Statehouse Headliners: New bills address guns, smoking age, background checks for homeschoolers and more
A slew of bills being introduced in the General Assembly aim to address guns, home school teachers, relief-from-abuse orders, smoking and more.
Statehouse Headliners: Guv’s inaugural praises role of churches, raises concern about Act 250, childcare reform
Gov. Phil Scott’s inaugural speech on Thursday put in a good word for churches and housing, but his discussion of childcare, broadband and Act 250 solutions raises concerns.
Scott offers hints at policy direction in second inaugural address
Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday delivered his second inaugural address, calling for bipartisan cooperation and listing priorities ranging from clean water funding and a reform of Act 250 to statewide testing of lead in schools.
Statehouse session starts with yellow-vested carbon tax protest
Dozens of protesters wearing yellow vests showed up at the Statehouse on day-one of the 2019 legislative session to tell lawmakers that a carbon tax should not be on the agenda.
McClaughry: Here comes the carbon tax again
The carbon tax warriors are promoting yet another version of “carbon pricing.” This new version is the “Transportation and Climate Initiative,” promoted in nine Northeastern states by the Georgetown Climate Center.
Democrat, Republican legislators say 2019 session will focus on economy, affordability, environment
Vermont lawmakers are enjoying an end-of-year respite while preparing for the new legislative session. To get a sense of how 2018 election results might impact the 2019 legislative agenda, True North interviewed three senior state lawmakers for their views.
McClaughry: A sensible agenda for Vermont Democrats
My version of “best” is an outcome that would preserve the state’s solvency and bond rating, restrain spending growth, stimulate economic opportunity, deal responsibly with environmental issues and improve the workings of state government.
Roper: Refocusing on Vermont after the national election
The rest of the nation is demonstrating that tax cuts and the removal of costly regulations lead to economic growth and prosperity. Vermont, however, is proving that high taxes and onerous regulations lead to economic stagnation, outmigration and increased poverty.
Vermont Conservation Voters set environmentalist priorities for new supermajority Legislature
The Vermont Conservation Voters is set to push “a range of environmental priorities in the coming session” following an election landslide that gave Democrats and Progressives a supermajority at the Statehouse.
McClaughry: Legislative preview for 2019
With unrestrained legislative power in their hands, all of the issues that excite the liberal imagination will compete for a high rank on the “must pass” list.
Statehouse Headliners: Expect commercial pot, $15 minimum wage, family leave, gun control
In this Statehouse Headliners, Vermont’s House majority leader predicts action on commercial pot, $15 minimum wage, paid family leave and more gun control.
Toensing: It’s ‘Katie, bar the door’ for progressive agenda following election
With the dust beginning to settle after Election Day, top Republicans are assessing the damage to their party in lost seats and leverage, including the ability to sustain a veto by Gov. Phil Scott.