Political Overview

The General Assembly has entered the final stretch of the session and if all goes smoothly they could complete their work in about a month. The primary focus for the next four weeks will be the "money bills" including the FY 04 appropriations bill, a transportation capital bill, a capital bill and an Act 60 reform bill. With the exception of the Act 60 reform bill, all of these bills have passed the House. The Senate is now working hard on these bills.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has been working on its version of the FY 04 budget bill. The committee's budget is approximately $10 million higher than the budget the House endorsed. The difference includes additional funding for an increased caseload in the Agency of Human Services, substance abuse programs and the state police. One way to meet this gap in the budget is for the Senate to raise taxes. To that end, the Senate Finance Committee will be looking at increasing taxes including alcohol taxes, sales taxes and telecommunications taxes.

The House Ways and Means Committee is also looking at proposals to raise taxes, including a sales tax increase from 5 to 6 percent, and expanding the sales tax to beer and soda. However, the House wants to use the increased revenue to offset property taxes. It is likely that if the full House and Senate approve increasing taxes that all these "money bills" will be held up until a conference committee can reach a deal on how the new revenue from any tax increases will be spent.

Issues of interest to VAHHS the General Assembly addressed this week include:

Hospital Regulation, Certificate of Need (H.128)

Testimony concerning H.128 continued this week in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. Witnesses included attorneys for BISHCA, Tom Huebner of Rutland Regional Medical Center, and Jeanne Keller, a well know health care advocate. No firm direction has yet to emerge with regard to the committee's intent relative to this bill. The committee will be taking the bill up again on Wednesday, April 23rd, when they will be hearing from Jeanne Keller, Peter Youngbaer of the Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights, Health Department Commissioner Paul Jarris, and more BISHCA staff, including Mike Davis. VAHHS will also submit additional information to the committee.

Whistleblower Protections (S.154)

This week the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee took up S.154, the bill that proposes to establish whistleblower protections for workers, including health care workers. They heard from Ron Pickering of the AFL-CIO and a number of nurses, who testified in support of the bill. It is unlikely that this committee will have time to consider this bill again this session.

Agency of Human Services Reorganization (H.450)

This week the Senate Government Operations Committee took testimony on H.450, a bill that authorizes the Secretary of the Agency of Human Services to restructure the agency. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee has a public hearing regarding H.450 scheduled for April 22nd, from 2:00-5:00 p.m. at Contois Auditorium, City Hall, Burlington, and also plans to take more testimony on this bill on Thursday, April 24th. This bill is likely to pass this year. The bill as it passed the House.

Anesthesiologist Assistants (S.144)

On Wednesday, April 16th, the House Government Operations Committee took testimony regarding S.144, a bill that proposes to establish a system for certifying Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAs) in Vermont. VAHHS's witnesses included Donna Madigan, Director of the OR, and Dr. Michael Tarazi, both from Southwestern Medical Center as well as Dr. Howard Shapiro and Terance Lynch, AA from Fletcher Allen Health Care.

On the procedural front, the House Health and Welfare Committee agreed to "be relieved" of S.144 and send the bill to the House Government Operations Committee. VAHHS supports the transfer of the bill to the House Government Operations Committee since that is the committee that usually considers licensing of professional in Vermont.

The House Government Operations Committee will take the bill up again on Thursday, April 24. At that time they will hear from Stuart Fause, a former hospital administrator from New York, and his wife, Susan Fause, an Operating Room Trauma Nurse, who are expected to oppose the bill. It is also likely that Anthony Otis a lobbyist for the Vermont Association of Nurse Anesthetists will offer a number of amendments to the bill at this hearing. Text of the bill as it passed the Senate.

Vermont State Hospital Testimony

Susan Besio, Commissioner of the Department of Developmental and Mental Health Services testified before the Senate Government Operations Committee. The State Hospital failed a joint state and federal inspection in March and must make changes within 90 days. Areas of deficiencies include: staff shortages, locked door policy and seclusion and restraint. Besio stated that additional resources are needed. The agency is asking lawmakers to appropriate an additional $300,000 in the 2004 budget.