A New Session Summary & Medical Debt Survey
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: JULY 2021
Happy midsummer! I want to offer a brief update on a few off-session legislative related issues, especially on a few topics with related summer/fall legislative study committees (ex: pensions). I am also sharing a medical debt project survey from Vermont Legal Aid to help them collect more information on how medical debt impacts Vermonters.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION SUMMARY My amazing summer intern and constituent, Zoe Koeninger, assisted me in compiling a useful summary of key pieces of legislation passed into law this session. I encourage you to take a look to understand the progress we made on economic, infrastructure, health care, equity and education policy. We have more to do, especially around developing our workforce and economy in ways that support working people’s recovery from the economic impact of the pandemic, while also understanding and supporting the needs of our small businesses. I look forward to diving more into this work in my committee in January - House Commerce & Workforce Development Committee.
The summary (second half of the webpage) includes updates on more than a dozen key bills along with links to summer/fall committee pages where you can find resources, meeting schedules and updates on important topics such as pensions, pupil weighting factors (education funding system), and unemployment.
MEDICAL DEBT PROJECT
The Office of Health Care Advocate (HCA), a project of Vermont Legal Aid, assists thousands of Vermonters each year with questions and problems related to health insurance and access to care. Through this work, they have identified medical debt as a major challenge facing many Vermonters. They have launched a story collection project to deepen their understanding of medical debt and how it impacts Vermont families’ health care decisions. Please complete their online survey to share how the cost of health care impacts your life. Participants will be entered into a raffle for $25 VISA gift cards to thank them for their time. If you prefer to verbally share your story or if you would like a printed copy of the survey, please call: 802-448-6943. The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete. Your voice and story will help the HCA advocate for Vermonters facing debt.
SMALL BUSINESS CONVERSATION
This fall I will be working with advocates to convene small businesses in and around Chittenden 6-2 to learn what the state can do to better support their success. As a member of the House Commerce Committee, I learned the limitations of what exists for state services to support businesses with technical support and capital investment beyond specific industries. If you’d like to be part of this conversation and/or can help me connect to local businesses who would be interested, please send me a note at emulvaneystanak@leg.state.vt.us.
Enjoy these last few weeks of summer and feel free to be in touch anytime I can be of assistance.
Peace,
Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, State Representative Chittenden 6-2 (Old North End/New North End) emulvaneystanak@leg.state.vt.us 802-448-0838 Social Media @staterepemma
Picture: Leddy Park beach at twilight with a hazy sky and empty beach. This is my favorite beach in our district (Chittenden 6-2)!
