Anne Lamy Mook

Posted By Anne on June 24, 2011

Protecting the health and safety Vermont’s children remains a top priority for all of us. In recent years, the number of children suffering from allergies and illnesses triggered by toxins in our environment has risen dramatically. In response, the legislature worked with school administrators, custodians, public interest groups, and health officials to craft a law that would make schools healthier for all occupants.

S.92 requires that distributors and manufacturers sell only environmentally preferable cleaning products and air fresheners to schools, school districts, supervisory unions, or procurement consortiums. It does not limit the sale, use or distribution of “antimicrobial pesticides” (e.g. disinfectants and sanitizers). The bill is sensitive to the burdens schools face on a daily basis and carefully balances our interest in protecting kids and the efficient operation of school buildings.  By supporting the use of green cleaning products in schools, we demonstrate our commitment to protecting our natural resources and keeping Vermonters safe.

Category: End of Session 2011, Environment | Comments Off
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Posted By Anne on June 24, 2011

The principal-mentoring legislation requires that at the time a school district hires a principal or technical center director who is new to the role, the district’s superintendent, in consultation with the Vermont Principals’ Association, shall work to ensure that the new principal or technical center director receives mentoring support during at least the first two years of employment.  This aids the new principal with his or her transition into new responsibilities and helping with leadership development.

Principals have the complex job of balancing the needs of their students, teachers, and parents while creating a culture that supports learning and safety. The complexity of such a job for any person, particularly a new principal, calls for support.  As in so many professions, having allies who can offer advice and support in handling challenging situations is essential.

This legislation will:

• create greater continuity in school leadership by minimizing attrition of new principals,
• assist principals in creating a climate most conducive to the needs of their students,
• attract principal candidates to Vermont,
• help principals become effective school leaders,
• provide support for new leadership by matching principals with experienced and trained

professional mentors and lastly,

• strengthen our schools by promoting the longevity of principals in service.

Additionally, this legislation has created a committee to study how the education profession inducts and mentors new teachers in their initial years so as to retain the most talented educators in the profession.

Category: Education, End of Session 2011 | Comments Off
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Posted By Anne on June 24, 2011

The miscellaneous education bill addressed dual enrollment, cyber-bullying, technology and energy conservation in our schools. Dual enrollment: Secondary education programs were strengthened to allow students to enroll in college courses and receive high school credit. Known as dual enrollment, this legislation requires that schools implement a system to increase the continuum between high school and college, making it more likely that students enroll in a post-secondary school program. Cyber-bullying: We have all heard the sad and tragic stories around cyber-bullying. Email, social networking, and cell phone use give students the opportunity to bully fellow students around the clock. Often, these incidents disrupt student learning and classroom management. S.100 expands the definition of harassment and bullying by including an act conducted by electronic means. It permits school districts to take disciplinary action on bullying that does not take place during the school day on school property, if it is shown to pose a clear and substantial interference with another student’s access to education programs. Report on technology use in schools: S.100 also recognizes that knowing how to use and manipulate technology is essential to one’s educational and life successes. S.100 requires the department of education to provide a comprehensive report to the senate and house committees on education regarding the current use of technology and Internet service in public schools designed to increase educational opportunities for students. Energy conservation is a priority for us all. When schools make energy conservation a priority, financial savings follow. This legislation allows schools to incur debt to finance the cost of school-building energy improvements not to exceed $350,000 per building in any three-year period and payable over a maximum term with the useful life of the financed improvements, but not to exceed ten years. For a project to be eligible it must meet two requirements. First, the voters must approve the school board’s request to incur debt. Second, the project must be approved by a professional who certifies the energy plan and demonstrates that it will result in a cost savings for the district.

Category: Education, End of Session 2011 | Comments Off
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Posted By Anne on June 24, 2011

Many Vermont towns have eagerly awaited H. 155, or “PACE.” This is a law that enables voters of a municipality to establish a special “Property Assessed Clean Energy” district, in which residents can make energy-saving improvements to their properties with funds borrowed through the town. Participating property owners then repay those loans over a period of up to twenty years through a regular payment as with their property tax bill, which allows them to spread out their payments and reap net annual savings at the same time. When the property is sold, the payments, like the annual energy savings, stay with the property until paid off. H. 155 provides strong safeguards to this program, including a system of loan loss reserve funds, underwriting criteria, project guidelines, and vital technical assistance for participating towns through Efficiency Vermont. This program is the first meaningful way for homeowners to afford important energy improvements, both electrical and thermal, in a time of sky-rocketing fuel prices. Twelve Vermont towns have already voted to become PACE districts, and we expect many more to sign up, especially with Efficiency Vermont now acting as an important facilitator.

Category: End of Session 2011, Energy | Comments Off
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Posted By Anne on June 24, 2011

The genesis of this bill came from a conference titled “Transporting the Public” sponsored by AARP-Vermont and facilitated by the Snelling Center in June 2009.

It recognized the need to provide more transportation options and access for all citizens, making it possible for all citizens using all modes of transportation to get around safely and easily.  Complete Streets is about safe crossing for pedestrians, safe roads for bicyclists, and access to public transit. It refers to traffic signal timing, connecting sidewalks with bus stops, keeping crosswalks well-marked, anything to improve access and mobility.

The bill proposes to ensure that “complete streets” principles shall be CONSIDERED in state and municipal transportation planning.  This means planners must consider the safety and accommodation of all users regardless of age, ability, or modal preference.  Furthermore the consideration of complete streets principles shall follow in all state and locally managed transportation project phases except in the case of unpaved roads.

There are also guidelines for when and which projects may be exempted from this process, e.g. interstate highways, routine maintenance and when the cost is disproportionate to the need or probable use.

This bill promotes a whole system approach to transportation planning. The benefits include increased mobility for elders, better public health, reduced transportation costs, potential for economic and community development, and improved environmental quality.

As the costs of gas and car ownership increase, user-friendly downtowns and town centers attract business and foster a sense of community. About 44% of Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions are from the transportation sector. Planning and imagination are required to replace an auto-centric way of thinking about transportation with a multi-modal one.

Category: End of Session 2011, Transportation | Comments Off
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Posted By Anne on June 24, 2011

It is your right to know!  Under the Vermont constitution, all government officers are accountable to the citizens of Vermont.  One way that Vermont attempts to achieve this constitutional requirement for accountability is by providing open access to public records.  This bill tries to address the balance between the public’s right to know and the boundaries of personal privacy.

Its central piece is that it orders judges to grant attorney fees to those who are wrongly denied access to records.  This should send a signal to local and state officials to keep good records and respond in good faith to requests for information.

The bill also establishes a study committee to review the 215 exemptions to the Public Records Act.  Some of the exemptions are difficult to understand or interpret, thereby creating confusion. The intent is to clarify whether a document is public or not.

Category: End of Session 2011 | Comments Off
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Posted By Anne on June 23, 2011

Whether it allows students to use state-of-the-art learning tools, or individuals to make purchases from the comfort of their own home, or companies to communicate halfway across the world, the legislature and Governor Shumlin recognize broadband coverage as a vital need for all Vermont residents, businesses, and schools.  In 2010, Vermont received $174 million in federal grants and loans to fund major broadband initiatives.

The 2011 Telecom Bill streamlines the permitting process for developing communication technology infrastructure like cell towers and fiber optic lines, which ensures that stimulus money is utilized effectively over the next two years. The bill also allows for wireless Internet and cellular providers to apply for permits for multiple towers at once rather than permitting them individually.  This helps get more Vermonters connected faster. The Telecom Bill also includes a reorganization of the Vermont Telecommunications Authority Board, by allowing the oversight body to better coordinate state efforts by bringing broadband to the last mile and bring cell phone service to targeted highway corridors. The State has committed $10 million in capital construction funds to further the goal of providing accessible, affordable cell phone and broadband Internet service to all Vermonters by the end of 2013.

Category: End of Session 2011, Telecommunications | Comments Off
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Posted By Anne on June 23, 2011

Vermont did it!  One more time the wheels of our appropriations process arrived at a balanced budget, one that enables the civic life of Vermont, our citizens, our visitors and infrastructure to carry on for another year.

Developing a balanced budget is always intense as there is a massive amount of work to do.  Information is gathered from commissioners, secretaries and directors, agency and program staff, advocates, citizens, legislative legal and fiscal staff, legislative committees and more.  Each member of the Appropriations Committee is responsible for digging deep into assigned areas of responsibility.  This involves not only listening to those who come before the committee, but going out to agencies to meet with yet more staff, see the programs and clients that are served, and to get a feel for the ambience for which they are requesting funding. Members become advocates for “their” budget areas, as they are tasked with recommending and defending before our fellow committee members acceptance or changes from the Administration’s proposal.

This year the committee labored for the third year in a row to divide yet another small pot of money amongst the ever growing needs of Vermonters, while working to overcome a $176 million shortfall.  The final legislative budget exceeded the Governor’s target by an additional $1.3 million in reduced spending.  This unbelievable task was accomplished while still assuring that the stabilization fund is whole, and at the same time “parking” between $15 and $17 million in reserve funds, in anticipation of next year’s likely budget shortfalls and possible federal funding reductions.  This is real “rainy day money” and it will be used for the FY 13 budget.

Throughout deliberations, the Appropriations Committee kept two lists.  One was a wish list of cuts to restore.  The other was a list of dollars identified as additional savings, found revenues, and some due to the magic worked by our extraordinary JFO (Joint Fiscal Office) staff.  In the end, the Legislature was able to restore several million dollars of the cuts proposed by the Administration.  The Senate adjusted some of those restorations, and ultimately an agreement was reached with the Administration to accept all the changes.  All of this was accomplished within the bottom line balanced budget.

The final unduplicated appropriation for all funds is $4.69 billion, which represents a 3.6% reduction from last year.  The General Fund (GF) appropriation is $1.24 billion, a 7.3% increase over last year.  Some of that seemingly large percentage growth this year is due to the need to use General Fund money to replace ARRA money, such as $38.6 million to the Education Fund.  After comparison of the budgets from FY 2011 to the FY 2012 budget, spending will decrease by 5.7% in FY 2012.

Category: Budget, End of Session 2011 | Comments Off
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Posted By Anne on June 23, 2011

For the past ten years midwives in Vermont have been licensed to perform all aspects of maternal childcare, however only those who chose hospital births could access insurance benefits. In contrast, clients who qualified for Vermont Medicaid could enjoy the benefit of home birth performed by a licensed midwife.

During 2010 in Vermont, licensed midwives attended and cared for 118 mothers in Vermont in 2010 including 60 home births covered by Vermont Medicaid benefits.  All others had to pay the full cost for the services of a midwife.  With the passage of S.15, insurance providers will be required to offer the same maternity benefits to policyholders who opt for home births, instead of  hospital births.

There will be no change in the deductible or co-pay requirements that are offered to others who choose this benefit.  This is a huge step forward for all women.

Category: End of Session 2011, Health Care | Comments Off
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Posted By Anne on June 23, 2011

New laws will make communities safer and lower prison costs.  The first bill addresses recidivism – repeat offenders.   The new law will beef up research on recidivism to determine which programs work and which do not.  It will increase the number of selected non-violent, non-felony offenders who will use home confinement, electronic monitoring (known commonly as electronic bracelets), and furloughing of inmates to our communities coupled with supervision from the Department of Corrections.  Specific strategies for communities with high levels of crime will be developed as well as studying ways to lower healthcare costs for inmates is part of the legislation.

The second bill calls for restructuring the prison system to make it more effective and cost-efficient.  It brings home scores of inmates who had been shipped out of state, adds some work-camp beds at St. Johnsbury, and moves women inmates from St. Albans to Chittenden County.  Doing so frees up new space for inmates, and brings more women inmates closer to their children, thereby strengthening families, with an aim of reducing recidivism.

These new laws build upon successes over the past several years that have maintained Vermont’s well-earned reputation for being one of the safest states in the nation.  It also builds upon the $40 million dollars saved over the past four years from projected increases due to the passage of the Justice Reinvestment programs.

Finding alternatives to incarceration that work better and cost less can be the answer.

Category: Courts, End of Session 2011 | Comments Off
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