Legislative Update February 2024
It’s full steam ahead for the legislature in our second year of the biennium. From flood recovery to housing and education finance to act 250 reform, there are many big issues being considered in the legislature this session. The era of federal stimulus has ended, so we’re working hard to creatively address challenges and fund programs responsibly and sustainably.
Bills in Motion
Flood Abatement
The House and Senate have passed S.160 which will reimburse municipalities for certain state education property tax payments if they granted property tax abatements to property owners for damage caused by flooding.
Chicken Parts
The House passed H. 603, which alleviates poultry slaughter inspection under specific circumstances. The bill means that small farms would be allowed to not just whole birds but also parts from the farm, at a farmers’ market, or to a food restaurant. Yahoo!
Budget Adjustment Act
The House passed the budget adjustment, the mid-year true-up of the current fiscal year budget. In addition to updating program and operating costs to reflect more recent budget data, the bill helps communities devastated by flooding and invests in affordable housing across the state.
Here’s a full list of bills we’ve passed so far →
Hot Topics
As we head towards cross-over, the halfway point in the session when bills need to be voted out of committee, many bills are still being developed. Here are a few issues that I’m following closely. As always, I welcome your input!
School Budgets & Property Taxes
The topic of education spending and property taxes has been a big one this year. Schools are facing many pressures including inflation, the expiration of federal pandemic aid, a roughly 16% increase in health care costs, payments on school construction or renovation projects, and the implementation of Act 127. Current projections estimate that education spending is increasing by $250 million for the coming year. The legislature is concerned that this unprecedented increase will lead to many school budgets getting voted down or budgets passing and leading to $0.20-0.30 increase in property taxes, which we know is untenable for Vermonters. The legislature is working to address these concerns in a few ways including repealing the 5% cap on tax rates from Act 127 because the mechanism isn’t working as intended, reducing property tax rates by adding new revenue to the statewide education fund, and longer term adjustments to the education funding formula to ensure education quality while also containing costs. For more context and details, see this article.
Act 250 & Housing
Vermont is facing a housing crisis and a climate crisis. This session, we have an opportunity to increase climate resilience and add more housing by modernizing our land use regulations. There are three different Act 250 modernization proposals under discussion in three different committees: the BE Home bill, H.687, and S.308. Each bill lays out a tiered approach to Act 250 jurisdiction, but differ in the details of how those tiers will be determined and what they include. I’ve been working closely with committee members to ensure the unique challenges our small rural communities face are heard and addressed as a part of this work.
Flavored Tobacco
The house is considering S.18, a bill that would ban the retail sale of all flavored vapes, all flavored tobacco substitutes, and all flavored e-liquids. The bill would also ban all menthol cigarettes and menthol tobacco products starting in July 2025. The bill seeks to address concerns that flavored tobacco is highly attractive to youth and potentially leading to an increase in nicotine addiction and long-term health risks.
I share the concerns about youth getting addicted to nicotine. At the same time, it’s important to note that tobacco and nicotine products are already illegal for individuals under the age of 21 in Vermont and that history shows that prohibition is not the most effective approach to changing behavior. I’m concerned that banning flavored tobacco products could drive adult consumers out of state or towards the black market, where unregulated and potentially dangerous products may become more prevalent and could potentially limit adult smokers' access to smoke-free alternatives for adults trying to quit smoking.
As we consider voting on S.18, I’m hoping that we can find a balanced approach that addresses public health concerns without unnecessary restrictions. At this point, I believe that instead of banning flavored tobacco, we should be focused on enforcing existing age restrictions and enhancing educational campaigns to discourage underage tobacco use.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think.
In the news
‘There’s no rules or oversight’: New bill seeks to ease Vermont’s animal welfare ‘crisis’
“We have a fragmented system that is overwhelmed with demand,” said Rep. Katherine Sims, D-Craftsbury, one of the bill’s sponsors, in an interview. “It’s time that we create a unified system and structure.”
Reps. Anne Donahue and Katherine Sims: Right-to-repair is a pro-common-sense bill
“Vermont has the opportunity to do the right thing for our farmers and loggers and to do it the Vermont way.”
Stay Connected
I want you to know what I'm working on, how I'm voting and why. For those who like to keep of track of things in real time:
Follow along: Watch the House of Representatives live (or recorded) daily deliberations here
My record: Visit my Legislative Page for bills I’ve co-sponsored and roll call votes
Office hours: Join me for monthly virtual office hours, find the schedule and RSVP here.
If you need assistance or want to discuss your priorities or needs, please reach out anytime. I look forward to connecting with you.
Best,
Katherine Sims
State Representative, Orl-4
Serving Albany, Craftsbury, Glover, Greensboro