Next Thursday, Gov. Shumlin will sign into law the landmark health care bill (H.202) that puts Vermont on a clear path to a health care system that’s fair, covers everyone and puts medical decisions back in the hands of patients and providers – all without breaking the bank.
Surrounded by a happy group of moms, kids and public health advocates, Gov. Peter Shumlin signed into law the Midwife Bill which will require insurance companies cover midwifery care, including home births. The legislation will make it possible for more women and families to choose safe and less costly home birth options when their pregnancies are considered to be low-risk.
One of my favorite things about directing VPIRG is that by working with members like you and our partners across the state, we manage to get things done that my colleagues in other states can only dream about. Consider our list of accomplishments in the legislative session that just ended on Friday.
On Thursday, the Senate gave final approval to a bill that requires manufacturers of mercury-containing lamps to establish and finance a free and convenient recycling program for their spent bulbs from residents and small businesses. Pending the Governor’s approval, Vermont will become the third state in the country to establish such a program.
S.15 moved one step closer to the Governor’s desk today, thanks to hundreds of supporters who emailed their Representatives this week and joined us at the State House this morning. Nearly a hundred of moms, dads, and kids desended on the State House to voice their support for the bill by giving their Representatives personalized photographs.
The House Committee on Health Care has just passed the Midwife Bill (S.15). This bill would allow more couples to choose home births for their babies by requiring insurance companies to cover midwifery services, including home births.
The bill (S.15) is about choice, fairness, and cost savings.
A guide to the Mercury Lamps Bill (S.34). S.34 would require manufacturers of mercury-containing lamps to establish a free and convenient recycling program for fluorescent bulbs. By financing the cost of recycling their products, manufacturers will have a powerful incentive to design their lamps to last longer and to exclude the toxic materials, including mercury, that make recycling so difficult and expensive.
The Vermont Electric Coop board of directors just voted 9-1 to reject Entergy’s offer to sell power to them after 2012. The Coop has stood up and said they’re not interested in doing business with an untrustworthy corporation like Entergy Lousiana.
This is a proud day for Vermonters. While other states are busy fighting federal reform and slashing their health care programs, Vermont has raised the bar with the passage of H.202. Our elected leaders deserve great credit for bucking the national trend and choosing patients over profits.
Friday April 22, Gov. Peter Shumlin signed the National Popular Vote bill (S.31) into law. VPIRG director Paul Burns also had a chance to address the media. Under NPV, the electoral votes from participating states are awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states. This system guarantees that you cannot be elected President by coming in second, that every vote matters and that each state is relevant.
