The Vermont Senate has
advanced a bill that bans corporate and union contributions to state political
candidates. The campaign finance
legislation also strengthens reporting requirements and doubles public funding
for those running for governor and lieutenant governor.
Supporters of
decriminalizing – or even legalizing – the possession of small amounts of
marijuana have cleared a major hurdle. The Vermont House voted 98-to-44 on Friday
to make it a civil offense – instead of a crime – to possess one ounce or less
of pot.
The Vermont Senate has
overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to move the state’s primary elections to
early August. The early date was supported
by Secretary of State Jim Condos, who said he needed more time between the
primary and the general election to meet federal deadlines to get ballots to overseas
voters.
Lawmakers
are
set to vote on a bill this week that would decriminalize
the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The
House Judiciary Committee has been taking testimony for weeks and the bill is
likely to pass Tuesday afternoon.
Governor Peter Shumlin’s plan
to finance a major expansion of child care programs is sharply dividing Vermont’s early childhood community. There’s nearly unanimous support for the proposal
to increase funding for child care subsidies. But there’s
disagreement over how to pay for the initiative.
The Vermont Senate overwhelmingly advanced a bill on Friday that
would give driver’s licenses to immigrants who are in the country
illegally. The bill would create what are described as drivers’ authorization
cards that would look different from
a regular state license.
One of the country’s top medical journals is touting Vermont’s health care reform effort as an example for the
rest of the nation. A study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine says other
states can learn some lessons from Vermont in rolling out health exchanges that are essential to
the federal Affordable Care Act.
Patients living with Lyme
disease crowded the Statehouse on Wednesday to tell their stories about years
of misdiagnosis and chronic pain. The patients and their
advocates want legislation to protect doctors if they prescribe long-term
antibiotic treatment contrary to current medical standards.
Job losses in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene were in many cases
temporary, lasting only as long as it took businesses to repair damage
from the flood. The financial impact of those layoffs has been more lasting, but lawmakers may have found a way to soften the blow.