Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Wednesday, January 4, 2017



The 2017-2018 legislative session is underway. In an unusual move newly elected Speaker Mitzi Johnson announced house committee assignments today in what was in years past mostly a day of ceremony and formalities. Perhaps this early start previews an early adjournment. I am reminded that during his campaign governor elect Scott called for a three month session. That’s no doubt out of reach but an early start to committee work could shorten the usual mid May adjournment.

The two committees of jurisdiction of most import to the VBA are Judiciary and Appropriations, as the latter controls budgeting for the judicial branch and for Vermont Legal Aid, two entities the VBA has traditionally worked to support.
Here is the membership of both:

JUDICIARY
Rep.  Maxine Grad, Chair
Rep.  Charles Conquest, Vice Chair
Rep.  Thomas Burditt, Ranking Member
Rep.  Gary Viens

APPROPRIATIONS
Rep.  Catherine Toll, Chair
Rep.  Peter J. Fagan, Vice Chair
Rep.  Kathleen C. Keenan, Ranking Member
Rep.  Maureen Dakin
Rep.  Martha Feltus
Rep.  Robert Helm
             Rep.  Bernard Juskiewicz
Rep.  Diane Lanpher
             Rep.  Matthew Trieber
             Rep.  David Yacovone

This is also the first time that a VBA Board member, retired Superior Judge Ben Joseph, is a member of the House. He will serve on the Education Committee. There are a number of lawyers in the general assembly. Here’s a list which I hope is complete:
In the House Ben Joseph, Carol Ode, Sue Buckholz, Janssen Willhoit, Maxine Grad, Martin LaLonde, Sandy Haas, Janet Ancel and, in the Senate Peg Flory, Joe Benning, and Michael Sirotkin.
I’ll try my best to keep up with daily (well almost daily) reporting to you as the session moves forward. For a complete list of committee assignments follow this link:
http://legislature.vermont.gov and click on Committees.
Thanks for reading.

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