Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Donovan joined a lawsuit yesterday challenging the Trump Administration’s latest effort to allow 3D-printed gun files to be released on the internet. These files would provide access to blueprints for 3D-printed firearms, also known as “ghost guns,” that are unregistered, untraceable, and difficult to detect.

As a result of a previous multistate lawsuit, a federal judge struck down the Trump Administration’s prior attempt to allow the release of the files.

Vermont Business Magazine Women and men of the 158th Fighter Wing are training at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, returning to Vermont in late March. Members, aircraft and support equipment departed this week for a training event known as Southern Lightning. Over 100 airmen from primarily Maintenance and Operations Groups will fly and maintain F-35 operations throughout the training period, developing their readiness while off-station.   

by Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn At VTrans, we know how much you count on us to keep Vermont’s roadways safe for travel during winter weather and storms. This time of year, you’ll see our fleet of 268 plow trucks out in full force, plowing millions of miles of roads and highways and doing our part to keep you moving. But for our crews to do their work safely and successfully, we need your help.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont House passed H.107, the Paid Family and Medical Leave bill on a vote of 89-58. Today’s vote was the final hurdle for the proposed legislation before it heads to the governor’s desk. The bill guarantees up to 12 weeks of paid parental or bonding leave and up to 8 weeks of paid family care leave. The bill also contains the opportunity for individuals to opt-in to a personal medical leave policy for up to 6 weeks. Governor Phil Scott has consistently vowed to veto a mandatory family leave bill and has proposed a voluntary plan. The House and Senate reached an agreement in a conference committee last week on H107. Advocacy groups that have championed the initiative expressed concern that the conference bill does not provide temporary disability insurance or enough public oversight of the program. The Senate voted on Friday (20-9) to approve the conference committee report, setting up today's House vote.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Donovan took the lead in filing an amicus brief at the US Supreme Court on behalf of thirteen states, plus the District of Columbia, asserting that oil and gas pipelines may not cross the Appalachian Trail in national forests. Congress exempted the National Park System when they otherwise broadly allowed oil and gas pipelines to pass over federal land. The case currently pending before the US Supreme Court, US Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Association, presents the question of whether the US Forest Service may grant rights-of-way through lands crossed by the Appalachian Trail within national forests.