Newscast: Thursday, March 28, 2013, 5:50 p.m.

A key House committee took testimony on Thursday about whether possessing small amounts of marijuana should be a civil offense, not a crime. In Montpelier, decriminalization was once considered one of the key issues of the legislative session, but it has recently taken a back seat.

Statehouse Schedule: Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Vermont House has given its preliminary approval to a $26 million tax package to help balance the state budget for next year.  But the plan faces the strong opposition of Governor Peter Shumlin.

The Vermont House has advanced a bill aimed at enhancing the protection of Vermont's lakes from the damaging effects of some shoreline development. But environmental groups say the bill has been significantly watered down.

VPR Newscast: Wednesday, March 27, 2013, 5:50 p.m.

Newscast: Wednesday, March 27, 2013, 12:04 p.m.

On Wednesday, the woman who has led the Shumlin administration's health care overhaul for the past two years announced that she's leaving state government at a critical juncture for the effort.

Governor Peter Shumlin discusses the budget and tax proposals being considered by the Legislature.

Vermont Law School professor, Cheryl Hanna, speaks with Vermont Edition about the oral arguments the Vermont court is hearing today at the Vermont Law School and the court's tradition of hearing them out in a public venue.

Vermont dairy farmers won't get payments on time from a federal milk pricing program. The payments are stalled due to wrangling over federal funding.

The Vermont House is preparing to debate the budget and a number of new tax proposals this week, and House leaders are already trying to line up votes for a $1.3 billion plan that includes a contentious bid to cap welfare benefits.

Newscast: Tuesday, March 26, 2013, 5:50 p.m.

The Senate has rejected legislation that would have given local towns more clout in the state review of energy projects that are proposed for their communities. Instead, lawmakers backed an effort that calls for a statewide study of the impact of the projects in the future.

Newscast: Tuesday, March 26, 2013, 12:04 p.m.

Statehouse Schedule: Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Lt. Gov. Phil Scott is ready to break a tie vote in favor of legislation that has developed into one of the most contentious bills of the session: How to decide where to build energy projects.

Newscast: Monday, March 25, 2013, 5:50 p.m.

For the first time this legislative session, the full Vermont Senate will debate renewable energy on Tuesday. In Montpelier, though, some lawmakers' hopes of passing meaningful climate change legislation that might reduce greenhouse gas emissions have already collided with the state's fiscal reality.

VPR News Director, Ross Sneyd, talks about the week ahead in the legislature.

Statehouse Schedule: Monday, March 26, 2013

The Vermont Department of Labor says federal budget cuts are being made to emergency unemployment benefits.

Newscast: Friday, March 22, 2013, 5:50 p.m.

A key House committee has given preliminary approval to a tax package that would raise roughly $26 million, putting it on a collision course with the governor because it includes provisions he opposes.

Federal regulators want more information about Entergy Corp.'s finances after the company dramatically dropped the value of its Vermont Yankee plant.