Cats are in the House!
This Friday the House chamber enjoyed a visit from the champion UVM men's soccer team. This was a great tribute and a reminder to us all of the importance and reward of focused hard work, diligence, and attention to detail. Congratulations Cats!
Local Calendar Notice: Join your Addison County Representatives and Senators for the first Addison County Legislative Breakfast of 2025 this Monday morning February 10 at 7:00am at St. Peter’s Catholic Church.
With the honeymoon phase of the session coming to a close, we addressed a couple of thorny and even unprecedented issues this past week.
On Thursday the House voted on the Budget Adjustment Act (BAA) which is an annual truing up of the budget at the middle of the fiscal year. It's supposed to be just an accounting exercise to meet previously approved commitments. But when funds get allocated that significantly alter previous agreements, that's beyond what the BAA is intended to do. It did ultimately pass the house, happily keeping the commitment to support the approved childcare, but also significantly altering policy on homeless housing and redirecting debt payment, going well beyond what the Governor's budget had approved and what was agreed policy last session. It will now go to the Senate for their review. Read more HERE.
The House also addressed the unprecedented issue in the Bennington-1 House Representative election mistake. The House has sole authority to address this issue and after a deep dive by the House Government Operations committee and some impassioned debate on the floor, the status quo was passed leaving the election decision as it was and not giving the approximately 70 disenfranchised voters of Pownel their right to a proper vote. I voted against the committee's proposal, as did many others, desiring to see the rights of those voters upheld. The silver lining here is that this was a thorny and unprecedented issue. It was deeply researched and respectfully debated. The divided vote saw members of the various parties voting both ways. At the end of the day the representative was seated who won the election as it was performed and that result was constitutionally validated by a majority of the House. Like that result or not, this is constitutional democracy at work. If you want to help ensure that the votes of all registered Vermonters count, make sure you vote for those who will uphold that right. Your vote in November matters.
Meanwhile, the big issues facing Vermonters are being heard and wrestled in committees. There has been some excellent testimony on the Education issues being heard by joint meetings of the House and Senate Education Committees that you can listen to HERE. Other committee testimony is similarly available.
The Vermont House and Senate Committees on Appropriations will hold two joint PUBLIC hearings on the Governor’s recommended 2026 budget Thursday, February 13, 2025, at 1:45 p.m. and Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. via in person or videoconference. Anyone interested in testifying should sign up in advance of the hearing through the online form HERE not later than 10:00 a.m. on February 12, 2025, for the first hearing, and 10:00 a.m. on February 19, 2025, for the second hearing. Instructions on how to access and participate in the hearing will be sent once you have signed up for the hearing. Written testimony is encouraged and can be submitted electronically through email at testimony2025@leg.state.vt.us or mailed to the House Committee on Appropriations, c/o Erin Pedley, 115 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633.
The hearing will be available to watch live on YouTube HERE.
The Agency of Education has been working to make sure that Vermonters have a place to provide feedback, questions, and comments on the Governor’s proposed education transformation plan. Make your voices heard by writing to this email address: aoe.edpolicy@vermont.gov
Please contact me through my website with any questions you may have.
I remain honored to be your Representative,
Rob North
www.NorthForVTHouse.com
Addison, Ferrisburgh, New Haven, Panton, Vergennes, Waltham
