Source: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2008/calendar/hc070402.htm
Timestamp: 2017-12-12 00:50:51
Document Index: 576567962

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 6067', '§ 3751', '§ 3751', '§ 1', '§406', '§ 5401', '§ 4011', '§ 2950', '§ 4015', '§ 2661', '§ 2661', '§ 4721', '§ 4721', '§ 4722', '§ 4723', '§ 2002', '§ 6523', '§ 264', '§264']

90th DAY OF BIENNIAL SESSION
H. 156 Amendment to Charter of Town of Brattleboro.................................. 700
H. 403 Postretirement Cost of Living Adjustments/State Employees............... 700
H. 529 Establishing the Town Line Between Burke and Kirby........................ 700
S. 37 Relating to Mosquito Control............................................................. 700
Action Postponed Until Tuesday, April 3, 2007
H. 526 Education Quality and Cost Control................................................... 700
Rep. Ancel for Education
Rep. Miller for Appropriations......................................................... 704
Rep. Clark Amendment................................................................... 705
Rep. Oxholm Amendment................................................................ 705
Rep. Ancel Amendment................................................................... 706
H. 535 State law Enforcement Study Committee........................................... 706
Rep. Manwaring for the Committee on Government Operations
H. 78 Reconsideration or Rescission of Votes in Local Elections................... 706
Rep. Martin for Government Operations
H. 91 Rozo McLaughlin Farm-to-School Program........................................ 708 Rep. Donovan for Education 708
Rep. Johnson for Appropriations...................................................... 709
H. 229 Health Care Affordability Act of 2006/Related Legislation.................. 710
Rep. Condon for Ways and Means
H. 520 Energy Conservation and Generation of Electricity............................. 711
Rep. for Natural Resources and Energy
H. 534 Relating to Prekindergarten Registration............................................. 713
Rep. Kilmartin for the Committee on Education
Rep. Miller for Appropriations
H. 357 Registration of Lobbyists................................................................... 713
H. 156
An act relating to approval of an amendment to the charter of the town of Brattleboro.
An act relating to establishing the town line between Burke and Kirby.
(Rep. Ancel of Calais will speak for the Committee on Education.)
Rep. Sharpe of Bristol, for the Committee on Ways and Means, recommends the bill be amended by adding a new Sec. 35 and Secs. 36 through 38 to read as follows:
* * * CLA Modification * * *
Sec. 35. ROLLING REAPPRAISAL STUDY
(4) options for how the three- or five-year cycle could be implemented (e.g., a new grand list every third year, new one-third of the grand list every year; specified categories of property reappraised every third year; properties in specified regions reappraised every third year; etc.);
* * * Property Tax Adjustment Cap at $6,000.00 * * *
Sec. 36. 32 V.S.A. § 6067 is amended to read:
Only one individual per household per taxable year shall be entitled to a benefit under this chapter. An individual who received a homestead exemption or adjustment with respect to property taxes assessed by another state for the taxable year shall not be entitled to receive an adjustment under this chapter. No taxpayer shall receive total adjustments under this chapter in excess of $10,000.00 $6,000.00 related to any one property tax year.
Sec. 37. EFFECTIVE DATE
Sec. 36 of this act ($6,000.00 limitation) shall apply to claims filed in 2008 and after.
* * * Farm Land, Agricultural and Forest Lands * * *
Sec. 38. INDEPENDENT STUDY OF USE VALUE APPRAISAL
(a) Appropriation and duties and powers. The sum of $50,000.00 is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2008 to the legislative council to hire one or more consultants to conduct a thorough and independent review and analysis of the use value appraisal program. The consultants shall have the assistance of the joint fiscal office and the legislative council.
(b) Goals; issues. The goals of the use value appraisal program are found in 32 V.S.A. § 3751, as follows:
§ 3751. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The purpose of this subchapter is to encourage and assist the maintenance of Vermont's productive agricultural and forest land; to encourage and assist in their conservation and preservation for future productive use and for the protection of natural ecological systems; to prevent the accelerated conversion of these lands to more intensive use by the pressure of property taxation at values incompatible with the productive capacity of the land; to achieve more equitable taxation for undeveloped lands; to encourage and assist in the preservation and enhancement of Vermont's scenic natural resources; and to enable the citizens of Vermont to plan its orderly growth in the face of increasing development pressures in the interests of the public health, safety and welfare. (Added 1977, No. 236 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
The consultant shall articulate the current statutory goals of the program, and analyze whether the program is achieving those goals. The consultant shall investigate and make findings regarding the following:
(1) Has the current use program achieved its statutory goals? If not, what were the barriers to achieving any particular goal? Are there barriers to enrollment?
(2) Does the administration of the program meet one of the stated goals, viz., of protecting natural ecological systems on enrolled forest land (wetlands,
riparian areas, rare forest conditions, etc.)? If not, what are the barriers to protection of these ecosystems?
(3) How are use values determined (in answering this question, the consultant shall confer with the current use advisory board)? How might use values be affected if parcel location were taken into account? Would the addition of new categories of eligible land, based for example upon parcel size, public access for outdoor recreation, conservation easements, protection of natural ecological systems, or other criteria, aid in achieving the statutory goals of the program? Are the goals of the program furthered by allowing enrollment of a parcel that may not legally be subdivided, or otherwise is subject to development limitations?
(4) What activities does the program require of listers and what changes, if any, would local officials like to see in the program? Can computer technology reduce the administrative burden on local listers, allow landowners and consulting foresters to file documents and reports electronically, and improve monitoring and compliance?
(5) Is there sufficient personnel to administer the program adequately within the department of taxes and the department of forests, parks and recreation? Is the monitoring of parcels manageable, and are the county foresters able to supervise and provide sufficient technical assistance?
(6) How would annual reporting by forest land owners affect the program?
(7) Are the goals of open land and farmer assistance mutually exclusive or compatible goals for the program?
(8) If the state imposed a timber severance tax, with the revenues reverting to the source towns, what is the best estimate of anticipated revenue, and how might such a tax affect the use value program?
(9) Does the land use change tax provide an adequate disincentive for temporary enrollment of land, especially where the landowner intends to develop in the future?
(10) To the extent it can be determined, what percentage of enrolled landowners are Vermont residents?
(11) What have the costs of the programs been to the general fund and to the education fund since 1997? Would the addition of a "means" test for enrollment hamper or enhance, or otherwise affect, achievement of the program goals? How accurate are the fair market valuations of enrolled parcels, and if they are inaccurate, what is the more accurate fair market value?
(12) In as much detail as is available: What land preservation programs are available in Vermont? How many parcels and how many acres in the state are enrolled in or subject to these programs? Where is this land located, by town? What are the various categories of land in these programs (such as lakefront, forest land, slope, cultivatable, etc.)? What is the cost of each of these conservation programs in lost revenue?
(13) How many parcels are exempt from municipal or education property tax, or both? What is the cost of these exemptions to the host municipalities and to the education fund?
(c) The consultant shall report to legislative council and the use value appraisal task force on the findings on or before October 1, 2007.
(d) Use value appraisal task force.
(1) Membership. A use value appraisal task force is created to consist of two members of the house of representatives; two members of the senate; the director of the division of property valuation and review or designee; the secretary of the agency of natural resources or designee; the secretary of agriculture, food and markets or designee; a member representing forestry interests; a member representing agricultural interests; a member representing land-use or conservation interests; a member representing assessors and listers; a member representing fish and wildlife interests; a member representing outdoor recreational interests; one owner of enrolled forest land or agricultural land or both; one owner of nonenrolled forest land or agricultural land or both; two members at large. The speaker of the house and the senate president pro tempore shall appoint members of the use value appraisal task force that are not members ex officio, and the governor shall appoint the two members at large. Members shall be appointed by June 1, 2007.
(2) Powers and duties. The use value appraisal task force shall determine whether the program needs to be modified to accomplish its stated goals, and whether the goals ought to be modified in light of the available resources and all the findings of the task force. In making these determinations, the task force shall confer with the consultant during the study of the use value appraisal program; review the consultant’s written report; conduct public hearings at convenient times and in convenient places throughout the state, with sufficient notice to the public; and consult with identifiable affected and interested parties.
(3) The task force shall provide the house committees on agriculture, natural resources and energy, and ways and means, and the senate committees on agriculture, natural resources and energy, and finance with a copy of the consultant’s study and a report of task force recommendations and legislative proposals by January 15, 2008.
and renumbering the existing Sec. 35 to be Sec. 39
Rep. Miller of Shaftsbury, for the Committee on Appropriations, recommends the bill ought to pass when amended as recommended by the Committee on Ways and Means and when further amended as follows:
In Sec. 38, subsection (d), by adding a new subdivision (4) to read as follows:
(4) The task force shall meet no more than three times when the general assembly is not in session. For attendance at a meeting when the general assembly is not in session, legislative members of the task force shall be entitled to per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses as provided in 2 V.S.A. §406(a).
Amendment to be offered by Rep. Clark of Vergennes to H. 526
Moves to amend the bill as follows:
First: Sec. 2a is added to read:
Sec. 2a. 32 V.S.A. § 5401(12)(B) is amended to read:
(B) in excess of 123 120 percent of the statewide average district education spending per equalized pupil in the prior fiscal year, as determined by the commissioner of education.
Second: Sec. 4a is added to read:
Sec. 4a. 16 V.S.A. § 4011(h) is amended to read:
(1) the statewide average district spending per equalized pupil for the current fiscal year, and 123 120 percent of that average spending; and
Third: In Sec. 7, in subsection (a), by striking all after the word “budgets” up to the period, and inserting in lieu thereof “for school years 2008–2009 and after”
and by inserting a new subsection (d) to read:
(d) Secs. 2a and 4a of this act shall take effect on January 1, 2011, and shall apply to budgets for school years 2011–2012 and after.
Amendment to be offered by Rep. Oxholm of Vergennes to H. 526
Moves the bill be amended by striking Sec. 9 in its entirety and inserting a new Sec. 9 to read:
Sec. 9. 16 V.S.A. § 2950(a) is amended to read:
(a) School district reimbursement. For the costs of educating a state‑placed student, the school district serving the child The school district responsible for educating a state-placed student under section 1075 of this title shall claim and the commissioner shall reimburse the allowable special education costs other than costs for mainstream services as that term is defined by the commissioner. In addition, reimbursable costs shall include 100 percent of all special education costs for the student, including costs for mainstream services. As a condition of receiving this reimbursement, the district shall provide documentation in support of its claim, sufficient to enable the commissioner to determine whether to recommend appropriate cost-saving alternatives. The commissioner may approve any additional costs approved by the commissioner which are incurred in educating a state‑placed student who is not eligible for special education and that are incurred due to the special needs of the student, and, if approved, the commissioner shall pay those costs. When a student is placed in a new district, the district may request and department personnel shall provide consultative and technical assistance to the receiving district.
Amendment to be offered by Rep. Ancel to H. 526
Moves the bill be amended by adding a new section to be Sec. 34a to read:
Sec. 34a. 16 V.S.A. § 4015(e) is amended to read:
H. 535
An act relating to the creation of a state law enforcement study committee.
(Rep. Manwaring will speak for the Committee on Government Operations.)
An act relating to reconsideration and rescission of votes in local elections.
Rep. Martin of Wolcott, for the Committee on Government Operations, recommends the bill be amended by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
Sec. 1. 17 V.S.A. § 2661(b) is amended to read:
§ 2661. RECONSIDERATION OR RESCISSION OF VOTE
(b) Where a petition signed by not less than five percent of the qualified voters of a municipality If a petition requesting reconsideration or rescission of a question considered or voted on at a previous annual or special meeting is filed with the clerk of the municipality within thirty 30 days following the date of that meeting, the legislative body shall provide for a vote by the municipality in accordance with the petition within sixty 60 days of the submission at an annual or special meeting duly warned for that purpose. The number of signatures required for a petition for reconsideration or rescission shall be five percent of the registered voters unless the voters of the municipality increase that percentage pursuant to the following:
(1) At a meeting duly warned for the purpose, the voters of a municipality may require that a petition for reconsideration be signed by not less than up to 20 percent of the registered voters.
(2) A vote to increase the percentage of voters required to sign a petition for reconsideration or rescission to up to 20 percent shall be in substantially the following form: “Shall the (name of municipality) increase the percentage of voters required on a petition for reconsideration or rescission from five to (up to 20) percent?”
(3) Once the voters of a municipality have voted to require a new percentage, that percentage shall remain in effect until the voters of the municipality vote to change the percentage.
(e) A vote in favor of reconsideration or rescission shall not be effective unless the number of votes cast in favor of reconsideration or rescission exceeds two-thirds of the number of votes cast for the prevailing side at the original meeting unless the voters of the municipality approve a different percentage pursuant to the following:
(1) At a meeting duly warned for the purpose, the voters of a municipality may require that a vote in favor of reconsideration or rescission shall not be effective unless the number of votes cast in favor of reconsideration or rescission exceeds a certain percentage of the number of votes cast for the prevailing side at the original meeting.
(2) A vote to increase or decrease the percentage shall be in substantially the following form: “Shall the (name of municipality) change the percentage of votes cast in favor of reconsideration or rescission required for a vote to reconsider or rescind a question considered or voted on at a previous annual or special meeting to be effective to (percentage)?”
An act relating to the Rozo McLaughlin Farm-to-School Program.
Rep. Donovan of Burlington, for the Committee on Education, recommends the bill be amended by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
(a) Representative Rosemary “Rozo” McLaughlin was a dedicated, hardworking legislator who devoted herself to improving the health and welfare of Vermont’s children. She was instrumental in developing the ideas for and details of the local foods mini‑grant program. Thanks largely to her persistent shepherding of the bill through the legislative process, the program was enacted into law in 2006.
(b) Therefore, it is the intent of this act to honor Representative McLaughlin’s hard work and dedication by establishing the local foods
mini-grant program as a permanent program and by renaming it the Rozo McLaughlin farm‑to‑school program.
Sec. 2. 6 V.S.A. chapter 211 is added to read:
Chapter 211. THE ROZO MCLAUGHLIN
FARM‑TO‑SCHOOL PROGRAM
§ 4721. LOCAL FOODS GRANT PROGRAM
(a) There is created in the agency of agriculture, food and markets the Rozo McLaughlin farm‑to‑school program to award local grants for the purpose of helping Vermont schools develop relationships with local farmers and producers.
(b) A school, a school district, a consortium of schools, or a consortium of school districts may apply to the secretary of agriculture, food and markets for a grant award to:
(1) fund equipment, resources, training, and materials that will help to increase use of local foods in the school food service program;
(2) fund items, including local farm products, that will help teachers to use hands-on educational techniques to teach children about nutrition and farm‑to‑school connections; and
(c) The secretary and the commissioner of education, in consultation with farmers, food service workers, and educators, shall jointly adopt rules relating to the content of the grant application and the criteria for making awards.
(d) The secretary shall determine that there is significant interest in the school community before making an award and shall give priority consideration to schools and school districts that are developing farm‑to‑school connections and education and that are making progress toward the implementation of the Vermont nutrition and fitness policy guidelines developed by the agency of agriculture, food and markets, the department of education, and the department of health, dated November 2005 or of the successor of these guidelines.
(e) No award shall be greater than $15,000.00.
The amount of $200,000.00 is appropriated to the secretary of agriculture, food and markets in fiscal year 2008 for the purpose of awarding grants under the Rozo McLaughlin farm-to-school program established in 6 V.S.A. chapter 211.
Rep. Johnson of South Hero, for the Committee on Appropriations, recommends the bill ought to pass when amended as recommended by the Committee on Education and when further amended as follows:
First: In Sec. 2, after 6 V.S.A. § 4721, by adding new sections 4722 and 4723 to read as follows:
§ 4722. FARM ASSISTANCE; SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD
The secretary of agriculture, food and markets shall work with existing programs and organizations to develop and implement educational opportunities for farmers to help them to increase their markets through selling their products to schools and state government agencies and participating in the federal food commodities program, including the federal Department of Defense Fresh program, and selling to regulated child care programs participating in the adult and child food program.
§ 4723. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FOOD SERVICE
(a) The commissioner of education shall offer expanded regional training sessions for public school food service personnel and child care resource development specialists as funds are made available. Training shall include information about strategies for purchasing, processing, and serving locally grown foods, as well as information about nutrition, obesity prevention, coping with severe food allergies, and food service operations. The commissioner may use a portion of the funds appropriated for this training session to pay a portion of or all expenses for attendees and to develop manuals or other materials to help in the training.
(b) The commissioner of education shall train people as funds are made available to provide technical assistance to school food service personnel and use a portion of the funds appropriated for this purpose to enable the trained people to provide technical assistance at the school and school district levels.
(c) Training provided under this section shall promote the policies established in the Vermont nutrition and fitness policy guidelines developed by the agency of agriculture, food and markets, the department of education, and the department of health, dated November 2005, or the guidelines’ successor.
Second: By striking Sec. 3 in its entirety
An act relating to corrections and clarifications to the Health Care Affordability Act of 2006 and related legislation.
(Rep. Leriche of Hardwick will speak for the Committee on Health Care.)
Rep. Condon of Colchester, for the Committee on Ways and Means, recommends the bill be amended as follows:
First: In Sec. 27, in 21 V.S.A. § 2002, by adding a new subdivision (6) to read:
"(6) “Part-time employee” shall mean an employee who works for an employer for fewer than 25 hours a week."
and by striking subdivision (3) and inserting a new subdivision (3) to read:
"(3) “Full‑time equivalent” or “FTE” means the number of employees expressed as the number of employee hours worked during a calendar quarter divided by 520. “Full‑time equivalent” shall not include any employee hours attributable to a seasonal employee or part-time employee of an employer who offers health care coverage to all of its regular full‑time employees, provided that the seasonal employee or part-time employee has health care coverage under either a private or a public plan."
Second: By inserting a new Sec. 27a to read:
Sec. 27a. EFFECTIVE DATE
The provisions of Sec. 27 of this act (employer assessments for Catamount Health) shall apply to employer assessments for reporting periods beginning April 1, 2007, or after.
Third: By inserting a new Sec. 27b to read:
Sec. 27b. ADMINISTRATION PROPOSAL FOR SUSTAINABILITY
In Sec. 27 of this act the general assembly has taken immediate measures to reduce Vermont employers' health fund contributions under the Catamount Health program for employers with seasonal and part-time employees. In affording this relief to employers, however, Catamount Health revenues are reduced by an approximate $800,000.00 and sustainability of the program is affected. The Secretary of Administration in conjunction with the Joint Fiscal Committee shall, by December 1, 2007, propose to the general assembly a means of restoring this lost revenue and full sustainability to Catamount Health. The written proposal, including any proposed legislative amendments, shall be submitted to the House committees on Appropriations, Health, and Ways and Means, and to the Senate committees on Appropriations, Health and Welfare, and Finance.
(Committee vote: 10-1-0)
An act relating to the conservation of energy and increasing the generation of electricity within the state by use of renewable resources.
(Rep. Dostis of Waterbury will speak for the Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.)
Rep. Howard of Rutland City, for the Committee on Ways and Means, recommends the bill be amended as follows:
First: In Sec. 16, on page 39, on line 18, by striking "$0.003 per kWh" and inserting in lieu thereof "$0.006 per kWh"; and on line 20, by inserting before the period ", but in no case shall the tax imposed for any six month period be less than an amount equal to 15% of the installed capacity of the facility multiplied by the rate per kWh imposed by this subsection. Until a facility is certified under this subsection, it shall remain subject to taxation under section 5402 of this title"
Second: on page 40, after line 10, by inserting a new subsection (d) to read:
(d) Review of rates. Beginning in 2009, and every three years thereafter, the division of property valuation and review shall review the tax rate and minimum tax in subsection (a) of this section to determine whether the rate and minimum tax are sufficient to raise an amount of revenue equivalent to the education property tax revenue which would otherwise be due under the education property tax provisions of section 5402 of this title upon the buildings and fixtures of the taxpayer.
Third: By striking Secs. 18, 19, and 20, and inserting in lieu thereof a new Sec. 18 to read:
Sec.18. 10 V.S.A. § 6523(e)(2) is amended to read:
(D) acting jointly with the members of the clean energy development fund investment committee, make decisions with respect to specific grants and investments, after the plans, budget, and program designs have been approved by the clean energy development fund investment committee. This subdivision (D) shall be repealed upon the effective date of rules adopted under subdivision (2) (B) of this subsection.;
(E) assure that the program includes a component pursuant to which businesses may apply for grants in an amount up to 76% of the business energy credit available for individual taxpayers under the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable year preceding the year of the grant, and in an amount up to 100% of the business energy credit available to corporate taxpayers under the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable year preceding the year of the grant. During fiscal year 2008, grants under this subdivision shall not be issued to exceed a total of $250,000.
Fourth: By inserting a new Sec. 16a to read:
"Sec.16a. STUDY OF EDUCATION TAX ON WIND-POWERED ELECTRIC GENERATING PROPERTY
The commissioner of the department of public service and the commissioner of taxes shall consider the possible options for raising education tax revenue from wind-powered electric generating facilities, including the current education property tax, and the advantages and disadvantages of the various options with regard to stability of the revenue source, ability to build inflation into the tax mechanism, how well the tax mechanism will reflect cost of power sold and fluctuations in power production, whether property valuation creates difficulties for application of a property tax, how the tax mechanism will produce revenue during any start-up or construction period, and any other issues which the commissioners may find pertinent to the inquiry; and based upon their findings, shall recommend one or more education tax options for this property. The commissioners shall report their findings and recommendations, including proposed legislative amendments, to the house committee on ways and means and senate committee on finance by December 1, 2007.
H. 534
An act relating to prekindergarten registration.
(Rep. Kilmartin of Newport City will speak for the Committee on Education.)
Rep. Miller of Shaftsbury, for the Committee on Appropriations, recommends the bill ought to pass.
H. 357
An act relating to registration of lobbyists.
First: In Sec. 4, 2 V.S.A. § 264b, in subsection (a), in the first sentence, by striking out “a disclosure report which includes”,
Second: In Sec. 4, 2 V.S.A. §264b subsection (b), in the first sentence, by striking out “Disclosure reports under this section shall be due on the same day as are lobbyist disclosure reports under subsection 264(a) of this title and” and inserting in lieu thereof the following: Every lobbying firm shall file a disclosure report on the same day as lobbyist disclosure reports are due under subsection 264(a) of this title which