MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Governor Phil Scott signs a flurry of bills into law this evening and vetoes one.
18 bills got the governor’s signature. Some notable bills include one that would stiffen penalties like jail time for those convicted of retail theft when the value of stolen goods is more than 250 dollars.
Another is to ban the sale of cosmetic and menstrual products, clothing, and athletic turf that contain the forever chemical PFAS.
As well as a proposal that expands college opportunities for graduates regardless of their immigration status.
Scott also allowed two bills to go into law without his signature, those are S.259, a bill requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for damage caused by climate change, and S.213, a bill that would enhance flood safety efforts statewide.
As for the bill he vetoed, that was H.72, which would have allowed for the creation of a safe injection site in Burlington.
Also known as harm reduction centers, the sites allow people to consume illicit drugs under medical supervision to prevent fatal overdoses.
Governor Scott previously raised moral and logistical concerns over the proposal, saying he prefers treatment and prevention.
Scott now has 47 career vetoes, in part because he’s always served with a democratic majority or supermajority in the statehouse.