Legislative Report

I take prolific notes during committee meetings. It helps me remember things later on, it keeps me focused, and it prevents me from changing my hairstyle every 20 minutes because my hands are busy with a pen instead of messing with my hair.

First, the past couple weeks have been hideous.  War in Israel and Gaza, concern for our Jewish friends, break-ins and car thefts in our normally peaceful town, the looming government shutdown while the U.S. House figures out how to manage itself and another deadly shooting, this time close to home in a way that makes us all pause and wonder not if it’s going to happen here, but when.

I don’t drink vodka straight up. This is because I don’t find the flavor that pleasant on its own. Throw in some olive juice, vermouth and an olive or three, and I’m delighted; a martini tastes good.

We had some visitors to the House Government Operations and Military Affairs committee this past spring.

I have a habit of loudly and dramatically announcing that certain aspects of government function are “the cornerstone of democracy.” (I put the fun in government function!)

I’m not going to get involved in the town-manager-versus-town-administrator debate. I mean, I’m already involved to the extent that, should it get to this point,

I’ve been thinking a lot about the major challenges Vermont is facing these days: incessant rain and flooding, an unhoused population

It’s so fun when field trips come to the State House. This spring, one group was visiting my committee room and I asked, “If you could make a law, what would it be?”

Before I share my legislative update this week: this link connects to a Vermont Community Broadband Board survey. I know there are still significant issues with broadband access in our area, and completing this will help.

On a recent night, I cooked a meal for my kids for the first time in maybe three weeks….

The last two weeks of the 2023 legislative session are here. For me, that means a lot of time in the State House — some of it frantically working and trying to figure things out,

There’s a lot of information (and misinformation) flying around about S.5, the Affordable Heat Act

The past two weeks were what people in the General Assembly call crossover week, and what I call, what-the-hell-just-happened…

When I campaigned for this job last summer, I was really clear about my position on firearms, and it remains the same.

We’re on town meeting break this week from the State House. These last couple months have been complete intellectual…

The big bill in front of my committee right now would legalize online sports wagering in the state of Vermont.

I now live in the land of acronyms and abbreviations. ARPA, ESSR, GOMA, EGWP, TIF, ADS, VIC, USGS. If you have some spare time, look up all of those things and I’ll quiz you next time I hold a Chat with Chea gathering.

I cry every time I hear the Vermont state song — and I love the part about looking with pride on the golden dome.

As we watch the January 6 hearings it is evident that the democratic form of government that we take for granted has been threatened and still is under tremendous stress.

An outcry over his vote on Proposal 5 has caused Rep. Mike Yantachka to reverse his position on the proposed state constitutional amendment and, at least in part, motivated another Charlotte resident to run against him in the August primary.