The Vermont Legislature is getting ready to convene for the 2014 session.
The leaders of the House and Senate say the session that is starting Tuesday will focus on erasing a projected $70 million state budget shortfall and grappling with the growing abuse of opium-based drugs that is wrecking lives and driving crime.
Democratic House Speaker Shap Smith and Senate President Pro Tem John Campbell say committees will begin work Tuesday.
Smith and Campbell say lawmakers will need to work hard to erase the projected budget deficit without raising taxes.
They agree that stemming the increasing problem of drug abuse needs to be a focus of the session.
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