Montpelier Update

We are slowly winding our way to the end of the session. There are several interesting topics being discussed at the statehouse including water quality, whether people who raise their own products and then process them (like winemakers or cheese makers) should be called farmers for the Current Use program, should we change the Vermont Economic Progress Council, health care and fiscal 2006 appropriations.

Of course a major topic of interest this past week was Civil Commitment for violent offenders who have served their sentences in prison. I received many phone calls from constituents who remembered the Georgia shore murder about 20 years ago which resulted in Kent Hanson's 20 year sentence. Many breathed a sign of relief when news reports came through Friday that he'd been captured and the woman he was with was found still alive.

Fortunately Civil Commitment would not be needed for very many offenders in Vermont, only about 1 or 2 a year. But, I feel strongly that offenders who have a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes them likey to reoffend should be commiitted for mental health treatment until they are found to be no longer dangerous. This is done in 18 other states, it is constitutional and a place to house them can be found either by making it part of our new mental health system that will replace the Waterbury facility or by contracting out with another state.

Well, I could go on and on about this, but I'll spare Henry's space in the Forum! Watch the news this week, I'm preparing an amendment that will allow Civil Commitment here in Vermont.

thanks

Representative Carolyn Branagan
Franklin-1, Fairfax/Georgia
Vermont House of Representatives