Vermont S 229: An act relating to compensation and health insurance for members of the General Assembly

Bill Text

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VT LEG #385344 v.2
S.229 1
Introduced by Senators Vyhovsky, Hardy and White 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Legislature; Legislative Compensation Commission; General 5
Assembly; health insurance benefits 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to create the 7
Legislative Compensation Commission, which would undertake an initial 8
comprehensive review of issues involving legislative compensation and 9
benefits, staffing, administrative support, and the length of the legislative 10
session. Thereafter, the Legislative Compensation Commission would make 11
biennial recommendations on the rate of compensation and expense 12
reimbursement for members of the General Assembly, the Speaker of the 13
House, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. This bill also proposes to 14
make members of the General Assembly eligible to participate in the State 15
employees’ health benefit plan on the same terms and at the same cost as 16
employees of the Executive Branch. 17
An act relating to compensation and health insurance for members of the 18
General Assembly 19

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VT LEG #385344 v.2
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 1
Sec. 1. 2 V.S.A. chapter 32 is added to read: 2
CHAPTER 32. LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION COMMISSION 3
§ 1021. CREATION OF COMMISSION 4
(a) Creation. There is created the Legislative Compensation Commission 5
for the purpose of studying and setting the compensation and expense 6
reimbursement of members of the General Assembly. 7
(b) Members. 8
(1) No individual shall be appointed to the Commission who is a current 9
member of the General Assembly, a current employee of the General 10
Assembly, or a registered lobbyist. 11
(2) The Commission shall be composed of the following members: 12
(A) three individuals, not all from the same party and one of whom is 13
a former member of the General Assembly, who shall be appointed by the 14
Speaker of the House; 15
(B) three individuals, not all from the same party and one of whom is 16
a former member of the General Assembly, who shall be appointed by the 17
Committee on Committees; and 18
(C) one individual, appointed by the Governor in the Governor’s sole 19
discretion. 20

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VT LEG #385344 v.2
(3) Members of the Commission shall be appointed on or before 1
February 1 of the first year of the biennium. 2
(4) Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as for the original 3
appointments for the remainder of the unexpired term. 4
(5) The term of each appointment to the Commission shall be two years. 5
(6) Any member of the Commission shall be eligible for reappointment, 6
provided that the member is not disqualified pursuant to subdivision (1) of this 7
subsection. 8
(c) Chair. The Speaker shall select the first Chair of the Commission, and 9
the Committee on Committees shall select the first Vice Chair of the 10
Commission. The authority to appoint the Chair and Vice Chair shall rotate 11
biennially between the Speaker and the Committee on Committees. 12
(d) Meetings. 13
(1) The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair, with the first 14
meeting to be held on or before April 1 of the first year of the biennium. 15
(2) The Commission shall elect a clerk from among its members and 16
shall adopt rules of procedure. 17
(3) A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a 18
quorum for the transaction of any business of the Commission. 19
(4) Any action taken by the Commission shall be by majority vote of the 20
members present. 21

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VT LEG #385344 v.2
(e) Assistance. The Commission shall have administrative and technical 1
assistance from the Legislative Office of Human Resources and the Joint Fiscal 2
Office. 3
(f) Compensation and reimbursement. Members of the Commission shall 4
be entitled to per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses as 5
permitted under 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for not more than eight meetings in the first 6
year of the Commission and not more than three meetings a year in subsequent 7
years. These payments shall be made from monies appropriated to the 8
Legislative Branch. 9
§ 1022. DUTIES; RECOMMENDATION; PROCEDURE 10
(a) In its first year, the Legislative Compensation Commission shall 11
consider and make recommendations on issues involving legislative 12
compensation and benefits, staffing, administrative support, and the length of 13
the legislative session, including: 14
(1) the current composition and benefits offered to members of the 15
General Assembly, including: 16
(A) whether current salaries and benefits are sufficient and, if not, 17
how they should be increased; 18
(B) the impact of current salaries and benefits on recruiting and 19
retaining members from diverse backgrounds and life experiences; 20

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VT LEG #385344 v.2
(C)