The Tax Department says three years of rising property values have built a $20 million surplus in the state’s Education Fund; Senator Patrick Leahy praises President-elect Barack Obama on his choice for attorney general; Senator Leahy also plans a hearing of the Judiciary Committee this week in St. Albans.
Senate Democratic leaders say the
proposed bill would allow prosecutors to seek a mandatory minimum
sentence of 25 years in jail if the sexual assault victim is less than 16 years old.
Sen. Dick Sears recaps the public testimony his committee has taken on how to punish and treat sex offenders, and gives us a preview of draft recommendations for the Legislature. Also, VPR’s Neal Charnoff goes backstage with a production of "Well" by playwright Lisa Kron.
VT Judiciary and Douglas Administration square off over proposed budget cuts;
enrollment for Catamount health falls short of projections; regional
initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions gaining ground in
Northeast; NH fuel company fined $6,000 for 2 fuel spills in VT; Camp
Ta-Kum-Ta moving from Colchester; Deborah Luskin on boomers caught
between elderly parents and maturing children.
The
chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is frustrated that a judge won’t
talk about a case involving Michael Jacques (Jakes), the man accused of
kidnapping Brooke Bennett,
The
committee is holding hearings on possible changes to Vermont law following the kidnapping and murder of Bennett, a
12-year-old Braintree girl.
A meeting of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has just
concluded in Rutland; the Vermont Supreme Court has saved some of its more
contentious cases for a series of hearings today at Vermont Law School; more…