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House Natural Resources & Energy committee requests redraft of H.396 award language, delays vote
Summary
The House Committee on Natural Resources & Energy asked legislative counsel to restore and clarify language in an amendment to H.396 that defines who may receive a public-lands award; no formal vote was taken and the committee deferred action pending a revised draft.
The House Committee on Natural Resources & Energy asked legislative counsel to return with a revised draft of an amendment to H.396 that restores and clarifies the sentence defining who may receive a public-lands award; the committee did not vote on the amendment and deferred further action.
For the record, Michael Turner, legislative counsel, told the committee the revised language would make the clause read in part: “annually, the commissioner of forest, parks, and recreation shall present this award to either a current or former state employee advancing the conservation, accessibility, quality, recreational experience, or sustainability of Vermont's public lands.”
The committee also asked that the phrase “or partner” follow the reference to “current or former state employee,” restoring wording members said had been removed. A committee member asked counsel to include the full sentence that was in the earlier draft and to add the clause that “honors the legacy” of the person named in the original language (the name is unclear in the transcript record).
Committee members discussed only the single-sentence change rather than reworking the entire paragraph. Michael Turner said the change does not alter the bill's core elements — “the creation, the award, the assignment to the commissioner” — but only refines the language of the clause.
Members instructed counsel to provide a complete redraft that shows the full language so the group can review it before voting. Committee members asked whether that could be completed before an anticipated 11:30 deadline; one member replied it was not possible. Turner said he could deliver the draft to a staff member named Judah later that afternoon and would do further edits before submitting it.
No motion or formal vote on the amendment was recorded during the meeting. The committee adjourned with the item left pending until the revised text is circulated and scheduled for a future meeting.
