Dear Constituents –
As is the case with the end of the session, and particularly the end of the biennium, there is a lot of « hurry up and wait » : we rush to committee to vote on amendments, then wait for other committees to do their work and get back to us ; the House floor is taken up with voting on Senate proposed amendments to bills we passed over to them before crossover. Bills that didn’t meet crossover will see language inserted into other bills that did, in hopes that the subject matter is germane. An example of this that stretches this concept is S.226, an act expanding access to safe and affordable housing, which has passed through my committee and gone on to both Ways and Means and House Appropriations. We continued to hear amendments throughout the week, oftentimes convening several times to re-word the language. The resulting bill will come to the House floor next week, and it contains multiple, complex sections expanding access to home ownership for first-generation and middle-income families, relocating mobile homes, establishing tax credits for development in downtown areas, imposing regulations on residential construction contractors, expanding fair housing law, prohibiting tax sales in certain circumstances, and creating the Vermont Land Access and Opportunity Board to ensure that marginalized populations have equitable access to land and home ownership.
The House floor saw the most action, passing : S.287, pupil weighting ; S.162, collective bargaining rights of teachers ; S.210, rental housing health and safety and affordable housing ; S.280, miscellaneous changes to laws relating to vehicles (this included an amendment calling for a study on updating truck weights for the logging industry that I offered with others); H.743, changes to the Charter of the Town of Hardwick ; S.100, extending universal school breakfast for one year, with a study on universal school lunch ; S.286, amending various public pensions and other post-employment benefits ; S.127, procedures and review of community supervision furlough revocation or interruption appeals ; S.195, certification of mental health peer support specialists ; H.635, secondary traffic offenses ; H.534, sealing criminal history records ; S.285, health care reform initiatives, data collection, and access to home- and community-based services ; S.281, hunting coyotes with dogs ; S.266, health insurance coverage for hearing aids ; H.411, retrieval and use of covered wild animals ; H.505, reclassification of penalties for lawfully possessing, dispensing, and selling a regulated drug ; H.515, related to banking, insurance, and securities ; H.711, creation of Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee and the Opioid Abatement Special Fund ; H.736, Transportation Bill. If many of these titles sound familiar, they are bills that the Senate has sent back to us with further amendment. Those I voted against : S.210, S.100, H.534, S.281, and H.505.
On Thursday, the Chairs of the VT National Guard & Veterans Affairs Caucus were invited to attend the deployment ceremony for 200 members of the 158th Fighter Wing of the VT Air National Guard. It was an honor to be there to see our servicemembers off on their mission, and to hear their leaders’ remarks.
As the session goes into its final weeks, please know that you may reach me at [email protected]
Stay well,
Rep Lisa A Hango

Dear Constituents –
Spring is in the air, and it’s apparent by the pace of the Legislature. Amendments to bills are flying through committees, and committees are playing the « hurry up and wait » game. On the House floor, we passed : H.447, amendments to the Charter for the City of Springfield ; H.731, technical corrections for the 2022 legislative session ; S.206, planning and support for individuals and families impacted by Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders ; S.162, collective bargaining rights for teachers ; S.197, provisions for mental health supports ; and H.704, request to send the Budget to a Committee of Conference. Also on the floor is the problematic S.210, relating to rental housing health and safety and affordable housing, which contains the Rental Housing Registry, and once divided, only passed the second reading on an 88-54 vote across party lines. This sends a strong signal that many members have heard from constituents that this portion of the bill has concerning issues and should not be considered a mandate. Several bills were postponed for a number of days so committees could do more work on them.
In the House General Committee, we spent a good portion of our time discussing amendments to S.210 and S.226, another housing bill that I’ve referred to over in recent updates that has several grave concerns.
At the REDWnG caucus, members were updated on bills relevant to the rural economy ; several amendments were proposed and discussed.
Adjournment is projected to be May 6, but with the budget in a Committee of Conference, as well as leadership-identified priority bills like H.159 (economic development), H.703 (workforce development), S.287 (Pupil Weighting), S.210, and S.226 still in various stages of passage, the date seems optimistic to me.
It is an honor to serve as your Representative. Please reach out to me with your concerns at
[email protected]
Stay well,
Rep Lisa A Hango
Franklin-5

Dear Constituents –
In the Vermont Statehouse, we continue to take up bills sent from the other Chamber, adding and subtracting language in a manner that I’ve not seen previously. My opinion of this « sausage-making », as it’s called, is that it’s confusing to the lay person, haphazard, and a result of poor time-management. Committees have unlimited time to take testimony on bills that are on other Committee’s walls, yet when it comes time to vote out a bill with multiple, complex sections, we are told that there « hasn’t been time to fully vet this, but it’s OK to vote it out », because we will « work on it later ». I object to this process, and I’ve been vocal about it since the first day I sat in House General. This week, we put out two very complicated, convoluted housing bills (S.210 and S.226) that in the past few days had sections re-arranged and added on pertaining to fair housing practices, tax sales, racial and social equity in land access and property ownership, and changes to the previously vetoed Residential Construction Contractor Registry.
On the House Floor, the schedule was light, as most of the work was being done in Committee. Favorable bills passed include : H.741, changes to the Charter of the City of St Albans ; S.171, adoption of State Code of Ethics ; S.163, State court petitions for vulnerable noncitizen youth ; H.629, access to adoption records; and H.461, excluding income of asylum seekers and refugees from household income. Some of these may sound familiar, as they previously passed the House and came back to us with further amendment from the Senate. Bills that I voted against this week are : S.265, expanding criminal threats to include threats to third persons ; S.74, modifications to Vermont’s patient choice at end of life laws ; S.254, recovering damages for Article 11 violations ; and H.708, amendments to the Charter of the City of Burlington. If you would like further information on any of these bills, you may use the bill tracker feature on the Vermont General Assembly website, www.legislature.Vermont.gov
On Tuesday, I chaired the VT National Guard & Veterans Affairs Caucus meeting. We hosted members of the VT National Guard who briefed us on the State Partnership Program with Austria and the upcoming visit by the Austrian delegation for the signing of the Partnership on May 11. I also updated members on the progress of legislation that is pertinent to the military, including H.517 (National Guard Tuition Benefit Program and Qualifications for the Adjutant General) and S.53 (containing tax exemptions for military pensions and survivors benefits). There is talk of the Legislature adjourning early this year, around May 6, so there is an urgency to pass priority legislation ASAP, and I am following it very closely on behalf of the military caucus.
It is my honor to serve my constituents in the Vermont House. Please reach out to me with your concerns at [email protected]
Stay well,
Rep Lisa A Hango, Franklin-5

Dear Constituents –
This week, Committees got to work on the task of reading their counterpart’s bills, hearing testimony, and deciding which pieces to keep, concur with, scrap, or amend. My Committee, the General, Housing, and Military Affairs Committee, did a deep dive into the affordable housing and rental safety bills sent to us by our colleagues in the Senate, S.210 and S.226. We also continued to hear testimony on H.329, amending prohibitions against discrimination, and H.625, protections against eviction, foreclosure, and tax sales, both of which are rumored to be contenders to add in to the already Christmas tree-like housing bills.
We began our week hearing from the National Guard on their annual Sexual Assault and Harassment Report to the Legislature, noting that much progress has been made in recent years on changing the culture of reporting within the Guard, highlighting our Vermont Guard as an example to the rest of the country for forward-thinking leadership and zero tolerance.
Several of the Franklin County delegation had the pleasure of meeting with MVU students and advisors representing the OVX and VKAT groups, who were on the Statehouse steps in the rain advocating for our awareness around smoking and vaping use in school-aged youth.
On the House Floor, several bills were re-committed to committees, and a handful of bills were passed to the Senate. Of interest to readers : S.113, establishing a cause of action for medical monitoring expense ; S.72, Interstate Compact on placement of children ; S.239, enrollment in Medicare supplemental insurance policies ; H.744, amendment to the Charter of the City of Burlington ; S.184, defense of others and justifiable homicide, and S.265, expanding criminal threatening to include threats to third parties.
This last portion of the biennium will be busy, with legislators wanting to wrap up their priorities before heading to the campaign trail ; we’ve been told to expect long days working into the evening as we attempt to keep legislation at a reasonable and practical standard.
It is an honor to serve as your Representative in the Statehouse. Please reach out to me with comments at [email protected]
Stay well,
Rep Lisa A Hango, Berkshire
Franklin-5

Dear Constituents –
This week in the Statehouse was the calm after the storm. After long hours for the past two weeks, action on the House floor and in Committee was relatively light. We began by acknowledging Vietnam Veterans Day on Tuesday, recognizing those who served in the conflict. Action on H.444, a Charter Change for the City of Barre, dealing with the number and type of flags that can be displayed, was postponed until next week to give the Committee of Jurisdiction more time to review amendments made by the Senate. A Committee of Conference was named for S.53, which is a tax bill dealing with a variety of issues, not the least of which are the military pension and survivors benefits tax exemptions. The VT National Guard & Veterans Affairs Caucus that I Co-Chair submitted a letter on Monday to House leadership and the Administration voicing that we do not support the tax relief package as written, and expressing our hope that the C of C understands the importance of full exemption as a way to honor those who have served. Bills that passed this week include H.R.23, a Resolution updating the House Sexual Harassment policy, and S.183, relating to midpoint probation review.
In Committee, we continue to take testimony on H.329, an act relating to amending the prohibitions against discrimination. This bill gets more convoluted every week, and I will lead my Caucus in voting against what I see as government overreach and restrictive dictates to the Judiciary. We also continued to hear from witnesses on the Senate’s flagship housing bills, S.210 and S.226, both of which contain unpalatable poison pills and ACT 250 « reforms » that may not be seen as real reforms. The House General Committee is taking up H.631, that defines hard cider, and H.638, pertaining to direct to consumer spirits shipping licenses, both of which have tax and revenue implications for the State.
At the Rural Economic Development Working Group, discussion centered around their omnibus bill, which contains language deemed favorable to rural businesses, including our logging industry ; language in this bill can be seen in several bills scattered throughout the legislature, all in varying stages. Other important legislation for REDWnG is S.287, the Pupil Weighting System bill, which is now in House Ways and Means. Stay tuned for possible changes on this legislation that would impact property taxes as this bill moves forward.
Please reach out to me at [email protected] with your concerns.
Stay well,
Rep Lisa A Hango, Berkshire
Franklin-5

Legislative Update – 25 March 2022

Dear Constituents –
This week was one of long Floor times in the House, as we worked through all of the bills passed last week that affected revenue of the State. Prior to starting our marathon sessions on the Floor that extended well into the evening, 34 new members of the House of Representatives who had never formally been seated participated in a Seating Ceremony ; these included members who have been recently appointed as well as those who had been elected during the pandemic. The first bill up for consideration was H.96, establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that came out of the House General Committee on a party line 8-2-1 vote, with one member being absent. The objection to this bill is not only the breadth of the inquiry but also the cost to establish a professional office that will investigate claims of systemic injustices perpetuated by the State – the Joint Fiscal Office estimates that the total cost will start at $4.5M over the four year lifespan of the Commission. Other bills that were debated and passed include : H.492, changing the structure of the Natural Resources Board ; H.635, secondary enforcement of minor traffic offenses ; H.720, system of care for individuals with developmental disabilities; H.464, miscellaneous changes to the Reach Up program ; H.512, modernization of land records and notarial acts ; H.624 supporting creative sector businesses and cultural organizations ; H.728 opioid overdose response services ; H.410, Artificial Intelligence Commission ; H.553, eligibility of domestic partners for reimbursement from the victims compensation fund ; H.661, licensure of mental health professionals ; H.729, miscellaneous judiciary procedures ; H.730, alcoholic beverages and the Department of Liquor and Lottery ; H.738 miscellaneous changes to Vermont tax laws ; H.293 establishment of the State Youth Council ; H.718, dissolution of Colchester Fire District #1 ; H.353 Pharmacy Benefit Management. Of these bills, I opposed H.492 on the grounds that forming a new Board would take ACT 250 appeals hearings away from the Environmental Division of the Court System and hand them over to the new Board of appointed officials. In addition, the House passed four other bills necessary for the operation of the State : H.737, the « Yield Bill » an act relating to homestead property tax yields and non-homestead property tax rates ; H.736, the Transportation Bill ; H.740, the Budget « Big Bill » ; and H. 739, the Capital Budget Bill. H.737 contained problematic language reserving $36M for Universal School Meals, and many members expressed frustration that money was being set aside for potential policy that hasn’t yet passed from the Senate to the House, when that money could be used for tax relief or as investment in our CTEs (Career Technical Education Centers). H.740, although containing provisions for many worthy programs, did not meet the Governor’s economic development requests, nor did it fully take advantage of ARPA funding for housing needs, particularly in the « missing middle », or offer any tax relief to retirees or individuals working in high-demand, lower-paying, essential professions. Finally, the House passed a comprehensive workforce development bill, H.730, that House Commerce worked diligently on, taking testimony on where best to fund programs that would retain and attract working-age Vermonters. Changes to the CTEs and various scholarship, internship, work-based, and experiential learning opportunities for students of all ages in the trades and medical field are highlights of this bill.
Committee time was curtailed due to the long hours spent on the House Floor, with House General taking testimony on H.329, a pervasively problematic anti-discrimination bill, and H.638, an act relating to direct to consumer spirits shipping licenses.
Most special interest caucuses were also postponed this week as a result of time needed to attend to bills on the Floor. It is an honor to serve as your Representative, and when bills that I co-sponsored pieces of, such as the Workforce Development bill (H.703) and the Creative Futures Act (H.624), are overwhelmingly passed, I take pride in the work we do together to ensure the economic viability of Vermont.
Please feel welcome to reach out to me at [email protected]

Stay well,

Rep Lisa Hango, Berkshire

Dear Constituents –
This week in the House marked the end of crossover for all policy bills being reviewed by their respective money committees and brought to the House Floor. Bills passed by the House include: H.729, miscellaneous judiciary procedures; H.730, alcoholic beverages and Department of Liquor and Lottery; H.279, miscellaneous changes to Department of Vermont Health Access; H.244, Natural Organic Reduction; H.500, prohibiting sale of certain mercury lamps; H.523, reducing hydrofluorocarbon emissions; H.606, community resilience and biodiversity; H.655, telehealth licensure; H.255 incremental hearing aid converage; H.722, re-apportionment of the House of Representatives; H.287, medical debt protection; H.399, incarceration terms for primary caregivers of dependent children; H.475, classification of criminal offenses; H.548, miscellaneous cannabis establishment procedures; H.551 prohibiting racially and religiously restrictive covenants and deeds; H.482, Petroleum Cleanup Fund; H.715, Clean Heat Standard; H.629, access to adoption records; H.727, exploration, formation, and organization of school districts; H.731, technical corrections to Vermont State Statutes Annotated; H.465, boards and commissions; H.518 municipal fuel switching; S.4, procedures involving firearms; H.533, civil forfeiture; H.711, Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee and Opioid Abatement Fund; H.716, miscellaneous education law changes; H.487, secure facility for justice-involved youth; H.534, sealing criminal history records; H.505, reclassification of drug offenses; H.626, sale, use, or application of neonicotinoid pesticides; H.546, bureau of racial justice statistics; H.720, system of care for individuals with developmental disabilities. Despite voting with a block of my colleagues in opposition to some of these bills (including H.606, H.548, H.715, H.727, S.4, H.534, H.505, H.546), all of these bills are on their way to the Senate for further review. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me for further information on any of the bills that remain alive.
The General, Housing, and Military Affairs Committee continues to work on H.329, a bill I consider to be an egregious expansion of discrimination and harassment statutes, and I will continue to insist that it be seen by both House Judiciary and House Education. We took testimony on H.638, direct to consumer spirits shipping licenses, H.640, tenant rights to purchase apartment buildings, and H.625, protection against eviction, foreclosure, and tax sales. We also started the long process of marking up the Senate affordable housing and rental safety bills, S. 226 and S.210, so you will be hearing more about those in the coming weeks.
On March 16, we had the pleasure of welcoming a contingent from the USS VT naval submarine to the Statehouse on their first-ever namesake State visit. I had the honor of escorting them to meet the Governor, the Lt Governor, the Senate Pro-Tem, and the Speaker of the House, as well as hearing a Resolution read in recognition of their visit and introducing them on the House Floor. Included in this visit were the Commanding Officer, the Chief of the Boat, ten Sailors, the Ship’s Sponsor, the President of the Support Group, and two midshipmen and a naval officer from the Norwich University submarine program. The group left Vermont after a three-day visit with several treasures (maple syrup for the entire crew of the submarine, part of a historic silver tea service from the original USS VT, and paintings of Vermont covered bridges, as well as other works by local artisans that will be installed on the boat). Heartfelt appreciation goes out to former Representative, the Honorable Albert Perry, who played an instrumental and tireless role in arranging this visit, long-delayed by the pandemic.
At the end of the week, Franklin County Reps played host to a local Boy Scout troop with members and leaders from St. Albans, Swanton, Sheldon, Highgate, and Franklin. A highlight of the visit was seeing these young people seated around a conference table in the Governor’s ceremonial office, taking in the awe-inspiring architecture and artwork, and listening in on a floor debate. It has been rewarding to welcome constituents back to the Statehouse after two years of silence in the chambers and corridors.
It is truly an honor to serve as your Representative. Please reach out to me with concerns and comments at [email protected]

Stay well,

Rep Lisa A Hango, Berkshire

Franklin-5

Dear Constituents –

This was crossover week in the House, which means that all bills had to be passed out of policy committees to stay alive. Needless to say, there are many bills (out of 700+ introduced this biennium) that won’t make it into law, but I’ll provide a sampling of those that passed this week in my Committee and on the House Floor. Any bills that affect the revenue of the State or carry an appropriation will go on to a money committee and have their own crossover deadline of next Friday.

The House General Committee worked to pass a number of bills this week: H.244, natural organic reduction; H.517, an expansion of the VT National Guard Tuition Benefit Program; H.96 a bill establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that I voted against because of the potential $3.5M estimated appropriation it will require; and an omnibus alcoholic beverages bill adding Ready to Drink (RTD) spirits beverages that is as yet un-numbered.  A problematic bill that didn’t make it through my Committee was H.329, a broadly defined anti-discrimination bill that would have far-reaching implications on all aspects of employment, education, housing, and public accommodations.

On the House Floor, we voted out: H.C.R.108 declaring March 8-11 Early Childhood Week; H.679 the Committee of Conference Budget Adjustment Act report; H.717 Humanitarian aid to the Ukraine ($1 for every Vermonter plus certain liquor receipts), H.517 expansion of the VT National Guard Tuition Benefit Program that I reported favorably on the House Floor; H.680 obtaining a marriage license in any town in Vermont; as well as two bills that I voted against: H.697 allowing reserve forest land to be included in the current use program and H.115 an expansion of household hazardous waste disposal requirements.  Both of these bills would put onerous regulations on landowners and households.

This week, I co-chaired the VT National Guard & Veterans Affairs Caucus where we received a Global Threats briefing from the National Guard and re-iterated our support for military pension and survivors benefits tax exemptions; the Senate currently has legislation (S.53) on their Floor including provisions that are not entirely satisfactory to the Administration or the Caucus. I also attended the Rural Economic Development Working Group and the first post-COVID meeting of the Legislative Sportsman’s Caucus.

It is an honor to serve as your Representative in the Vermont House.  Please feel welcome to reach out to me at [email protected]

Stay well,

Rep Lisa A Hango, Berkshire

Franklin-5

                                               2022 Town Meeting Legislative Update

Dear Constituents –

I regret that I was unable to be in each of my four towns for your Annual Meetings due to scheduling conflicts. This is the second year of a biennium, and the pace has been even faster than usual, as the Legislature works to continue its response to COVID challenges while prioritizing social and environmental equity legislation. While most of the House has returned to work in person, the Senate and legislative staff remains largely remote, which presents a number of challenges to effecting change. By March 8, we anticipate all members and staff will return in person, and our work will (hopefully) be back to « normal » for the first time in two full years.

The budget process has taken an unusual turn in that the typically uneventful Budget Adjustment Act has been committed to a Committee of Conference.  There remain enough differences between the House, Senate, and Administration’s priorities and uses of ARPA vs General Fund monies that it was determined that the best way forward was to send this important legislation for a more in-depth conversation.

One of the hottest topics in the Legislature that affects all voters is re-districting. The map recommended by the Legislative Apportionment Board (LAB) was presented to the Committee of Jurisdiction, House Government Operations, in November, after BCA input was given ; the Committee declined to take up that map and put forth their own map, which went out to BCAs in late January. All towns should have had the opportunity to weigh in with their preferences in the first two weeks of February.  The Government Ops Committee is currently working their way through the statewide maps, and I am pleased to report that, thanks to your input, our Franklin-5 District is slated to remain as we’ve known it into the next decade.  With respect to our District, please note that Paul Martin (Franklin) tendered his resignation from the House on February 10, and by February 15, the Governor appointed and seated Rep Wayne Laroche of Franklin. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Paul all the best and to congratulate and thank Wayne for taking on this obligation to serve Vermonters. It is crucial that we are appropriately represented in Montpelier, and I am grateful that we are fully represented and that our District will remain untouched by re-districting.

The all-important Crossover Date is March 11 for policy bills and March 18 for money bills this session. We continue to work on bills that broaden anti-discriminatory practices in employment (H.320/329), update alcohol statutes (H.178/590), allow for new methods for disposition of human remains (H.244), and address demands for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (H.96), reparations for historical systemic discriminations (H.387), and promote racial and social equity to land access and property ownership (H.273). Bills of note that have already passed the House include : setting Cannabis licensing fees (H.701) ;  a child tax credit bill (H.510) that didn’t consider military retirees, childcare workers, expanded Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs), or student loan debt ; a gun control bill (S.30) ; and a residential contractor registration bill (H.157). The status of bills can be found by logging into the General Assembly website www.legislature.Vermont.gov and typing in a keyword or bill number, which will give you the bill status, as well as its progress through the committee and chambers, including any roll call votes.  You may also find Committee webpages on this homepage ; by clicking on the Committee, you will be able to see the agenda, committee members and email addresses, and any bills or testimony relating to those bills that are on their virtual wall.

Also passed this session were two Proposals of Constitutional Amendment : Prop 2, which eliminated slavery of all persons, regardless of age ; prior to this, the Vermont Constitution stated only that slavery was eliminated after age 21. The other amendment, Prop 5, the Reproductive Liberty Amendment, allows for persons of any age or gender to determine their own reproductive needs and to seek care from any provider in the State of Vermont at any time.  This proposed amendment goes over and beyond H.157 of 2019 that enshrined Vermonters’ right to abortion services in statute and broadens the reach to all reproductive procedures. The process of a Constitutional Amendment is threefold : In one biennium, the amendment originates in the Senate, and if it receives a 2/3 vote, goes on to the House for a simple majority vote. In the next biennium, the Senate and then the House must again vote with a simple majority after a public hearing is held.  The language of the amendment then goes to the voters in November, so please take the time to read these two Proposals and become informed. Thank you all for your petitions on these serious issues.

I am a regular attendee at the Rural Economic Development Working Group (REDWnG) and the Tourism Caucus, and I am the Co-Chair of the VT National Guard & Veterans Affairs Caucus.  Each of these special issues caucuses is a powerful voice within the Legislature and seeks to effect change.  Some of the issues we’ve worked on this session include the VT Creative Futures Act, the On-Farm Accessory Business Act, and a personal income tax exemption for military retirement pay and survivors’ benefits.  Although House and Senate leadership declined to take up the tax exemption, the House General, Housing, and  Military Affairs Committee unanimously passed H.517 that expands scholarship opportunities for National Guard service.

It is an honor and a pleasure to serve you in the Statehouse. Please feel welcome to reach out to me with your concerns at [email protected]

Stay well,

Rep Lisa A Hango, Berkshire

Franklin-5

House Committee on General, Housing, and Military Affairs

Co-Chair, VT National Guard & Veterans Affairs Caucus

Legislative Update – 18 February 2022

Dear Constituents –

Our week in Montpelier began with the seating of Rep Wayne Laroche of Franklin, replacing former Rep Paul Martin who resigned late last week.  I want to thank Rep Laroche for stepping up to go back into service to Vermonters after three years of retirement and nine years as Commissioner of VT Fish & Wildlife during the Douglas Administration.

The House General Committee started off the week with a presentation by the Commissioner of the Department of Liquor and Lottery on the new class of alcoholic beverages called low alcohol spirits, or « canned cocktails ». We are taking up several alcohol bills to update statutes according to changes in the field and new products. We also did a walk-through of several National Guard-related bills : updates to the National Guard tuition benefit program (H.517) ; minimum qualifications of the Adjutant General (H.207/691) ; and minimum qualifications and appointment of the Adjutant General (H.295). We continued work on an anti-discrimination bill (H.329) and establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (H.96), as well as taking testimony on the social equity in land access and home ownership bill (H.273) and hearing from the Rights and Democracy (RADVT) advocacy group on their legislative priorities.

On the House Floor, several bills passed: Changes to the Charter of the Town of Springfield (H.447) ; amending birth certificates to reflect gender identity (H.628) ; retrieval and disposal of wild animals (H.411) ; exempting property owned by Vermont-recognized North American tribes from property tax (H.556) ; sent the Budget Adjustment Act to a Committee of Conference to further discuss the differences between the Administration, the House, and the Senate on the use of ARPA funds and General Fund monies ; and the residential contractor registration bill (H.157) was postponed until April 20.

The only special interest caucus I was able to attend this week was the REDWnG rural working group, where we heard from the Chair of House Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife about the bills that they are prioritizing to meet the crossover deadline of March 11.

I look forward to attending or posting an additional update in the next week for your Annual Meetings, so please look for that at your in-person meeting or on your town website for virtual meetings. Please remember that voting this year is in person at your local town polling place on Tuesday, March 1, and you may also call your Town Clerk to request an absentee ballot.

It is an honor to serve as your State Representative. Please reach out to me at [email protected]

Stay well,

Rep Lisa Hango, Berkshire

Franklin-5