There are many other issues Republicans will face and fight for in this legislative session, but the work to recover from the pandemic and to rebuild our economy unite Republicans from across the state.
Town clerks revealed that we have an election system that cannot reliably protect against fraudulent mail-in ballots, is run by officials who receive little to no training in how to detect fraudulent votes, and, when fraud or potential fraud is flagged, it is ignored by the Secretary of State’s office and the Attorney General’s office.
A bill sponsored by Sen. Philip Baruth, D-Chittenden, to prohibit carrying guns in some public places won’t prevent gun violence, is already covered by other laws, and could end up harming the people it’s meant to protect, Vermont Public Defender General Matthew Valerio told a Senate committee.
A bill sponsored by Rep. Brian Smith, R-Derby, would prohibit flags other than the U.S. flag and State of Vermont flag from being flown on public school property in Vermont. Also, a bill introduced in the House would reduce transportation carbon emissions by expanding public transportation.
Gov. Phil Scott said Tuesday he did not recommend language in a Senate bill that would seem to allow Big Marijuana companies to bypass local voters deciding whether marijuana retail stores may operate in their town.
Teachers, tenants and farmers would benefit from bills proposed in the House, and a Senate bill adding to the commercial cannabis law would require more funding for police training and substance abuse prevention, and would reduce licensing fees for minorities, among other proposed changes.
Bills introduced into the Vermont Senate would set a 48-hour waiting period for most firearms transfers, allow health care providers to notify police when a patient may harm self or others with a gun, and ban carrying firearms in some public places, Eric Davis of Gun Owners of Vermont reports.
If this resolution were to have condemned the rioters that breached the Capital, I would have gladly signed on.
The House yesterday approved H.48, a bill giving municipalities flexibility in holding this year’s Town Meeting amid the pandemic. It also empowers the secretary of state to weigh in, for the health and safety of all concerned.
“I want to stress that to my knowledge not one Republican I know has plans to attend, or has any interest in attending such an event here. While VT holds a proud tradition of a right to bear arms, doing so at this rally in our current climate in light of what happened last week would demonstrate an incredible lapse of judgment.”
Seventeen state lawmakers sided with Vermont’s 112,704 Trump voters this week by rejecting a resolution that urges Congress and cabinet members to remove President Donald Trump from office.
A new House bill would create a 21-member council that would make a plan for Vermont to grow the majority of its food within five years.