The State House is an extraordinarily busy place at the moment. The Legislature is in the last month of its two-year 2023-24 Biennium. Which means, that if bills don’t pass in the next four weeks, they are “dead” until January 2025, when they can be re-introduced. So, for many issues and bills, this is crunch…

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) announced Wednesday, April 10, the recipients of more than $8.6 million in federal funds for municipal grant projects through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and Municipal Highways and Stormwater Mitigation Program. “These diverse projects will help continue to enhance and expand Vermont’s transportation infrastructure,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “Improvements to…

As spring brings forth ‘baby season’ for wildlife and companion animals, the Humane Society of the United States has offered the following recommendations on how to appropriately respond when encountering baby animals outside. Good Samaritans often come across young animals and wonder if they are in need of assistance. Whether individuals come across a litter of kittens…

Decades long declining enrollment forces closure April 9, Goddard College's Board of Trustees announced that despite decades of dedicated efforts to sustain the institution, they have ultimately arrived at the heart-wrenching decision to close the College’s doors. Facing financial insolvency, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to close at the end of the current semester, citing a…

  Governor Scott and the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) are celebrating the success of more than three years of the Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP) as DHCD launches VHIP 2.0. “The Vermont Housing Improvement Program has been incredibly successful and an essential tool expanding Vermont’s housing stock,” said Governor Scott. “By bringing existing…

  By Norah White, Community News Service Editor’s note: The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost. Lawmakers are trying again to pass a bill to replace the state’s expungement system with a more expansive process of…

On Friday, March 29 the Vermont Senate voted overwhelmingly (21-5) to advance S.259, the Climate Superfund Act, which would ensure that Vermonters are not left shouldering the full cost of climate disruption. Following another vote Tuesday, April 2, the bill will head to the House of Representatives for consideration. As Vermont continues to grapple with the…

The past few weeks at the State House have been anything but quiet. Last week, House leaders pushed through over $130 million in new taxes and fees alone for various spending priorities. The governor has not minced words as to what he views as the Legislature making Vermont unaffordable. A group of House Republicans suggested…

  The Legislature has now said “thank you and farewell” to our second set of Pages, which means we are more than halfway through our 2024 Session.  If you know a young person who will be in the 8th grade next year and is interested in how Vermont works, please suggest they consider serving as…

The Vermont House of Representatives achieved a historic milestone by unanimously passing H.121, an act relating to enhancing consumer privacy, with a resounding vote of 139-0. In a time where our every move, word, and heartbeat are incessantly documented by a myriad of devices, the urgency for comprehensive consumer data privacy laws has never been more…

Last Thursday, March 21, the Vermont House of Representatives passed H.289, to modernize Vermont’s renewable energy standard by a 99-39-11 vote. The bill would put Vermont on track to achieve 100% renewable electricity across all the state’s utilities by 2035, which would make Vermont only the second state to meet that critical benchmark, and would significantly…

By James Lyall, Editor’s note: James Lyall is the executive director of ACLU of Vermont. The people of Vermont want the best for our neighbors and our communities. Increasingly, those values are being undermined by the senseless actions of our governor. Last week, the Scott administration forcibly un-sheltered roughly 500 Vermonters who had been living…

By Budge Huskey Editor’s note: Budge Huskey is the president and CEO of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty. Last week the National Association of Realtors announced it had entered into a settlement agreement with the class actions plaintiffs in what is known as the Sitzer Burnett case, pending final approval by the court.  The basis of the suit…

  Middle and high school educators in Vermont interested in honing their personal finance teaching skills, or newcomers to the field, can attend a free, online, asynchronous course offered by the Center for Financial Literacy at Champlain College. This graduate-level course, which has been recognized by the White House, will give Vermont educators who complete…

  By Holly Sullivan, Community News Service  Editor’s note: The Community News Service is a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost. The Senate Committee on Education is revising a bill that aims to improve Vermont’s literacy rate — a number that’s been…