Legislative

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Floor - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/06/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law on the House Floor.

On Monday, S.55 was on the House Floor - Representative McCarthy presented the bill. There was some floor discussion on the mechanics of the bill but ultimately third reading was ordered on voice vote.

S.55 as Passed by the Senate:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/S-0055/S-0055%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20Senate%20Unofficial.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Government Operations - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/06/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Committee on Government Operations.

On Monday, the House Government Operations committee met to hear an amendment to the bill. The amendment clarifies that the video may be deleted 30 days after posting. The amendment also adds the Vermont Press Association to the working group - VAN is still included in the working group.On a straw poll vote, the committee found the amendment favorable 9-0-3.

S.55: Draft 1.2, 5-6-2024:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/S.55/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/S.55~Tim%20Devlin~%20Draft%201.2,%205-6-2024~5-6-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Committee of Conference - Discussion of VAN FY25 Request 05/06/2024

Discussion of VAN FY25 Request at the Committee of Conference.

On Monday, Representative Lanpher said the House was not planning to move forward with S.181 and the streaming tax - the committee agreed to a new construct to free up enough base and one-time funding to move forward without S.181. This is just FYI to close the loop on S.181.

The document with the shell game shifts is here:
https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Uploads/a0afd03fee/One-time_House_Proposal_H_883_5.24.2024.1130.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Appropriations - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/03/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Committee on Appropriations.

Later on Friday, the House Appropriations committee met to have a walkthrough of the bill. The committee asked questions about the mechanics of the bill and how it would practically be applied to situations like school boards and Town Meeting day. Ultimately, the committee voted the bill out favorably 10-0-2.

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Government Operations - Testimony of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/03/2024

Testimony of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Committee on Government Operations.

On Friday morning, the House Government Operations committee did a walkthrough of Draft 4.1, the most recent version of the bill. The committee voted to move the bill out of committee favorably 9-2-1. A link to the most recent version of the bill and committee meeting are below. Chair McCarthy pointed out there were some concerns brought forward about the retention of records following meetings - the bill as voted out of committee is silent on this topic, cities and towns want clarity about how long they must keep records.

S.55: Draft 4.1:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/S.55/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/S.55~Tim%20Devlin~%20Draft%204.1,%205-2-2024~5-3-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Senate Committee on Appropriations - Walkthrough of H.657 Modernize Vermont’s Communications Taxes and Fees 05/02/2024

Walkthrough of H.657 a bill meant to modernize Vermont's communications taxes and fees at the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations committee met to have a walkthrough of the bill from Senator Chittenden. Senator Chittenden brought up the first "chunk" of the bill, about changing a monthly tax on phone lines from a percentage - said this was uncontroversial. This got several questions from Senator Sears, who was concerned about the implications to low-income people - Senator Chittenden explained further how the tax functioned. The committee had to adjourn for the budget conference committee, so Chair Kitchel said up front that they would not be voting today.

H.657: As Passed By the House:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/Senate%20Appropriations/Bills/H.657/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/H.657~Maria%20Royle~As%20Passed%20By%20the%20House~5-2-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Government Operations - Testimony of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/02/2024

Testimony of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Committee on Government Operations.

On Thursday, the House Government Operations committee met to discuss a new draft of the bill. Legislative counsel walked the committee through Draft 2.2 - the new draft of the bill still includes VAN in the Working Group member list. The committee discussed exemptions to the in-person meeting requirement for certain bodies proposed by S.55. On THURSDAY afternoon, the committee reconvened and a walkthrough of Draft 2.3 (which is almost the same at 2.2) - the most recent changes include redefining “undue hardship”, redefining “state nonadvisory public bodies”, allowing CUDs to not have a physical meeting local until 2025, among other technical changes.

S.55, Draft 2.3:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/S.55/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/S.55~Tim%20Devlin~%20Draft%202.3,%205-2-2024~5-2-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Republican Caucus - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 04/30/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Republican Caucus.

On Tuesday, Representative Higley presented an update on the bill to the House Republican Caucus. Representative Higley said the committee was considering an amendment to allow CUDs not to comply with open meeting law requirements due to their vast geographic jurisdiction

S.55: Draft 1.3, 4-11-2024:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/S.55/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/S.55~Tim%20Devlin~%20Draft%201.3,%204-11-2024~5-1-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Committee of Conference - Approval of VAN FY25 Request 04/30/2024

Approval of VAN FY25 Request at the Committee of Conference.

Later on Tuesday, in a blink-and-you-missed it moment, the CoC closed (approved) the language about VAN in Section E.232 of the budget:

Sec. E.232 SECRETARY OF STATE; VERMONT ACCESS NETWORK BUDGET (a) The Office of the Secretary of State shall request that Vermont Access Network submit a proposed operating budget required to maintain its current level of operation and programming. The Office of the Secretary of State shall include the proposed operating budget as part of its fiscal year 2026 budget presentation. (Line 102 in the Document linked below).

The CoC uses a document to track items they have to resolve - differences between the House and Senate versions of the FY25 budget as passed. The VAN appropriation difference can be found on Line 19 of this document, which can be found here:
https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Uploads/de4906780b/GENERAL-376517-v1-H_883_-_FY_2025_Budget_Committee_of_Conference_-_Gray_Out_Document.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Committee of Conference - Discussion of VAN FY25 Request 04/30/2024

Discussion of VAN FY25 Request at the Committee of Conference.

On Tuesday, at its first meeting, the Committee of Conference (CoC) on the FY25 Budget discussed the VAN appropriation, as one of the differences in the House/Senate versions of the FY25 Budget that they will have to resolve. As you know, the House appropriated $1 million in one-time funds, and the Senate $1 million in base funding. Rep. Lanpher related this issue to S.181, saying she understood the Senate’s position relied on that bill, which currently sits in the House Energy and Environment Committee. Sen. Kitchel had been under the impression the bill was in the House Ways & Means Committee. Rep. Scheu said she thought “the bill would move soon” (we don’t believe it will). Rep. Lanpher also said “the commitment to the Vermont Access Network” is there, so it’s something of a technicality to resolve exactly how the appropriation will be made. The Committee left this item open for further discussion.

Featured Story

Paid Summer Internship Opportunities: "Conversations" and "Places"

Town Meeting TV is now accepting applications for TWO unique summer internship opportunities: Conversations and Places! Both internships will begin June 30th and run until August 15th. 6 hours per week, $16 per hour. Application deadline: Monday, June 2nd. Click here to learn more and apply!