The second day of the Vermont Legislature's new session - which will be dominated by Gov. James Douglas' inaugural speech this afternoon - is mostly an exercises in rules.
Vermont senators filed into the House chamber shortly after 10 a.m. this morning for the first Joint Assembly session. With Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie leading the 180 elected officials, the body certified the results found by the Joint Canvassing Committee - which essentially certifies that all the top tier offices such as governor and auditor of accounts - truly did receive all the votes necessary to hold those offices.
There was a humorous moment Wednesday morning in the House moments after Rep. Shap Smith was elected as the new speaker. Right after the vote, he bolted from his chair to the podium, only to be turned away by a clerk. Rules requires that the House first form a committee to inform Smith of his election - and a half-dozen members were picked, excited the chamber and returned seconds later with Smith.
And with all this talk of how the Vermont House may operate differently under Smith than previous Speaker Gaye Symington - it is worth noting that the unsuccessful 2008 Democratic candidate for governor has not forgot her colleagues.
Smith said all members are invited to his office at noontime today for sticky buns and cookies - which Symington spent all day Wednesday cooking at her Jericho home.
"I would ask that everyone come to the Speaker's office at noon ... for some nutrition," Smith joked.
-Dan Barlow
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