Legislative Wrap-Up: Part One

When I sat down to write this legislative wrap-up, I had envisioned it being one a piece, but as I delved into writing it, there was too much to content for a single editorial, so here's part one. Part two, will follow tomorrow. 

This past weekend, the House of Representatives concluded its work for the Biennium. As a member of the minority, I can say with an objective view that we did some very good work over the last two years.  

Our greatest challenges came from the worst natural disaster Vermont has ever seen, Tropical Storm Irene, and the floods that ravaged our part of the state last spring.  These two events represented a serious challenge for state government. However, with strong leadership from Governor Shumlin and Chief Irene Recovery Officer Neale Lunderville, our brave little state came together in a way many of us have never seen before.

Today I am proud to say that – while there is still work to do – we will emerge from the devastation stronger than ever, and with a new sense of community resolve felt from Brattleboro to Highgate; Bennington to Island Pond.

I was proud to work with our local schools and many local businesses to organize a successful food and supply drive last fall to help our neighbors when they needed us most.  We did our part, and in that we should all take great pride.

The storm wreaked havoc on the Waterbury State Office Complex as well as the Vermont State Hospital. For over a decade now, state government has been searching for a way to deal with what was a broken system for those Vermonters in need of acute mental health care.  This session, faced with a dysfunctional organization and a damaged building, we worked to build upon our community-based system by partnering with the private sector to provide quality care with the human dignity the old way lacked.

Thanks to the tireless work of the Franklin County community, we passed Nick’s Law, a huge step to ensure the safety of all motorists and limit drunk driving in our state. This important legislation would not have passed without those friends and family of Nick Fournier who came to the state house year after year until their voices were heard. We are all safer for their perseverance.

This year, we passed the Working Landscapes bill, which will help renew our commitment to agriculture and work to retrofit an industry that defines our state and county.

And what I think was some of the best work done by the legislature this year, was the manner in which we undertook the once a decade, constitutional mandate to redraw the House and Senate districts. I was the "special envoy," appointed by the minority during the redistricting process. I was present at all committee meetings and worked to ensure that the process was not muddied by politics.

I'm happy to report, that it wasn’t, and the bill we passed this year represents a bipartisan effort, that I am very proud of.

Here in Franklin County, there are many changes, including the decoupling of Fairfax and Georgia, and the combination of Fairfield, Bakersfield and Fletcher to make a single member district. 

Most notably for our community, St. Albans Town will become a single member district and the City district will include the portion of the town that falls between the east side of Rt. 7, the west side of I-89 and south of Rt. 36. This was a bipartisan compromise made between the City and Town Boards of Civil Authority and worked on tirelessly by myself, Rep. Kathie Keenan and Rep. Lynn Dickinson.

This is part of the Town I am very familiar with, having spent my high school years and college years on Georgie Avenue on Prospect Hill  before moving back to the City several years ago. As I ponder this November's election, I can't help but think about what an exciting privilege to campaign in -and possibly represent - this new district would be.

With the good, though, comes the bad and in tomorrow's Messenger, I'll outline what new laws the legislature passed that I do not support and how we need to work to improve government. 

Until then,

Rep. Dustin A. Degree

St. Albans City