Senate committee lays over bipartisan bill designating January as Snow Professionals Appreciation Month

Senator Klein presented Senate File 3737 to designate January as Snow Professionals Appreciation Month and to recognize the safety-critical role of snow-removal workers.

Paulita LaPlante, whose family runs a landscaping and snow-management business, told the committee that her company employs 150 year-round and doubles in winter, and that crews work long, often overnight shifts to keep roads and emergency accesses clear. "This bill validates the professional status of our industry," LaPlante said, adding that modern snow removal requires training, equipment calibration and environmental stewardship.

Todd Schumacher, a senior project coordinator with Landscape Renovations Inc., described 22 years behind the wheel of snow equipment and said the designation would help professionalize recruiting and retention for a physically demanding job.

Committee members praised the bipartisan nature of the bill and laid SF 3737 over for possible inclusion.