By Rep. Jim Harrison This Wednesday, when this column first appears in print, the Vermont House is likely to have an extended debate, potentially into the evening, before voting on H.57, the controversial abortion rights legislation. With no Vermont laws […]
Category: State News
Notes to home
By Sen. Dick McCormack Legislators representing the Springfield region are carefully monitoring developments at Springfield Hospital. The Scott Administration is working with the hospital board and administrators to deal with these highly complex financial issues. They’ve asked for time […]
1,100 people attend abortion hearing
By Rep. Jim Harrison As the Legislature completes its fifth week, I’m reminded how much of the work is quietly done in various committees and often out of the headlines. Only a portion of the bills introduced each session are […]
Electing a new National Guard general is challenging
By Sen. Alison Clarkson No matter the temperature outside, or the travel challenges, during this time of year the State House is humming with activity. Whether it’s a public hearing, committee meetings, advocacy training, the governor’s open door coffees on […]
Welch calls shutdown ‘ avoidable ’ during Rutland visit last Monday
By Curt Peterson RUTLAND—Rep. Peter Welch met with several area business people at the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce offices on Merchants Row, Monday, Feb. 4. Welch’s first topic was immigration, and the related recent shutdown, which Welch called “avoidable.” […]
Down to business
By Rep. Jim Harrison Entering the fifth week of the 2019 session the pace is picking up. Committees have had a chance to review and dissect some of the proposals before them and are starting to push bills out to […]
Civics education
By Sen. Dick McCormack Under our federal and state constitution, the United States is a republic. Each state is governed by republican principles as well. I suggest that for a republic to be a republic its citizens must be republican […]
The road ahead
By Rep. Jim Harrison At the beginning of every legislative session, governors give a State of the State address or as in the case of a new biennium like this year, an inaugural speech. Such talks generally offer little in […]
Leg. in full swing
By Sen. Alison Clarkson The Legislature’s 2019 session is now in full swing. Each committee in the House and the Senate is getting updated by the agencies and departments in their areas of jurisdiction. The various reports and studies which […]
Back to work
By Sen. Dick McCormack In this bitter time in Washington, Vermont is a light of hope simply because we get along with one another. Democrats and Progressives are a united team. Our Republican friends are true to their ideals, but […]