Constitution of Vermont

well yeah anthony it is aid lengthy process all states have a constitution that central document of course that their laws are based on and there is a process in every state for amending that constitution now if you go back to uh...

some of my early civics days i remember bill doyle who was a long-term Johnson State College professor, used to talk about the Vermont Constitution is very challenging to amend.

And the reason why is that it's a very lengthy process.

So a bill must originate at the start after lawmakers and a new governor are elected.

I got you.

Okay.

And so in the Vermont Constitution, Chapter 1, Article 7, which we hear about from time to time, the Common Benefits Clause states that the government is or ought to be instituted for the common benefit protection and security of the people.

As I've heard proponents speak about Prop 4 that's going to be on the ballot on November 3rd, I've heard them say that it's an expansion of some of those concepts and that the proposed amendment would not be intended to limit the scope or rights afforded by any other provision of the Constitution.

I'm also one of the co-chairs of the Working Vermonters Caucus, which looks after the interest of people whether or not they're in the union at the statehouse.

I think it was probably about eight years ago, Larry and I here were actually having a pint, and he brought this idea to me that it might make sense to enshrine workers' rights in the Vermont Constitution, the right to form a union, the right to sit across the table from your employer and have collective bargaining.

So we looked at this, and Illinois passed a similar measure in 2022, And we've seen this sort of war against workers, a coordinated effort by corporations, ideological politicians across the country.

Scott Walker is one that comes to mind in 2011 who really broke the backs of public sector unions in Wisconsin.