State News

Governor Phil Scott June 27 signed H.480, among other amendments, to education law. The bill includes a “phone-free” in schools policy that has received wide support in Vermont and nationally. When signing H.480, an act relating to miscellaneous amendments to education law, Gov. Scott issued the following statement: “This bill includes many technical changes but…

On June 25, Governor Phil Scott held a ceremony to sign S.51, An act relating to Vermont income tax exclusions and tax credits, into law. He was joined by members of the Legislature, current and former members of the military, and other supporters of the bill. In addition to exempting military retirement income up to $125,000 from state…

By Corey McDonald/VTDigger Two members of the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Vermont, including the commission’s chair, announced last week they would be resigning, saying they no longer believed their efforts would make any impact. Meagan Roy, the chair of the commission, and Nicole Mace, the former representative of the Vermont School Boards…

In the midst of 2020 Covid measures, another change took place in Vermont: A law went into effect banning businesses from offering plastic bags to customers, with paper bags only available for a fee. A 2023 analysis of a survey of hundreds of Vermonters found the law appeared to have worked. Plastic bag use in…

The Vermont Legislature adjourned Monday evening, June 16, following the passage of H.454, the education reform plan. I call it a roadmap as the legislation lays out a list of changes that will take place over the next few years. And as various studies and reports come back in, there will also likely be adjustments,…

Attorney General Charity Clark announced June 16 that all 55 attorneys general, representing all eligible states and U.S. territories, have agreed to sign on to a $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family. This settlement was reached after the previous settlement was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. It resolves…

More Vermonters than ever now qualify for free tuition at the Community College of Vermont (CCV), thanks to a major expansion of the 802Opportunity program. The initiative, led by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) in partnership with CCV, now offers full tuition coverage to Vermonters with household incomes of up to $100,000—doubling the previous…

By Charlotte Oliver/VTDigger Starting July 1, a new law is set to expand unpaid parental leave for Vermonters — and for the first time, guarantee employees can take off work after the death of a family member. It also defines family relationships more broadly under the law, naming its intention to equitably include LGBTQ+ Vermonters.  The law is…

Vermont Foodbank applauded the work of the Legislature and Governor Phil Scott for the passage and signing of bill H.167, into law on May 27 creating Act 34 of 2025 to establish a Vermonters Feeding Vermonters grant program at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. With food and economic insecurity increasing in recent years, this commitment will help…

By Joshua Brown, UVM Editor’s note: This story is via Community News Service in partnership with Vermont State University Castleton. A new UVM-led study shows that wildlife underpass tunnels dramatically reduce deaths of frog, salamanders and other amphibians migrating across roads. Frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians around the world face mounting threats from a devastating fungus,…

As lawmakers and the governor continue to insist on “doing something” about education before the end of next week, the state’s largest union will begin training educators to become elected officials. “Nobody knows the needs of students and those who work in our schools better than my fellow educators,” said Don Tinney, a high school English teacher…

By Polly Mikula and Ethan Weinstein/VTDigger The Vermont Legislature on Monday, June 16, passed the year’s landmark education reform package, setting in motion years of transformation to the state’s public school and property tax systems.  The governor is expected to sign the bill, H.454, this week. The bill promises to radically alter Vermont’s education funding and…

Congress is considering massive cuts to Medicaid that could devastate healthcare providers. Hospitals in Vermont would see a $1.5 billion reduction in spending over the next decade under the budget reconciliation proposal passed by the House of Representatives that the Senate is now considering, according to a new analysis from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute. …

Vermont’s Alpine and cross-country ski areas joined industry partners, supporters, and friends at Ski Vermont’s 56th annual meeting at Sugarbush Resort, June 4-5, recapping a season of continued growth despite challenges. Vermont’s Alpine ski areas reported 4.16 million skier visits for the 2024–25 season, an increase of 1.1% over the previous year and 6.2% over…

By Corey McDonald/VTDigger The White River Valley Supervisory Union last week moved to withdraw its membership from the Vermont School Boards Association, highlighting deep divisions among the state’s school districts and supervisory unions over the trajectory of education reform. The White River Valley board’s decision marks an overt break in unity with a prominent advocacy organization…