By State Rep. Anne Gallivan
posted
Feb 20, 2013
Under the golden dome, this last week offered up some new
intensity of debate and discussion, as well as some moments of
lightness and celebration.
News coverage rightly focused on the Senate's work with the
end-of-life choice bill. The bill did not move smoothly at any step
of the way. The bill was approved by one committee, then
disapproved but moved to the floor by the next committee. The bill
was debated by our 30 senators and adapted by an amendment that
effectively struck the entire body of the bill and replaced it with
a basic protection from prosecution for physicians enabling an end
of life choice. This effectively eliminated all of the
careful constructs from the bill's earlier presentation. Now the
Attorney General believes it does not have the safeguards that
Vermonters need in such a bill. The House will take it up further
down the road.
My house transportation committee continues to hear from all of
the key contributors of the transportation budget. When the actual
"T-bill" comes before us this coming week, we will need to
determine whether to propose a new revenue plan or to make
reductions in planned projects while preserving our ability to
receive federal funds. Revenue raised through a gas tax are among
the considerations, but we will review other options during the
next week. There is no popular option at this time, but we need to
vote on a plan we feel works in the best interests of our
collective constituency.
The General Housing and Military Affairs committee hosted a
public hearing at which questions were asked of each of the four
candidates for Adjutant General. The newest citizen candidate has
an agenda to block the F-35 plans, while each of the other
candidates are highly qualified service members. Legislators will
vote by secret ballot next Thursday.
On the fun side, I enjoyed seeing Montpelier plastered with
hearts by an anonymous pre-dawn team of tape-happy decorators. It
is a tradition unique to this town, and though some talk of its
waste of paper, ink, and tape, others delight in the extravagance
toward a little bit of love.
After a fun Valentine's Day, Friday offered women legislators
(and supportive men) an opportunity to celebrate women's suffrage
by wearing a twenty's style hat in a walk to the State House. Once
within the doors, we were treated to a display of photos of
Vermont's first woman legislators. The story has it that none of
the men would sit near her on the house floor, but that was soon
remedied. Now, there are 64 women (of 150 seats) on the house
floor, and Vermont is second only to Colorado in total number of
women legislators.
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