood government accountability to be at all. I mean, in part, yes. But I also thought it was to proactively and maybe I'm just morphing all Obie's efforts and your previous efforts and all your lists for us to be thinking about as we develop bills. I remember. I know you do. But I thought we this was being framed in a much more positive, proactive way, which is how can we really work to make government more effective and more accountable rather than listening to a bunch of complaints about how poorly we're doing.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: We've been able to do that. And we

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: could do both. But it strikes me I mean, this is all about our failures or at least in large measure. But that's a piece of it. But I felt that the work you were doing was much more positive and framed in a much more constructive way. And I find this I mean, I know we're just introducing to get to work on it. But I would appreciate our looking at it as a better way to do business, a more accountable way to do business, and how can we function more effectively? And what should committees be asking for to make their work more effective into the future? Like, you know, asking for measures and stuff. You know, you've had a whole list of questions that every committee should be asking as they debate available.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Son of a on the

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: other land with me? No. That's okay. I appreciate that. I, this did come from a summer long deep dive into what's working and what isn't working, but I appreciate it, and I think we should, we should look at the whole scope. One of the things that was most jarring to me was when the auditor came in and shared with us that there were hundreds of instances of rulemaking that we had dictated to the administration that they simply hadn't done. Right. And so for me, I think it's a bothand. Yes. Like, yes, we need to be thinking about how we effectively work through each committee to ask the right questions and get the right reports and get the right information. And it seems like there's a lot of cleanup work and back looking that needs to happen. And I think it would be be good to hear from the auditor Oh, yeah.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Who Oh, good. Good. Fine. And we and we could let's do a list of people because it also Sue Eller's office would be great to have. And So

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: I think it's a both, Anne, because I also think what we decided in 2023 when you may recall at my, my hair was on fire when we were getting rid of government accountants at the end But of what we, what I was told is it really wasn't working. So I don't wanna just go back and

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: do that over again. Oh, I I completely agree. I I I but I do think it's such an important function in really helping us pay attention to how we did our work too in addition to hearing about how we had faith.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: And it wasn't just us. Like, was a we really tried

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: to Oh, yeah. No. Lost us both. In this era of people's distrust of government, increasing distrust of government, until, of course, there's a disaster when they all want government there immediately. It it's an opportunity to review how we can be better at what rather we than just look at how we're continuing to fail in other areas.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Yes. I think it was a it needs to be a bothand, and some of that building trust, think, is acknowledging, hey, this isn't working, and this

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: is our plan to fix it. Being a transparent. Yes.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: For those that don't remember or were not here, Room 44, so up on the forest, the, what do call that? Boulevard. Yeah, Boulevard. There are a couple of signs that had the questions that we had come up with in GAC. We had population stuff. We had dashboards where you could look and see the difference between this year and the year before in terms of what we had said should happen. It was kind

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: of an interesting committee. It was great. I always applauded your work. I thought it was actually important, and it began with Obi's work on results based accountability. And he and Diane Smelling, do you remember that? Yeah. And that's where it all began, and it kind of grew out of that. I always thought that was a worthy effort.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Anyway, it's on the court board up in Room 44.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: May have

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: to go and retrieve it for our discussions.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: Sure. Okay. So let's see.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: We didn't have power to take that position either. That no. That is

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: That's I'm trying to think of other committees that have it would be the impeachment committee came up to have to think about any other short ones. That's what that's been granted to. Can I Section four, halfway through page seven, you don't know? Now we kinda turn to four and five with the sexual distribution. I skipped a second. Sorry. Every page six. Sections three and four should be read together, this has to do exactly as we do. We will be responsible for reporting as a part two of this new to be creative committee. So chief performance. Yes, and this is section three, which will amend three PSA 02/2011, Chief Performance Officer, Annual State Outcomes Report. This, some legacy statute toward language that has to do with the prior government accountability committee. And, actually, we've moved when it was repealed, we just missed a few instances of where that committee was self in reference to. And so this was it was not being taken here to say, okay. Instead of actually just scrubbing that reporting requirement entirely, just a redirection to this new government and joint government oversight and accountability committees. That is, the Chief of Wellness Officer is supposed to be reporting that in population level indicator commission two. And also, if they are requested to provide to the Joint Committee.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: May I just ask the question, sir? So we're talking about this as a joint government oversight and accountability committee, So is that why don't we just have a committee that's set up of three members from each branch of state government? Why aren't we including administration and judiciary? Why don't we if it's in fact a joint government oversight, think we really do need to look at the composition of to not have to be so legislature heavy and have it, have both judiciary and administration represented.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: Well, I think that's a too many question, though, Chittenden. I'll just kind No, of say

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: but I'm just saying, it just we keep talking about joint, and I'm thinking, joint, joint. Well, other than cannabis, we're getting three branches of state.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Senator Vyhovsky.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: I have a question that is for Sam, and that is without having a constitutional issue of separation of powers? Like the legislature has the ability to replace.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: It depends on what they're doing.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Yeah. If

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: they would interfere with the core powers of either, any, sorry, any three of the branches. I would probably recommend a second and harder look at what the duties and powers are, if

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: we're interested Yes, that's all. Didn't mean to not,

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: oh, yeah, happy to answer, I was just sort of buffering.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: But my question is No. Protected, Yours appointment.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Not that yours wasn't.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: They were just directed. Section four of the bill will amend 32 BSA one sixty three, the substitute of the duties of the auditor of the council, state auditor. And it will add, let's see, one two part duties here, to subdivisions six a and b, and the auditor will appear required to provide to the joint committee a written summary of all audits completed by the office in their office, and the proper request from the joint committee provide at the mutual convenience of the committee and the auditor, presentation to the committee of any completed audit. Moving So on to section five, and this has to do with default report deadlines. This will modify two VSA 20, and this will limit days on distribution and duration of agency reports. What this really means is any standing report that is gonna, sorry, standing, any annually provided report that's provided to legislature, fund agencies, is currently, due, if not otherwise specified, as the next statute or a session law. Currently due on January 15, this should make it earlier, put it to November 15. And also kind of specifies who has to, not just agencies, but departments, but other governmental entities is what and then clarifies, or I should say specifies who it goes to and not just the legislature, or the there's another typo here, which is the of legislative council. It will also specify that chairs are to receive these as well. It's just kinda going into, the post office general reports database and then lifting it up to chairs or community assistance from whoever to go and kind of take those types of pages provided. And then also there'll be a new subdivision e having to do with, how firm that deadline really is. And so if it becomes apparent to any agency department or other entity directed by the general assembly to report on the matter, the agency department entity will be unable to do so with the required time. That agency, shall inform, if applicable, the relevant legislative committee's current chair, committee assistant, and the office of legislative council, of which the report will be laid, why and when if.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Well, think

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: that's the case. If the agency thinks that they will not be able to provide for important time, they'll have to certify the chairs and let them know exactly why and why they should. Section six has to do with grant, state funded grant review, and this is session law titled recommendations for state grant process improvements. And let's see. And section subject section a, student performance review, this will require AOA, the agency administration, to review and assess the performance of the state's current grant awarding procedures and provide recommendations on how to improve such procedures in the form of a written report through the general assembly. The report shall include recommendations on how to simplify the application and reporting processes, how to reduce reliance on reimbursable grant agreements, how to increase the standard indirect rate and apply a consistent statewide, how to reduce delays in the execution of grant awards and the issuance of payments on grant agreements, and how to reduce work granted to nonprofit community based organizations that could otherwise be done by the state. Let's see. The report shall also include the explanation of efforts to improve employee training and grant administration across state government, and the report shall include detailed practices

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: And measures will be investment paid a little

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: bit longer ago. And models of grant administration from other states. Also, subsection b, now on the last page, drafting request 10 is to do a consultation and, let's see, in front and so, agency's health consultancy with relevant state agencies, departments as to see fit, as well as nonprofit community based organizations identified in consultation with Common New Vermont and have received the state funded grant, but also other relevant stakeholders as determined by the agency. And that report shall be due December 18, probably twenty seventh, of twenty sixth. Actually no. No. Sorry. That was correct. Twenty sixth right now. It's down. But can't, of course, be altered if it's not a. And then, leading us to the very last section, the effective date. This will take effect as fast as possible. Questions for Tim?

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Okay, Lynn, do you have a Yes. Bowling sheet play a roll call?

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: John does. I've heard this.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Oh, you have a stack of them? Well, well, okay. Well, they're all John is prepared. Optimistic than I am. To hear you. Again, realizing this is our first walkthrough, there are dates here which have gone by or will have gone by. We'll work on it. Yeah. We Trust. Unless there's a glaring Commission. Issue why we shouldn't do this.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: What what draft with those changes would we be voting out in? Right now, we're

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: it's No. Because there's change. No?

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Yes. Yeah. John called a change.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: I can correct some typos if wanted and Okay. Bring it back community to vote. I don't think we

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: need to do that because we're gonna change it anyway.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Yeah, don't think we need to make sure we do more work. Okay, I'm sorry. Thought we not gonna break that something. He did. He did, but we can fix it when we bring it back.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: As we can fix the three branches of Saint Cloud.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Well, I don't know if I agree with that. I don't know if I agree Yeah.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Well, is government.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Yeah. The legislative branch has an oversight role that the other the other branches that

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: we will have robust decisions. Yes. Will.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: So with that in mind, the procedures I understood based on what we did in the Senate Agriculture this morning, you'll take a roll call. You'll need to print this out, Lynn.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Yeah.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: And then for some reason, we take it to the sergeant at arms office who then brings it to the drafters. And it gets drafted and then gets brought upstairs and gets unnumbered. As long as we voted out of this committee today, we're okay. But I don't know why we have to go to the sergeant at arm's office, but I'll be glad to walk down there with you when we adjourn. And if we need to take it immediately upstairs, we can

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: go it that way, Chad. Yeah.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: I hope it might be good

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: to weigh in the secretary's office or you've already done this today.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Yeah. We did it in senate.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Oh, because we're doing two of these tomorrow for the senate economic There you go.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: I'm trying to get an honor to do much senate judiciary, but that's why I have

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Good luck. You've got

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: committee bill. This is what's Yes. The diff I get.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Normally, we take committee bills upstairs. Right. But I've never taken it, but it may be because it's not draft. Yeah.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: So with that in mind, I would move that we vote out draft two six dash zero seven five four, which will be our government operations committee bill, Do I have a second?

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Yes.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Okay. I'd like you to do that.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: You may call the roll. Senator Clarkson? Yes. Senator Morley? Yes.

[John Morley III, Clerk]: Senator Vyhovsky?

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Yes.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Senator White? Yes. Senator Collamore? Yes.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Thank you, John.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Yeah, good job. Thank you. So just show the vote as five zero zero, and take a printed copy of the draft, And one way or another, it'll get to John Bloomer's hands, and he will take it from there.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Now how how are we gonna handle any type of floor reporter? Are we just gonna pull it back immediately?

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Oh, no. We're gonna pull it back. Yeah.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: It just immediately it's like a bill that's introduced. Right. And then John Rodry will say it's assigned to the. Okay.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: No. I don't even think I

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: need to well, if I do, I do.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Okay. I know. But I don't think you're gonna have to. Fine.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: So, Tim, thank you for

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: your work. You're welcome.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Thank Very you nice.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Thank you.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: You're off the hook with us today. We've had other things, and I'm sure you do. Thank god. We appreciate your time. Is there anything else, do we need, that we need to talk about today?

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: I think we need a lunch count child care. That's right. Mhmm. A west? Lunch count. Childcare that goes till 06:00. Oh. Yeah.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Transfer to another villa. Yes. Senator Mike.

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: I just had one thought, which is I am wondering if we could invite someone from the National Guard or Vermont State Police to comment on the role of Vermont State Police to the National Guard as we consider what's happening in Minneapolis. And Maine. And Maine. Just kinda broadly, I'd love we got a little bit of it with the adjutant general thing, but I'm getting constituents who are asking me, and I really don't know the answers. Okay. So I've heard kinda background conversations, but I just wanted to put that out. I can understand we can't accommodate it for this week, but just as a thought for Okay. And some of the and I

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: don't know how to phrase that. Well, maybe it's a Jen Morrison question, which is because I think I said anyway

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: We we we're on the same page. Because I think we have to prepare.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: And I think Yeah. And I think it's a question of we need to be prepared. Simply a question, we need to be prepared. Yeah. We need to all be good at Girl Scouts. Or boys, obviously. Boys, boys, you have to be prepared too. Yeah.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: I think they came up with it first.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Oh, did they do it first?

[Tanya Vyhovsky, Vice Chair]: Oh, I I just assumed we could cross for that and do stuff like that.

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: I was the either side.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: That's okay. Is there anything else for the committee to do?

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: Oh, the sun is out. We should all go out. Well, I And enjoy a little bit some white tea.

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Okay. With that in mind, we'll return for the day and see all of you

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: tomorrow. Nice work. Thank you. Good work, Lynn.

[Tim Valdezlund, Legislative Counsel]: Thank

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: you. Are we still on?

[Brian Collamore, Chair]: Are we

[Alison Clarkson, Member]: still on?