A bill intended to be union-friendly “exemplifies how trying to regulate speech is a double-edged sword that creates unintended consequences,” an advocacy group says.

Vermont lawmakers are seeking to give workers increased protections when it comes to collective bargaining and union organizing through a bill that has passed in the Senate with a number of changes since it was introduced. 

The House overrode Gov. Scott’s veto of S.5, despite warnings of unfairly penalizing rural Vermonters and supporting the natural gas industry.

Six Democrats and every Republican voted against S.39. Roll call provided.

A poll conducted last week shows Vermonters oppose S.5 – especially if it increases home heating fuel prices.

S.5 clears its highest hurdle – the veto override vote in the Vermont Senate.

The S.5 veto override will come before the House later this week.

Spending thousands of dollars on a new heat pump or paying more for heating fuel “doesn’t seem like much of a choice to me,” Scott said.

It’s not the most discussed feature of this year’s housing bill, but the ban on town restrictions of homeless housing may have highly visible consequences.

Gov. Scott has vetoed S.5, the carbon emissions reduction bill he says punishes rather than helps Vermonters, and has a confusing and contradictory check-back provision.

As a result of Pres. Donald Trump’s appointment of three conservative Supreme Court justices, Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman said. “We are seeing the traditional institutional norms and balance and respect for the system being completely upended by a tyrannical minority.”

If Gov. Phil Scott vetoes S.5, what happens then is a toss-up and will decide whether S.5 becomes law or just the latest in a string of failed forced carbon emissions reduction bills. 

There is a high likelihood that whatever the PUC creates and brings back to the legislature, they will likely say is too well calibrated and complicated to adjust for whatever the legislature doesn’t like.

H.66 includes up to 12 weeks of paid safe leave for sexual and domestic violence survivors.

The average, rank and file lawmaker would receive an ESTIMATED pay and benefits package worth about $52,000 if S.39 becomes law.

Act 250 has its roots in Vermonters’ backlash to the civil rights movements of the 1960’s, and in practice has stopped would-be landowners of color from developing generational wealth, a Starksboro Democrat said.

In addition to a big base pay hike, S.39 would give lawmakers $200/week adjournment pay, child care support, $69 in daily food money, and much more.

It makes both fiscal and environmental sense to budget now for the small state share in multi-year federally-funded water quality and roads programs, Sen. Randy Brock says – but House Dems won’t do it.

A big legislative pay hike and hefty benefits package are on tomorrow’s Senate agenda.

A bill prohibiting biologically-male transgender students from playing school sports designated for girls or women has been introduced into the Vermont Legislature – and immediately labeled as “hate” by transgender activists.

The Vermont House of Representatives voted to give $16 million of state funds to the new BHS demolition and construction project and rejected a lawmaker’s request for a refund if Burlington wins its suit against Monsanto.

The bill sets goals for conserving 30 percent of Vermont’s total land area and waters by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050. This would include all state, federal, municipal and private lands.  

The optimistic name is gone, but the controversial contents remain: S.5 is now in the House.

“Anybody who was ever in the military or the Boy Scouts probably has marched to that song,” lead sponsor John Arrison said yesterday.

Like baby sea turtles that must run a gauntlet of predators before escaping into the sea, hundreds of bills in the Vermont General Assembly face legislative ‘death’ this week – at least for this year.

These products pose increased health risks for women because they are used in close proximity to skin tissue that can more readily absorb chemicals.

The Party of Equity decided it’s not an issue when it comes to deceptive contraceptive practices, Republicans charged Friday.

The chair of the Cannabis ‘Control’ Board is taking the marijuana industry’s side on raising the THC potency cap. A medical advocate said, “We know that we are speaking against an industry, and this is a billion-dollar industry, and similar to big tobacco they’re huge and it’s very difficult for lawmakers to vote against them. It’s very difficult for people to not want that revenue.”

A strong supporter of Vermont’s renewable power industry has introduced a bill to require utilities to buy less and less power from Hydro-Quebec every year.

This year’s big Climate Bill now has a required two-year study.

Rodent’s posteriors came into play in a lively committee discussion about a condom stealth bill.

Love and marriage won’t go together like a horse and carriage for Vermont teenagers. But at the school meals will be free (for them) and DMV won’t suspend anyone’s driver’s license for not paying a speeding ticket.

Senators spar over the costs, straightforwardness, and even the name of the controversial Affordable Heating Act (AHA).

Bills to repeal state law prohibiting prostitution and disorderly conduct and mushroom hallucinogen have been introduced into the Vermont House.

S.5, the Affordable Heating Act, goes to the ‘how much will it cost the taxpayer’ committee this afternoon.

Youth leaving foster care often struggle on their own. A Windsor County senator wants the State to provide them with a monthly stipend.

Two epihanies, actually. A senator admits the Senate doesn’t do things to help poor people, but must save the world instead. And, there just aren’t enough workers to weatherize, etc. enough to meet self-imposed carbon reduction mandates.

Recent laws have improved telehealth, but improvements could be made, a recent study says.

A Senate bill would deliver what the holy grail to Vermont abortion providers: free abortions to all, required to be paid for by Medicaid and private health insurance.