These last several weeks have been exciting ones at the Vermont State House. We are just past the halfway point in the session and legislators have been working hard on bills dealing with health care, renewable energy, and economic development. VBSR is proud to have a number of high profile victories so far this session, and these successes would not be possible without the dedication and efforts of our members.
 
Earlier this month, Gov. Shumlin signed H.187, the earned paid leave bill, into law. This concludes a four-year campaign by VBSR and our members to set a minimum standard of earned paid time off for hard-working Vermonters. VBSR was instrumental in shaping this legislation so that it works for both employers and employees. We are proud that Vermont is the fifth state in the country to pass such a law. This historic moment was even recognized by President Obama in an official statement from the White House, urging other states to pass their own earned paid leave bills.
 
We've also seen a dramatic turnaround in the prospects of Vermont's GMO labeling bill, which was signed into law in 2014 and is scheduled to take effect on July 1. An attempt by the U.S. Congress to pass a voluntary labeling bill that would have preempted Vermont's right to label food with genetically engineered ingredients stalled in the U.S. Senate two weeks ago. We expect further attempts to erode Vermont's law after federal lawmakers return from the Easter break but we are thankful for the strong support from Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy and Sen. Bernie Sanders for standing up for Vermont values.
 
When VBSR lobbied for GMO labeling two years ago, we expected that Vermont's actions would help move the needle on this issue nationally. And with our law just a handful of months away from enactment, we are now seeing how true that is. Food giant General Mills announced this month that it would begin labeling all of its GMO food because of the Vermont law, joining other national food chains such as Campbell Soup Company and candy company Mars.
 
None of this progress would be possible without VBSR members who believed that these policies were important, not just for Vermont, but also the rest of the country. They took time out of their busy work lives to come to the State House, contact their legislators, and help push these public policy changes along. As a VBSR member, your voice has an impact and your participation matters. THANK YOU!