Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Advocacy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public-safety committee will seek signatures at town meeting for petition to state legislators
Summary
The public-safety committee received board permission to set up a table at town meeting to collect signatures for a petition asking state legislators to retain and/or fund specific Vermont statutory provisions related to restorative justice and work programs, subject to legal clearance that the table would not conflict with candidacy rules or ballot items.
Members of the selectboard approved a request for the public-safety committee to have a table in the hallway during town meeting to collect signatures for a petition to state legislators. The petition asks legislators to keep certain Vermont statutes "as is," requests funding for restorative-justice and work-farm programs mentioned in the petition, and asks for other statute changes the committee described. Committee member (Speaker 12) said the petition is not binding law but intended to express the town’s sentiment before meeting the legislature.
"It's the petition that we're gonna send... hand delivered to Montpelier to governor Scott, lieutenant governor Rogers... and it asks for 4 action items from our legislators to keep 13 VSA section 11 as is," Committee member (Speaker 12) said. The chair (Speaker 4) and other members noted legal limits: if the petitioning activity is near an article on the ballot it could pose a politicking concern. The board approved the committee setting up in the hall provided staff confirms there is no legal conflict and no contested article on the floor that would create restrictions.
