Also, VT Senate on March 19 adopted a S.R.10, a resolution opposing Gov. Phil Scott’s proposed reorganization of the Department of Public Safety into an Agency.

No ideology – not Mari Cordes’, not mine, not Donald Trump’s, not Bernie Sanders’ – is so sacred that it may be allowed to suppress anyone’s right to speak and be heard. 

Outright Vermont, in collaboration with Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, developed the “Full Spectrum Educator’s Guide to Implementing LGBTQ+ Inclusive Sex Ed,” which is currently being implemented widely in Vermont public schools through the Vermont Agency of Education.

“This is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing. Vermont needs stronger ethics oversight for all three branches of government, not weaker.”

Poleway and two of his uniformed officers were standing in the corridor outside while Kessler delivered her ultimatum. They had not been asked by Kessler to remove the disruptive protesters, he said. 

The Clean Heat Standard rally at noon Wednesday, March 12 isn’t the only grassroots gathering at the State House this week.

Senate Transportation heard from people “traumatized” by roadside noise and truckers worried that the new law could reduce road safety.

A recent Pay Act provides a 6.4% state employee pay increase this year and a 5.2% increase next year, Vyhovsky said.

Will the House budget (just to cite one example) continue to allocate Title X family planning money to Planned Parenthood? Planned Parenthood of New England certainly hopes so – there was a request at the governor’s budget public hearing last week from PPNE for an increase in Medicaid for family planning for $85k state funds and a 90% federal fund match, which would bring the total up by $850k.

Raising Minimum Wage (S.67) to deal with higher livable wage and inflation also introduced.

House Bill 98, if enacted, would streamline adoption of children born through assisted reproduction, including intrauterine insemination, gamete donation, embryo donation, in vitro fertilization, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

70% of all Vermont inmates take substance abuse treatment meds in jail. Yet recidivism is high. The Scott admin wants more treatment options – including paying inmates for sobriety.

Rep. Headrick also has sponsored a bill requiring high-capacity, gender-neutral school bathrooms.

“The election never should have been certified,” Busa said.

People living in Vermont’s motels often lack the storage and cooking facilities to adequately prepare good meals, the committee was told. 

The mid-year allocation extends funding through June, the end of the fiscal year.

Ehlers has been nothing if not multifaceted in his more than two decades of Vermont political and policy involvement.

In recent years, for example, House Democrats have bemoaned the State’s failure to complete a flood control dam safety checklist as required by state law. 

Vermont is 75% forest (4.46 million acres.) In fact, trees consume half of Vermont’s total C02 emissions,

Will Medicaid for immigrants and transgender treatment imperil federal Medicaid funding for Vermont? Candidate Bruce Busa weighs in on the Battle of Bennington-1.

“There are far too many people with hundreds of law enforcement encounters, dozens of arrests and many active criminal court cases. Yet they’re still walking free,” Scott told the Legislature.

“The younger demographic is choosing not to drink, not to drink as much. And so those are some trends that are impacting the consumption and the sale of alcohol.”

“Affordability is about getting by,” Sen. Rebecca White said in her nominating tribute to Sen. Phil Baruth.

In a scenario that will play out across the Legislature’s committees, the administration leaders will offer a brief education on their agencies and departments under committee jurisdiction.  Lawmakers will listen and ask questions. Both will put names to faces and build rapport, the better to get their work done.

After presiding over the Governor’s swearing-in as well as the Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Attorney General, Rodgers remarked that “I haven’t heard this much swearin’ since I was back on the farm.”

Lt. Gov. (for one more day) David Zuckerman told VDC he will be a regular host on WDEV’s Vermont Viewpoint, the station’s 9-11 AM public affairs call-in show.

Harvey is a 5th generation Vermonter born and raised in the Green Mountain State. Over a decade-long career in financial services, he held various roles at the New York Stock Exchange and its parent, Intercontinental Exchange, a Fortune 500 technology and data services company.

“This is a regressive bill. It will punish working class and poor Vermonters to make millionaires even richer,” Rodgers said.

Gov. Phil Scott appointed a Democrat to fill the seat vacated by Progressive Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, who was elected mayor of Burlington.

Bills with legs usually have a dozen or so legislators proudly standing in support at press conferences. Then, there’s S.258.

By a 105-37 roll call vote, the House made the pandemic-era state emergency housing program (sometimes known as the ‘homeless hotel’ program) permanent in statute, and expanded its services.

The legislative pay hike, Fish & Wildlife Board changes, controlling sheriffs, and above all school funding all have fallen or will likely do so because the Supermajority wants to stay the Supermajority.

A frustrated – or just rude – state senator interrupts the testimony of a Vermont Family Alliance advocate. See brief YouTube clip.

In a recent interview, Representative Anne Donahue’s wisdom and moral compass shines through. So does her love of ice cream.