Roll Call! House Approves Constitutional Amendment Removing References to Slavery (139-3), 2022

PR.2 – DECLARATION OF RIGHTS CLARIFYING THE PROHIBITION ON SLAVERY AND INDENTURED SERVITUDE

PASSED
in the State House of Representatives
on February 4, 2022, by a vote of
139-3

Purpose: Proposal 2 proposes to amend Article 1 of Vermont’s state Constitution to read: "That all persons are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent, and unalienable rights, amongst which are the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety; therefore (removed section) slavery and indentured servitude in any form are prohibited.”

The Senate removed this section: “….no person born in this country, or brought from oversea, ought to be holden by law, to serve any person as a servant, slave or apprentice, after arriving to the age of twenty-one years, unless bound by the person's own consent, after arriving to such age, or bound by law for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like…."

This was the final vote in a four vote process (two in the Senate and two in the House) over two legislative sessions that places the Amendment on the general ballot for voter approval or rejection. 

Analysis: Those voting YES believe it is necessary to clarify the illegality of slavery in the state Constitution.

Those voting NO believe this is an unnecessary act of "virtue signaling" that has no impact on the Vermonters living today, but disrespects and to some extent "erases" Vermont's history as the first state to outlaw slavery in the Union. 

As Recorded in the House Journal, Friday, February 4, 2022. “Shall the House adopt the constitutional proposal in concurrence?, was decided in the affirmative. Yeas, 139. Nays, 3." (Read the Journal p. 186 – 187).

Watch the floor debate on YouTube.

These roll call reports are designed to help citizens understand how their elected representatives vote on key issues. The bills may or may not eventually become law. Click on the link to the bill page at the top of this post for an up to date status on the bill.

Related:

How They Voted
(Click on your Rep’s name to send an email)

Sally Achey (R - Middletown Springs) – YES
Janet Ancel (D – Calais) – YES
Peter Anthony (D – Barre City) – YES
Norman Arrison (D - Weathersfield) – YES
Sarita Austin (D – Colchester) – YES
John Bartholomew (D – Hartland) – YES
Scott Beck (R – St. Johnsbury) – YES
Matthew Birong (D – Vergennes) – YES
Alyssa Black (D - Essex) – YES
Tiffany Bluemle (D - Burlington) – YES
Thomas Bock (D – Chester) – YES
Seth Bongartz (D - Manchester) – YES
Michelle Bos-Lun (D - Westminster) – YES
Erin Brady (D - Williston) – YES
Patrick Brennan (R – Colchester) – YES
Timothy Briglin (D – Thetford) – YES
Jana Brown (D – Richmond) – YES
Nelson Brownell (D – Pownal) – ABSENT
Jessica Brumsted (D – Shelburne) – YES
Thomas Burditt (R – West Rutland) – ABSENT
Mollie Burke (P/D – Brattleboro) – YES
Elizabeth Burrows (P/D - West Windsor) – YES
Scott Campbell (D – St. Johnsbury) – YES
Bill Canfield (R – Fair Haven) – YES
Seth Chase (D – Colchester) –  YES
Kevin “Coach” Christie (D – Hartford) –YES 
Brian Cina (P/D – Burlington) – YES
Sara Coffey (D – Guilford) – YES
Selene Colburn (P/D – Burlington) – YES
Hal Colston (D – Winooski) – YES
Peter Conlon (D – Cornwall) – YES
Sarah Copeland-Hanzas (D – Bradford) – YES
Timothy Corcoran (D – Bennington) – YES
Mari Cordes (D/P – Lincoln) – YES
Lawrence Cupoli (R – Rutland City) – YES
Lynn Dickinson (R – St. Albans Town) – ABSENT
Karen Dolan (D - Essex) –  YES
Kari Dolan (D – Waitsfield) – YES
Anne Donahue (R – Northfield) – YES
Kate Donnally (D - Hyde Park) – YES
David Durfee (D – Shaftsbury) – YES
Caleb Elder (D – Starksboro) – YES
Alice Emmons (D – Springfield) – YES
Peter Fagan (R – Rutland City) – YES
Martha Feltus (R – Lyndon) – YES
John Gannon (D – Wilmington) – YES
Rey Garofano (D - Essex) – YES
Leslie Goldman (D - Bellows Falls) – YES
Kenneth Goslant (R – Northfield) – YES
Maxine Grad (D – Moretown) – YES
Rodney Graham (R – Williamstown) – YES
James Gregoire (R – Fairfield) –  YES
Lisa Hango (R – Berkshire) – YES
James Harrison (R – Chittenden) – YES
Robert Helm (R – Fair Haven) – YES
Mark Higley (R – Lowell) – YES
Robert Hooper (D – Burlington) – YES
Mary Hooper (D – Montpelier) – YES
Philip Hooper (D – Randolph) – YES
Lori Houghton (D – Essex) – YES
Mary Howard (D – Rutland) – YES
Kathleen James (D – Manchester) –  YES
Stephanie Jerome (D – Brandon) – YES
Kimberly Jessup (D – Middlesex) – YES
John Killacky (D – S. Burlington) – YES
Charles Kimbell (D – Woodstock) – YES
Warren Kitzmiller (D – Montpelier) – ABSENT
Emilie Kornheiser (D – Brattleboro) – YES
Jill Krowinski (D – Burlington) – PRESIDING
Larry Labor (R - Morgan) – NO
Robert LaClair (R – Barre) – NO
Martin LaLonde (D – S. Burlington) – YES
Diane Lanpher (D – Vergennes) – YES
Paul Lefebvre (R – Newark) – YES
Samantha Lefebvre (R - Orange) – YES
Felisha Leffler (R – Enosburgh) – YES

William Lippert (D – Hinesburg) – YES
Emily Long (D – Newfane) – YES
Michael Marcotte (R – Coventry) – ABSENT
Marcia Martel (R – Waterford) –YES 
Paul Martin (R - Franklin) – YES
James Masland (D – Thetford) –YES 
Christopher Mattos (R – Milton) – YES
Michael McCarthy (D – St. Albans City) – YES

Curtis McCormack (D – Burlington) – YES
Patricia McCoy (R – Poultney) – YES
James McCullough (D – Williston) – YES
Francis McFaun (R – Barre Town) – YES
Leland Morgan (R – Milton) – YES
Michael Morgan (R - Milton) – YES
Kristi Morris (D – Springfield) – YES
Mary Morrissey (R – Bennington) – YES
Michael Mrowicki (D – Putney) – YES
Emma Mulvaney-Stanak (D - Burlington) - YES
Barbara Murphy (I – Fairfax) – YES
Logan Nicoll (D – Ludlow) – YES
Michael Nigro (D - Bennington) – YES
Robert Norris (R - Sheldon) - YES
Terry Norris (I – Shoreham) – YES
William Notte (D – Rutland) – YES
Daniel Noyes (D – Wolcott) – YES
John O’Brien (D – Tunbridge) – YES
Carol Ode (D – Burlington) – YES
“Woody” Page (R – Newport City) – YES
Kelly Pajala (I – Londonderry) – YES
John Palasik (R – Milton) – YES
Joseph Parsons (R – Newbury) – YES
Carolyn Partridge (D – Windham) – YES
Avram Patt (D – Worcester) – YES
Henry Pearl (D - Danville) – YES
Arthur Peterson (R - Clarendon) – YES
Ann Pugh (D – S. Burlington) – YES
Barbara Rachelson (D/P – Burlington) – YES
Lucy Rogers (D – Waterville) – YES
Carl Rosenquist (R – Georgia) – YES
Larry Satcowitz (D - Randolph) –  YES
Robin Scheu (D – Middlebury) – YES
Heidi Scheuermann (R – Stowe) – YES
Patrick Seymour (R – Sutton) – ABSENT
Charles “Butch” Shaw (R – Pittsford) – YES
Amy Sheldon (D – Middlebury) – YES
Laura Sibilia (I – Dover) – YES
Katherine Sims (D - Craftsbury) – YES
Taylor Small (P/D - Winooski) – YES
Brian Smith (R – Derby) – NO
Harvey Smith (R – New Haven) – YES
Trevor Squirrell (D – Underhill) – YES
Gabrielle Stebbins (D - Burlington) - YES
Thomas Stevens (D – Waterbury) – YES
Vicki Strong (R – Albany) – YES
Linda Joy Sullivan (D – Dorset) – YES
Heather Suprenant (D - Barnard) – YES
Curt Taylor (D – Colchester) – YES
Thomas Terenzini (R – Rutland Town) – ABSENT
George Till (D – Jericho) – YES
Tristan Toleno (D – Brattleboro) – YES
Casey Toof (R – St. Albans Town) – YES
Maida Townsend (D – S. Burlington) – YES
Joseph “Chip” Troiano (D – Stannard) – YES
Tanya Vyhovsky (P/D - Essex) – YES
Matt Walker (R - Swanton) - YES
Tommy Walz (D – Barre City) – YES

Kathryn Webb (D – Shelburne) – YES
Kirk White (P/D - Bethel) – YES
Rebecca White (D – Hartford) – YES
Dane Whitman (D - Bennington) – YES
Terri Lynn Williams (R - Granby) – YES
Theresa Wood (D – Waterbury) – YES
David Yacovone (D – Morristown) – YES
Michael Yantachka (D – Charlotte) – YES


 

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Enter Comment Here:

  • David Lund
    commented 2022-03-01 21:13:18 -0500
    Glad to see our elected folks are spending their time and our money on such important matters.
  • Philip Grantham
    commented 2022-02-15 13:19:11 -0500
    This is the epitome of stupid legislating….what a waste of time and money….OUR money
  • David Flemming
    published this page in Votes 2022-02-10 16:22:32 -0500