Vermont Legislative Process Overview: 1. Drafting the Bill: - Bills and resolutions are drafted by the Legislative Council upon request from a member. 2. Introduction: - The bill is assigned a number, printed, and presented to the Clerk of the House (for House bills) or Secretary of the Senate (for Senate bills). It is then read for the first time by title only. 3. Committee Review: - The bill is referred to a standing committee that specializes in related subjects. The committee examines the bill and makes recommendations. 4. Second Reading: - After the committee has reviewed the bill, it is reported back to the House or Senate. It is placed on the Calendar for a second reading, where it may be amended and debated. 5. Third Reading: - The bill is read a third time. At this point, the question is, "Shall the bill pass?" The bill can be acted upon in the same manner as during the second reading. 6. Passage in One House: - If passed, it is signed by the Clerk (in the House) and sent to the other house, following a similar process of readings and committee review. 7. Final Approval: - If both houses pass the bill without changes, it goes to the Governor for signature. If there are amendments proposed by the other house, the original house can agree, disagree, or request a Committee of Conference to resolve differences. 8. Governor's Action: - The Governor has five days to approve or veto the bill. If signed or allowed to become law without a signature, it is sent to the Secretary of State and becomes part of the statutes. 9. Veto Override: - If the Governor vetoes the bill, it can still become law if it receives a two-thirds majority vote in both houses.

A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in Vermont by participating in several ways: 1. Attend Legislative Sessions: Members of the public can observe sessions of the Vermont Legislature. Observing sessions can provide insights into the legislative process and ongoing discussions. 2. Participate in Committee Hearings: Public discussions and hearings on proposed bills are scheduled by committees. Citizens can attend these hearings to provide input and express their opinions on the legislation being considered. 3. Submit Petitions: Individuals or groups can submit formal requests to the Legislature in the form of petitions. This allows citizens to demand action on specific issues or propose new legislation. 4. Engage with Elected Officials: The public can contact their local representatives or senators to share their views on current issues or proposed laws. This engagement can influence the legislative process, as legislators often consider the opinions of their constituents. 5. Join Advocacy Groups: Many organizations and advocacy groups work to influence legislative decisions. Joining such groups can amplify individual voices and provide a collective means to engage with the legislative process. 6. Provide Testimony: When committees consider a bill, they often allow individuals to provide testimony, either in favor or against the legislation. This is a direct way to influence legislative outcomes. 7. Stay Informed: Keeping abreast of legislative developments through bill tracking, newsletters, or community meetings can help citizens understand the issues at stake and decide how they want to engage.

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in Vermont every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

• real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
• automated reporting
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1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.