Senate reads four bills at first reading, schedules meetings and a homelessness-awareness reception

The Vermont Senate read four bills at first reading and referred them to committees while also making scheduling and event announcements and adjourning to a later date. Presiding announcements identified bill sponsors and committee referrals as follows.

S.298, introduced by Senator Brock and others, was read on first reading as "an act relating to increasing penalties for drug-related offenses" and was referred to the Judiciary Committee. S.299, also introduced by Senator Brock and others, was read as "an act relating to a single process for sealing criminal history records" and likewise was referred to the Judiciary Committee. S.300, introduced by Senator Vihofsky and others, was read as "an act relating to funding support services for persons who use drugs and eliminating misdemeanor criminal penalties for possessing or dispensing a personal use drug supply" and was referred to the Judiciary Committee.

House bill H.516 was read on first reading as "an act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the city of Essex Junction" and was referred to the Committee on Government Operations. The transcript does not include further committee schedules for those specific bills.

Senators also announced committee meeting times: Government Operations will meet at 1:30 p.m.; Senate Finance will meet after the e-board meeting at approximately 3:30 p.m. for the revenue forecast and joint meeting with Appropriations; and Natural Resources and Energy will meet the following morning at 8:30 a.m. The Senator from Windsor announced a cookies-and-hot-cocoa reception hosted by the Housing and Homelessness Alliance of Vermont together with Vermont Interfaith Action and the Chittenden County Homeless Alliance from 4 to 5 p.m. in recognition of Homelessness Awareness Days.

Finally, the Senator from Chittenden Central moved the Senate stand adjourned until 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 19; the presiding officer put the question and "the ayes have it."