In Vermont we’re still small enough that we treat the Legislature like it’s part of our extended family. We’re always eager for news of its latest challenges, achievements and adventures, and we take a proprietary interest in what it’s up to. And since it’s our Legislature and we’re Vermonters, we’ve got plenty of perspectives and opinions to offer.
Here’s some from me.
As the 2016 legislative session begins, I sense the agenda facing our legislators isn’t quite as daunting as it has been in some recent sessions.
That’s that’s not to say it will be an easy winter in Montpelier or there’s not a lot of work to do. Indeed, hundreds of issues will be examined and discussed over the next few months. But at the outset, perhaps the only pending initiative that might be described as major is the proposal to legalize marijuana. We’ll see what else comes up, but the problems created because Medicaid and education costs continue to increase - two other headline issues this year - are serious but ongoing problems. They’ll probably be addressed with legislative adjustments, not groundbreaking new proposals.
I think it’s a good sign that the Senate found its way through a very painful and complicated process to arrive at an appropriate response to the difficult situation surrounding Sen. Norman McAllister, a Franklin County legislator accused of serious sexual misconduct. In voting to suspend Sen. McAllister, the Senate avoided judgment on his innocence or guilt. But it recognized the inescapable reality that it would have been impossible for the Senate to do its business in a dignified and orderly manner if he remained in the chamber while his case played out.
It will be interesting to see what impact Gov. Shumlin’s decision not to seek re-election will have on this year’s policy decisions. The governor is a grand master of State House politics, but his currency suffered when his progressive health care agenda was modified a year ago. I wonder if many liberal leaning legislators would’ve been reluctant to stand too close to him on policy issues if he were seeking another term. His decision may relieve them of that discomfort, easing things for him.
House Speaker Shap Smith, whose wife Melissa is ill with cancer, also will step away from Vermont politics after the session, at least for now. I sense that won’t have major short-term policy implications, nor will it impede his ability to manage the House in a very skilled manner. The Speaker is highly respected in Vermont political circles. He’ll get a lot of deference this year.
The 2015 legislative session was unusually difficult for legislators, beginning with disruptive State House protests and ending with the disturbing arrest of Sen. McAllister. Here’s hoping that the good will evident at the beginning of this year’s session lasts until the final gavel falls in the spring.
