Journal of the Senate
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2001
The Senate was called to order by the President.
Devotional Exercises
Devotional exercises were conducted by the Reverend Jane Wilson of Wells
River.
Message from the House No. 21
A message was received from the House of Representatives by Mr.
Bertrand, its Second Assistant Clerk, as follows:
Mr. President:
I am directed to inform the Senate the House has passed bills of the
following titles:
H. 41. An act relating to the exemption from execution of self-directed
retirement accounts.
H. 65. An act relating to expansion of youth hunting day.
H. 69. An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City
of Barre.
In the passage of which the concurrence of the Senate is requested.
The House has adopted Joint Resolutions of the following titles:
J.R.H. 36. Joint resolution in memory of Leo Farrington.
J.R.H. 37. Joint resolution in memory of William H. Morse.
In the adoption of which the concurrence of the Senate is requested.
Bills Referred
House bills of the following titles were severally read the first time and
referred:
H. 41.
An act relating to the exemption from execution of self-directed retirement
accounts.
To the Committee on Judiciary.
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H. 65.
An act relating to expansion of youth hunting day.
To the Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.
H. 69.
An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City of
Barre.
To the Committee on Government Operations.
Bill Referred to Committee on Appropriations
S. 11.
Senate bill of the following title, appearing on the Calendar for notice and
carrying an appropriation, under the rule was referred to the Committee on
Appropriations:
An act relating to the threat of infection resulting from sexual offenses.
Bill Referred to Committee on Finance
S. 67.
Senate Committee bill of the following title, appearing on the Calendar for
notice, and affecting the revenue of the state, under the rule was referred to the
Committee on Finance:
An act relating to motor vehicle registration and taillamps.
Joint Resolution Placed on Calendar
J.R.S. 24.
Joint Senate resolution of the following title was offered, read the first time
and is as follows:
By Senators McCormack and Campbell,
J.R.S. 24. Joint resolution honoring Scott D. Laurin of Troop 232, White
River Junction, upon his attainment of the rank of Eagle Scout.
Whereas, scouting is a movement that challenges, inspires and guides
young people towards high achievements and high values as expressed in the
Scout oath, law, motto and slogan, and
Whereas, the rank of Eagle is the highest rank in Boy Scouting, and
Whereas, attainment of Eagle rank requires mastery of difficult challenges
in diverse areas, and
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Whereas, attainment of Eagle rank also requires demonstration of good
character and community service, and
Whereas, attainment of Eagle rank not only indicates difficult achievement
itself but also demonstrates the courage and tenacity to pursue a goal over a
long period of time, and
Whereas, attainment of Eagle rank confers upon the Eagle Scout an honor
that will dignify him for the rest of his life, and
Whereas, only a small minority of scouts ever attain this rank, and
Whereas, Scott D. Laurin of Troop 232 of White River Junction has
attained the rank of Eagle Scout, now therefore be it
RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
That the General Assembly honors and offers its congratulations to Scott D.
Laurin for his rare achievement of attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, and be it
further
RESOLVED: That the General Assembly congratulates Scott D. Laurin’s
family and scout leaders for their support of his efforts, and be it further
RESOLVED: That the General Assembly thanks Scott D. Laurin for the
honor he brings to our community, and for the inspiration he offers others, and
be it further
RESOLVED: That the Secretary of State shall send a copy of this
resolution to Sandra Filiault of the Eagle Scout Committee on or before his
Court of Honor in White River Junction on March 25, 2001.
Thereupon, in the discretion of the President, under Rule 51, the joint
resolution was placed on the Calendar for action tomorrow.
Joint Resolutions Placed on Calendar
J.R.H. 36.
Joint resolution originating in the House of the following title was read the
first time and is as follows:
Joint resolution in memory of Leo Farrington.
Whereas, Leo “Butch” Farrington resided for his entire life in the town of
Bennington, and
Whereas, he graduated from the former Bennington Catholic High School,
and
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Whereas, for 36 years, Butch Farrington was a vital community volunteer
through his active membership in the Bennington Fire Department’s Eagle
Hose Company, and
Whereas, as a long-serving volunteer firefighter, he assisted in the
extinguishing of numerous fires, and he provided essential aid and comfort at
accident scenes and other emergency incidents, and
Whereas, his firefighting colleagues recognized Butch’s leadership skills
and selected him as the Eagle Hose Company’s treasurer, an office he held at
the time of his death, and
Whereas, the members of Eagle Hose Company will miss Butch
Farrington’s firefighting expertise and warm personal friendship, and
Whereas, when not engaged in fire company-related duties, or working at
Salem’s Market where he was employed for 42 years, he enjoyed being
outdoors and pursuing his love of hunting, fishing and golfing, and
Whereas, when the weather or season was not appropriate for one of his
outdoor recreational activities, he was an enthusiastic bowler, and
Whereas, most importantly, Butch Farrington was devoted to his family,
including his parents Leonard and Rita Farrington, his wife Joanne, daughter
Michelle, son Scott, and their families, and especially his two grandchildren
Nathan and Meghan, all of whom will cherish his memory, now therefore be it
RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
That the General Assembly expresses its sincere condolences to the family
of the late Leo “Butch” Farrington, and be it further
RESOLVED: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this
resolution to Leonard and Rita Farrington and to Joanne Farrington in
Bennington.
Thereupon, in the discretion of the President, under Rule 51, the joint
resolution was placed on the Calendar for action tomorrow.
J.R.H. 37.
Joint resolution originating in the House of the following title was read the
first time and is as follows:
Joint resolution in memory of William H. Morse.
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Whereas, William H. Morse was a civic leader in Bennington County of
towering stature whose 91-year life was devoted to enhancing the county’s
economic viability, transportation accessibility, medical facilities and
recreational opportunities, and
Whereas, in the 1940s, William H. Morse was instrumental in building the
Bennington State Airport, assuring that Bennington was on the map for the
expanding number of business and personal air travelers, and
Whereas, in recognition of his role in the airport’s development, the General
Assembly named this important transportation facility the William H. Morse
Airport, a rare honor in Vermont, for a living individual, and
Whereas, William H. Morse’s transportation interests extended beyond the
airport’s perimeter as he was a leading proponent of constructing a new road to
enable the motoring public to circumvent downtown Bennington’s traffic
bottlenecks, and
Whereas, his persistent efforts to develop this new highway earned him the
nickname “Mr. Bypass,” and in 1999, at the age of 89, he was thrilled to attend
the road’s groundbreaking, and
Whereas, William H. Morse was a volunteer public servant in the true
Vermont tradition, having enthusiastically served as a member of the
Bennington Planning Commission, and
Whereas, recognizing that Bennington, as a regional center, required
excellent health care facilities, he sought to promote that objective by serving
on the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s board of directors, and as a
significant financial contributor to its capital development, and
Whereas, desirous of expanding recreational opportunities for both youth
and adults, William H. Morse generously donated the Beech Street fields in
Bennington that serve as the venue for many athletic activities, and
Whereas, his abundant energy and vitality were apparent as he worked until
the day he died, and
Whereas, he will be missed by the citizens of Bennington, and especially
his family, including his wife Phyllis, and daughters Eva and Alice, now
therefore be it
RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
That the General Assembly extends its sympathies to the family of William
H. Morse, on the occasion of his passing, and be it further
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149
RESOLVED: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this
resolution to Phyllis Morse and Eva Cole in Bennington and Alice Cone in
Spartansburg, South Carolina.
Thereupon, in the discretion of the President, under Rule 51, the joint
resolution was placed on the Calendar for action tomorrow.
Adjournment
On motion of Senator Mazza, the Senate adjourned until eleven o’clock and
forty-five minutes in the morning.