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Vermont House, Senate pass teacher health care deal

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The Vermont House and Senate have passed a teacher health care deal that will allow passage of the 2018 state budget.
The Vermont House and Senate passed a compromise agreement on teacher health insurance as part of a revised state budget that needed to be passed so the state didn’t begin the next fiscal year without a budget.
Lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday night to the proposal that was reached by negotiators from the office of Republican Gov. Phil Scott and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate on Tuesday.
The details of the health insurance deal were released to the public on Wednesday by Scott, Sen. President Pro Tem Tim Ashe, a Democrat and Progressive, and Democratic House Speaker Mitzi Johnson. All said none of the negotiators got everything they asked for.
At issue was how Vermont can take advantage of savings in the school health insurance policies due to changes in the Affordable Care Act.
“We each did make some compromises, but I want to be very clear that I don’t believe any of us believes that the deal before us compromises our (K through grade -12 system) , which is outstanding, ” Ashe said. “It values our teachers (and) tries to empower the local negotiating process to achieve savings for taxpayers.”
The plan that was passed Wednesday night would require school districts across the state to save $13 million from savings in health care costs over the next two years. The compromise also would create a commission of state officials, educators and others that would study the advantages of establishing a single, statewide health benefit. The commission must submit its report by Nov. 15 of this year. It also would require that all school contracts with teachers’ unions that have not already been settled expire in the summer of 2019
“This seems to me like the governor got a pretty good deal, ” said Republican State Rep. Scott Beck during a meeting of the GOP caucus.
Lawmakers were called back to Montpelier after Scott vetoed the state budget, a property tax bill and a bill that would have legalized the recreational use of marijuana. They were greeted when they arrived by the compromise teacher health plan.
Scott vetoed the state budget and a property tax bill because lawmakers did not approve a proposal that would ensure the state’s property tax payers will see their bills reduced by an estimated $26 million, including $13 million this year. His plan requires that teachers negotiate health care benefits statewide. Democrats have countered with a plan they say would save the same of money while preserving collective bargaining.
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