By Sen. Alison Clarkson One of the biggest challenges for a state senator is attending Town meetings.  The Windsor County District encompasses 26 towns and is the largest county in Vermont.  I treasure Vermont’s Town Meeting tradition and its form of direct democracy.  As a relatively new Windsor County Senator – visiting town meetings gives…

By Rep. Jim Harrison As we enter the ninth week of the 2019 legislative session and the official crossover date of March 15, committee schedules take on extra meaning this week. Crossover is set by legislative leadership and marks the date by which various committees  must pass out bills in order to crossover and be…

So far, a total of 15 Vermont towns passed a climate solutions resolution on Town Meeting Day this year, with more results to come in. Last year, 39 Vermont towns passed the resolution, which brings the total to 54. The results of 350Vermont’s two-year campaign indicate that residents from 54 Vermont towns are calling for…

The Department of Vermont Health Access announced recently that enrollment in Vermont’s individual health plans increased to 34,396 in January, up nearly 1 percent from the prior year. The number of subsidized members and unsubsidized members both increased relative to the prior year. Due to increased federal subsidies for those who qualify, the average subsidized…

By Sen. Alison Clarkson Poverty has a corrosive effect on our families, our communities and schools, and on our Vermont State Budget. I believe that along with Climate Change, poverty is the biggest challenge we face as a state. Our state budget increases in mental health, substance abuse prevention, food and housing assistance programs, education,…

By Rep. Jim Harrison The House spent two days this past week debating a wide variety of amendments to H.57, the abortion rights legislation. None of the proposals passed and H.57 went on to approval easily. In my vote explanation Wednesday evening, I said, “Madam Speaker, I came here today hoping H.57 would get amended…

By Lola Duffort/VTDigger The president of the Vermont-NEA asked lawmakers to consider pushing back the deadline for implementing proficiency-based graduation requirements in the state’s high schools to 2022. Proficiency-based learning asks that student progress be assessed on the skills they can show they have, not seat-time in a classroom. The state’s Education Quality Standards, which were adopted by…

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 on the books restricting access to abortions, one might ask why we are having the…

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 and patience to work things out, and for politicians to exercise restraint. I’m sorry to…

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 actually voted on by the full House or Senate. Fewer still get signed into law.…

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 Wednesday mornings, the lieutenant governor’s film series, or Farmer’s Night every Wednesday evening – the…

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.” “Last year a bipartisan budget bill providing some funding for President Trump’s wall and ‘Dreamer’…

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 the House or Senate floors for action. Early bills in the House seeing action thus…

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 citizens, knowledgeable about republican principles, familiar with republican structures, committed to their duty as citizens…

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 terms of detail, but rather talk about a governor’s vision for the upcoming session and…