Montpelier, Vt. – Monday, Governor Phil Scott took the following actions on bills passed by the Legislature.
Governor Scott has signed H.57, an act relating to preserving the right to abortion, and made the following statement:
“Like many Vermonters, I have consistently supported a woman’s right to choose, which is why today I signed H.57 into law. This legislation affirms what is already allowable in Vermont – protecting reproductive rights and ensuring those decisions remain between a woman and her health care provider. I know this issue can be polarizing, so I appreciate the respectful tone and civility from all sides throughout this discussion.”
Governor Scott has vetoed S.169, an act relating to firearms procedures, and made the following statement:
“Last year, I called for and signed a package of historic gun safety reforms because I believe they make schools, communities, families and individuals safer, while upholding Vermonters’ constitutional rights.
“Over the last year, among other gun safety measures, we have established:
- Mandatory background check requirements;
- Extreme risk protection orders, giving families tools to remove guns from those who may harm themselves or others;
- The ability of law enforcement to remove firearms from those accused of domestic violence; and
- Requirements increasing the age to buy a firearm from 18 to 21.
“With these measures in place, we must now prioritize strategies that address the underlying causes of violence and suicide. I do not believe S.169 addresses these areas.
“Moving forward, I ask the Legislature to work with me to strengthen our mental health system, reduce adverse childhood experiences, combat addiction and provide every Vermonter with hope and economic opportunity.”
The veto message for S.169 can be viewed by clicking here.
Additional actions are outlined below.
On June 10, 2019, Governor Scott signed bills of the following titles:
S.7, An act relating to social service integration with Vermont’s health care system
S.31, An act relating to informed health care financial decision making and the consent policy for the Vermont Health Information Exchange
S.41, An act relating to regulating entities that administer tax-advantaged accounts for health-related expenses
S.73, An act relating to licensure of ambulatory surgical centers
S.112, An act relating to earned good time
S.131, An act relating to insurance and securities
S.134, An act relating to background investigations for State employees with access to federal tax information
H.132, An act relating to adopting protections against housing discrimination for victims of domestic and sexual violence
H.135, An act relating to the authority of the Agency of Digital Services
H.292, An act relating to miscellaneous natural resources and energy subjects
H.508, An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Bennington
H.514, An act relating to miscellaneous tax provisions
On June 4, 2019, Governor Scott signed a bill of the following title:
H.536, An act relating to education finance
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