Legislative Affairs
Week Four of the 2010 Legislative Session
Unemployment Insurance Hearing Scheduled
If you are interested in getting involved with the debate about the cost of the Unemployment Insurance Trust fund and have your ideas heard by those who are in leadership to make those changes, attend one of the public hearings scheduled for this week. The Senate Economic Development Committee has scheduled two hearings on the state's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to hear from Vermont businesses about the impact proposed changes would have on employers. The first hearing will take place on Wednesday, February 3 from 9:30 am to Noon in the Board of Alderman Chamber, City Hall, in Rutland. The second hearing will take place on Thursday, February 4 from 9 am to Noon at Contois Auditorium in Burlington.
Please do your best to attend one of these public hearings. If you would like further information, please contact Cathy Voyer at 802-595-9594 or cathy@agcvt.org. The more your voice is heard as a member of the Associated General Contractors of Vermonts, the more likely we will have an effect on the outcome. The Associated General Contractors has developed a position on this item so please contact me to get further information.
Workers Compensation Misclassification changes suggested in Senate Committee
Over the next several weeks, the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs will deliberate on bills that directly relate to contractors and the suggested problem of the misclassification and miscoding of employees for purposes of workers' compensation. The committee has taken testimony on several bills, one of which would create a uniform definition of "independent contractor." Another bill would require the investigation of misclassified illegal alien employees, disqualify employers who misclassify employees from state contracts, and make public certain jobsite information about state contractors.
The committee is also discussing the decision it made last year to inflict a strict liability standard on employers who misclassify employees. Under last year's bill, the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration may penalize employers for any improper classification, even if the mistake was unintentional.
Representative Bill Botzow appointed as New Chair of House Commerce and Economic Development Committee A surprise came to all of us last week as the Speaker of the House Shap Smith suddenly appointed a new chair of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee. Rep. Warren Kitzmiller (D-Montpelier) submitted his resignation on Wednesday forcing the Speaker to appoint a new chair. Rep. Bill Botzow (D-Pownal) is the new chair of the committee focused on jobs and the economy. Kitzmiller announced he wanted to focus more on his constituents in Montpelier than on a committee agenda. Rep. Botzow has been a committee member and has experience with the issues facing the committee. He has been the chair of the Rural Economic Development Work Group, served as a Commissioner on the Future of Economic Development Work Group, and his three years as a member of the Commerce and Economic Development Committee. Rep. Botzow is also a member of the University of Vermont Board of Trustees, serving as Chair of its Audit Committee.
H.97, An Act Relating to the Idling of Motor Vehicles voted out of committee
The House Natural Resources and Energy Committee voted out of their committee the bill which limits diesel trucks from idling longer than five minutes in a sixty minute period. The Associated General Contractors of Vermont worked closely with the committee to exempt specific worksite vehicles. This bill allows for vehicles on mine or quarry property being used in mining or quarrying activities or to vehicles in the process of doing work in a work zone, which is an area identified by warning signs, signals, or indicators and where construction, maintenance, or utility work activities are under way& to be exempt from the restriction of idling longer than five minutes within a sixty minute period. The full House of Representatives will vote on the bill this week. For further information, please click http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2010/calendar/hc100202.pdf for the full text of the bill.
Date Posted: February 02, 2010
