Anne | June 8, 2010
Wildlife: Other wildlife bills H.614 will make it easier for farmers to use composting as an income stream, and will also help reduce the solid waste stream. It does this while maintaining the regulatory process for large commercial composters while making it easier for small farmers to navigate this procedure. H. 488 bans felt-soled waders [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Wildlife: Vermont Tradition – hunting and fishing The House originated three bills that are designed to encourage fishing and hunting. One of these was H.477, an act reauthorizing reciprocal fishing licenses on Lake Champlain. In theory, without reciprocal fishing an angler would have to have a license from both New York and Vermont or know [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Military: Parents’ Rights Act We, as legislators, have made every attempt to ensure our servicemen and women do not have to worry about their families back home while they serve our nation overseas. The House and Senate have passed the Military Parents’ Rights Act, which protects the parental rights of military members when they are absent from their [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Law Enforcement: Unified Approach The state is at a crossroad – increasing demands on law enforcement and the inability to increase police budgets – force the state to choose between either keeping pace with the demands of, or not providing services that citizens are accustomed to receiving. It became apparent while studying the issue that [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Law Enforcement: Texting & Cell Phone Use Texting is defined as “the reading or the manual composing or sending of electronic communications including text messages, instant messages, or e-mails using a portable electronic device.” S. 280 was passed making it illegal for all drivers to engage in texting while operating a moving motor vehicle on a [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Law Enforcement: Ignition Lock Devices S. 103 is a bill that is a results-based approach to keep drunk drivers off Vermont’s roads. The installation of ignition interlock devices allows the offender to continue to drive with a restricted driver’s license [RDL]; the device will be installed at the driver’s expense and will keep the car [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Labor: Unemployment Insurance We have known since January, 2009 that our Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund would run out of money by early in 2010. We have been working since then to find a workable solution. The primary cause of the imbalance is that the premiums paid by employers has not changed since 1983, while our [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Judiciary: Restructuring Last year, the Judiciary was informed that it would need to deliver $1 million in savings in the FY 11 budget. This past year’s work has delivered those savings together with a “unified judiciary” delivery system. Our judicial restructuring bill consolidates the existing Family, District, Superior, Environmental and Probate courts in to a [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Human Services: Human Trafficking Trafficking is an epidemic of global proportions. Experts estimate that there are more than 27 million people currently enslaved across the world. As a border state positioned on heavily traveled interstate roads, we can be certain that human trafficking is happening within the borders of Vermont. Vermont is only one of [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Human Services: Caring for Vermonters The legislature worked very hard to protect and improve services for Vermonters, especially children, seniors and Vermonters with disabilities who need some help to live safely and with dignity. Every child should have a stable, permanent home. We passed legislation that will help children who come into the foster care [...]
