Wednesday, January 3, 2018
After opening formalities in the Senate, Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman turned the floor over to a group of legislative lawyers who provided lawmakers details on the Senate's sexual harassment policies — and the process that's followed if allegations are made against a senator.
Five attorneys from the Office of Legislative Council held the floor for more than an hour, explaining the policies that govern senators' conduct both inside and outside the Statehouse.
Tags: sexual harassment , Statehouse , Vermont Senate , Dick Sears , Tim Ashe , Becca Balint , Jen Carbee , Image , Web Only
On the opening day of the 2018 legislative session, House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) and Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden) held separate briefings with reporters, during which they outlined the key issues facing lawmakers this year. Two big unknowns: the content of the governor's State of the State address, to be delivered tomorrow; and that of his budget, which will be revealed later this month.
A third big unknown is the impact of new federal policies. State officials are still assessing the effects of the tax reform bill rushed into law last month by the Republican Congress and President Donald Trump. The potential for significant federal budget cuts remains.
Johnson is tired of waiting. "Last year, while we made progress on a lot of issues, there was this feeling of treading water, waiting for the federal government," she said. "And that’s not what Vermonters expect from us."
Tags: Mitzi Johnson , Phil Scott , Tim Ashe , Donald Trump , carbon tax , climate change , VT legislature , Image , Web Only
Members of the House Judiciary Committee approved a minor change to a bill that would legalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for those 21 and older — and the cultivation of two mature and four immature pot plants. It would take effect in July.
The move sets up a vote on the House floor Thursday and, if the bill passes, a Senate vote as early as next week. Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, has said he would sign such a measure into law if it reached his desk in its current form.
Tags: Cannabeat , cannabis policy , marijuana , Maxine Grad , Dick Sears , Phil Scott , legalization , legislature , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Brock is a stalwart of the Vermont Republican Party. He served as state auditor from 2005 to 2007 and spent two terms in the Senate, from 2009 to 2013. He won the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2012 but lost the general election to incumbent Peter Shumlin. He ran for lieutenant governor in 2016, losing to Progressive/Democrat David Zuckerman.
Degree, a two-term senator, resigned his seat in November after Scott appointed him to a senior post in his executive office, coordinating workforce development programs.
Tags: Phil Scott , Randy Brock , Dustin Degree , Carolyn Branagan , Daniel Pipes , Steve Trahan , Corey Parent , David Zuckerman , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Under current policy, a panel of five lawmakers presides over complaints in the House. Among the shortcomings of such an approach: witnesses aren't able to file complaints; panel decisions can’t be appealed; the process is almost entirely confidential and the panel consists only of legislators.
In total, the Office of Legislative Council flagged a dozen significant concerns in a memo it drafted last week at the request of House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero). Johnson said Wednesday that she'll work with the House Sexual Harassment Prevention Panel to make changes to the policy in the upcoming session.
Vermont lawmakers are facing questions about sexual misconduct — and their methods for addressing it — after a torrent of allegations nationwide, and some at home, including a complaint filed against a sitting senator last session. Legislators have refused to provide any information about the nature of the complaint or the senator's identity.
Tags: Vermont legislature , sexual harassment , Mitzi Johnson , Legislative Council , Statehouse , Statehouse sexual harassment , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
In a 6-3 vote, the Vermont Educational Health Benefits Commission recommended ditching district-by-district negotiations, though it gave no guarantee that such a change would save the state money.
Gov. Phil Scott began pushing the legislature for a statewide health insurance contract late last session, suggesting it would save $26 million. Democratic lawmakers balked, questioning Scott's numbers and arguing that they needed more time to consider the proposal. The standoff led Scott to veto the budget and tax bills, prolonging the session into June.
As part of a compromise deal, the legislature created a study committee, with members appointed by Scott, House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero), Senate leadership, school unions, and the superintendents and school boards' associations.
Tags: Phil Scott , Vermont-NEA , Vermont legislature , Darren Allen , Tim Ashe , Mitzi Johnson , Image , Web Only
Friday, December 15, 2017
Franklin County Republicans sent three nominees to Gov. Phil Scott Friday night to fill the vacant state Senate seat left by Dustin Degree when he took a job as special assistant to the governor and executive director of workforce expansion.
The Franklin Senatorial District Committee, which is made up of local Republican Party officials, chose Randy Brock of Swanton, Daniel Pipes of Fairfield and Steve Trahan of St. Albans Town in a meeting Friday evening, according to Rep. Brian Savage (R-Swanton).
If Scott taps him to serve out Degree's term, Brock would replace his replacement: He served two terms in the Senate, from 2009 to 2013, and unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Democrat Peter Shumlin for governor in 2012. After sitting out the 2014 election, Brock lost the race for lieutenant governor to Progressive/Democrat David Zuckerman in 2016. Prior to joining the Senate, Brock served as state auditor from 2005 to 2007.
Trahan, the former chair of the Franklin County Republican Party, ran for state representative in 2012.
Governors typically fill vacant Senate seats with those nominated by senatorial district committees, but they are free to select from outside that pool. Scott's pick will serve alongside Sen. Carolyn Branagan (R-Franklin) in the two-member district through the 2018 election.
Tags: Dustin Degree , Phil Scott , Randy Brock , Steve Trahan , Daniel Pipes , Image , Web Only
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Speaking at a press conference in the Statehouse's Cedar Creek Room, House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) acknowledged a changed atmosphere around sexual misconduct in recent months. Allegations of sexual assault and harassment against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein have opened the floodgates to revelations of inappropriate behavior by men in almost every walk of life.
"In light of all the allegations across the country, we’re really diving in and looking at how we can take our current policies and make them the gold standard," Johnson said.
Those policies appear to fall well short of the "gold standard." Think something more like tin, or possibly pig iron.
Tags: Mitzi Johnson , Tim Ashe , Becca Balint , Mollie Burke , Neal Goswami , Peter Hirschfeld , Norm McAllister , Harvey Weinstein , sexual harassment , Image , Web Only
As Seven Days reported Tuesday, the Vermont Democratic Party has repeatedly tweeted insults and unsubstantiated accusations using the “VT House Dems” Twitter handle. One message described former Vermont Republican Party chair David Sunderland as "racist" and a "serial liar," without evidence or explanation.
Johnson did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. But after an unrelated press conference Thursday, she told reporters, “I don’t approve of the language that was used. I don’t approve of that kind of tone. It’s not how I choose to operate, and I called the party and let them know.”
She said she spoke with the party’s executive director, Conor Casey, informing him, “I don’t want to be in any way connected with that kind of name-calling.”
Tags: Mitzi Johnson , Vermont Democratic Party , Twitter , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
VDP executive director Conor Casey declined Tuesday to disclose which staff member composed the tweets, telling Seven Days, “The buck stops with me.”Ousted @vtgop Chair Dave Sunderland is a racist and a serial liar. #vtpoli https://t.co/DFmVbm0wQB
— VT House Dems (@VTHouseDems) December 10, 2017
And while Casey conceded that “maybe calling someone a racist goes a bit far,” he defended the general tone and content of the tweets. “It’s a little more hard-hitting, a little more conversational,” he said.
Vermont Republicans have recently taken to Twitter to complain about the VT House Dems account. And in a Monday press release, Vermont GOP executive director Jeffrey Bartley characterized the tweets as “name calling, outlandish accusations, and outright hostility to anyone with whom they may have political differences.”
Tags: Vermont Democratic Party , Vermont Republican Party , Conor Casey , Image , Web Only