Vermont state Rep. Mark Mitchell says he’ll be stepping down from his seat during the Legislature’s summer break. The Barnard Democrat has small-cell lung cancer he attributes to smoking two packs a day for 40 years, and says his doctor has told him he should not expect to be able to return for the second half of the legislative term in January.
The 76-year-old Mitchell has been on the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee for five years, and says he’s most pleased with steps the Legislature has taken to reduce Vermont’s carbon footprint and plan for its energy future.
Mitchell’s announcement Tuesday prompted a long round of applause for him from fellow House members and words of praise from his committee’s chairman, Rep. Tony Klein of East Montpelier.