2015 Mid Session Legislative Report
This Legislative session has been a lot like this winter . Just when we think the cold will lighten up, we get another morning where it’s 19 below or another storm.
We’ re Vermonters though, and we know it will warm up, sugaring season will kick in, days keep getting longer and spring will replace winter
Likewise, we will get our work done in Montpelier., working together with the Governor to make sure we get things done but remembering the values that make Vermont what it is.
It’s a tough budget year and among the reasons it’s a tough budget year are we still cleaning up the mess from the Great recession, revenues are slower than we estimated and now on top of that we are feeling the effects of Federal cuts from Congressional Sequestration.
But as tough as the budget is, we are not going to abandon our values, our commitment to our environment and to our people. We will remember the people that make Vermont special, the communities where people come together, the environment we all cherish and and the sense of fairness on how we do things And, In our budget, we will not forget the mark of a great society is how we treat the least of us.
When we look at the budget, we see people, not just numbers.
When we look at schools and education reform we see first our children and the teachers and school boards that already work hard to spend our money wisely and still provide our children with a quality education that will make for a better future for them and their children.
We will preserve our land, support our farms, clean up our waters, We will offer innovative policies, like our energy plan that will spur the economy and bring a cleaner, greener future for our children and future generations. And, we will do all that in the 16 weeks we have alloted for the part tme legislature, then go back home to our regular jobs and the communities we love.
Specifically, A few of the bills we’re working on are protecting senior citizens from Financial exploitation,(and unfortunately what we have found all too often is that is protecting elders from family or friends that are supposed to be watching out for them.)
We are working on an update on the Death with Dignity bill, that maintains te protections to make sure it is available as a choice but only unde the strictest conditions. To prevent misuse .
We are also working on a bill to better protect children from abuse and neglect, and we just passed an Energy Plan , in the House. That bill builds on the good work we have been doing to promote renewable energy and solar and conservation and efficiency and that will save money and reduce our carbon footprint .
And we are also tweaking the Current Use law so it continues to protect open lands, farms and woodlands so there are stiffer penalties for people who pull out of the program to sell their land for big profits .
We are also working on an education bill that still has many moving parts and will probably look very different than what is currently proposed. Bottom line is that what we already do here in our local supervisory union is what we hope to have the rest of the state do…but I am keeping abreast of tis and will fight for any changes that are detrimental to what we already do here, and what works.
On a very local level, when you are in touch with us, sometimes we can help things happen. even if it’s a small thing like having light diffusing extensions put on the jersey barriers of the construction site over the West River on I-91. We heard from lots of you about this, and after much “gentle persuasion” from your local legisaltoive delegation, those barriers are now up and making the road a little safer.
I want to thank you again for the opportunity and honor to serve you and ask you for your continued suggestions and questions about the legislature.
We want to hear from you and our contact info is below.
While we can’t be all things to all people, and We can’t give everyone, everything they want. We will make the tough choices in a way that sees a big picture that includes everyone . A picture that gets us to a better day , to that spring at the end of this long hard winter.
thanks,
Rep. Mike Mrowicki (mmrowicki@leg.state.vt.us)
and Rep. David Deen (strictlytrout@vermontel.net)
Windham 4 District Putney, Dummerston & Westminster
Here’s a few of the bills, we ‘re working on.
For a more comprehenisive report, visit our website;
www.windham4.net
or
www.leg.state.vt.us
Fish, Wildlife, & Water Resources
Water Quality –
Clean water is a huge economic driver in Vermont. Held deeply as part of the “Vermont brand,” clean water helps contribute nearly $2 billion in tourism activities, providing joy to Vermonters and visitors alike. Yet our lakes, rivers and ponds are struggling from pollution and our efforts over the decades have not kept pace with the impact of stormwater runoff and high water events. This year, a comprehensive and far-reaching water quality bill is making its way through the House. The bill, H.35, engages all land use sectors, including roads, highways, agricultural operations, developed land in urban areas, wastewater treatment plants, and forestlands. All will be required to improve practices and all will be required to participate in providing resources to fund and finance a long-term sustained effort. Expect to see this emerge on the House floor in early March.
The bill formalizes a program to identify and then put water quality management plans in place for the thousands of farms that are currently not regulated. Existing and new commercial and industrial properties with large amounts of paved surfaces will need to demonstrate how they will limit the effects of stormwater. Municipalities will need to inventory all their roads and develop a prioritized implementation plan to improve stormwater management. Missing from past efforts, this bill provides for a suite of funding mechanisms that will assist municipalities, agricultural operations, businesses, and other interested parties in their efforts to improve water quality. It proposes a revenue stream of approximately $13 million to assist and fund implementation of water quality improvements for all sectors. Expect to see this emerge on the House floor in early March.
Stormwater
All existing and new development may be required to implement best management practices (BMPs), especially in impaired watersheds. Regulatory coverage would be determined by the size and impact of the development, and would be guided by basin plans. Rules adopted to manage regulated stormwater runoff would focus on compliance with Vermont water quality standards and the maintenance of predevelopment runoff characteristics. Impervious surfaces greater than one acre, municipal separate storm sewer systems, and expansion/redevelopment of existing impervious surfaces would require permits (most do already). In addition, impervious areas greater than three acres would need a general permit if not already permitted under the 2002 Stormwater Manual standards. State residual designation authority (RDA) as outlined in the federal Clean Water Act would allow a case-by-case determination of permit requirement, based on adverse impacts identified in the basin planning process. The State would adopt an implementation process for an antidegradation policy by July of 2016. For those not requiring a permit, a new handbook of voluntary best management practices for the control of stormwater would be available by July of 2016.
Municipalities and State of Vermont
After July of 2018, municipalities will be required to obtain a stormwater general permit for discharges from town roads. Towns will have to inventory all their roads and develop a prioritized implementation plan for improvements. The improvements will have to comply with established criteria and technical standards, such as best managements practices. More densely populated area will be required to obtain a MS4 permit (municipal separate storm sewer system). The State will also be required to manage stormwater from the state highway system.
Forestlands
By March of 2016, the Vermont Department of Forest and Parks is required to revise rules about acceptable management practices for maintaining water quality on logging jobs in Vermont. Silvaculture practices will also have advisory rules promulgated.
Clean Water Fund
A revenue stream of $13 M is proposed to assist and fund implementation of water quality improvements for all sectors. Possible sources of revenue include a 0.5% increase in the rooms, meals and alcohol tax, $0.02 increase per gallon of the gas tax, new fees for farm permits, and increased taxes on fertilizers and product registrations. The proposal calls for a sunset of the rooms, meals, and alcohol taxes portion in 3 years, to be replaced by a per parcel fee based on impervious surfaces or parcel size.
A special fund will be created as a mechanism to finance water quality improvements. This financing will assist municipalities in complying with water quality requirements and implementation schedules. It will also allow non-profits, regional organizations, and other entities to participate. This money will support the required staffing of the Agency of Agricultural and the Agency of Natural Resources in order to administer and implement the requirements of the bill. Funds will be administered through a Clean Water Fund Board in cooperation with the Agency of Administration and other impacted agencies.
What is this about microbeads?
Microbeads are microscopic (size of a pinhead) plastic orbs found in soaps, toothpaste, exfoliants, other personal care products (PCPs), and household cleansers. Approved by the FDA in 1972 and in wide use in the 1990s, microbeads were seen as the cheaper alternative to almond meal or pumice.
Human Services
Aging in Vermont
There are 98,000 Vermonters who are over the age of 70. Many older Vermonters are working longer and continue to be active in their communities well into their senior years. Many live in their own homes and when they need assistance, many receive their care in their homes. Participation in social activities and fitness activities are important to their wellbeing.
Vermont has an array of service providers and programs that can help aging individuals and their families. These include our local Senior Centers, our Home Health Agencies, our five Area Agencies on Aging, our fourteen Adult Day Centers, Support and Services at Home (SASH), and Choices for Care, to name a few.
For some, aging leads to dealing with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is more than just a little memory loss. It is a progressive disease of the brain causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s disease is the most expensive disease in the U.S. and is the sixth leading cause of death. Age is the greatest known risk factor and family history also plays a role. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease doubles about every five years after age 65. At least 74% of people with Alzheimer’s have at least one major chronic condition, and if you include hypertension, that percentage jumps to 94%. Early diagnosis allows the patient to help plan for future needs while still capable of doing so. Medications may delay the progression of the disease. There is much yet to learn about Alzheimer’s and other dementias, but one person who works daily with people who have Alzheimer’s and with their families says this: “We know that the course of dementia is as varied as the indiviHuman Services
Aging in Vermont
There are 98,000 Vermonters who are over the age of 70. Many older Vermonters are working longer and continue to be active in their communities well into their senior years. Many live in their own homes and when they need assistance, many receive their care in their homes. Participation in social activities and fitness activities are important to their wellbeing.
Vermont has an array of service providers and programs that can help aging individuals and their families. These include our local Senior Centers, our Home Health Agencies, our five Area Agencies on Aging, our fourteen Adult Day Centers, Support and Services at Home (SASH), and Choices for Care, to name a few.
For some, aging leads to dealing with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is more than just a little memory loss. It is a progressive disease of the brain causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s disease is the most expensive disease in the U.S. and is the sixth leading cause of death. Age is the greatest known risk factor and family history also plays a role. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease doubles about every five years after age 65. At least 74% of people with Alzheimer’s have at least one major chronic condition, and if you include hypertension, that percentage jumps to 94%. Early diagnosis allows the patient to help plan for future needs while still capable of doing so. Medications may delay the progression of the disease. There is much yet to learn about Alzheimer’s and other dementias, but one person who works daily with people who have Alzheimer’s and with their families says this: “We know that the course of dementia is as varied as the individuals who experience it. There is no way to predict how long someone may live with the disease. But we also know that people who are living with dementia can still experience joy, connection and love.”
With Alzheimer’s, it is not just those with the disease who are affected. It’s also their caregivers, who are usually family and friends. In Vermont there are nearly 30,000 family caregivers providing unpaid care to the 11,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s. This has a profound effect on the caregivers who often suffer their own health crises as a direct result of the stress related to providing Alzheimer’s care. That leads to an estimated $20 million in higher health costs for those caregivers.
The Dementia Respite Program (accessed through an Area Agency on Aging) provides a limited amount of financial assistance to unpaid family caregivers that can be used to pay for services that provide a break from their caregiving responsibilities. The Vermont Alzheimer’s Association offers a range of educational and supportive services for people with dementia, family caregivers, healthcare professionals and the general public. Services include a 24/7 telephone support line (1.800.272.3900), statewide support groups, caregiver workshops, and training programs.
duals who experience it. There is no way to predict how long someone may live with the disease. But we also know that people who are living with dementia can still experience joy, connection and love.”
With Alzheimer’s, it is not just those with the disease who are affected. It’s also their caregivers, who are usually family and friends. In Vermont there are nearly 30,000 family caregivers providing unpaid care to the 11,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s. This has a profound effect on the caregivers who often suffer their own health crises as a direct result of the stress related to providing Alzheimer’s care. That leads to an estimated $20 million in higher health costs for those caregivers.
The Dementia Respite Program (accessed through an Area Agency on Aging) provides a limited amount of financial assistance to unpaid family caregivers that can be used to pay for services that provide a break from their caregiving responsibilities. The Vermont Alzheimer’s Association offers a range of educational and supportive services for people with dementia, family caregivers, healthcare professionals and the general public. Services include a 24/7 telephone support line (1.800.272.3900), statewide support groups, caregiver workshops, and training programs.
Small-Scale Agriculture
After Town Meeting, the Agricultural committee will be working on two bills to help small family farms expand their markets and develop viable businesses. Tiered regulations that balance economies of scale, food safety and customer access will help put more local farm-fresh food on our plates and in our ice boxes.
H.52, an act relating to exceptions for inspection of poultry slaughtering would raise the limit on the number of birds a farmer can process for retail sale and sale to restaurants while meeting minimal inspection standards. The 2015 Raw Milk bill will be presented to our committee after the break as an attempt to remove financial and logistical hurdles for small cow and goat dairies. Raw milk sales have been permitted in Vermont for years, but the farmers continue to tell us that new rules imposed by the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets are preventing them from growing their businesses and could potentially drive them out of business altogether.
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Natural Resources & Energy
Renewable Energy Standard and Energy Transformation (RESET) Program
Twenty-nine states, including every other New England state except Vermont, have renewable portfolio standards. Renewable portfolio standards require electric utilities to include renewable generation in their portfolios, and to sell renewable energy to their customers. The demand for renewable energy is spread throughout the region using renewable energy credits (RECs), which can be purchased and sold by utilities to satisfy the renewable requirements. With its strong renewable energy sector, Vermont has traditionally been an exporter of renewable energy credits. In 2014, Vermont utilities sold roughly $50 million of renewable energy credits, over total revenue of about $830 million.
Vermont needs a renewable portfolio standard now because the viability of Vermont’s RECs has been in question. If New England states disallow the purchase of Vermont RECs due to the absence of a Vermont renewable portfolio standard, Vermont utilities may suddenly find themselves $50 million short on revenues, which would result in an immediate 6% increase in electricity rates. A proposed bill, H.40, addresses this problem by creating a renewable portfolio standard for Vermont. And it goes beyond other states’ renewable portfolio standards by creating a unique energy transformation tier that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money on energy bills. Together these initiatives are known as Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard and Energy Transformation (RESET) Program.
Vermont’s energy transformation tier focuses on total energy consumption, which includes electricity, heat, and transportation. The energy transformation tier lets electric utilities take credit for technology that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, reduces fossil fuel consumption, and saves money. Examples of energy transformation projects include home weatherization, electric vehicle charging stations, and cold-weather heat pumps. The Vermont Public Service Department anticipates that utilities, through the RESET program, will provide weatherization or cold-weather heat pumps to more than 85,000 homes and businesses over the 15 years of the program. And, as a result of RESET, Vermonters will see a slight decline in electricity rates due to better demand management and will save $275 million in overall energy bills.
Education
Overview Public demand for a more affordable and equitable education structure has focused the work of the House Education Committee this session. Every community in Vermont faces the growing expense of ensuring that all students can access an equitable array of services and opportunities. The viability of many small and rural schools is in real jeopardy. Organizational complexity inhibits local and regional efforts to engage in operational efficiencies and respond to declining enrollments. Educators, administrators, and local board members have described specific barriers to cross-sector collaboration, meaningful program evaluation, and widespread implementation of innovative practices. Though Vermont continues to perform at the top of national and global rankings of education quality and outcomes, it’s clear we have work to do to ensure we are spending our education dollars more effectively.
The Education Committee is proposing a bill that would create an integrated education system in Vermont. It is designed to encourage and support local decisions that promote equity in quality and variety of educational opportunities; enable schools to meet education quality standards; implement structural changes to meet collective needs; strengthen the viability of the State’s small schools; create conditions that promote stability in leadership; promote greater flexibility in the management of resources; improve affordability and stability for taxpayers through economies of scale; and increase accountability and transparency. The legislature will vote on the final proposed changes later this month.
For a more comprehensive report , visit;
www.windham4.net