It was great to see you at Town Meetings this week. There was a tabletop display with information on Catamount Health along with a brochure that included an application. If you missed it and would like a copy please contact me. Also at Town Meeting were copies of Senator Doyle's 2008 Town Meeting Day Survey. This informal annual survey of 14 questions asks your opinion on issues ranging from "Do you support the legalization of Hemp?" to "Should the gas tax be increased to improve our roads and bridges?" If you would like to fill out the survey you can find it on my web site www.RepBillFrank.com and mail or e-mail it to me. I will post results of the survey by the three towns in our district as well as for the whole State on my web site. On my web site also is a Town Meeting report written by Speaker Symington and myself with a description of the major bills and topics we have worked on during the first half of this legislative year. A shorter paper copy was available at Town Meetings and is in each Town Hall and the library. If you would like a copy mailed to you please call me.

     The Human Service Committee finished working on an important bill to protect children from lead hazards. H.352 "Protecting Children from Lead Hazards" is built on law enacted ten years ago and makes it easier for those building owners that are in compliance to remain so. For those who are not in compliance, this bill also provides the muscle lacking in the previous law that will enable us to help parents protect their children from lead hazards. This bill is part of a collaboration of other efforts that will help bring about a comprehensive array of services to protect our children from an irreversible lifelong affliction caused by lead. There is a $5.8 million Federal HUD grant for the Housing and Conservation Board to implement the requirement of this legislation.

     I was very pleased to have James Nickerson, an eighth grader at Browns River Middle School shadow me for a day last week. James was able to witness the preliminary and final discussion of a bill and the committee vote. There was also a two-hour debate on the floor of the house. He met and talked to many other legislators and was able to hear informal discussion in my car pool.

     I like to hear from you, contact me at Rep.BillFrank@verizon.net, 899-3136 or 19 Pokerhill Rd, Underhill 05489.