Vermont House adopts technical workers' compensation fix, advances Act 250 grandfathering correction to third reading

The Vermont House of Representatives on the floor moved several housekeeping and procedural measures and cleared one bill for passage while advancing another technical correction on statutory language.

House members voted to pass House Bill 560, titled an act relating to making technical corrections to workers' compensation rulemaking requirements. The measure was read for a third time and, after a voice vote on the question “shall the bill pass?,” the presiding officer announced that the ayes had it and declared the bill passed.

Separately, the House took up House Bill 599, described by Representative Vongards (member for Manchester) as a technical corrections bill to reinstate language in 10 V.S.A. §6081(b) that had been removed inadvertently in last year’s Act 53. Vongards told members the deletion could leave a small number of projects that were in permitting or under construction at the time Act 250 went into effect (June 1, 1970) technically out of compliance. The chamber adopted a committee-recommended amendment that changes the reinstatement effective date from June 9, 2023, to June 8, 2023 to avoid a one-day gap. After the amendment passed by voice vote, the House ordered third reading for H.599; no final passage was recorded on the floor that day.

Earlier in the session, the chair introduced two House bills for first reading. House Bill 829, sponsored by Representative Stevens of Waterbury, ‘‘an act relating to creating permanent upstream eviction protections and enhancing housing stability,’’ received its first reading and was referred to the Committee on General and Housing. House Bill 830, sponsored by Representative Parsons of Newberry, ‘‘an act relating to the zoning requirements for group homes,’’ received its first reading and was referred to the Committee on Environment and Energy.

The House also read and adopted, in concurrence, Joint Senate Resolution JRS 37 relating to weekend adjournment on Jan. 19, 2024. The clerk announced the resolution had been read and adopted by the senate and put the concurrence question to the House, which responded by voice vote and adopted the resolution.

The clerk reported the appointment of Courtney Recker of Williamstown as second assistant clerk; the clerk said the oath was administered earlier in the day and invited members to welcome Recker to the House staff.

Members made a series of announcements, including recognition of a visiting mayor and a short statement marking Captive Insurance Day at the State House. At least one member described Vermont as now the leading domicile for captive insurance and encouraged colleagues to meet with industry representatives in the card room; members gave voice recognition to that announcement on the floor. The House adjourned following a motion by the member from Paulding to stand adjourned until Thursday, January 18, 2024, at 3 p.m., which carried by voice vote.

What happens next: H.560 will move forward as passed that day according to standard enrollment and transmittal procedures; H.599 was ordered to third reading and will return to the floor for a final vote on a later day. The bills introduced for first reading were referred to their respective committees for further consideration.