By Guy Page
When the joint session of the Vermont House and Senate convenes today at 10:30 AM to elect an Adjutant and Inspector General (National Guard) and two of its own as Vermont State College trustees, all eyes will be on a senator from Addison County – and a handful of other solons as well.
A breach of decorum during Gov. Phil Scott’s January 23 budget address had the State House buzzing afterwards, and is believed to have spurred Senate leadership to give membership a refresher course on decorum when visiting the House chamber.
Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison), was seated alongside her Senate colleagues on the long podium above the floor of the Vermont House. Unlike her Senate colleagues, who listened (or appeared to listen) to the governor with undivided attention, Hardy was seen typing away on her laptop computer – much to the annoyance of some House members who said it was a distraction and showed a lack of respect for both the Governor and the decorum and rules of the ‘lower’ Chamber of the Vermont House of Representatives.
During one such State House cafeteria discussion of the apparent breach of decorum during the governor’s speech, Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman said he had noted such activity and “was not happy with it” and pledged to address the matter.
So, apparently, did Senate Majority Leader Alison Clarkson (D-Windsor). In the Feb. 7 Joint Rules Committee meeting, she raised the question of “decorum.” Without referencing Hardy specifically (or others, including one young state senator who observers say repeatedly flipped her hair in apparent annoyance at Scott’s statements), Clarkson said:
“I think that we do all need a reminder, all 180 of us need a reminder, about what rules apply when we’re in joint assembly. We’re going to undertake that, I, Phil and John, we’re going to undertake that reminder and just review what the rules are in joint assemblies. And I would hope that you would as well, just so that we’re all on the same page,” Clarkson told the House representatives, including Speaker Jill Krowinski, Majority Leader Emily Long, and Minority Leader Patti McCoy.
Wednesday, February 14, as she was walking quickly to a committee meeting, carrying her lunch with her, Clarkson was asked if she had followed through on her plan. The subject will be raised before the next joint meeting of House and Senate, she said.
Senators, and particularly chairs, are extremely busy people. It’s possible that Sen. Hardy had a deadline (self-imposed or otherwise) that justified typing during Scott’s speech. VDC’s email to Sen. Hardy inquiring about the incident has not been returned.
The Vermont Senate is protective of its own rules of decorum. Perhaps because it is a small body and audience activity can be distracting, Members and audience shall not use any electronic devices when the Senate is in session. Also, woe betide the reporter who stands even a foot inside the front doors of the Chamber for a ‘stand up’ shot, even when the Chamber is empty. A Senate administrator is likely to – and recently did – vigorously inform a member of the State House press corps that standups are only permitted outside the entrance to the Senate.