Senator interrupts Family Alliance speaker twice – but tactic doesn’t work

By Guy Page

As needed VDC will publish “In The Building,” a column providing brief overviews of bills, events and people in the Vermont State House. 

Foresters support Act 250 exemption – several Northeast Kingdom foresters testified Tuesday, February 20 in favor of H.128, exempting small forest product processors from needing an Act 250 permit.

According to coverage in the Caledonian-Record, Heath Bunnell of Kirby Mulch Company in Kirby, and Colleen Goodridge of Goodridge Lumber in Albany testified about the incentive-killing nature of Act 250 oversight. Bunnell said the process of getting an old barn approved for a new mulch operation cost $62,000 and took 30 months. Goodrich said the process cost her business about $100,000, and the guidance she received was at times varied and confusing.

The bi-partisan bill is sponsored by Rep. Katherine Sims and co-sponsored by Reps. Terri Williams (Essex-Caledonia towns), Henry Pearl (Danville), and Monique Priestley (Bradford), and other lawmakers from around the state. 

Senator interrupts Vermont Family Alliance speaker twice – Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Progressive-Democrat, Chittenden County) interrupted testimony provided by Vermont Family Alliance advocate Renee McGuinness in the Senate Judiciary Tuesday.

McGuinness was testifying against Proposition 4, a proposed constitutional amendment that protects the civil rights of many identity groups, but not the freedom of religion. Freedom of religion was removed from the initial draft of Prop 4.

As shown on this YouTube clip, Vyhovsky blurted out “foreshadowing” in apparent impatient anticipation of McGuinness delivering her prepared remarks, which Vyhovsky was reading on her laptop. 

“I’m not going to put up with compelled speech, I won’t do it,” McGuinness rejoined before resuming her statement. Moments later McGuinness referred to her as ‘Miss Vyhovsky,’ prompting a retort of “Senator, Senator Vyhovsky.” 

Longtime State House hands recognize Vyhovsky’s comments as an effort to interrupt the flow of thought of the person testifying. McGuinness, who has experience testifying in State House committee rooms, did not appear to be thrown off. 

The rest of the committee listened to the exchange without any apparent reaction. 

Vermont Right to Life volunteers lobby for H.799, fetal homicide bill – It was Vermont Right to Life Lobby Day in the State House Wednesday, February 21. Dozens of Right to Life members from across the state gathered in the cafeteria to write letters to their lawmakers, have lunch with them, or meet them outside of their committee rooms.

H.779 proposes to establish that a fetus be treated as a victim under State homicide law and for purposes of DUI with death resulting and grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle with death resulting. It stems from an August 2009 incident (see video uploaded to YouTube February 20) in which a Bennington County woman lost her twin, unborn babies in an auto accident for which she was not at fault. 

The Supreme Court did not dispute the facts of the case but said it should be addressed by the Legislature. H779 attempts to do just that.