The Legislature has reconvened for the 2024 session!
The Legislature has reconvened, and the second half of the biennium is underway. Within the first few weeks of the 2024 session, we heard the Governor’s State of the State Address, collectively introduced over 250 House bills, and began hearing testimony in committee to further develop policy priorities.
The Senate Committee on Economic Development recently invited me to testify about the large impacts the July flooding continues to have on our community’s housing and businesses. They will be hearing testimony from many other communities across the state to help develop policy and earmark funds to help specific communities in specific ways.
Within the House Committee of Government Operations and Military Affairs, where I sit as clerk, we have begun work on municipal charters, increasing government accountability and transparency, as well as standardizing the process for state-funded grants. Our focus will soon be temporarily shifting toward looking into the structure of the state ethics commission and a uniform municipal code of ethics that aligns with the State code, as well as public safety and emergency medical services.
Last session we set up a summer Government Accountability Committee. Over the summer, it intended to reexamine the principle of government accountability by focusing on how evidence is used to inform policy, how state laws are carried out, and how legislation can best be formed to achieve its intended outcomes. They recently submitted their report back to our House committee with 11 thorough recommendations for strengthening government accountability. I look forward to further analyzing the summer committee’s work and discussing how our process can be systematized, rather than relying upon individual legislators or individual committees to be effective.
As a committee, we have also been working on H.140, an act relating to requirements for state-funded grants. This bill proposes to create a standard form as well as a bulletin page for all grants to be listed and hyperlinked. Upon reading this bill I thought to myself, why aren’t we already doing this?
Vermont’s state agencies are somewhat siloed from each other. Many of their websites are vastly different, as well as the overall application process and the information they ask for, making opportunities for businesses and municipalities difficult to find and time-consuming. Funds that are reserved for specific purposes should be transparent, accessible and comprehensible.
Vermonters’ best interests are served when each legislator represents the diverse viewpoints in their community. This is best done when they hear from the unique perspectives of each corner of their district. Whether you have a question, policy improvement idea, vote concern or even a message of gratitude, do not hesitate to reach out. My legislative email is lboyden@leg.state.vt.us or you can leave me a message at the sergeant at arms office in the Statehouse at 802-828-2228. All legislative activity, committee agendas, meeting records, and livestreams can be found at legislature.vermont.gov.
