Legislature Focused on Max Lorber-Lew (and other Vermont children)

The legislative session began yesterday. After being on break since last May, we're back at work. In her inaugural speech, House Speaker Gaye Symington said that legislators should be focused on what we can do to make Vermont a better place for our children and grandchildren.

My seven-month-old Max agreed. And people took notice. He was on the news last night. Plus, today's Burlington Free Press featured him smack dab on the cover of their newspaper, and an adorable photo, too, doncha think? That's him above with me, and Rep. Sarah Copeland-Hanzas on the right, with Rep. Tim Jerman and Rep. Joey Donovan in front of us.

All cuteness aside, I couldn't agree more with the Speaker's vision. One of the bills I'll be working on will be an issue I championed last session: reforming Corrections for the long-haul. The key question is, "What can we do to make Vermont safer while reducing the increasingly overwhelming costs from our prison system?"

While I'll be updating you frequently on my continued Corrections work, there are many other issues that we need to confront: creating universal health care, building more affordable housing, protecting our environmental, stopping global warming, offering death with dignity, keeping abortion safe and legal, fighting for equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians, ending discrimination, making taxes more fair, and a myriad of other issues.

What issue(s) are most important to you? If you haven't yet chimed in, please post your priorities here, or email me your thoughts.