House declines Town Meeting delay, OKs new Act 250
Deciding to not wait after Town Meeting, the House today approved H.926, the proposed revision of Act 250, the 50-year-old land use and development law.
Video: Vermont forests consume more than half of VT human carbon emissions, are source of 18,000 jobs
More than half of all manmade carbon emissions are consumed by Vermont trees — a fact that climate legislators are hesitant to consider as part of Vermont’s emissions reduction strategy.
Kingdom lawmaker vocal on carbon, hookers, American flag
It all began on Jan. 22 when Rep. Brian Smith sponsored H.847, “prohibiting flags other than the U.S. flag and State of Vermont flag from being flown on public school property.” The bill was introduced after a flurry of student groups sought to fly Black Lives Matter and Rainbow Pride flags.
Legislature overrides Scott’s veto on minimum wage
The latest round in the legislative battle between the Democrat-Progressive Legislature and Republican Gov. Phil Scott went to the lawmakers Tuesday noon, as the House overrode his veto of S.23, raising the minimum wage to $12.55 by Jan. 1, 2022.
Senate bill would add immigrant status to hate crime victim list
A bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee would allow a judge to add jail time to the sentence if the crime victim has “immigration status.”
John Klar: Vermont Legislature tries an end-run around the Second Amendment
Vermont has embarked on a flagrant effort to trample on rights that the Second Amendment says “shall not be infringed.” But this time, the lawyerly legislators sworn to protect and defend the Constitution have been caught red-handed.
McClaughry: Act 250 and the Perfect Climate-Conscious State
The “New Act 250” is a concerted effort to make Vermont into the Perfect Little Climate-Conscious State, erecting ever greater barriers to development, and ruled from Montpelier, from whence the Super Board can best perceive the greater good.
The day GWSA stood for ‘God wants solar arrays’
Rev. Carl Van Osdall then reminded them that this Legislature often must vote on protecting nature. And then, in case anyone had failed to connect the dots, he reminded them, “and today, you are voting on the Global Warming Solutions Act.”
Bill to make climate action a mandate passes House with veto-proof majority
The House on Thursday approved the latest version of the Global Warming Solutions Act, passing the measure by a 105-37 vote — a large enough margin to override a veto from the governor.
Roper: Amendment would eliminate private ownership of real estate
What is a “right to a clean environment”? Does that mean I am entitled to taxpayer funded trash pick up? A court will decide, I guess, cuz I’ll bring that suit myself. Does it mean I can sue my neighbor for grilling out on his back yard barbecue?
Video Commentary: Vermont climate alarmists push oppressive new law
The mandated emissions goal we discuss in this show, as detailed in H.688, just was made even worse. The Vermont House of Representatives passed the Global Warming Solutions Act on Feb. 20.
Cost and performance of electric vehicles still uncertain as state electrifies its fleet
The state of Vermont is changing its fleet over to electric vehicles and hybrids, but little is known about how much it will cost taxpayers, or how the vehicles will perform in New England’s cold climate.