The Vermont Senate opened the 2026 legislative session with a significant influx of new legislation on January 6. Lawmakers introduced a wide array of proposals ranging from sweeping public safety reforms and climate initiatives to critical updates in health care governance and technology regulation.
Vermont has been awarded more than $195 million in federal funding to support rural health system innovation, though state officials cautioned lawmakers the money cannot be used to replace or stabilize existing programs.
The U.S. Attorney for Vermont said Brattleboro Memorial Hospital failed to effectively communicate with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A settlement has been reached.
As Beta Technology’s wealth converts to cash over the coming year, money will flow back to the state through multiple distinct channels—including three Vermont-based investment funds with substantial local ownership and hundreds of millions in potential capital gains taxes.
State Treasurer and legislative leaders push program that could save hundreds of dollars monthly—but critical details about insurance deductibles and pharmacy participation remain unclear
Editor’s note: the White House released this commentary January 8.
When Pittsford pushed back on the Rutland Regional Planning Commission’s draft Future Land Use (FLU) map, it sounded like a local fight: one town objecting to being painted dark-green “Rural Conservation” on a new set of regional maps.
It is inappropriate for a non-partisan school board to express solidarity on a purely political stance established by another district.
Vermont Health officials reaffirm existing childhood vaccine schedule in light of federal changes; U.S. House approves funding for Trudeau Institute, Lake Champlain patrol boat; Burlington Telecom announces new president; Waitsfield will move ahead with flood plain reconnection study
Vermont now mails over half a million absentee ballots to every person on the voter checklist (unless formally challenged) for general elections without request, creating a large pool of unclaimed, unwanted, and misdirected “live” absentee ballots that can be abused to impact the outcome of local elections.
Reasonable but mistaken, individualization, and lack of reflection
Anti-Israel coalition asks for resignations, ethics probe
Employers must register through the Vermont Saves portal, provide employee census information, and facilitate payroll deductions at their own cost.
As Vermont works toward a goal of 40,000 new housing units by 2030, lawmakers this year face a central question: will recently enacted tax reforms and infrastructure tools finally translate into shovels in the ground?
Security to heighten at Vermont’s statehouse after spike in threats to lawmakers; 5,200 enrolled in Vermont Saves, says treasurer; Rutland City Police Department responds to multiple snow-related crashes
While a large portion of the country is moving toward restricting choices, Vermont has chosen a distinct path.
This is the kind of bipartisanship we’re talking about!
Maduro attorney once represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange; CIA ‘carries out drone strike’ on Venezuelan drug port in first U.S. land attack inside the country; FBI disrupts alleged ISIS-inspired New Year’s Eve attack plot targeting NC grocery store, fast food restaurant; House GOP bill could trigger self-deportation for Somali refugees amid Minnesota fraud probe
Vermont can no longer admire the problem. It must act, guided by data, employers, and long-term planning.
Two bills sponsored by Vermont Democrat and Progressive legislators continue to push the Transgender Ideology Agenda at the potential expense of Vermont taxpayers and female prison inmates. H.576 intends to establish an “Affirming Health Care Trust Fund,” while H.550 intends to allow transgender incarcerated persons to choose their prison and their cellmate based upon their gender identity.
Act 181 does not change who owns the land. It does change who draws the lines that matter — and who has the final say when those lines do not match what towns and landowners thought their future would look like.
State’s attorney says all 2022 Burlington gunfire cases resolved – except one; New report shows a 25% nationwide drop in deaths of on-duty law enforcement officers in 2025
As Vermont enters another legislative session, lawmakers are once again proposing housing legislation they believe will protect tenants from eviction and homelessness. While the intent may be laudable, the reality on the ground is far messier — and the consequences are increasingly harmful not only to landlords, but also to responsible tenants and to Vermont’s already strained housing supply.
Free service gives journalists instant, searchable access to committee hearings—with video verification and shareable SmartClips
The study, conducted by researchers at the Texas-based Barber Law Firm, examined data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine where truck drivers face the lowest risks on the road.
Former U.S. Attorney Christina E. Nolan, 46, of Burlington and current First Assistant Michael P. Drescher, 60, of Hinesburg will need to be confirmed by the Vermont Senate.
An illegal immigrant from Venezuela, who federal officials claim led four other undocumented aliens over the international border into Vermont during Christmas week, will remain in custody while his federal criminal case is resolved in court in Burlington.
Structure fire put out in Chester Sunday; Authorities seeking info on reported Grand Isle theft; Corinth studio offers a window into an artist’s life; UVM men’s hockey snaps home game losing streak
Vermont police say that the likelihood of DUI crashes is twice as likely when the driver is under the influence of drugs, compared to alcohol.
Governor Scott proposed a sweeping education reform bill, and many of us went out on a limb to give it a shot. What has happened thus far is that the special committee comprised of a mix of legislators and non-legislators that was tasked with drawing new districts over the summer refused to do their assigned task, with Democrat members that are in the majority refusing to do it.
We voted for this. And until the Democrats or someone else can articulate a better vision for the country, this is what we have.
An illegal immigrant, who has been deported twice previously due to rejected claims that his life was in jeopardy from a Canadian street gang, has been busted again in Derby Line, federal court records show.
On the White House executive order targeting state AI laws.
An illegal immigrant from Mexico, found unlawfully in the United States for a third time in just over a year, has been arrested in Vermont by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of an unrelated criminal investigation, records show.
But back in Vermont, state policy allows schools to keep two separate records on your child, one of which parents cannot see!
Road reopens in Montpelier after water freezes over during main break; Burlington opens cold weather shelter in preparation for negative temps; Only Cannoli partners with King Street Laundry to offer free lunch
As you set your 2026 goals, reading lists, and New Year’s resolutions, The Daily Signal is proud to offer you some of our favorite reads from 2025.
While fewer Vermonters are dying from overdoses, supply of illicit drugs remains robust, high prices incentivize trafficking, and the infrastructure supplying Vermont’s drug market has hardened.
Childcare Center US claims there are 687 childcare centers in New Hampshire, over 2100 in Massachusetts, and over 1300 childcare centers in Vermont. We should check them all, but who, besides me, thinks the Vermont number looks a little high?
Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced its first set of Medicare-negotiated “maximum fair prices” for 10 selected drugs, with negotiated prices ranging from 38% to 79% below their list prices. A drug’s list price is the manufacturer’s sticker price, though it is rarely what insurers or patients actually pay and is mainly used as a starting point for negotiations.
Valley Vista has opened 27 new residential treatment beds at its Vergennes facility.
It may be home to Ben & Jerry’s Factory Store, but Waterbury’s last three dairy farms were driven out of business. Their former owners struggle to let go.
U.S. Border Patrol apprehended seven people who unlawfully crossed the Canadian border in North Troy and Derby Line between December 23 and December 25, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced.
A family in Pownal have spent a year dealing with the tortuous telecom siting process called Section 248a, trying to relocate a proposed cell tower away from their children and home in the woods of Vermont.
Vermont will receive over $195 million in Rural Health Transformation Funds in 2026, which is among the highest award per capita in the nation. But not all Vermont political figures are so complementary.
Two brought to hospital following crash into Colchester brook; VT parent makes Youtube alternative; Local 15-year-old to represent the U.S. internationally on the youth luge national team
Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill announced the action Monday, saying the freeze is part of a broader effort to halt what he described as widespread abuse of federal childcare funding.
First study of wildfire smoke’s effects on children with asthma in the Northeast reveals growing health risks for the region as climate change fuels more smoke-filled summers.
Vermont hawkwatch counting sites saw fewer numbers for the broad-winged hawk population this year.
Behind Vermont’s DEI debate
As reported by CHNI and other news outlets, a drone video capturing a large, dark shape moving beneath a boat on Lake Champlain has landed filmmakers Richard Rossi and Kelly Tabor on an episode of William Shatner’s The UnXplained.
And are, in fact, disastrous.
We are running out of time.
PBMs were created to control drug costs, but their profit-driven practices have turned them into key drivers of price inflation.
State police said 55 of those crashes occurred between 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday alone. Thirty-two were reported on interstate highways and 23 on secondary roads. Most of the afternoon crashes, 31, happened in southern Vermont. Five injuries were reported during that time period.
The First Day Hikes program includes 18 hikes ranging from easy family walks to challenging mountain ascents, led by volunteers from organizations including the Green Mountain Club, Otter Creek Audubon Society, and South Hero Land Trust, along with state parks staff.
More bailouts for nursing homes? Why Vermont has given millions to keep care centers afloat; Electric crew working scene of downed power line in Burlington
An anti-Israel umbrella organization comprised of socialist and pro-Palestinian advocacy groups wants five Vermont legislators to resign following their September junket to Israel.
Restricting parental choice in the name of empowerment.
The rapid rise in negative sentiment among young men—a group historically open to risk and digital gaming—suggests an experiential problem rather than a moral one.
Minnesota’s day care fraud reportedly stretches back to 2014, saw scammers leave U.S. with up to $1M a pop in cash; Ukraine launched 91 kamikaze drones at Putin’s state residence – Lavrov; MAHA backers refuse to stop pushing for healthier food as Obama-appointed judge deals blow
To hasten housing permits, lawmakers consider moving appeals out of a courtroom; VSP looking for man who tried to break into cars, damaged sign in Wells River; Snowy start to winter brings record weekend to Catamount Outdoor Center; Burlington community celebrates Kwanzaa
The release of a new digital initiative this week has brought renewed focus to a quiet but growing environmental crisis in Vermont’s most populous county: the salination of local waterways.
According to the Blue Cross campaign, a standard MRI scan at UVM Medical Center costs approximately $6,520 compared to $1,799 at an independent facility.
The state’s no-bail policies and a perceived “revolving door” justice system have left many residents and businesses feeling unprotected. Beyond the personal pain and financial hardship crime causes, there’s a broader economic toll: individuals, businesses, and even the state suffer under the weight of persistent crime.
While national elections draw the most attention, many of the most immediate impacts on Vermonters — particularly school spending and local taxes — are decided earlier in the year, often with less public awareness.
Nonprofit that helped combat loneliness in Rutland County to close; New online ‘toolkit’ offers Vermonters a how-to for disaster recovery; Killington opens new Skyeship gondola on Christmas Day
FBI did not believe it had probable cause to raid Mar-a-Lago for classified documents; FBI accused of ‘corrupting’ Epstein jail footage after his death, bombshell memo claims; Trump deploys troops and special ops aircraft to Caribbean as U.S. moves closer to war with Venezuela
The most transformative aspect of the newly adopted plan is the authorization of significantly taller buildings along the city’s major corridors.
My presentation on grass-fed meats.
Officers were called to the area of North Winooski Avenue and Grant Street at about 9:36 p.m. on Dec. 22 after receiving multiple reports of gunshots. Witnesses also reported seeing several people running from the area, police said.
AG Clark’s press releases often overstate her role in lawsuits led by bigger states. Yet, a 2025 ruling requires Vermont to join them to secure federal funds.
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations began an investigation after learning Reginald Adam Velasquez, 33, attempted to buy a Glock .40-caliber pistol from a federally licensed gun dealer in Barre on Nov. 14, court records show. He listed his Bradford address on the form and not the more recent Barre residence, records show.
The real solution is to reduce current education spending and put in place mechanisms that apply downward pressure on future spending. Many of the components of Act 73 do this, the governance changes are intended to reduce administrative overhead, class size minimums will reduce instructional overhead, and a statewide foundation formula will provide the mechanism for downward pressure on future spending.
Brandon thrift store funds new town solar projects with $50,000 donation; Garneau Family Lights collects 80+ toys for kids this holiday season; White House rebuffs Catholic bishops’ appeal for a Christmas pause in immigration enforcement; Adrian Dubois introduced as UVM men’s soccer head coach
People saw the Cardinals as a way to connect with loved ones and often purchased several at a time from Norton’s Gallery of Woodcarvings, Norton’s namesake gallery in Shoreham.
Originally introduced at the 1992 Rio Summit, Agenda 21 is an international action plan for sustainable development that aims to address the balance between human activity and environmental sustainability.
Another case of following sweet-looking tracks without paying heed to destination or daylight hours.
Vermont’s chilling record of winter women in white
Garnett: The State of Vermont cannot be responsible for private landholders’ issues
From Roosevelt Roads, Vermont’s F-35s can conduct missions deep into Venezuelan airspace and return without requiring aerial refueling, according to technical specifications
Washington Central Board Votes to Close Elementary Schools in Calais and Worcester; New MRPS Budget Projects 44% Tax Increase for Roxbury Residents; CLA to Blame; UVM Hospice Team holds “Honk and Wave” protest over contract negotiations
A defiant burst of last-minute Christmas shopping marked a turning point in Vermont retail history on this date, December 22, in 1979, when several major stores openly violated the state’s long-standing Sunday “blue laws.”
U.S. Senator Mike Lee of Utah has introduced legislation that would revive a long-dormant constitutional power: letters of marque and reprisal. In plain terms, the bill would allow the President of the United States—specifically President Trump, under this legislation—to authorize private American citizens and companies to seize cartel property and personnel outside U.S. borders, on land or at sea.
Business podcaster keynote at Chamber annual meeting; AI non-bank lender expands into Vermont
To fix our housing crisis, Jericho woman says attitudes need to change as much as zoning regulations
Most notable are the updated regulations referring to panfish and the use of baitfish. Additional changes can be found in the 2026 Fishing Guide & Regulations booklet available free from license agents and on Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website.
Stead gives End Homelessness Vermont address, and Bufka on being doers.
Vermont’s iconic ice cream maker faces governance crisis as corporate restructuring triggers legal battle over brand’s activist independence
The federal government added roughly $1.8 trillion to the now $38 trillion national debt in fiscal year 2025. While net interest on the debt totaled $970 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the federal government’s net interest payments exceeded $1 trillion for the first time.
Stephen A. Lane, 56, who operates Single Needle Acupuncture on Battery Street, appeared in federal court with his two defense lawyers on Friday for arguments on why he should be released to the community pending trial.
Planned Parenthood and other abortion service providers have long benefited from public funding of life-ending procedures for pregnant women seeking to terminate their pregnancies. After Roe v Wade was overturned, panic in blue states went into hyperdrive, not just to support abortions but to attack those who offer mothers an alternative. Privately funded pregnancy centers help women who wish to keep their babies by providing diapers, baby bottles, instruction, and moral support.
When Federal promises meet property tax reality
Police were called to the area at about 11:39 a.m. on Dec. 20 after a family member reported their daughter may have been assaulted by her partner, Khalil Young, 28, and was possibly unable to leave the residence. The caller also reported that the partner was threatening to harm himself with a firearm in front of her.
Judge throws out Vermont’s lawsuit against facial recognition software firm Clearview AI; Two Vermont soccer stars drafted by Major League Soccer teams; Candlelight vigil held for International Migrants Day in downtown Burlington; Vermont Emergency Management prepares for possible power outages with high winds and heavy rain projected today
Last year’s Danville eighth grade class saw 13 out of the 30 students choose another school. In 2023, another mass migration of eighth graders occurred
Tuesday, December 16, the halls of the Vermont State Capitol were filled with light and song as the community gathered for the annual Hanukkah celebration. A tradition for the last 15 years, the event serves as a public declaration of religious freedom and communal resilience.
Douglas Reynolds, 37, tried to outrun the marshals service in his black Volkswagen Jetta at speeds over 100 miles per hour, but eventually ran out of gasoline in Ryegate during the pursuit on Oct. 24, 2024, officials said.
The Naval Support Facility in Thurmont, Maryland, more commonly known as Camp David, does not appear to be getting the same level of use it once did.
Morgan Walker Brown died peacefully surrounded by love on Tuesday December 16th. A person of enduring determination and wise compassion, to the very end he used his prose and his voice to advocate for people in need. Morgan inspired many to follow in his example of empathy, kindness, and compassion.
