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Committee gives favorable straw poll to bill creating Molly Beatty distinguished service award
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Summary
A House committee expressed support in a straw poll for H.396, which would create the Molly Beatty Distinguished Service Award to honor contributions to Vermont's public lands; the Senate's amendment narrowed language to 'current or former state employee or partner' and left the July 1 effective date unchanged.
Members of a House committee took a favorable straw poll on H.396, a bill that would create the Molly Beatty Distinguished Service Award and require the commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation to present it annually to "a current or former state employee or partner," committee members heard.
Michael Chernick, an attorney with Legislative Council who drafted the original bill text, told the committee the Senate's amendment was largely editorial and said, "the amendment from the Senate . . . is not particularly substantive." He confirmed the bill's effective date remains July 1 and that the amended language replaces any earlier reference to a "retired" employee with the phrase "current or former state employee or partner."
The change on "partner," Chernick said, was deliberate: the Senate committee wanted to give the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation flexibility to award the honor to either an individual or an institution that has worked with the department on a project. Chernick cited the Kingdom Heritage Lands (formerly Champion Lands) project as an example where private landowners and companies have been treated as project partners. "The committee decided . . . the department should have that flexibility to determine whether it was going to award this to an individual or to an organization," he said.
Chernick also told the committee the financial impact would be minimal. "It's either a plaque or a piece of paper or the certificate. So there's really no financial impact," he said.
The committee recorded a straw poll on whether it would concur with the Senate's proposal of amendment. Several members voiced affirmative votes: Rep. Lipsky said "aye," Rep. Morgan said "yes," Rep. Nelson said "aye," Rep. O'Brien said "yay," and Rep. Supernaut said "yes." The chair left the straw poll open for members who were listening remotely; committee staff noted the polling record should be filed before 1:00 p.m. and emphasized the straw poll is not a formal, final vote on the bill.
Committee members asked Legislative Council to provide a short, neutral statement summarizing the Senate changes for use on the floor; Chernick said he would draft an "Associated Press"-style factual statement and circulate it to the committee.
Next steps remain procedural: the committee kept the straw poll record open pending finalization and filing, and the bill will proceed consistent with House rules and any subsequent floor action.
