VT- 2009 Vt. Legislative Wrapup

5-13-2009 Vermont:

When the legislature adjourned Saturday they had made history by passing a civil marriage bill allowing same-sex couples to marry.

"The bill passed in a few weeks and for the first time in a long time a governor's veto was overridden," said Eric Davis, a political scientist.

It was all done with a new speaker at the helm, Shap Smith. The Democrat set a new tone in Montpelier.

"He's been more open with the press then some of his predecessors and he's been more effective in communicating the legislative priorities to the public," Davis said.

And with the largest democratic majority Speaker Smith did not shy away from taking on Republican Governor Jim Douglas.

The legislature passed a bill encouraging renewable energy development, and a bill insuring Vermont Yankee Nuclear has enough money to tear down the plant when it stops operating. Both face a likely veto by Governor Douglas who's concerned about the impact on electric bills.

Lawmakers and the governor did agree to landmark legislation dealing with sex offenders; there are tougher penalties, a focus on prevention and new sex crime investigation units. And the online sex offender registry will expand, going from 400 to 2,000 names. Laws passed in response to the murder and rape of Brooke Bennett.

Note: The Brooke Bennett case could not have been prevented by any of the changes made today, it was a case of a family member committing a crime. Such cases cannot be prevented by any public registry as the family already knows about such former offenders. So, what is the real reason for the changes? I would hope that the changes WERE NOT MADE just because the public expected something to be done, but rather, that the legislature woulld do something that would actually PREVENT future crimes.

Left undone until next year; there was no vote on whether Vermont Yankee Nuclear should be relicensed, no campaign finance reform and no plan to deal with the depleting unemployment insurance fund. For now the state will borrow from the federal government.

Money dominated debate. Deteriorating tax revenues created a $280 million hole in the state budget. Lawmakers passed a plan that relies on federal stimulus money, cuts to services and $26 million in new revenues. There was also a middle income tax break, but the tax increase could draw the first veto of a budget in the state's history.

"We are getting into unchartered territory," Davis said. "There would need to be a special session. One of the issues that the legislative leadership is pondering now is whether to override that veto or simply let it stand and return to negotiations with the governor."

Lawmakers have not made a decision on a veto override yet since the governor has not received the budget bill. He should get it soon and then he has five days to decide whether to veto it.

A special session would likely be next month since the state needs to have a spending plan in place by the new fiscal year that starts July 1. ..News Source.. by Kristin Carlson