House introduces five bills, refers Senate bill 160 and moves H.549 to a different committee

The Vermont House opened its floor session with routine business: prayers and the pledge, introductions of bills and guests, committee reports and a small number of floor motions.

Clerk announcements included five new House bills introduced for first reading: H.835 (services for adults with an intellectual disability, introduced by Representative McFaun of Barre Towne), H.836 (expanding earned time to include credit for higher education degrees, Rep. Stone of Burlington), H.837 (equalizing community service and incarceration requirements, Rep. Boslin of Westminster), H.838 (improved highway access for pedestrians and bicyclists, Rep. Lally of Shelburne), and H.839 (fiscal year 2024 budget adjustments, introduced by the Committee on Appropriations). Each bill was read for the first time and referred to the committees named on the calendar.

The House also read Senate Bill S.160 (state education property taxes and flood-related damage, introduced by Senator Cummings) and referred it to the Committee on Ways and Means.

On a floor motion, the member from Middlebury moved to relieve the Committee on Environment and Energy of House Bill H.549 (siting of cannabis cultivation) and refer it to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs; the motion passed by voice vote. Members offered several announcements, including a presentation by the Vermont Birth Center Coalition and a reminder about a discrimination-prevention training following the floor.

At the close of business the House approved a motion to adjourn until Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. and stood adjourned.