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Hold Your Fire!
T.J. Donovan says it’s time for change in the Vermont attorney general’s office. After 15 years under incumbent AG Bill Sorrell, Vermont needs “new ideas, new energy, new engagement on a whole host of issues.” That’s how Donovan put it last week at a packed-house campaign kickoff at Burlington’s St. John’s Club.
His campaign slogan? “Doing more for Vermont.” More than what? The unstated implication, it would seem, is more than Sorrell.
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Rx Rated
The front page of the Saturday Rutland Herald carried the headline, “Legislature Grinds to an End Today.” As lawmakers headed into their last day of the session, the article suggested, the state Senate was “acting like a runaway freight train without brakes.”
For the third straight night, the story said, the Senate had worked until 10 p.m. trying to finish the people’s business. But heading toward the day of adjournment, the Senate remained “caught up by the last-minute flurry of bills that have come pouring in from the House chamber.”
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Laws and Disorder
In a few short days, hubbub at the Statehouse will abruptly subside and 180 lawmakers will return home to their districts to campaign for reelection. A few retiring pols will officially enter their post-legislative golden years.
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Waiting to Inhale
The biggest obstacle to decriminalizing marijuana in Vermont, House Speaker Shap Smith (D-Buzzkill), may finally be seeing the grow light.
As first reported by Seven Days last week (on 4/20, no less), a bill to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana will finally get a hearing in the House.
Next year.
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Dysfunction Junction
Has the Vermont Senate become dysfunctional?
You could certainly get that impression watching the maneuvers taking place under the Golden Dome this year. Democratic Senate leaders have at times appeared ambushed by — and angry about — legislation brought up on the floor that hasn’t been properly vetted in committee. On that list are some heavy hitters: legalizing doctor-assisted death, decriminalizing marijuana and studying whether the state should purchase a $500 million stake in Vermont’s transmission grid.
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Legislating Under the Influence?
By the time you read this, the Vermont Senate may have passed a resolution calling on Congress to amend the U.S. Constitution to overturn the democracy-eroding effects of Citizens United.
No doubt the Democrat-led House and Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin will endorse the measure, too, sending a clear and powerful message to Washington that Vermont wants corporate money out of politics.
Well, sort of.
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The Obam-Applause-O-Meter
Good thing President Barack Obama’s fundraising rally wasn’t held outside last Friday. His screaming fans probably would have violated every noise ordinance in Chittenden County.
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Gone to Pot
For a few fleeting hours last week, marijuana decriminalization was the toke of the town in Montpelier.
But like a spliff in an overcrowded dorm room, a push in the state Senate to lessen the penalties for pot possession quickly went up in smoke. And the reason why is a mystery. The senators who brought “decrim” to the floor say they were given the green light by Senate leadership to proceed — and were surprised that their motion was snuffed out.
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Want to Avoid That Measles Vaccine? Find Jesus
Here’s some free advice for Vermont’s anti-vaccine refuseniks: If the legislature repeals the philosophical exemption to the state’s childhood immunization law, claim the religious exemption instead.
No one’s going to ask you for a church membership card. Just tell ’em Jesus sent you and sign on the dotted line.
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Right-to-Die Legislation Gets New Life
Hans Penner was battling stage IV lung cancer when a right-to-die bill was introduced in the Vermont legislature early in 2011.
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