Addressing Legislative Pay (w/ Rep. Emma Mulvaney-Stanak)

Representative Emma Mulvaney-Stanak (P/D-Burlington) speaks about proposed legislation that would incrementally increase the pay and benefits that legislators receive over the next two bienniums. The former director of the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign addresses historic wage disparities for women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ persons, and the ways that the current compensation structure in the legislature perpetuates those gaps. Rep. Mulvaney-Stanak, the Progressive Party House Caucus Leader, also takes time to discuss her party’s priorities, share progress on those policies and what looks poised to be enacted. Lastly, she gives advice to those who might be considering a run for state legislature themselves. 

Lauren Hierl speaks with Senator Ruth Hardy (D-Addison) about bills her committees have worked on this year, including a bill to remove PFAS and harmful toxics from several consumer products, as well as ranked choice voting measures. She also gives her perspective on legislative pay as former Executive Director of Emerge Vermont, an organization that recruits and trains femme-identifying people to run for office. 

Plus, Lauren and Justin give the latest updates on our environmental priority policies in our Session Shakedown segment, including news that S.5, the Affordable Heat Act, has passed the Senate on a vote of 20-10 and will now spend the week on the Governor’s desk before he vetoes the bill, which he has publicly indicated he will do.