By Guy Page

Lt. Gov. John Rodgers is not a fan of S.325, the Act 181 reform bill, as it emerged from the conference committee. That could spell trouble for the bill if the Senate is deadlocked on the bill today.

“Rolling back a few of the worst provisions [in Act 181, the Act 250 update] simply takes us from worse, to very bad,” Rodgers said in a press statement (see below). 

The conference committee version, which includes most of the House changes in favor of rural development but also puts operational guard rails on non-farming businesses operated on farms, is posted on today’s Senate calendar.

S.325 has already been subject to nine roll call votes this session. Conference committee reports are subject to up-or-down votes – no floor discussion allowed. It is unclear from Rodgers’ statements how the lieutenant governor would vote should the Senate floor vote come to a tie. VDC has reached out to Rodgers’ office for more details about his concerns. 

Rodgers wrote this morning:

The repeal of the road rule and Tier 3 designations in Act 181 is a necessary correction, but S.325 is nowhere near enough to address the deeper Montpelier-driven problems facing working families.

For decades, Vermont’s land-use regulations have made it harder and more expensive for working families to build even single-family homes, stay in their communities, and support our rural towns.

Over the objections of Governor Scott and myself, Act 181 took a system that was already hurting rural Vermont and managed somehow to make it even less fair. Rolling back a few of the worst provisions simply takes us from worse back to very bad.

Vermont still needs meaningful reform that recognizes housing is essential to the future of our communities, workforce, and economy.  Anyone who says that S.325 solves Vermont’s housing affordability crisis is not telling the truth.  Legislators need to go back to the table and take into account the voices of our neighbors in our rural towns.

Reference-based pricing for hospitals passes – House Speaker Jill Krowinski Tuesday praised the House passage of S.190, which ensures that Act 68 of 2025 is being implemented as intended in the timeframe that was laid out. It requires that the Green Mountain Care Board establishes reference-based pricing for hospitals in 2027, which Krowinski said will help reduce health care costs and property taxes for Vermonters, and help save our invaluable small, rural hospitals. 

On May 26, Governor Scott signed into law:

• H.512, regulation of the event ticketing market
• H.559, Parole Board
• H.536, toxic heavy metals in baby food products
• H.739, prohibiting the use and sale of the herbicide paraquat
• H.956, approval of an amendment to the charter of the City of Burlington relating to the Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging