Throughout the past four months, your humble servants at VTDigger worked hard to follow state lawmakers’ every move, ranging from their hard-fought political battles and policy debates to deeply unserious shenanigans under the Golden Dome.
Thursday’s vote tops Vermonters off for another two years of to-go bevs, but the bill is still far from bottomless. It will require reauthorization once again come 2025.
As for when the chaos will end, it depends on who you ask. Leadership is sticking to the script, insisting that, really, seriously, Friday is the last day.
Lawmakers have spent months on the legislation, which would prevent pay discrimination on the basis of race, gender and sexual orientation, among others, and would make it easier for victims to pursue harassment claims.
The testimony came in the context of two companion bills, H.371 and S.114, that would decriminalize possession of psilocybin and create a Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group.
“We need to move on,” Gov. Phil Scott said of the program on Wednesday. “I don't underestimate how difficult this is for some of those folks involved, but it’s time.”
The language comes largely courtesy of the House’s rural caucus, the tri-partisan group that has led the charge in the lower chamber to create additional carve-outs to the landmark land-use law.
The schedule is also speeding up. Conor Kennedy, chief of staff to House Speaker Jill Krowinski, said the House is going to be holding two full floor sessions a day starting next week.
Two thousand, four hundred, thirty-four miles away from Helena, Zooey Zephyr’s battle hits close to home for Rep. Taylor Small, Vermont’s first and only transgender legislator.
The state Agency of Transportation asked senators for permission to install green warning lights on its equipment, such as snowplows and other maintenance trucks. Lawmakers responded lukewarmly.
