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Votes at a glance: Vermont Senate procedural referrals, third readings and confirmations (May 12)
Summary
On May 12 the Vermont Senate conducted multiple procedural referrals, passed several House bills in concurrence, amended and advanced other items, and confirmed gubernatorial and judicial-office appointments. This roundup lists those actions and recorded outcomes from the floor session.
The Vermont Senate on May 12 handled multiple referrals, third readings, committee actions and confirmations. Below are the items recorded on the Senate floor during the session and the outcomes as recorded in the floor transcript.
Votes and floor actions recorded (selected):
- H.479 (act relating to housing): Rules suspended and bill committed to the Committee on Natural Resources and Energy with the report of the Committee on Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs intact. Motion carried (voice vote recorded "ayes have it").
- H.505: Referred under Rule 44A to the Committee on Government Operations (referral recorded on the floor).
- S.154 (an act relating to health insurance coverage for biomarker testing): Received first reading and was committed to the Committee on Finance (first reading announced on the floor).
- H.504 (act relating to amendments to the charter of the city of Rutland): First reading; referred to the Committee on Government Operations under Rule 44A (first reading announced and referral recorded).
- H.339 (third reading; bill to remove the repeal of 7 V.S.A. —6230): Third reading taken; voice vote recorded as "ayes have it" and the Senate passed H.339 in concurrence.
- H.364 (annexation of property by the village of Swanton): Third reading taken; voice vote recorded as "ayes have it" and the Senate passed H.364 in concurrence.
- H.396 (creation of the Molly Beatty distinguished service award): Third reading taken with proposal of amendment; voice vote recorded as "ayes have it" and the Senate passed H.396 in concurrence with the proposal of amendment.
- H.461 (expanding employee access to unpaid leave): Senator from Chittenden offered a non-substantive amendment to correct underlining; amendment adopted; the Senate passed H.461 in concurrence with the proposal of amendment (voice votes recorded).
- H.481 (stormwater management): Committee amendment adopted on the floor to correct terminology ("impact fees" to "special assessment fees" in one instance); amendment adopted and the Senate passed H.481 in concurrence with the proposal of amendment (voice votes recorded). The reporter on the floor provided additional data about phosphorus loads in Lake Memphremagog and Lake Champlain in response to a question.
- H.401 (exemptions for food manufacturing establishments / cottage-food bill): Committee reports read; Senate voted to propose to the House to amend the bill as recommended by the committee on health and welfare and then ordered the bill to third reading (voice votes recorded). See separate article for detailed coverage.
- SR 11 (resolution supporting cooperative relations with Canada and urging removal of certain tariffs): Committee amendment adopted (roll-call requested), and the amended resolution was ordered to third reading. (Recorded roll-call names appear in the Senate journal.) See separate article for debate details.
- S.51 (relating to Vermont unpaid caregiver tax credits): Rules suspended and the bill was taken up; Senate did not concur with the other body and a committee of conference was requested and ordered; committee of conference appointed (members named on the floor).
Confirmations and appointments recorded:
- Governor's appointment (Land Use Review Board): A gubernatorial appointee whose calendar entry name was not underlined (Brooke Dingledine) was taken up without debate and confirmed by the Senate (voice vote recorded "ayes have it").
- Matthew Valerio: The Senate confirmed the appointment of Matthew Valerio as Defender General for a term (03/01/2025 to 02/28/2029) following a roll-call vote; the transcript recorded the roll-call and the chair announced the confirmation.
Procedure and next steps: Several items were advanced to third reading; H.401 in particular was the subject of extended floor questions and the presenter committed to provide further technical clarifications by third reading. S.51 was sent to a committee of conference for negotiation with the other body.
This list summarizes floor-level actions recorded in the May 12 Senate session; it does not record final enactment in law for bills that advanced to third reading or actions that require further chamber or gubernatorial action.
