 Good afternoon everyone and thank you for being here in my state of the state last week I talked about the challenging housing shortage we face and our urgent need to make it faster Easier and less expensive to build and rehab the units we need This isn't new. We've been talking about it for a long time And as you know, we've spent a half a billion dollars in the past few years to expand our housing stock It's helping and having an impact but not as much as it could Based on the speed and cost. We're currently building It's clear we must address the other side of the equation if we're truly going to improve our housing stock Right now do in part to our antiquated regulatory system Takes far too long and costs far too much to build That means we're not getting the bang for the half a million bucks We put in Sector and everyday Vermonters who are looking for small investment opportunities Like the incentives they need to further invest This isn't a partisan issue And this isn't this perspective isn't a part of the problem We hear from people from all political backgrounds about the needs to make it easier to build While upholding what's great about our state Which is why I'm proud to stand here with you today with a tripartisan group of lawmakers who in partnership with my team Have worked on packages that could really make a difference Mr. Farrell and members of the House and Senate will talk about the proposals in a few minutes And we'll also hear from Wei Wei Wang the executive director of the Vermont professionals of color network and Mike del Treco the president and CEO the Vermont Association of hospitals and health systems Because housing is about more than just housing It's about community revitalization workforce affordability equity health safety and much much more This session with the broad support you see today. I'm more confident than ever We can put politics aside and do with a vast majority of our Montage No needs to get done to create and restore the housing We so desperately need right now. So with that, I'll turn it over to Commissioner Farrell Thank You governor So first I want to thank representatives Bartley, Hango, Sims and Small for their leadership on this I also want to thank the many other legislators and stakeholders many of whom are in the room today For the work that they've done to contribute to the bill that we have today age 719 Through this collaboration, we've developed a set of reforms that can be supported by folks in rural Vermont and urban areas Supported by employers as well as homeless advocates and from folks across the entire political spectrum as you can see here today While I'm going to summarize some elements of the bill here today We're going to be holding a webinar tomorrow from 11 a.m.. To 12 p.m In which myself and some others will walk through some of the mechanics and details of the bill In November governor Scott and I shared the administration's analysis of the current housing deficit Including where we're coming up short county by county and it proved two things that we already knew to be true one that we need to reinvest in our regional economic centers and Second that we need to drastically increase the number of homes in every corner of the state to give renters and homebuyers More opportunities and more affordable options This bill aims to achieve those two main priorities by realigning incentives to steer investment and revitalization The existing housing stock into communities and neighborhoods that have been neglected and Encouraging the creation of new homes in the areas where we have the infrastructure to support it and thus continuing to protect the green space outside of our compact settlement areas To do this the houses bill proposes the following firstly changes to act 250 jurisdiction to encourage more homes where we have the infrastructure and Provide the incentives to grow while continuing to protect the green space outside of those areas secondly Appeals reform for housing development to make it easier to construct housing for all populations and income levels and to curb one of The biggest tools used to prevent fair housing creation in the state of Vermont Third Adjustments to municipal zoning practices that currently inhibit unit generation these reforms will focus on missing middle and infill development fourth adjustments to state and local permitting jurisdictions to Allow for and encourage the conversion of hotels and motels into permanent housing units and fifth tax incentives to encourage the investment of blighted structures in neglected neighborhoods and communities With the aim of revitalizing our economic centers and bringing housing units to them This will be achieved through targeted tax exemptions largely for mom and pop investors and For the rehabilitation of blighted structures in the areas of greatest need So while a number of programmatic investments are contemplated in this bill the budget development is still underway And we can't get ahead of that process But regardless the regulatory reforms in this bill will make any investment including the half a billion dollars We've already spent over the last few years go much further than they have gone in our current system This allows us to make better use of both public and private investment again, I'm grateful to this group of legislators and For those that want to hear more in-depth We will be having our webinar again tomorrow From 11 a.m. To 12 p.m. To hear more details about the bill You can find a link to that posted to a ccd dot Vermont dot gov And now I am happy to hand it over to senator Keisha Rom-Hinsdale Thank You commissioner Farrell and Big thanks to governor Scott as well I'm participating remotely today because I have COVID so if you see me drink a bottle of small a small bottle of brown liquid It is elderberry syrup. I just want everyone to know I From where I fit I can think of nothing more important to do right now than to set politics aside and Tell Vermonters we hear them and we are working together to provide them with relief from the dual climate and housing crises we face Today's proceedings come right on the heels of another major climate event last night Even if there is not significant physical damage to be accounted for we are hearing from every flood impacted individual and community But they experience a deep and growing fear every time it rains We are hearing that any homeowner who takes a meager FEMA buyout for their destroyed home Has to look out of state for something they can afford We are hearing that renters are living in unsafe conditions But don't want their buildings condemned because they would have nowhere else to live We are hearing about Vermonters battling mold respiratory illness faulty eating depression and Untold financial and personal costs and that they are hanging on by a single thread We want you to hear from us that we are extending our hands and we will not let you go We hear you and help is on the way Our top priority is to ensure every Vermonter has choice Dignity and safety where they live where they build a family and where they call home Gratefully because of the tripartisan work we did last session in the home act We are beginning to see modest growth and new housing units come online It is now a climate imperative that we bring everyone home With our work this session bring Vermonters displaced by flooding back home Bring young people who want to come back to Vermont home bring seniors who want to live near their family's home The bringing everyone home bill or be home bill will incorporate the proposals discussed today The good work of many housing and environmental stakeholders and the best ideas from Vermonters reaching out to improve their neighborhoods and towns Vermonters Rest assured we hope to vote the bill out of our committee by early February as we know it will have a one-way to go to passage And we have much work to do to build support among our colleagues To that end while Act 250 has served us well for 50 years I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to adapt Act 250 to meet the realities of the next 50 years We need an Act 250 that gets communities out of flood paths and mud slide zones We need an Act 250 that gives towns the tools to create a climate resilient vision for their communities And then let them act with the speed and flexibility needed to achieve it We need an Act 250 that creates a diverse set of first-generation homeowners and Main Street entrepreneurs To build the collective wealth of their communities We must stop saying that this is the way it's always been and work toward the Vermont that must be Inaction is simply not an option our economy will falter without the next generation having the economic foundation needed To join the workforce and forge Vermont's future to meet our other policy goals that build a brighter Vermont from Weatherizing homes to improving health outcomes to giving our kids a world-class education We must recruit and retain the workers of the future But people who want to remain here or move to our people state are already turned away because of our lack of housing Our rural communities and our cozy village centers that Vermont is known for are going to hollow out if we do not lead an act So for those who have held on and cannot hold on any longer help is on the way We will build on the work of the home act with another major push for housing that puts politics aside To meet the very real needs of our neighbors It is time to do the hard work that Vermont has have elected us to do so together Let's bring everyone home Thank you. Thank you, Senator Romhansdale. We all wish you a very speedy recovery Let me first start by thinking not only my co-leads But also all other members of the House of Representatives who sponsored H7 19 Committing to finding solutions for Vermont's housing crisis Representative Sims small and Hango and I all recognize the need for a holistic solution to our housing crisis after countless emails phone calls Text exchange and zoom calls H7 19 was drafted to be introduced on the floor later this afternoon The overarching and primary objective of this legislation is to create more housing units and to reinvest in neglected neighborhoods plainly stated housing and community redevelopment the bill addresses act 250 in a way that promotes smart growth and Revitalizes our communities in a substantial way for generations to come for too long the solution to the housing crisis has been siloed The crisis impact spans across every facet of our community Transcending political affiliations and economic divides Regardless of income level be it lower middle or tied to generational wealth each for Monter has felt the weight of this crisis I am incredibly proud of the collaborative work of my colleagues Making a good bill even better while taking into consideration the needs of different communities Different constituent viewpoints stakeholders. We've ensured that housing development can happen through Vermont throughout Vermont Not just a minute portion of the state Yet this bill goes beyond housing through the expansion and restoration of our housing We can foster affordability for Vermont families Provide shelter for Vermonters who are experiencing homelessness Entice workers to fill vital positions in our workforce that is desperately needed And offer of course necessary services to our communities This concerted effort not only ensures housing stability and opportunities But also plays a vital role in reducing crime addressing substance abuse And and breathing new life into long neglected neighborhoods H719 is just the beginning and we have a long way to go So whether you're a representative a senator a stakeholder or a community member Come grab your seat at the table. The time to act is now Housing can no longer be just a goal. It must be made a reality for all Vermonters And I am going to send bring up senator Oh So I have as others have already said today and I think as we all know We need more housing across the state and for families of all sizes income levels and service needs I am so glad to be here together with the governor and all of the co-sponsors of this bill And our key partners to talk about the work that we're going to do this session to address this issue H719 builds on the great work that we did last year with the home act Working with a broad coalition from developers to local officials from environmental groups to human service organizations We made historic housing investments to support new construction To fix up vacant units and to expand shelter capacity While also making meaningful changes to our land use regulations And those changes are already making a difference in my community St. Johnsbury now has a long overdue warming shelter Rental units are being brought back online in hard wick and the sacred heart property in newport is scheduled for redevelopment And yet it has not been enough. We must continue to confront this challenge head on This bill H719 continues to make investments in the housing programs that we know are working Like the Vermont housing improvement program the manufactured home repair program and the missing middle home ownership program This bill also recognizes that we can't buy our way out of this housing deficit We must continue to remove obstacles that have limited housing for decades by modernizing our land use regulations Vermont's landmark act 250 law has been instrumental in sustaining the Vermont we love Balancing the preservation of our unique landscape with the economic and development needs of our communities I don't think any of us want to see more sprawl We don't want houses in the middle of farm fields or huge single family homes on top of mountains We also know that we haven't been building housing at the rate that we need to keep up with demand And so if we want more housing in the right places Rehabbing existing buildings and building new infill development in our walkable downtowns and villages That are served by water and sewer We need a balanced approach to land use regulation while we protect some places We also need to make it easier to develop in others and this is exactly what this bill does And as others have already mentioned H17 has been a truly collaborative effort And we know that the bill has a long way to go before it's across any finish line But we are all standing here together to say to vermoners. We hear you We understand the magnitude of this crisis And we are working together across geography across sectors across party lines to tackle this issue And we invite you to be a part of that conversation so that together we can create healthy local housing markets for all of our communities And now from the kingdom representatives Good afternoon everyone As a member from wanuski I truly understand the responsibility that I have representing the most densely populated and most diverse city in our state And I highlight those two things to underscore the piece of how we as a city live into our values of being a welcoming state for our new american and refugee populations And that our city has done everything that it can in its responsibility as leaders To build as much as possible to make sure that the folks who need the services of wanuski are able to attain them And yet year after year our city leadership has asked for municipal delegation And to withdraw themselves from this duplicative process with the act 250 And now I finally see a path forward with this tripartisan effort to make that contribution This legislation not only expands opportunities to build more units And development, but it does so in a way that protects our environment and protects our rental market I have been so appreciative of the collaborative effort that has happened along the way especially in understanding where we see the draw into our homelessness crisis and we Put in and uh said that we are going to protect tenants making sure that they can be in units that are going to be safe And affordable while also ensuring that they are not being pushed out of units Just to make sure that they are able to get up to those standards i'm grateful to the governor and his staff for bringing us into this conversation And uh looking forward to providing pathways for both landlords and tenants And building the vermont that we are looking for I will now pass it on to our colleague in the senate senator randy brach Thank you representative small You've already heard uh today that the time for action is now Vermont's housing crisis is acute and we can't simply afford to nibble around the edges In order to solve almost every problem We have whether to be health care costs education vermont's tax burden and more We need to attract and retain more working vermonters And that will not be possible until we restore a healthy housing Balance and a housing market with more units and at reasonable prices And the only way we can do that as the governor mentioned is to make it easier faster and cheaper to build the housing that we need Last year we made progress with regulatory reform with act 100 Into which my committee put substantial work Even though those steps were welcomed many of my colleagues in our and I argued that it wasn't enough And then more needed to be done And that's why we're here today Chair ram hinsdale and the rest of the senate economic development committee Have committed to working with our counterparts in the house To focus on these very issues Action can't wait and bold regulatory reform is needed now more than ever I'll now turn it over to representative hango Thank you senator brach. Good afternoon As co-lead sponsor of this legislation I want to thank my partners for putting together a package that has something for everyone We put aside our political party ideology and each of us brought something unique to the table This bill makes strategic investments in our communities As we work to revitalize our landscape each ask was thoughtfully and respectfully considered And we worked with what we all could agree on rather than focusing on the dealbreakers that would shatter this coalition This legislation is a conversation starter It touches on something that is important to each of our constituencies permitting reform emergency housing Creating new units and providing opportunity for all vermonters to have access to housing across all regions of our state As it moves through the committee process We welcome input from all stakeholders and know that it will be a better bill for the process Thank you governor and your administration and representatives Bartley sims and small for your perseverance for your constituencies and for your spirit of collaboration I'll now turn this over to wei wei wang who is the executive director of the vermont professionals of color network Thank you. Thank you representative Thank you so much for having me here today. My name is wei wei wang I am the co-executive director for the vermont professionals of color network We are a non-profit statewide nonprofit whose mission is to advance prosperity for black indigenous and people of color across the state The issue of housing affects the fabrics fabric of our beautiful state and shapes the very future of our diverse and growing community vermont faces challenges that demand our collective attention Our state has the third oldest population But also the second smallest population and we are facing currently a shrinking workforce Even if all working age vermonters became gainfully employed, we would still have over 12 000 unfilled jobs It's critical that we retain and attract the community here That we have here and also from elsewhere, especially people of color vermont boasts one of the highest growths per capita when it comes to the community of color In this state the black indigenous and people of color community surged by astonishing 112 percent between 2010 and 2020 Not just in chinning county This community is a future workforce of the state We also contribute over one billion dollars in economic impact annually to the state In fact, we recently dropped to third white estate in the nation. So thank you west virginia for taking on note number two Um, while our racial demographics are shifting to the positive wealth disparities in the community of color still exists People of color are less likely to have generational and accumulated wealth An asset that is critical in home ownership, which is critical in building wealth Here in vermont only 20 percent of black home households own a home compared to 72 of white households Our housing challenges were steep even prior to the inflated home prices that began in late 2020 And before the july floods the december floods and last night swept many residential structures away so this Information paints kind of and what everyone has presented today paints a pretty bleak picture for our state And through the vermont professionals of color. We are currently hearing stories from bipoc community members new residents relay the shock of arriving in the state and being unable to find housing speak speaking nothing of affordable housing New college grads hoping to stay in the state where they have made tight community bonds By having to move away to other opportunities because they can't find safe affordable and available rental units A dual income household losing childcare after leaving chinden county moving outside of the county due to high home prices Forcing parents to leave their jobs A c-suite executive living in a hotel for nine months while house hunting in chinden county even Before settling on a rental unit That can't come Accommodate his family to come from out of state These are all bipoc stories that we have heard over just the last 12 months and that does not include the flooding period Why does my organization care about this issue and these proposals? Because we are constantly being asked Help me find how can I find housing help me find housing because the bipoc community the people of color here Want to be in vermont. They want to live in vermont And yet we are also being asked How do we as the state as businesses as organizations retain and attract bipoc professionals and business owners to the state Our housing crisis is at a critical juncture It hinders other areas of growth like workforce development that the state really wants to accomplish So a bold comprehensive action is imperative These proposals today here are the next step to ensuring that the community of color And really future generations of vermont will be able to choose to stay in vermont To have safe shelter to build lives and families in and that can anchor them Within the social and economic fabric of vermont. Thank you, and I will turn it to mike del treco president and c of va h s h s So thank governor scott and members of the administration. It's an honor to be here When I heard about this bill we jumped at the opportunity To to participate as mentioned my name is mike del treco when I serve as the president and ceo at the vermont association of hospitals and health systems We represent all vermont hospitals And the great thing about our hospitals is they're all not for profit Why is this so important to us? A safe stable healthy home Is the foundation to an individual's health It's key to the health of our communities that we serve It's pivotal to building vibrant downtowns and the end it's critically important to all vermonters. You've heard a lot about that here today Too many vermonters lack the necessary home Not to mention one that is modern safe and healthy This is particularly devastating for the most vulnerable Including those that are homeless Those living with chronic or complex health conditions our children and our elderly This is why our hospitals are so supportive of this state's effort To develop more housing of all types in every region is critically important Our hospitals are amongst the largest employers in our community and our staff our nurses and our doctors Often find A problematic to find affordable housing This impacts their ability to live here It impacts our organization's ability to recruit doctors Nurses and support staff that we greatly need to care for the communities we serve Where possible our hospitals have stepped up to invest in programs and services like housing Initiatives because our community is desperately need them However, it's no secret that our hospitals have been stretched for resources Which are necessary to invest in their staff their facilities and equipment and their communities As we build our budgets for the next year We'll continue to look outside the hospital four walls and ways to support community needs like housing This is way too big of an issue to ignore and we must make progress The fact is if we get this right and invest in more affordable safe homes We'll see an improvement of the health of vermonters The simple reality is housing is directly connected to health As the state's health care leaders were committed to working with the administration Lawmakers and the community leaders to address this issue. It's an honor for me to be here And thank you so much for the opportunity and i'll turn it back over to the governor Well, thank you very much and thank you to all the speakers thus far and everyone who's participating today We'll now open up to questions. We'll stay on topic first And then move on from there Governor, how does this affect the the sort of the classic divide of the last few years that we can build in downtowns We can't build hardly anywhere else. How would this change that? Well, I think I believe I'll let Alex talk about this, but it expands the area. It's not just in downtowns. It's in gross centers And to provide more density Yeah, sure so The the home act took a lot of steps last year including raising the act 250 Trigger within designated downtowns and villages from from 10 units up to 25 units before act 50 is triggered now what this bill would do is Create full exemption within all those designated areas downtowns villages neighborhood development areas growth centers And then even outside of those where we have municipal water and wastewater and where we have zoning It would raise the cap from 10 to 30 and thus making the best use of all those assets That that we really have the capacity to build in Anyway else want to add to that give us a wave senator if you'd like us Yeah, um, if I may we you know, we just heard the Uh, the report of the natural resources board on the hearing structure that they're proposing To create exemption from act 250 and they are including any area that a municipality Would propose provided that the municipality has sufficient Water and sewer and zoning. So I hope that that extends to transit corridors You know to second clusters of development that many communities have like burlington or south burlington You know, we need to see growth where we know act 250 jurisdiction should end act 250 is about land use And we've already determined that the land use in these areas is commercial residential or industrial and therefore There shouldn't be duplicative processes that That developers and municipalities have to engage in to build housing I just want to clarify so this is you mentioned 30 units I know in the past it was 10 by 5 by 5 or whatever the ratio was is this just 30 units? Still with five year period five mile radius or 30 units flat out we can build whenever you'd like so short so full exemption within the designated areas and then Outside of that where there's municipal water and wastewater and zoning. It would be 30 units By two years and then removing that mileage requirement and and the thought there is in a lot of ways 10 5 5 Can encourage sprawl because you're being pushed further and further out to avoid hitting that trigger And this way it can allow for more units to be built per project and then more more densely as you go on Anyone else I think surprised to know that many of our downtown's village centers are prone to flooding So I'm wondering how the authors of this bill are thinking about incentivizing Growth and development in areas that are are seeing future flooding Well again, expanding the area is going to help in that regard. It isn't just in the downtown There are areas in within the district the growth centers where you can build safely in elevated areas Yeah, yeah Yeah, and I think that's right So growth centers and neighborhood development areas are great opportunities for this And the fact that we're not just restricting it to these These uh downtowns and villages gives a little bit more leeway to to move out of those areas I also just mentioned that I think yeah This bill complements other work that I know senator ron hemsdale and other committees are looking around flood resiliency and recovery How are we also standing up access to Capital so that communities can do really critical work to make our existing housing and future housing less vulnerable to future events So we need to both address kind of regulatory reform about where we're encouraging development and also making sure That we're providing access to the capital needed to do that work That helps make our communities more resilient to events in the future. So, you know, all of these things are so intersectional What does this bill propose regarding governance? What what role do you see of the district commissions going forward versus The the natural resources board. I know there's talk about professionalizing it or maybe expanding it Just where does that conversation line alexa sabina? I can and so what What we're really trying to emphasize is this maintains the integrity of act 250 such that it wouldn't change governance There are other bills that are contemplating changes in governance structure And we'll allow those bills to contemplate what they will and this does not negate that This will only change where act 250 is triggered What are the phones for on topics, but then we'll come back if you have off topics start with Chris Roy, and if you don't have an on topic, just let me know and we'll come back to you for the off topic portion All right, we'll try tim the quizden from my business magazine Is it about this magazine? I don't have a your main question on this. I can wait All right, we'll come back to uh, tom davis compass right back to you. Uh, tom davis compass from off Try Keith the rotten herald Um, there are some provisions in this bill around, you know, incentivizing the conversion of hotels and motels into affordable housing I'm wondering, you know, it will take a long time for this regulatory reform to create units And so I'm wondering how you're thinking about these interim solutions particularly for You know the thousands of homeless people we have in our state and those will be losing shelter this spring through the motel program Well, everything's on the table at this point in time. Obviously, we our needs are great They're immediate they're urgent and uh, so there's nothing we can do that would That would hurt anything of the long-term initiatives So we are going to continue and to look for those opportunities to expand shelter capacity and homes permanent homes for the homeless Let's Come back to that if we could I'm not going to consider that on topic at this point Well, we maybe so just want to give one last I just have one thought at the car lose question. I guess regarding the general assistance program You know come spring, uh, this funding will end. There's potentially thousands or at least over a thousand people that will become Unsheltered. I mean, what what is the plan or what do you see going forward to avoid mass unsheltered homelessness? These are big longer-term Sit there solutions, but what can we do in the interim? We there are many measures. We can take and we're working on them Mr. Winters Thank you as the governor said We are taking a number of measures to try to create shelters in the short term But I think it's really important to Remember that in the long term A bill like this is one of the most effective things that we can do to address the problem That we're facing today the scope could be much smaller if we had units DCF is the is the safety net and we want to emphasize the importance of this bill this bill in front of us today To people experiencing homelessness it might seem obvious, but it's really worth repeating That there's a direct correlation between the availability and the affordability of housing And the number of people who are unhoused. So if you look at the states with the lowest vacancy rates And the higher cost of rent. There's a direct correlation to the number of homeless they have in that state. So I'd really I'd really implore everybody to support this bill as one of many ways to address the the problem of homelessness that we're facing in brahman today Governor what arguments would you use to get buy-in from the house and senate natural resources committees that have been somewhat intransigent against rural housing development Well, I believe that having this broad coalition of house and senate members goes a long ways towards seeing change so I don't know what the perspective is of the senate or house natural resources are on this bill in particular But I do know there's a broad coalition of members of the legislature That do see the issue and want to see change Can I add something sure? So, um, you know, I think what's what's complementary in the senate is outside of session I actually teach environmental policy at the law school and senator bregg who chairs the natural resources committee is a home builder You know, so we have been able to find some common ground in the past and we're gonna have to work harder this year But what I would say to those committees and to the environmental community Is that we can't believe in climate change without believing in support for climate refugees? And I think we often think about climate refugees coming from other states and other countries And us needing to open our arms to them But what we have right now are climate refugees that are our own neighbors They're people who want to stay in vermont And simply cannot find another place to live. They want to stay near their existing community So if it wasn't apparent from last year Once we've gone through all of this flood activity and we know it's coming fast and more frequently Um, you know, we have to understand that we have an obligation to climate refugees within our states They're vermonters and they're our neighbors I think that's a great point senator and we have legislators that have experience Flooding themselves and had to make the tough decisions to move elsewhere Any other on topic? This is the queue Unless you want to stay and answer some more questions Just because I can't remember exactly which I know what it was about but I've I've seen yes, I've seen portions of it. Yes I don't know what it's going to look like when it comes to the senate or a house floor Eventually pass the house but My position hasn't changed on the injection sites and I have communicated that with house and senate leadership So there's no surprise, but it's just the bridge too far from It's just from my standpoint, I just don't think a government entity should be in the business of of Enabling those who are addicted To these drugs that are illegal And I just it's just counterintuitive to me And I have a great deal of sympathy and empathy for those who are addicted and I think there are other ways We can counteract that and we have We have measures in place the treatment and recovery On prevention and enforcement those four legs of the stool. I talk about a lot That we need to to double down on and if we want to build hubs expand hubs to provide some of the harm reduction that's fine, but the The portion where we allow the safe injection Of illegal substances just just too too far for me to go Um What we're doing not just in vermont, but across the country though the epidemic is Initiation wide just simply isn't working right now. We should try something New and novel that hasn't been done before just to do anything different. Yeah, the the drugs obviously have changed from opioids when governor shulman gave That his remarks in the state of the state Um number of years ago Um, it was a different If it was a different opioid at that point and now we have fentanyl Um, and we have other substances that are highly highly addictive And uh and are different than what we're dealing with before so we have to To we we have to adapt to that, but I still don't believe that allowing for The safe injection uh is the is a way to counter that The judiciary committee in the house, uh, they've been tackling retail theft also, eventually more resources for the judiciary to To expedite justice. I think is how they framed it We're public safety commissioner this morning told them that public safety and accountability Is is a piece of the puzzle that that she sees that's missing. I mean, what's your assessment of? You know where the legislature is in the public safety conversation right now Well, specifically would you like to see? Well, again, I'm encouraged and whatever our Public safety commissioner had testified on that is us And so she was speaking for the administration at that point And we um, as I said my state of the state, we have to be honest About what we've done in the past and and if it's not working we should reflect And do something different and and again, I I was part of that I signed some legislation that I'm not sure Was the right approach now, uh, so We just have to be honest with ourselves and uh and put into place measures that we think Will keep the public safe and and I again, I I am encouraged to have the judiciary committees taking this up And we'll hopefully get to a point where like we are with with housing Where we can come up with common sense solutions that protect the public What does that look like mail reform Editions of release and all the above. Yeah, there's no one single element that That I'm looking at it's it's the accountability It's it's about some of the measures that we put into place over the last few years that aren't working And so we just need to reflect on that and come up with something that will work So last year the senate pastor s a team, which is about abandon all types of flavor tobacco flavor babes things of those nature and House human services and picked it up had testimony from dr. Lee this morning more tomorrow throughout the week Just wondering what your thoughts would be on that. Yeah, again. I uh I don't I don't appreciate smoking myself I think it is a tremendous health risk and something that we can we can counter in many many different ways I'm not sure That the That the flavored tobacco products are Going to be the solution either I'm not sure that that is what gets people Addicted to tobacco But but again if it's if it's something the legislature Moves and and puts on my desk and it was and it's Within the parameters of what we're thinking I would probably sign it But it's not something that I think is we should spend a tremendous amount of time on I think there are other issues that I'm much more concerned about like edibles in terms of cannabis and That's that's something that's real. It's growing. It's building and I'm very concerned about that You can affirm that stakes troopers at the same johnsbury erics were placed on administrative leave and are facing an internal investigation I I'm aware of that But I would probably refer to the commissioner on on the details, but it is an internal investigation I I don't know exactly what it is But but I know that they saw an issue and they decided to put them on leave and and investigate it In an abuse prevention order for survivors to include coercive and controlling behavior The intent is supposed to be to help I've done separate from their partners before it turns physically abusive Do you have thoughts? I'm not aware of exactly what that does But here's what I do know. I domestic violence domestic abuse is rising And we need to find ways to counter that as well and that's disturbing So I will um, I will get with my team and if it moves forward Take a look and see whether we can support it or not. Maybe we are But I haven't I haven't spoken to our department of public safety or my general counsel on this I know any house judiciary some of the no votes were to get to A concern over Again, I know the judiciary system is compromised challenged at this point in time, but um at the same time it's hard to To utilize that as a reason to not provide for the safety of those situations While the compensation is back on the table It's a little water down from from last year's it doesn't have the health care benefits Have you have you seen the proposal? I know you were I have not My feelings haven't changed on that either, but I have not seen the new bill There's also actually separate from the bill's senator to legislator compensation There is one bill after the introduction of Kosti Reduce your salary and those administrators to the level of We'll see where that bill goes and And if they decide they have the super majority if they decide to pass that And they have the power to do so We'll We'll live with it. What do you make of the principle? Um, it sounds like retribution and You know my opposition to their pay raise A couple I'm getting a few days into the session, but you know the second year of the By any and really when things really start moving. I mean, how would you describe your relationship? You know this this session so far with the the super majority and with the legislative leaders Um, it's I think it's cordial. Um, I I treat everyone with respect and civility We have our differences. We may not all agree on every issue But but again, I respect their work and and again seeing All the the legislators who are on board with this housing initiative Gives me great hope We'll go to the phones. I think there were a couple off topics there We'll start with Tim McQuiston from our business magazine Tim McQuiston from our business magazine We believe I'm pretty sure that's in the Can you You picked that I'm pretty sure that's uh in the BAA And uh, it's something the attorney general The attorney general We're getting feedback from you When you're listening So Um, I think that's a better question for the attorney general, but from my standpoint, uh I'm not sure that it would be successful Okay, that's all I have and no Chris Thank you all very much