By Rep. Jim Harrison, Bridgewater, Chittenden, Killington & Mendon Last Friday a vaccine rollout plan for all Vermonters over 16 was detailed that Governor Scott believes can help the state re-open this summer. He even suggested that life in Vermont hopefully could return to normal by the Fourth of July. However, the ticket to that…

Over 4 out of 5 also want it updated to cover more containers Vermont’s bottle bill is not only one of the state’s most successful environmental programs, having recycling more than 10 billion containers since 1972, it also may be the most popular. The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) released new statewide polling data…

The deadline for Vermont personal income tax filings for tax year 2020 has been extended from April 15 to May 17 in alignment with the federal due date change announced by the IRS last week. This extension means taxpayers can file their 2020 Vermont personal income tax, and pay any tax owed, by May 17 without penalties…

By Amanda Gokee/VTDigger With health concerns mounting about PFAS chemicals, the Legislature is moving to restrict the sale of consumer products that contain that class of chemical. The Senate voted Friday to approve that step; now, the House will consider the measure. S.20 would restrict PFAS — perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl — in consumer products sold…

“The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes,” a new report released March 18, by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), finds a national shortage of nearly 7 million affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income (ELI) renter households, those with incomes at or below the poverty level or 30% of their Area Median…

Bill would make the popular mailed ballots policy permanent for all general elections in Vermont The Vermont Senate gave approval last week to legislation that will make permanent the policy that was put in place as an emergency measure in 2020 to mail all active registered voters a ballot for the general election. In addition…

Over $1.9 million will soon be available from the Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC)’s Green Schools Initiative to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution entering Lake Champlain via public school grounds. The Green Schools Initiative offers funding and technical assistance to help public schools and state colleges meet the three-acre general permit stormwater regulation. “In…

  By Lola Duffort/VTDigger The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidelines for distancing in K-12 schools on Friday, March 19, likely paving the way for much more full-time, in-person instruction in Vermont. For now, the state recommends that schools keep children in K-5 grades 3 feet apart, and older students…

Will Rutland again be designated as a resettlement site? By Kit Norton/VTDigger Gov. Phil Scott is calling on the federal government to resettle more refugees in Vermont, describing it as integral to his plans to grow the state’s economy and workforce. Scott wrote to the U.S. Dept. of State on Monday, March 15, urging the…

The Vermont Dept. of Public Service announced two pre-draft public hearings on the 10-year telecommunications plan. The plan will provide an overview of statewide growth and development as it relates to future requirements for telecommunications services, including patterns of urban expansion, statewide and service area economic growth, shifts in transportation modes, economic development, technological advances,…

Attorney General T.J. Donovan and Secretary of State Jim Condos are warning Vermont businesses that a Florida-based company, Centurion Filing Services, LLC, calling itself VT Certificate Service, is mailing businesses a request for payment for a “certificate of good standing.” The mailing—which looks like a bill requesting a “fee” of $87.50—has the recipient’s information pre-printed…

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is asking Vermonters to report when lakes and ponds lose their ice cover, also known as the “ice-out date.” Once a lake or pond is completely free of ice from shore to shore, DEC scientists can begin their spring water quality sampling efforts. The ice-out data also helps scientists…

Bipartisan bill makes critical reforms and provides at least $250 million to support recreational trails U.S. Representatives Peter Welch (D-Vt) and John Curtis (R-Utah) reintroduced legislation that will more than double funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) on March 11.  Since 1991, the RTP has provided funding to states to develop and maintain outdoor…

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) March 9  introduced legislation to connect every household in America with high-speed broadband service capable of supporting remote schooling, online businesses and remote work, telehealth appointments, and entertainment streaming. The most recent Federal Communications Commission Broadband Deployment Report indicates that 18 million people lack access to broadband service. The Vermont Dept.…

H.128, an act relating to limiting criminal defenses based on victim identity, colloquially referred to as “gay panic,” passed in the Vermont Statehouse 144-1 on March 11. The single "Nay" vote came from Rep. Rodney Graham (R-Orange-1), of Williamstown. The bill was introduced by Rep. Mari Codes and Rep. Taylor Small, and co-sponsored by 24…