Vermont H 656: An act relating to establishing a right to repair powered wheelchairs

Bill Text

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VT LEG #386225 v.1
H.656 1
Introduced by Representative Howard of Rutland City 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Legislature; General Assembly; salaries and fees; supplemental 5
compensation; health insurance benefits; Defined Contribution 6
Retirement Plan 7
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to provide 8
supplemental compensation during the legislative session to members of the 9
General Assembly whose median monthly household income is less than the 10
member earned prior to the member’s service in the General Assembly. This 11
bill also proposes to make members eligible to participate in the State 12
employees’ health benefit plan on the same terms and at the same cost as 13
employees of the Executive Branch. This bill also proposes to make members 14
of the General Assembly eligible to participate in the State’s Defined 15
Contribution Retirement Plan with a match. 16
An act relating to supplemental compensation, health insurance, and 17
retirement benefits for members of the General Assembly 18

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It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 1
Sec. 1. 32 V.S.A. § 1051 is amended to read: 2
§ 1051. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE 3
OF THE SENATE; COMPENSATION AND EXPENSE 4
REIMBURSEMENT 5
* * * 6
(b) If the Speaker of the House substantiates that the Speaker’s total 7
household income for any month during the legislative session is less than the 8
Speaker’s median monthly income prior to serving in the General Assembly, 9
then the Speaker is entitled to receive a supplemental payment from the 10
General Assembly in the following month if the shortfall is attributable to the 11
Speaker’s service in the General Assembly. The amount of the supplemental 12
payment under this section shall be the difference between the Speaker’s actual 13
total household income for the applicable month and the Speaker’s median 14
monthly income prior to serving in the General Assembly. 15
(c) If the President Pro Tempore of the Senate substantiates that the 16
President’s total household income for any month during the legislative session 17
is less than the President’s median monthly income prior to serving in the 18
General Assembly, then the President is entitled to receive a supplemental 19
payment from the General Assembly in the following month if the shortfall is 20
attributable to the President’s service in the General Assembly. The amount of 21

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the supplemental payment under this section shall be the difference between 1
the President’s actual total household income for the applicable month and the 2
President’s median monthly income prior to serving in the General Assembly. 3
Sec. 2. 32 V.S.A. § 1052 is amended to read: 4
§ 1052. MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; COMPENSATION 5
AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT 6
(a)(1) Each member of the General Assembly, other than the Speaker of the 7
House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, is entitled to a weekly 8
salary of $589.00 for the 2005 Biennial Session and thereafter, provided that, 9
beginning on January 1, 2007, the weekly compensation shall be adjusted 10
annually thereafter by the cost of living adjustment negotiated for State 11
employees under the most recent collective bargaining agreement, except that, 12
beginning on July 1, 2021, and annually thereafter on January 1, the weekly 13
compensation shall be adjusted consistent with the compensation increases 14
provided to other constitutional officers. The salary of members shall be paid 15
in biweekly installments. 16
* * * 17
(3) If a member substantiates that the member’s total household income 18
for any month during the legislative session is less than the member’s median 19
monthly income prior to serving in the General Assembly, then the member is 20
entitled to receive a supplemental payment from the General Assembly in the 21

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following month if the shortfall is attributable to the member’s service in the 1
General Assembly. The amount of the supplemental payment under this 2
section shall be the difference between the member’s actual total household 3
income for the applicable month and the member’s median monthly income 4
prior to serving in the General Assembly. 5
* * * 6
Sec. 3. 3 V.S.A. § 631 is amended to read: 7
§ 631. GROUP INSURANCE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES; SALARY 8
DEDUCTIONS FOR INSURANCE, SAVINGS PLANS, AND 9
CREDIT UNIONS 10
(a)(1) The Secretary of Administration may contract on behalf of the State 11
with any insurance company or nonprofit association doing business in this 12
State to secure the benefits of franchise or group insurance. The terms of 13
coverage under the policy shall be determined under section 904 of this title, 14
but it may include: 15
(A) life, disability, health