Senate refers Proposition 1 to Judiciary, sends multiple bills to committees and sets schedule

The presiding officer convened the Senate and moved through routine readings and announcements. The senator from Chittenden Central said lingering questions about Proposition 1 warranted additional testimony and moved to suspend the rules and commit the measure to the Judiciary Committee with the Government Operations Committee report to remain with the file; the motion carried by voice vote.

Clerks read several bills by title and placed them on the notice calendar. The Senate recorded first readings for S.305 (miscellaneous Public Utility Commission changes), S.306 (changes to the clean heat standard), S.307 (administrative controls and contaminated sites), and S.308 (land use planning updates). Those measures were referred to the Senate Natural Resources & Energy Committee for notice calendar placement.

The clerk also read House bills H.603 (poultry slaughter inspection exception) and H.839 (fiscal-year 2024 budget adjustments); H.603 was referred to Agriculture and H.839 to Appropriations. Senator from Washington successfully moved to relieve the Transportation Committee of S.187 (student-sunscreen and child car-seat safety provisions) and commit that bill to Health & Welfare. Senators announced committee meeting times and a cultural event: a closing reception for a Ukrainian art show in the statehouse cafeteria from 4–5 p.m.

The Senate agreed to stand adjourned until Thursday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. by voice vote; the transcript records a prolonged series of "aye" responses and then cuts off as the affirmation continued.