Secretary of State Deb Markowitz has issued a ruling that Vermont's pre-1997 campaign contributions law takes effect, now that the Supreme Court has jettisoned that part of the 1997 law.

She also said that parts of the law not challenged (such as the deadlines for telling the public how much candidates have raised and spent) will stand.

Candidates for state office will be able to hit their friends up for more than a few hundred bucks. Now they can write checks totalling $2,000 for the primary and general elections.