Committee advances H.154 to designate November as Vermont Month of the Veteran

The House Committee on Government Operations & Military Affairs advanced H.154 on a roll-call vote Friday, Feb. 14, moving the bill that designates November as the “Vermont Month of the Veteran” toward a committee report to the clerk’s office.

Legislative counsel Michael Chernick said the bill’s text is essentially unchanged from the version the committee approved last year and noted an important timing update: the bill’s effective date is set to July 1 of this year. "It is the intent of the General Assembly to honor the special value of military service that the veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces have contributed to the security and well‑being of our nation by designating November as the Vermont Month of the Veteran," Chernick said. He added that the measure "does not create any sort of a state employee state holiday or a right to bargain for a state holiday."

Representative Hoover moved to advance the bill; Representative Morgan of Milton seconded the motion. The committee paused briefly to allow Representative Hoover to join. Clerk Clark conducted a roll-call vote that was recorded as 10 yes, 0 no, 1 absent. Members recorded as voting yes were Representative Boyden; Representative Kinstonal; Representative Morgan; Representative Cooper (Burlington); Representative Coffin; Representative Stone; Representative Nugent; Representative Waters Evans; Representative Byron; and Representative Hanger. One member, listed during roll call as Representative Cooper (Randolph), did not register a vote and was recorded as absent.

Committee discussion focused on the bill text and the effective date change; counsel described the designation as commemorative, analogous to a book month or history month, and said it would not alter employee time‑off policies. The committee did not adopt substantive changes to the bill during the hearing.

After the vote, counsel and committee staff discussed administrative next steps; Representative Hoover was assigned responsibility for getting the committee’s report to the clerk’s office. The committee recessed and scheduled a joint hearing with the Senate Government Operations committee at 11:00 a.m. to begin consideration of the Laurel Town Charter (HMT), with Secretary of State staff set to answer procedural questions at that session.