The Montpelier Happy Hour

January 27, 2023 (prerecorded 1/23): We wish people a Happy and healthy New Year. What does a healthy policy look like? And is it possible to design policies with positive outcomes that last longer than our New Year's resolutions? Guest Anne N. Sosin, is a policy fellow at Dartmouth's Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences and interim director of the Vermont Afforda...

January 20, 2023 (prerecorded 1/16): H.66, a bill to enact a paid family medical leave insurance program, was submitted this week. Two of the bill's sponsors - The MHH's own Rep. Emilie Kornheiser and Rep. Robin Scheu - join us this week to outline the program's benefits. In the second half of the show, Emilie and Olga share their thoughts on MLK Day.  To read H.66: https://legislature.vermon...

January 13, 2023 (prerecorded 1/9): Windham County's new State Senator Wendy Harrison sits down with us to share her experience as the session begins.  Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net

January 6, 2023: Hello to the New Year and a new legislative biennium! The Legislature opened this week. Governor Scott gave his fourth inaugural speech. AND we have some new committee leadership. Whew! Busy week in Montpelier. Journalist John Walters joins us to weigh in. To read the full text of Governor Scott's inaugural address: https://governor.vermont.gov/press-release/governor-phil-scott-de...

December 30, 2022 (prerecorded 12/23): We celebrate our last show of 2022 with a breakdown of the annual State of Working Vermont report. The theme of this year's report: 'Vermont needs a new normal.' Stephanie Yu of the Public Assets Institute joins the show.  To read the State of Working Vermont 2022 report: https://publicassets.org/library/publications/reports/state-of-working-vermont-2022...

December 23, 2022 (prerecorded 12/22): As vice-chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, it's Rep. Emilie Kornheiser's turn to discuss the policy she's anticipating in the new biennium. We also discuss how revenues flow through Vermont's government and the philosophy of taxes. Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net

December 16, 2022 (prerecorded 12/15): Rep. Theresa Wood sits down with us today to discuss the potential work that the House Committee on Human Services will be looking at for the 2023 session.  Learn more about the Human Services Committee here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2022/16 Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net

December 2, 2022 (prerecorded 11/22): Rep. Michael McCarthy serves on the House Committee on Government Operations and joins today's show to share what he expects to see in the new legislative session.  Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net

October 7, 2022: We continue our conversation on Proposition 2. Former State Senator Debbie Ingram was one of the early lawmakers to bring the Constitutional revision to the State House. She did this after conversations with last week's guest, Rev. Mark Hughes of the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance. Today, Debbie, is also the executive director of the Vermont Interfaith Alliance which is one of th...

September 30, 2022: Vermonters will consider two amendments to the state constitution this November. Proposition 2, makes it clear that slavery and indentured servitude are prohibited. In so doing, the amendment would close a loophole that currently exists. Rev. Mark Hughes, Executive Director of the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance, joins the show to discuss the Proposition.  To read Proposit...

September 23, 2022: Brenda Siegel is campaigning against incumbent Vermont Governor Phil Scott. A small business owner, teacher, dancer, and mom, today Brenda joins us to discuss housing.  To learn more about Brenda visit: https://www.brendaforvermont.com Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net

September 16, 2022 (prerecorded 9/10): Rick Morton is running to be one of Windham County's next state Senators. Today he joins the show to discuss the state constitutional amendment, Article 22. If passed by voters in November, Article 22 would enshrine reproductive freedoms as a constitutional right.  Article 22 (Prop 5) as passed: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2022/Docs/BILLS/P...

September 9, 2022 (prerecorded 9/7): Journalist John Walters takes a break from writing about the lead-up to the General Election to discuss the state's ratcheting back of emergency housing assistance. Vermont's response to keeping people housed during the deepest of the pandemic was stellar. What now? Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net

September 2, 2022 (prerecorded 8/31): Tim Wessel is running as an Independent for one of two Windham County Senate seats. He joins today's show to discuss the state of childcare in Vermont.  To read Act 45: https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2022/H.171 Find the Vermont Child Care and Early Childhood Education Systems Analysis report here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Legisl...

June 24, 2022 (prerecorded 6/22): Rep. Charlie Kimball is running to become Vermont's next Lieutenant Governor. Today he is discussing rural vitality. While many may agree that our rural communities are the weft to the warp that makes the fabric of Vermont, not everyone agrees on how to keep those threads strong.  Charlie's candidate website: https://charliekimbell.com Theme mu...

June 17, 2022 (prerecorded 6/16): AG candidate Charity Clark joins us this week to discuss data protections and how Vermont could do better.  To learn more about Charity : https://www.charityforvermont.com/ H.570 is the data privacy bill under consideration in 2022. Here is a copy of the bill with comments: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2022/WorkGroups/House%20Commerce/B...

June 10, 2022 (prerecorded 6/9): Former Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Mike Pieciak, is running this year to become Vermont's next State Treasurer. Today, he's chatting policy with Emilie and Olga. The role of debt and bonding as well as the state pension system are all on deck.  Mike's campaign website: https://www.mikeforvermont.com Theme music by: http://rh...

June 3, 2022 (prerecorded 6/2): Emilie and Olga take one last look at the biennium and state budget. What a ride it has been.  Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net

May 27, 2022 (prerecorded 5/19): Vermont's tourism economy. Yep, we're poking at it again. According to the state, Vermont welcomes more than 13 million visitors every year. This $3 billion industry supports 30,000 jobs. But how does this industry shape Vermont's jobs, incomes, policy, and personal identity? Journalist Anne Wallace Allen of SevenDays joins the conversation.  Theme music by Re...

May 20, 2022: Journalist John Walters joins the show this week to help us sum up the biennium. What bills didn't make it through to a vote? Who has decided to retire? What did this COVID biennium achieve?  Read more of Walter's work at his blog, The Vermont Political Observer: https://thevpo.org/ Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://rhtt.net/

May 13, 2022: In honor of the Vermont Legislature adjourning the biennium yesterday, Rep. Emilie Kornheiser and Host Olga Peters are taking a week to recharge. We will return next week with guest and Journalist John Walters. Please enjoy this rebroadcast of our reading of the Vermont Constitution. Part 2: https://themontpelierhappyhour.captivate.fm/episode/reading-and-reflecting-on-the-vermont-con...

"It's always been a controversial law and I think that's because it touches upon some very important issues. That is, how do we regulate what people can do with their land? More importantly, why do we even regulate it?" -Judge Thomas Durkin- April 15, 2022 (prerecorded 4/8): Judge Thomas Durkin joins the show to talk about land use in Vermont and Act 250's role in that use. Act 250 is a landmark l...

"The voices that matter aren't legislators's." Rep. Tiff Bluemle April 8, 2022 (prerecorded 4/6): H.96, legislation to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, has passed the House and has moved to the Senate. Rep. Tiff Bluemle joins the show this week to talk about what such a commission would do and why it could play an important role in the lives of many Vermonters.  Follow H.96 at...

“That is a choice. We’ve chosen that we’re comfortable with 1,100 people being homeless in this state. “ - Maura Collins.  April 1, 2022: Vermont has launched a grant program to help homeowners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Maura Collins of the VHFA outlines the program. But why stop there? We discuss Vermont’s housing shortage.  Find more information on the Vermont's Homeowners Ass...

March 25, 2022: Vermont's anti-poverty program for families, Reach Up, is undergoing changes this legislative session. H.464, if approved, would allow families to keep more of their wages in addition to the funding they receive through the program.  To read H.464: https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2022/H.464 You can connect with Rep. Tylor Small on Twitter @TaylorSmallVT Theme music...