Fetal personhood bill introduced into Vermont House
A bill to establish the legal personhood of a human fetus at 24 weeks was introduced into the Vermont House Jan. 15 and referred to the House Human Services Committee.
Dem lawmaker predicts to fellow Dems about retail marijuana: ‘We will rue the day’
A Democratic member of the Vermont House of Representatives told fellow Democrats yesterday he strongly opposes S.54, the legalization of commercial cultivation, production, sale and taxation of marijuana.
Vermont State Colleges need $5 mil to keep tuition frozen, programs strong
A $5 million spending hike would allow the four Vermont State Colleges to keep all campuses open, freeze tuition for the second straight year, maintain student programs and services, and continue valuable innovation, VSC officials told about 30 legislators at a breakfast in Montpelier.
Pay hike for Speaker, more access to contraception, Blittersdorf Budget Buster on committee schedules this week
This week state lawmakers will consider a pay hike for the House speaker, Senate president pro tempore, and committee chairs, and also discuss access to contraception and the $96 million cost of the Blittersdorf commuter rail between Montpelier and Barre.
Daily Chronicle: Constitutional amendment for gender-neutral voter language, tax-and-regulate prostitution proposed
A proposal to make the Vermont Constitution gender-neutral was introduced into the Vermont Senate late last week and sent to the Government Operations Committee.
Daily Chronicle: Help Vermont women escape prostitution, don’t legalize it, human trafficking official says
Vermont’s senior human trafficking official strongly opposes a bill to legalize prostitution, she told the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday.
Daily Chronicle: Legislature’s bill mill resumes fast pace
On the Legislature’s first day back, the “bill mill” resumed at a rapid pace as House Democratic Caucus leaders gave members two minutes each to pitch new ideas to would-be co-sponsors.
Daily Chronicle: Changes to special ed, universal pre-K, State Board of Education on House school committee menu
House Education Committee Chair Kate Webb (D-Shelburne) a month ago emailed the Vermont Daily Chronicle a preliminary bullet list of 2020 committee priorities.
Daily Chronicle: Firearms expert says Senate bill would leave Vermont churches vulnerable
Last weekend’s shooting at a Texas church and stabbings at a New Jersey Hannukah celebration demonstrate that houses of worship must be able to defend themselves from murderous attackers, Vermont Traditions Coalition Firearms Policy Expert Bill Moore said in an interview following the attacks.
Daily Chronicle: Lawmakers to address climate change, plastic, Act 250, insanity defense, prisons, distracted driving, marijuana, and State House ‘CEO’
The Vermont Legislature reconvenes Tuesday, Jan. 7 for the second year of the 2019-20 biennium. Here are key issues that may get attention, as indicated by between-session legislative committee activity and media reports.
Daily Chronicle: House Judiciary bills include anti-racism legislation, gun restrictions
Members of the Vermont House Judiciary Committee have sponsored extensive legislation on racial bias, criminal sentencing, domestic violence, drug possession, gun restrictions, and other issues related to courts and crime.