The legislature and the majority as a whole have reached a pivotal point where they will have to decide whether or not they want to attempt to implement the CHS by increasing taxes in fees or if they instead want to incentive the switch the energy transition with tax-breaks and “carrots,” Beck explained.

Higley speculated “the reason House Republicans might want to introduce a bill to repeal Act 18 is to ensure they are out ahead of the curve and that they can point to that directly opposed to the CHS.”

“We have a lot of crises we’re facing at the same time and our climate is one of them.”

Even Democrat senators with a track record of forwarding aggressive carbon reduction legislation are publicly panning the chances of success for the Clean Heat Standard.

Democrats/Progressives “strongly support legalization” by 62%, with 14% opposed, and two-thirds of Republicans are against.

The cost of implementing the Clean Heat Standard only applies to those who won’t install clean heat or weatherize, the lawmaker from Calais says.

Next year is not an election year, and will likely see another look at a controversial legislative pay hike bill.

In Vermont, the Legislature this year passed PR.3, enshrining the right to collective bargaining into the state constitution.

Of the 295 candidates sent the poll, only three said they would proceed with the Clean Heat Standard.

Soon after Vermont’s bill became law in May, New York legislators voted to pass their own measure. But their governor, too, may veto the bill.

Information on their electoral status will be added to this spreadsheet later this week.

Breaking news: House overrides vetoes on Act 250 reform, property tax hike, and safe injection site. More override votes to come….

The bill states that a parent shall not “monitor the online activity of a minor consumer or to track the location of the minor consumer without providing a conspicuous signal to the minor consumer when the minor consumer is being monitored or tracked.”

Safe injection sites’, Act 250, and renewable power mandates and more were vetoed by Gov. Phil Scott. Will the Legislature override?

Supporters say it will spur much-needed housing construction, but critics (including Gov. Scott) say H.687 will do the opposite.

Activists and a legislator to speak at rally Saturday about veto session Monday.

This ‘first in the nation’ bill prevents police and other authorities from enforcing drug laws at centers where drug addicts could get high.

Scott lets Ghost Gun bill pass without, signature, signs bail reform and youthful violent/drug offender law.

“Sometimes the Legislature focuses so much on their goals they don’t consider the unintended consequences. And the reality is, there are almost always some negative consequences as the result of new policies,” Scott said.

The Wealth Tax passed the House but not the Senate this year. One tax hike that went through with little notice: landline and postpaid wireless phone use taxes will be assessed differently and collect $3 million more new revenue.

Scott wonders how many legislators actually read, much less understood, the 60 bills passed in the final week.

A high-level overview of what the Legislature did on housing, public safety, and affordability.

On the last day of the 2024 session, the Vermont Legislature passed a state budget, school funding, Act 250 reform, and a slew of lesser-known bills.

He doesn’t like what he sees in housing and school funding legislation. On public safety and affordability, he sees a glass half full. 

Vermont aging school buildings need a $6 billion facelift – spending that would be above and beyond the burgeoning sum under fire by taxpayers.

“This is systemic racism, what we’re dealing with right here,” Hughes said. “I mean come on, we’re talking about now sending it back over to the Senate because one person who happens to be white and privileged came in and told you one thing about some civil liberties that could potentially be taken and you got a black man right here telling you about civil liberties that are currently at risk.”