by Guy Page
By Guy Page
On its first day back in session, the Vermont House today voted 106 yes, 19 no to meet remotely via Zoom until January 18.
The Senate also agreed to two weeks of remote lawmaking. The vote on HR13 was billed as a compromise of the House/Senate Joint Rules Committee. Some members favored meeting remotely for as long as necessary, given the age of many lawmakers, the need for large groups of people to meet indoors for sometimes hours on end, and advances in remote participation technology at the State House. Opponents pointed to new, safer social distancing measures at the State House, and said lawmakers shouldn’t be working remotely while some constituents are on the job in public, high-transmission places. The committee eventually voted unanimously to recommend the Legislature meet remotely for two weeks, and then revisit the decision on January 18.
One prominent critic of State House Covid-19 restrictions says she’s heard “let’s wait two weeks” before – at the beginning of the pandemic.
“Two weeks to flatten the curve was a year and a half ago,” Rep. Vicki Strong (R-Albany) said in explanation of her “no” vote. “Let’s represent our constituents here in person, without restriction.”
Another Republican said he’ll go along with remote legislating – but won’t do so again.
“I voted yes out of respect for minority leadership to achieve compromise,” Rep. James Gregoire (R-Fairfield) said. “However, we must not continue to hold this body above those we represent, those who go to work everyday…..this is especially true given the extraordinary efforts to which leadership has gone to make sure that our workplace is safe. I will not vote to extend remote legislating in the future.”
A Williston Democrat went all Latin on his House colleagues in explaining his ‘yes’ vote.
“I voted for HR 13 with the intention of avoiding, not creating, a legislative annus horribilis [horrible year],” Rep. Jim McCullough said.
Those who voted no – all Republicans, except former Republican and now independent Paul Lefebvre of the Northeast Kingdom town of Newark – were:
Achey of Middletown Springs
Brennan of Colchester
Graham of Williamstown
Higley of Lowell
Lefebvre of Newark
Lefebvre of Orange
Leffler of Enosburgh
Martel of Waterford
Mattos of Milton
Morgan of Milton
Morgan of Milton
Page of Newport City
Parsons of Newbury
Peterson of Clarendon
Rosenquist of Georgia
Scheuermann of Stowe
Seymour of Sutton
Terenzini of Rutland Town
Strong of Albany.