Peter Hirschfeld
ReporterHelp shape my reporting:
The Vermont Statehouse is often called the people’s house. I am your eyes and ears there. I keep a close eye on how legislation could affect your life; I also regularly speak to the people who write that legislation. The more I hear from you, the better I’ll be at my job. So, what issues do you want lawmakers to focus on? What info do you most urgently need?
I'm eager to hear from you. Get in touch using the form below:
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About Peter:
Peter Hirschfeld covers state government and the Vermont Legislature. He is based in Vermont Public’s Capital Bureau located across the street from Vermont’s Statehouse.
Hirschfeld is a Vermont journalist who has covered the Statehouse since 2009, most recently as bureau chief for the Rutland Herald and Times Argus. He began his career in 2003, working as a local sports reporter and copy editor at the Times Argus.
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Capital City Farmers Market leaders and market vendors plan to ask members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture to help them reclaim their spot at 133 State Street, which suffered severe flood damage last July and is scheduled to undergo major construction this summer.
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Republican Gov. Phil Scott endorsed the former South Carolina governor and Republican presidential candidate last month.
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The spending bill attempts to preserve housing for most of the Vermonters living in state-subsidized motel rooms, but advocates worry a new cap on rates could lead motel owners to withdraw from the program. The bill would also send millions in funding to municipalities recovering from the July 2023 floods.
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At a press conference Tuesday, lawmakers announced their decision to sign a letter calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. More than 150 people also joined at the Statehouse to rally in support of the decision.
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Volatility in global markets and industry consolidation have forced the people who work the land to seek out new business models, and those workers say a 54-year-old land-use statute is stunting the innovation needed to keep the agriculture and wood products sectors alive.
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The systems have been down at Change Healthcare, which operates the pharmacy claims system for Vermont’s Medicaid program, since last week. The Department of Vermont Health Access is “confident” that the breach did not any impact any systems run directly by the state.
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Vermont hospitals are seeing an increase in long-term patients due to a lack of placement options, like residential care facilities. In some instances, as hospitals fill up, it's delaying care for people with serious medical needs.
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Vermont has to submit a final list of proposed projects to FEMA by the end of 2024. The private contractors should help speed up the application process for municipalities.
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Research shows that low-income Americans are statistically less likely to vote than their higher-income counterparts.
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The Vermont chapter of the ACLU says Commissioner of Health Dr. Mark Levine violated the state’s open meeting law when he unilaterally bypassed a recommendation from Vermont’s Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee to allocate $2.6 million toward overdose prevention centers.