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2018
Letter from the Chairman .......................................................2
ACU & ACUF Board Members ..............................................3
Selecting the Votes .......................................................................3
2018 Winners & Losers ................................................................4
VT Senate Statistics .......................................................................5
VT Senate Vote Descriptions ................................................ 6
VT Senate Scores ............................................................................ 8
VT House Statistics ..................................................................... 10
VT House Vote Descriptions ................................................11
VT House Scores ...........................................................................14
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RATINGS of VERMONTRATINGS of VERMONT
ACUConservative @ACUFoundation | #ACURatings Conservative.org
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AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
Dear Fellow Conservative,
The American Conservative Union Foundation is proud to present our ratings of the 2018 meeting of the Vermont General House. Like our Ratings of Congress, which date back 47 years, our state ratings are meant to reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individual’s life. We begin with our philosophy i.e., conservatism is the political philosophy that sovereignty resides in the person, and then apply our understanding of government (its essential role is to defend Life, Liberty and Property).
Because our ratings are designed to educate the public about how consistently elected officials adhere to conservatism, we carefully examine the entire docket of legislation introduced in each state every year. We select the most meaningful bills and publish the results after the dust has settled. ACUF state ratings—launched in 2011 with ratings for five states—have become a nationally recognized resource for evaluating over 8,000 elected officials comprising each of America’s 99 state legislative chambers.
Each election cycle, citizens choose leaders whose vision for the state most closely matches their own, hoping that candidates’ promises will be kept. ACUF’s ratings measure whether those promises were fulfilled or forsaken. With nearly a decade of data on state legislators’ voting records and average scores for every legislative chamber, citizens in every state can assess how effectively their lawmakers have applied conservative philosophy to the role of government.
We at ACUF believe, as Ronald Reagan once said, that freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We hope that by providing this unique tool, these ratings will empower Americans to exercise their right to protect our unique American democracy from tyranny.
Sincerely,
Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union Foundation
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN
ACUConservative @ACUFoundation | #ACURatings Conservative.org
TO SEE MORE ACU RATINGS, PLEASE VISIT: acuratings.conservative.org
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AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
SELECTING THE VOTES
ACU researched and selected a range of bills before the Vermont General House that determine a member’s adherence to conservative principles. We selected bills that focus on Ronald Reagan’s philosophy of the “three-legged stool”: 1) fiscal and economic: taxes, budgets, regulation, spending, healthcare, and property; 2) social and cultural: 2nd amendment, religion, life, welfare, and education; and 3) government integrity: voting, individual liberty, privacy, and transparency. This wide range of issues are designed to give citizens an accurate assessment that conveys which of Vermont’s elected leaders best defend the principles of a free society: Life, Liberty and Property.
Matt Schlapp Chairman
Charlie Gerow Vice Chairman
Carolyn D. Meadows 2nd Vice Chair
Bob Beauprez Treasurer
Ron Christie Secretary
Ed Yevoli At-Large
Dan Schneider Executive Director
ACUExecutive Committee
Jackie ArendsLarry BeasleyKimberly BellissimoMorton C. BlackwellJamie BurkeJosé CárdenasMuriel ColemanSean FielerAlan M. GottliebVan D. Hipp, Jr.Dr. M. Zuhdi JasserEd McFadden
Priscilla O’ShaughnessyRon RobinsonMike RosePeter SamuelsonSabrina Schaeffer Terry SchillingMatt SmithChris TurnerBill Walton
Thomas Winter
Board Members
ACUFExecutive CommitteeMatt Schlapp Chairman
Millie Hallow Vice Chair
Van D. Hipp, Jr. Treasurer
Kimberly Bellissimo Secretary
Dan Schneider Executive Director
Board Members
José CárdenasGordon ChangJonathan GarthwaiteCharlie GerowNiger InnisAdam LaxaltWilles K. LeeMary MatalinCarolyn D. MeadowsRandy NeugebauerThomas Winter
The ACUF Legislative Ratings Team
Fred McGrath, Director
Luke Schneider, Public Affairs & Policy Analyst
Francis Finnegan, Data Manager
Larry Hart, Senior Policy Fellow
Abby Draiss, Policy Fellow
Joseph Johns, Policy Fellow
Jonathan Moy, Policy Fellow
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AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
SENATE
Ashe
Ayer
Balint
Baruth
Bray
Campion
Clarkson
Cummings
Ingram
SENATE
Lyons
Macdonald
Mccormack
Pearson
Pollina
Sears
Sirotkin
White
10% COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT
HOUSE
Ancel
Bartholomew
Belaski
Bissonnette
Bock
Botzow
Briglin
Brumsted
Burke
Carr
Chesnut-Tangerman
Christensen
Christie
HOUSE
Cina
Colburn
Conlon
Connor
Conquest
Copeland-Hanzas
Dakin
Deen
Donovan
Dunn
Emmons
Fields
Forguites
HOUSE
Gardner
Giambatista
Gonzalez
Grad
Haas
Head
Hill
Hooper, J.
Hooper, M.
Houghton
Howard
Jessup
Joseph
HOUSE
Kitzmiller
Krowinski
Lalonde
Lanpher
Lippert
Long
Lucke
Macaig
Masland
McCormack
McCullough
Miller
Morris
HOUSE
Mrowicki
Noyes
Ode
Partridge
Pugh
Rachelson
Scheu
Sharpe
Sheldon
Squirrell
Stevens
Stuart
Sullivan, M.
HOUSE
Taylor
Till
Toleno
Toll
Townsend
Trieber
Troiano
Walz
Webb
Weed
Wood
Yacovone
Yantachka
≥
2018 WINNERS & LOSERS
SENATE
n/a
90-100% AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE
HOUSE
FRENIER
SENATE
n/a
HOUSE
GAMACHE
QUIMBY
HOUSE
TURNER
VAN WYCK
80-89% AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT
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AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT SENATE STATISTICS
19%OVERALL AVERAGE
LOWEST REPUBLICAN
57%REPUBLICAN AVERAGE
8%DEMOCRAT AVERAGE
MAZZA38%
HIGHEST DEMOCRATS
VERMONT SENATE CONSERVATIVE RATINGS
RED = REPUBLICANS BLUE = DEMOCRATS
# OF STATE
SENATORS
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
090-100%
2018 ACUF PERCENTAGE
0-9% 10-19% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-89%20-29%
WESTMAN46%
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AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
1. S 289 Discriminating against Internet Service Providers which Don’t Abide by “Net Neutrality.” This bill attempts to punish Internet Service Providers (ISPs) which don’t abide by Obama-era “net-neutrality” rules (overturned by Chairman Ajit Pai and the FCC) which interfere in the way providers deliver their services and structure their fees. Under the bill, ISPs which don’t abide by net neutrality are not eligible to contract with the state. ACU opposes net neutrality rules and this attempt to drive up taxpayer costs by limiting government contracting options and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 2, 2018 by a vote of 23-5.
2. S 237 Offering Free Legal Representation to Illegal Immigrants. This bill permits scarce taxpayer-funded legal resources to be provided to those facing federal immigration court, including those who have entered the country illegally. Specifically, the bill allows public defenders to represent their clients in matters relating to immigration status. ACU opposes this expansion of taxpayer-funded legal resources and supports efforts to help the federal government perform its constitutional role in enforcing the nation’s immigration laws and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 14, 2018 by a vote of 28-2.
3. S 40 Raising the Minimum Wage to $15 per Hour. This bill diminishes job opportunities by raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2024. Additionally, the bill sets the minimum wage paid to high school students to only $3 less than the minimum wage. Furthermore, the bill violates the right of employers and employees to freely contract by prohibiting “tip sharing,” including employer deductions for credit card processing fees. An increase in the minimum wage results in higher unemployment. High rates of unemployment hinder family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes these artificial wages that hurt those who need help with employment the most, such as students and inexperienced workers, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 15, 2018 by a vote of 20-10.
4. S 120 Infringing Free Speech by Banning Corporate Political Contributions. This bill prohibits corporations from making any direct contributions to political candidates or parties in Vermont. ACU supports free political speech as protected under the First Amendment and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 28, 2018 by a vote of 23-7.
5. S 55 Revoking Second Amendment Rights of Adults Ages 18 to 20. This bill enacts a number of gun control measures that violate Second Amendment rights, most notably raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to age 21 and banning “high-capacity” ammunition magazines. ACU supports the founders’ belief in the Second Amendment and believes those old enough to fight for their country should not be deprived of their constitutional right to keep and bear arms and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 2, 2018 by a vote of 17-13.
6. S 197 Increasing Business and Consumer Costs by Permitting Lawsuits for “Medical Monitoring.” This bill holds manufacturers to an unreasonable level of liability concerning chemical exposure, which will increase litigation and drive up consumer costs. Under the bill, low standards of evidence are sufficient to allow individuals who may have been exposed to certain chemicals to sue manufacturers for the costs of medical monitoring, even if individuals have not displayed any symptoms and there is no evidence that a medical condition is even likely to develop due to chemical exposure. While ACU supports strong property rights and just compensation for individuals who have been harmed by chemical exposure, we oppose this overreach which is primarily designed to enrich trial lawyers through increased litigation costs and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 21, 2018 by a vote of 17-13 but it was vetoed by the governor.
7. S 281 Ensuring Equal Opportunity for All to Serve in Government. The Brock (ACUF Lifetime 69%) amendment ensures that all individuals, regardless of race, have the same opportunity to serve on a newly created Civil Rights Advisory Panel. The amendment declares that all appointments to the five-member panel shall be made in a nondiscriminatory manner and shall reflect a variety of backgrounds, skills, experiences and perspectives. Prior to this amendment, the bill required three of the five members to be persons of color. ACU believes in equal rights under the law for all, that it is the duty of government to ensure that all laws are applied equally, and that public appointments should be based on nonracially-discriminatory criteria, such as qualifications and skillsets, and supported this amendment. The Senate defeated the amendment on March 21, 2018 by a vote of 12-18.
VERMONT SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS
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AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
8. S 94 Socializing Remote Employee Costs. This bill forces Vermont taxpayers to pay up to $10,000 to each employee who works for a company based in another state and who later moves to Vermont and becomes a resident of the state. The new program will cover the costs of moving to Vermont and buying or upgrading to broadband internet, among a litany of other expenses to be paid by taxpayers. ACU opposes all forms of socialism, including socializing the cost of career opportunities, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 23, 2018 by a vote of 30-0.
9. H 294 Prohibiting Employers from Inquiring about Salary History. This bill prohibits employers from inquiring about a prospective employee’s prior salary history or determining whether to interview an applicant based on past compensation. ACU opposes this government interference in the hiring process and believes salary history is a legitimate line of inquiry, especially considering it is required for federal government positions, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 18, 2018 by a vote of 30-0.
10. S 103 Expanding the Regulatory Power of Unelected Government Bureaucrats. This bill creates an avenue for government abuse of power by giving the Commissioner of Health unilateral authority to ban or regulate products for children. Specifically, the bill removes the provision that the commissioner “weigh credible evidence” when determining whether to ban a product and instead allows the commissioner to impose bans based on a single source of research of the commissioner’s choosing. Additionally, the commissioner can now ban products without the recommendation of the Chemicals of High Concern to Children Working Group. ACU opposes heavy-handed regulation which drives up costs for families and efforts to weaken government integrity by providing a government bureaucrat carte blanche authority over regulatory power and opposed this bill. The Senate voted to override the governor’s veto of the bill on April 19, 2018 by a vote of 22-8, but the House failed to override the veto and the bill was defeated.
11. S 175 Weakening Innovation by Establishing a Program to Import Drugs from Canada. This bill directs the Vermont Agency of Human Services to devise a program for wholesale importation of prescription drugs into Vermont from Canada. ACU opposes the importation of socialist pricing schemes and believes allowing people to profit from labor yields innovation, including the development of new life-saving drugs, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 7, 2018 by a vote of 29-0.
12. H 410 Expanding Costly Energy Efficient Mandates. This bill creates further interference in the marketplace by mandating that 16 additional consumer products meet certain energy efficiency standards determined by the state. As a result, consumers will have fewer affordable options when shopping for household items, including dishwashers, portable air conditioners, showerheads, steam cookers and fryers. ACU opposes these mandates which limit consumer choices and drive up the cost of household items and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 9, 2018 by a vote of 25-4.
13. H 16 Enacting a Budget that Raises Property Taxes (Special Session). Despite strong opposition from Governor Scott, this state budget bill raises property tax rates on nearly half of all property owners in the state. Specifically, the bill hinders economic growth by raising the following tax rates by 4.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation: nonresidential, including camps; out-of-state homeowners; and rental properties. Higher tax burdens suppress economic growth, which reduces family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes this tax hike, which will harm numerous families and the state’s economy, especially considering the state has a budget surplus, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 21, 2018 by a vote of 27-0.
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AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT SENATE VOTE DETAIL
Party Dist.
S 289
S 237
S 40
S 120
S 55
S 197
S 281
S 94
H 294
S 103
S 175
H 410
H 16 (Special
Session) ACU Votes
Votes Cast
2018 %
2017 %
LIFETIME AVG
Ashe D Chittenden - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 12 0% 20% 9%
Ayer D Addison - - - - - - - - - - - - X 0 12 0% 0% 0%
Balint D Windham - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 0% 0%
Baruth D Chittenden X - - - - - - - - - X - - 0 11 0% n/a 0%
BENNING R Caldedonia + - + + + + + - - + - - - 7 13 54% 80% 77%
BRANAGAN R Franklin + + + - + + + - - + - - - 7 13 54% 80% 67%
Bray D Addison - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 20% 9%
BROCK R Franklin + + + + + + + - - + - + - 9 13 69% n/a 69%
Brooks D Washington - - - - - + + - - - - - - 2 13 15% 0% 8%
Campion D Bennington - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 20% 12%
Clarkson D Windsor - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 0% 4%
COLLAMORE R Rutland + - + + + + - - - + - + - 7 13 54% 80% 70%
Cummings D Washington - - - - - - + - - - - - - 1 13 8% 0% 2%
FLORY R Rutland X - + + + + + - - + - + - 7 12 58% 75% 67%
Ingram D Chittenden - - - - - - - - - - - - X 0 12 0% 0% 0%
Kitchel D Caledonia - - - - + + - - - - - - - 2 13 15% 40% 21%
Lyons D Chittenden - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 0% 0%
Macdonald D Orange - - - - - - + - - - - - - 1 13 8% 20% 7%
Mazza D Grand Isle - - + - + + + - - + - - - 5 13 38% 50% 32%
Mccormack D Windsor - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 0% 0%
Nitka D Windsor - - - - + + + - - - - - - 3 13 23% 40% 22%
Pearson D Chittenden - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 40% 22%
Pollina D Washington - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 0% 10%
VERMONT SENATE SCORES
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AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT SENATE VOTE DETAIL
Party Dist.
S 289
S 237
S 40
S 120
S 55
S 197
S 281
S 94
H 294
S 103
S 175
H 410
H 16 (Special
Session) ACU Votes
Votes Cast
2018 %
2017 %
LIFETIME AVG
Rodgers D Essex-Orleans - - + + + + - - - - - - X 4 12 33% n/a 34%
Sears D Bennington - - - - + - - - - - - - - 1 13 8% 40% 12%
Sirotkin D Chittenden - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 0% 0%
SOUCY R Rutland + - + + + + + - - + - + - 8 13 62% n/a 62%
Starr D Essex-Orleans - - + - + + + - - - - - - 4 13 31% 40% 35%
WESTMAN R Lamoille - - + + + + + - - + - - - 6 13 46% 60% 53%
White D Windham - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 20% 8%
“+” Member voted with ACU’s position“-” Member voted against ACU’s position“X” Member was absent for vote“E” Member was excused for vote
† Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the 2018 percentage was not rated. 2/3rds of the selected bills must be voted on to receive a score.
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AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT HOUSE STATISTICS
26%OVERALL AVERAGE
BASER23%
LOWEST REPUBLICAN
64%REPUBLICAN AVERAGE
3%DEMOCRAT AVERAGE
BROWNING43%
HIGHEST DEMOCRAT
VERMONT HOUSE CONSERVATIVE RATINGS
RED = REPUBLICANS BLUE = DEMOCRATS
# OF STATE REPS
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
090-100%
2018 ACUF PERCENTAGE
0-9% 10-19% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-89%20-29%
11
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
1. H 410 Expanding Costly Energy Efficient Mandates. This bill creates further interference in the marketplace by mandating that 16 additional consumer products meet certain energy efficiency standards determined by the state. As a result, consumers will have fewer affordable options when shopping for household items, including dishwashers, portable air conditioners, showerheads, steam cookers and fryers. ACU opposes these mandates which limit consumer choices and drive up the cost of household items and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on January 31, 2018 by a vote of 137-4.
2. H 294 Prohibiting Employers from Inquiring about Salary History. This bill prohibits employers from inquiring about a prospective employee’s prior salary history or determining whether to interview an applicant based on past compensation. ACU opposes this government interference in the hiring process and believes salary history is a legitimate line of inquiry, especially considering it is required for federal government positions, and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on February 15, 2018 by a vote of 137-0.
3. H 582 Hiking Phone Taxes to Benefit Special Interests. This bill raises the surcharge placed on all telecommunications bills from 2 percent to 2.5 percent, which amounts to an estimated $6.3 million fee increase. The funds are earmarked to expand broadband to rural areas of the state, however, these earmarks are rarely observed in reality; the connectivity fund to which the revenue is directed has a history of being raided for other purposes and there is no clear plan for how the additional funds will be used. ACU opposes unnecessary tax hikes and believes the market is the best mechanism to determine the need for broadband and does not believe that taxpayers in one area of the state should be forced to subsidize the amenities of individuals who chose to reside in rural areas and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on February 16, 2018 by a vote of 109-27.
4. H 675 Strengthening Evidence Standards for Issuance of Extreme Risk Protection Orders. The Donahue (ACUF Lifetime 67%) amendment to a bill concerning extreme risk protection orders raises the standard of evidence required for a court to issue an order temporarily prohibiting an individual from possessing a firearm due to the risk of danger they may cause to themselves or others. Specifically, the amendment raises the standard of evidence to “clear and convincing” instead of a “preponderance of evidence.” ACU supports the founders’ belief in both in the Second Amendment and due process under the law and supported the amendment as a step in the right direction. The House defeated the amendment on March 1, 2018 by a vote of 53-85.
5. S 55 Revoking Second Amendment Rights of Adults Ages 18 to 20. This bill enacts a number of gun control measures that violate Second Amendment rights, most notably raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to age 21 and banning “high-capacity” ammunition magazines. ACU supports the founders’ belief in the Second Amendment and believes those old enough to fight for their country should not be deprived of their constitutional right to keep and bear arms and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on March 27, 2018 by a vote of 89-54.
6. S 237 Offering Free Legal Representation to Illegal Immigrants. This bill permits scarce taxpayer-funded legal resources to be provided to those facing federal immigration court, including those who have entered the country illegally. Specifically, the bill allows public defenders to represent their clients in matters relating to immigration status. ACU opposes this expansion of taxpayer-funded legal resources and supports efforts to help the federal government perform its constitutional role in enforcing the nation’s immigration laws and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on April 10, 2018 by a vote of 97-40.
VERMONT HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS
12
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
7. S 103 Expanding the Regulatory Power of Unelected Government Bureaucrats. This bill creates an avenue for government abuse of power by giving the Commissioner of Health unilateral authority to ban or regulate products for children. Specifically, the bill removes the provision that the commissioner “weigh credible evidence” when determining whether to ban a product and instead allows the commissioner to impose bans based on a single source of research of the commissioner’s choosing. Additionally, the commissioner can now ban products without the recommendation of the Chemicals of High Concern to Children Working Group. ACU opposes heavy-handed regulation which drives up costs for families and efforts to weaken government integrity by providing a government bureaucrat carte blanche authority over regulatory power and opposed this bill. The House failed to override the governor’s veto of the bill on April 25, 2018 by a vote of 94-53. (A two-thirds majority vote was required and a “No” vote supported the ACU position.)
8. S 175 Weakening Innovation by Establishing a Program to Import Drugs from Canada. This bill directs the Vermont Agency of Human Services to devise a program for wholesale importation of prescription drugs into Vermont from Canada. ACU opposes the importation of socialist pricing schemes and believes allowing people to profit from labor yields innovation, including the development of new life-saving drugs, and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 2, 2018 by a vote of 141-2.
9. S 197 Increasing Business and Consumer Costs by Permitting Lawsuits for “Medical Monitoring.” This bill holds manufacturers to an unreasonable level of liability concerning chemical exposure, which will increase litigation and drive up consumer costs. Under the bill, low standards of evidence are sufficient to allow individuals who may have been exposed to certain chemicals to sue manufacturers for the costs of medical monitoring, even if individuals have not displayed any symptoms and there is no evidence that a medical condition is even likely to develop due to chemical exposure. While ACU supports strong property rights and just compensation for individuals who have been harmed by chemical exposure, we oppose this overreach which is primarily designed to enrich trial lawyers through increased litigation costs and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 3, 2018 by a vote of 92-45 but it was vetoed by the governor.
10. S 260 Raising Taxes to Further Expand Funding for Clean Water Projects. This bill imposes an additional 0.25 percent tax on hotel rooms and restaurant and bar bills. It is claimed that the new revenue will be used as a source of funding for additional clean water projects, but these earmarks are rarely observed in reality. ACU opposes placing further tax burdens on Vermonters to fund a program that already has a substantial budget and opposed this bill. The House advanced the bill on May 4, 2018 by a vote of 84-55.
11. S 40 Raising the Minimum Wage to $15 per Hour. This bill diminishes job opportunities by raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2024. Additionally, the bill sets the minimum wage paid to high school students to only $3 less than the minimum wage. Furthermore, the bill violates the right of employers and employees to freely contract by prohibiting “tip sharing,” including employer deductions for credit card processing fees. An increase in the minimum wage results in higher unemployment. High rates of unemployment hinder family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes these artificial wages that hurt those who need help with employment the most, such as students and inexperienced workers, and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 8, 2018 by a vote of 77-69 but it was vetoed by the governor.
12. H 196 Reducing Employment Opportunities by Mandating Paid Family Leave. This bill mandates paid family leave and paid sick leave for every employee working in the state. Under the bill, employees are entitled to 12 weeks’ paid parental leave and six weeks’ family care leave each year. These mandates are paid by a payroll tax imposed on all earned income up to $150,000 per year. ACU believes employees should have the ability to negotiate their own benefits and opposes employer mandates which drive up business costs and reduce employment opportunities and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 11, 2018 by a vote of 90-53.
13
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
13. H 696 Preserving Obamacare and Maintaining Burdensome Health Care Costs. This bill prevents consumers from obtaining cheaper health care policies by forcing all health insurance policies offered in the state to cover the “essential health benefits” mandated under Obamacare. Furthermore, the bill requires the state to enforce the individual mandate—even if repealed at the federal level—and impose fees on anyone who does not maintain a government-approved health care policy. ACU has long opposed Obamacare, which has led to skyrocketing health care costs, and its mandates that prevent individuals from obtaining more affordable health care by selecting the plan that best suits their needs, and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 12, 2018 by a vote of 118-16.
14. H 16 Enacting a Budget that Raises Property Taxes (Special Session). Despite strong opposition from Governor Scott, this state budget bill raises property tax rates on nearly half of all property owners in the state. Specifically, the bill hinders economic growth by raising the following tax rates by 4.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation: nonresidential, including camps; out-of-state homeowners; and rental properties. Higher tax burdens suppress economic growth, which reduces family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU opposes this tax hike, which will harm numerous families and the state’s economy, especially considering the state has a budget surplus, and opposed this bill. The House advanced the bill on June 22, 2018 by a vote of 94-23.
15. H 16 Preventing a Property Tax Hike in the State Budget (Special Session). The Browning (ACUF Lifetime 59%) amendment sets the property tax rate to the same level as the previous year, preventing a significant tax hike on homeowners and businesses. Reducing tax burdens increases economic growth, which increases family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation’s Family Prosperity Index. ACU supports protecting families from unnecessary tax hikes and maintaining the economic competition of the state and supported this amendment. The House defeated the amendment on June 25, 2018 by a vote of 40-85.
14
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT HOUSE VOTE DETAIL
Party Dist.
H 410
H 294
H 582
H 675
S 55
S 237
S 103
S 175
S 197
S 260
S 40
H 196
H 696
H 16 (Special
Session)
H 16 (Special Session
- Brow
ning Am
d.) ACU Votes
Votes Cast
2018 %
2017 %
LIFETIME AVG
AINSWORTH R Windsor-Orange-1 X X X X X X + - X + + + - X + 5 7 n/a† 80% 80%
Ancel D Washington-6 - - - - - X - - - - - - - - - 0 14 0% 0% 4%
BANCROFT R Chittenden-8-3 - - + + + + + - + + + + - + + 11 15 73% 89% 78%
Bartholomew D Windsor-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - X - X 0 13 0% 0% 6%
BASER R Addison-4 - X - + - - + - - - + - - X - 3 13 23% 50% 43%
BATCHELOR R Orleans-1 - - + X + + + - + + + + + + + 11 14 79% 88% 82%
BECK R Caledonia-3 - - - + + - + - X + + + - - - 6 14 43% 67% 59%
Belaski D Windsor-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
BEYOR R Franklin-5 + - + + X + + - + - + + + + + 11 14 79% 90% 83%
Bissonnette D Chittenden-6-7 X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 14 0% 0% 8%
Bock D Windsor-3-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
Botzow D Bennington-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 4%
BRENNAN R Chittenden-9-2 - - + + + + + - + + + + - - + 10 15 67% 90% 64%
Briglin D Windsor-Orange-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 9%
Browning D Bennington-4 - - - + - + - - - + + + X - + 6 14 43% 56% 59%
Brumsted D Chittenden-5-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
Buckholz D Windsor-4-1 - - - X X - - - X - - - X X X 0 9 n/a† 0% 0%
BURDITT R Rutland-2 - - + X + + + - + + + + + + + 11 14 79% 86% 84%
Burke D Windham-2-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 8%
CANFIELD R Rutland-3 - - + + + + + - + + + + - + + 11 15 73% 100% 79%
Carr D Rutland-6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 6%
Chesnut-Tangerman D Rutland-Bennington - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 11%
Christensen D Windsor-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
VERMONT HOUSE SCORES
15
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT HOUSE VOTE DETAIL
Party Dist.
H 410
H 294
H 582
H 675
S 55
S 237
S 103
S 175
S 197
S 260
S 40
H 196
H 696
H 16 (Special
Session)
H 16 (Special Session
- Brow
ning Am
d.) ACU Votes
Votes Cast
2018 %
2017 %
LIFETIME AVG
Christie D Windsor-4-2 - - - - - - - X - - - - - - - 0 14 0% 0% 3%
Cina D Chittenden-6-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X 0 13 0% 0% 0%
Colburn D Chittenden-6-4 - X - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 14 0% 0% 0%
Condon D Chittenden-9-1 X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X 0 1 n/a† 25% 32%
Conlon D Addison-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X 0 14 0% 0% 0%
Connor D Franklin-6 - - - - - X - - - - - - - - - 0 14 0% 11% 11%
Conquest D Orange-Caledonia - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - 1 15 7% 0% 13%
Copeland-Hanzas D Orange-2 X - - - X - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 0% 6%
Corcoran D Bennington-2-1 - - - - + - - - - + - + - - - 3 15 20% 20% 24%
CUPOLI R Rutland-5-2 - - + + + + + - + + + + + - + 11 15 73% 90% 81%
Dakin D Chittenden-9-2 - - - - - - - - - - + - - - X 1 14 7% 10% 9%
Deen D Windham-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 4%
DEVEREUX R Rutland-Windsor-2 - - - + - - + - + + + + X + + 8 14 57% 78% 71%
DICKINSON R Franklin-3-2 - - + + + + + - + + + + - X + 10 14 71% 90% 84%
DONAHUE R Washington-1 - - - + + - + - + - + + - + + 8 15 53% 70% 67%
Donovan D Chittenden-6-5 - - - - - X - - - - - - - - - 0 14 0% 0% 2%
Dunn D Chittenden-8-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
Emmons D Windsor-3-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 4%
FAGAN R Rutland-5-1 - - X + - + + - + + + + - - - 7 14 50% 70% 54%
FELTUS R Caledonia-4 - - + + + - + - + + + + - - - 8 15 53% 70% 56%
Fields D Bennington-2-1 - - - - - X X - - - - - - - X 0 12 0% 0% 3%
Forguites D Windsor-3-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 7%
FRENIER R Orange-1 + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + 14 15 93% 90% 92%
GAGE R Rutland-5-4 + - - + + + + - + X + + + + X 10 13 77% 80% 75%
GAMACHE R Franklin-4 - - + + + + + - + + + + + + + 12 15 80% 90% 84%
Gannon D Windham-6 - - - - - - - - - + + - - - - 2 15 13% 22% 18%
16
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT HOUSE VOTE DETAIL
Party Dist.
H 410
H 294
H 582
H 675
S 55
S 237
S 103
S 175
S 197
S 260
S 40
H 196
H 696
H 16 (Special
Session)
H 16 (Special Session
- Brow
ning Am
d.) ACU Votes
Votes Cast
2018 %
2017 %
LIFETIME AVG
Gardner D Chittenden-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - 0 14 0% 0% 0%
Giambatista D Chittenden-8-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X 0 14 0% 0% 0%
Gonzalez D Chittenden-6-7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 10%
Grad D Washington-7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 5%
GRAHAM R Orange-1 - - + X + + + - - + + + X - + 8 13 62% 90% 83%
Haas D Windsor-Rutland - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 10%
HARRISON R Rutland-Windsor-1 - - - + + + + - + + + + - - + 9 15 60% 86% 73%
Head D Chittenden-7-3 - - - X - - - - - - - - - - - 0 14 0% 0% 4%
HEBERT R Windham-1 X X X + + + + - + X + + X X - 7 9 n/a† 63% 77%
HELM R Rutland-3 - - + + + + + - + + + + - - - 9 15 60% 90% 68%
HIGLEY R Orleans-Lamoille - - + + + + + - + + + + + X X 10 13 77% 90% 83%
Hill D Lamoille-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 0%
Hooper, J. D Orange-Washington-Addison - - - - + - - - - - - - X - - 1 14 7% 0% 4%
Hooper, M. D Washington-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 8%
Houghton D Chittenden-8-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 0%
Howard D Rutland-5-3 - - - X - - - - - - - - - - - 0 14 0% 0% 0%
Jessup D Washington-5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
Jickling I Orange-Washington-Addison - - - - + - - - - + + + - - - 4 15 27% 40% 33%
Johnson D Grand Isle-Chittenden X X X X X X - X X X X X X X X 0 1 n/a† n/a 8%
Joseph D Grand Isle-Chittenden - - - - - - - - - X + - - - X 1 13 8% 22% 15%
JUSKIEWICZ R Lamoille-3 - - - + + - + - + + + + - - - 7 15 47% 70% 59%
KEEFE R Bennington-4 - - - + - X - - + + + X X - + 5 12 42% 80% 61%
Keenan D Franklin-3-1 - - X X - + - - - - + X - X - 2 11 18% 0% 11%
Kimbell D Windsor-5 - - - + - + - - + - + - - - - 4 15 27% 13% 20%
Kitzmiller D Washington-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 6%
Krowinski D Chittenden-6-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 4%
17
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT HOUSE VOTE DETAIL
Party Dist.
H 410
H 294
H 582
H 675
S 55
S 237
S 103
S 175
S 197
S 260
S 40
H 196
H 696
H 16 (Special
Session)
H 16 (Special Session
- Brow
ning Am
d.) ACU Votes
Votes Cast
2018 %
2017 %
LIFETIME AVG
LACLAIR R Washington-2 - - + + + + + - + + + + - + + 11 15 73% 71% 73%
Lalonde D Chittenden-7-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 6%
Lanpher D Addison-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 4%
LAWRENCE R Caledonia-4 - - + + + + + - + + + + - - + 10 15 67% 80% 74%
LEFEBVRE R Essex-Caledonia-Orleans - - - + X - + - - - + - - + + 5 14 36% 70% 60%
LEWIS R Washington-1 - - + + + - + - + + + + - + + 10 15 67% 63% 67%
Lippert D Chittenden-4-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 6%
Long D Windham-5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 7%
Lucke D Windsor-4-2 - X - - - X - - - - X - - X X 0 10 0% 0% 4%
Macaig D Chittenden-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% n/a 2%
MARCOTTE R Orleans-2 - - + + + + + - + + + + - - + 10 15 67% 75% 72%
MARTEL R Caledonia-1 - - + X + + + - + + + + + + + 11 14 79% n/a 78%
Masland D Windsor-Orange-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 9%
MATTOS R Chittenden-10 - - X + + + + - + + + + - - + 9 14 64% n/a 64%
McCormack D Chittenden-6-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
McCOY R Rutland-1 - - - + + - + - X + + + - - + 7 14 50% 71% 67%
McCullough D Chittenden-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 4%
McFAUN R Washington-2 - - - + + + + - + + + + - + + 10 15 67% 50% 63%
Miller D Bennington-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 4%
Morris D Bennington-2-2 - X - - - - - - - - - - X - - 0 13 0% 0% 2%
MORRISSEY R Bennington-2-2 - X - + + + - - - + + + + + + 9 14 64% 80% 74%
Mrowicki D Windham-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 10%
Murphy I Franklin-2 - - X + + - - - - + + + - - - 5 14 36% 60% 46%
MYERS R Chittenden-8-1 - - - + + - + - + + + - - - + 7 15 47% 70% 66%
NOLAN R Lamoille-Washington - - - + + + + - + + + + - - X 8 14 57% 90% 74%
Norris I Addison-Rutland - - - + + + + - - + + + - - X 7 14 50% 89% 69%
18
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT HOUSE VOTE DETAIL
Party Dist.
H 410
H 294
H 582
H 675
S 55
S 237
S 103
S 175
S 197
S 260
S 40
H 196
H 696
H 16 (Special
Session)
H 16 (Special Session
- Brow
ning Am
d.) ACU Votes
Votes Cast
2018 %
2017 %
LIFETIME AVG
Noyes D Lamoille-2 - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - 1 15 7% 10% 8%
O'Sullivan D Chittenden-6-2 - X X - - - - X X X - - - X X 0 8 n/a† 0% 5%
Ode D Chittenden-6-1 X - - - - X - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 0% 0%
Pajala I Windham-Bennington-Wind-sor
- - - + - X - - - + + - - - - 3 14 21% n/a 21%
PARENT R Franklin-3-1 - - + + + + + - X + + X - X + 8 12 67% 75% 72%
Partridge D Windham-3 - - - - - X - - X X - - - - - 0 12 0% 0% 6%
PEARCE R Franklin-5 - - - + + + X X X X X + - X X 4 8 n/a† 90% 70%
Poirier I Washington-3 - - - + + X + X - + + - - + - 6 13 46% 40% 37%
Potter D Rutland-2 - - - + + - - - - - - + - - - 3 15 20% 10% 18%
Pugh D Chittenden-7-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% n/a 6%
QUIMBY R Essex-Caledonia X - + + + + + - + + + + + + + 12 14 86% 90% 84%
Rachelson D Chittenden-6-6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 2%
Read I Washington-7 - - - - - - + - + X + - - - - 3 14 21% n/a 21%
ROSENQUIST R Franklin-1 - - X + + + + + + + + + - + + 11 14 79% 90% 84%
SAVAGE R Franklin-4 - - + + + + + - + + + + + - + 11 15 73% 90% 81%
Scheu D Addison-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
SCHEUERMANN R Lamoille-1 - - - - - - + - + + + + - - - 5 15 33% 78% 65%
Sharpe D Addison-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 4%
SHAW R Rutland-6 - - - + + - + - + + + + - - - 7 15 47% 80% 65%
Sheldon D Addison-1 - - X - - - - - - - - - - X X 0 12 0% 0% 6%
Sibilia I Windham-Bennington - - - - - - - - X + + + - X X 3 12 25% 60% 36%
SMITH, B. R Orleans-1 - - X + + + + - + + + + X + + 10 13 77% n/a 77%
SMITH, H. R Addison-5 - - - + + - + - + + + + - + + 9 15 60% 90% 80%
Squirrell D Chittenden-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
Stevens D Washington-Chittenden - X X - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 12 0% 0% 2%
19
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Vermont
VERMONT HOUSE VOTE DETAIL
Party Dist.
H 410
H 294
H 582
H 675
S 55
S 237
S 103
S 175
S 197
S 260
S 40
H 196
H 696
H 16 (Special
Session)
H 16 (Special Session
- Brow
ning Am
d.) ACU Votes
Votes Cast
2018 %
2017 %
LIFETIME AVG
STRONG R Orleans-Caledonia - - - + + + + - + + + + + + + 11 15 73% 90% 85%
Stuart D Windham-2-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X 0 13 0% 0% 7%
Sullivan, L. D Bennington-Rutland - - - + - - - - + - - X X - X 2 12 17% 20% 18%
Sullivan, M. D Chittenden-6-5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 4%
Taylor D Chittenden-9-1 - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - 1 15 7% 30% 18%
TERENZINI R Rutland-4 - - + + + + + - + + + X X - + 9 13 69% 100% 77%
Till D Chittenden-3 - X - - - - - - - - - - - - X 0 13 0% 0% 2%
Toleno D Windham-2-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 8%
Toll D Caledonia-Washington-1 - - - - - - - - - X - - - - - 0 14 0% 0% 7%
Townsend D Chittenden-7-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X 0 14 0% 0% 4%
Trieber D Windham-3 - - - - - - - - - X + - X - - 1 13 8% 0% 16%
Troiano D Caledonia-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 6%
TURNER R Chittenden-10 - X + + + + + - X + + + + X + 10 12 83% 80% 78%
VAN WYCK R Addison-3 + - + + + + + - + + + + + + + 13 15 87% 100% 92%
VIENS R Orleans-2 - - + X + + + - + + + + + X + 10 13 77% 89% 86%
Walz D Washington-3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 6%
Webb D Chittenden-5-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 14 0% 0% 4%
Weed D Franklin-7 - X X - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 13 0% 0% 0%
WILLHOIT R Caledonia-3 - - - + + - + - + + + - - X X 6 13 46% 70% 68%
Wood D Washington-Chittenden - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - 1 15 7% 0% 7%
WRIGHT R Chittenden-6-1 - - + - - - + - X + + + - - + 6 14 43% 50% 52%
Yacovone D Lamoille-Washington - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 15 0% 0% 0%
Yantachka D Chittenden-4-1 X - - - - - - - - - - - - X - 0 13 0% 0% 4%
Young D Orleans-Caledonia - - - - + - - X - - + - - - X 2 13 15% 20% 23%
“+” Member voted with ACU’s position“-” Member voted against ACU’s position“X” Member was absent for vote“E” Member was excused for vote
† Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the 2018 percentage was not rated. 2/3rds of the selected bills must be voted on to receive a score.
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