House committee steps back from looming school tax hike, while another committee advances renewable power bill that could cost ratepayers $1 billion.

Revenue for planning and implementing universal afterschool and summer programming will come from the legal sale of cannabis.

S.160 passes along the duty to pay the lost tax revenue from the municipal property taxpayers to all Vermont property taxpayers. 

The looming 20.5% property tax increase is impacting legislative and state budget decisions in the State House, as legislative leaders and Scott administration seek to save money – even threatening favored policy initiatives.

Cellphones in school are a source of distraction and bullying. Best to ban their use there, a Rutland County senator says.

Carbon credits for utilities using fossil fuels? A pro-nature, pro-biodiversity Act 250? No guns in public buildings? How about an additional property tax? House committees will consider them all this week.

Vermont is considering new auto theft bills.

A new bill would provide loan forgiveness to Vermont Law School graduates who pledge their services to the State.

A Vermont firearms policy expert warned that this bill could be used to suppress peaceful demonstrations.

Children 12 and over could receive treatment for STDs without parental consent if a bill under Senate committee review this week becomes law.

H721 also would increase DD reimbursement rates to health care providers.

“We need to shift our climate change strategy towards resiliency efforts – building dams, flood barriers, and other infrastructure to protect us from the impacts of climate change,” the petition urges the Legislature.

“The substance use disorder population has boomed since safe injection sites were started.”

An appointed state committee with influence on the reparations debate wants to meet without press and public physically present.

The House approved a bill that would give judges wider perameters for granting a relief from abuse order.

Supporters say the bill will reduce overdoses. “Passage of H.72 will make Vermont drug dealers very happy,” opponent and Rep. Art Peterson said.

Stores selling cats, dogs and ‘wolf-hybrids’ would be required to operate a shelter or adoption service for those animals, under a bill proposed last week.

Four Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill that would ban possession of so-called ‘assault weapons.’

Raw materials for the legislative sausage-making machine.

Property tax sticker shock, safe injection sites, and control over private schools are among the issues expected to engage lawmakers when the second half of the biennium opens tomorrow.

A bill aimed at reducing intergenerational poverty would invest $3,200 in long-term bonds for every Vermont baby born on Medicaid.

Support from migrant rights activists is competing with concerns about the legality of the proposed policy change and, from law enforcement, wariness about restrictions on their jobs.  

Repealing legal penalties for selling up to 149 milligrams of crack cocaine – almost twice the lethal amount of a single dose – is part of a drug abuse ‘harm reduction’ bill cited as a high priority at Saturday’s pre-session caucus of Democratic legislators. 

“Restorative justice isn’t restorative if it’s mandatory — if it’s being forced,” said Dolan. If one of the parties declines to participate, a community justice center can send a referred case back to the criminal system.

Lawmakers have a busy day planned at the State House this Thursday.

Lawmakers say photo-generative software can be used to blackmail victims by threatening to leak nude or sexual images of them. 

The Vermont House voted overwhelmingly to override Gov. Phil Scott’s vetoes of five bills. See how your representatives votes.

The Vermont Legislature won’t override Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of a controversial pay and benefit hike for all lawmakers.

Gov. Scott’s vetoes seek to restrain record spending and tinkering with municipal voter eligibility. Will the House override?

S.39 would give the next and every future Legislature a steep raise, plus adjournment pay, plus State of Vermont employee-level health care benefits, plus several other benefits; all told, about $50,000 per legislator. 

Despite objections from the Vermont press, the Vermont Legislature impeachment investigation committee will meet this week behind closed doors.

“This year, the General Assembly passed several pieces of legislation that will significantly increase costs for Vermonters through new and higher taxes, fees, and penalties. In my opinion, it does not seem fair for legislators to insulate themselves from the very costs they are imposing on their constituents by doubling their own future pay,” Scott said.

How did YOUR legislator vote on the big bills in Montpelier this year?

Gender identity would be a protected constitutional right under an amendment proposed on the last day of the 2023 legislative session.