Senators pitch array of bills to Government Operations committee including veterans tax exemption, licensure and restroom access

Several senators used the Jan. 14 Senate Government Operations Committee meeting to outline bills they plan to file or support this session, describing topics and next steps.

Veterans pension exemption: A senator said she is preparing a bill to exempt veterans’ pensions from Vermont income tax and expects to introduce it by the end of the week. She said roughly 18 co-sponsors had signed on and that the proposal “doesn’t spend any extra money” and would place veteran pensions in a different tax treatment; she said it might move to the Finance Committee depending on jurisdiction.

Occupational licensure and optometry: Senators discussed changes to professional licensure to reduce cross-border service loss (Vermont/New Hampshire) and to speed licensing for new Americans. One senator said optometry regulations were under review as part of an OPR (office of professional regulation) bill; lobbyists and local advocates will present draft language to the committee when available.

Restroom diaper-changing access: A senator described a constituent-driven bill to require that diaper-changing facilities be available in all public restrooms when they exist for one gender — i.e., if a women’s restroom has a changing table, the men’s restroom would also need one, and single-user gender-neutral restrooms would need to be accessible. The sponsor said the goal is to make diaper-changing facilities available to fathers and caretakers and to reduce difficulty for parents traveling with young children.

Policing and Act 5 changes: Senators discussed potential work on Act 5 (fair and impartial policing) and broader policing oversight. One senator said they are considering legislation to limit or add a legislative role to agreements under which the governor deputizes local law enforcement to act on behalf of federal immigration enforcement; the bill would require legislative approval for such deputization agreements, the senator said.

Other priorities and studies: Members flagged additional priorities including campaign finance reform, ranked-choice voting (noting uncertainty about immediate prospects), modernization of legislative accessibility and appointment/confirmation process reviews, a mental-health workforce report published Dec. 15 and follow-up legislation, and possible legislation on privatization of state work.

Ending: Most items were presented as intentions or drafts; senators asked staff for next steps, offered to share draft language and requested the committee schedule hearings and witnesses as drafts become available.