Vermont Legislature

The Chittenden County Democrat reflects on his years in state government and shares his priorities for the rest of this legislative session.

The Vermont legislature hits a key deadline for the session. Plus, Senate Minority leader Scott Beck discusses his party's priorities.

With a key legislative deadline looming, lawmakers raced to get key policy bills out of committees this week.

House Speaker Jill Krowinski announced Hooper’s exit from the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs early Friday morning in an email to House lawmakers. Hooper told Vermont Public he has since informed Krowinski of plans to resign from office on Monday.

The 2024 land-use overhaul is scheduled to begin taking effect this summer, and some farmers and rural Vermonters are sounding an alarm.

The proposal, which seeks to protect Vermonters against discrimination, now goes to the Vermont House where it received strong support two years ago. If approved by the House, it would be put to voters in the November election.

The legislation would require Republican Gov. Phil Scott to vet the legality of federal mobilization orders, and to refuse any deployments that didn’t meet constitutional muster. But the governor, and many lawmakers, say the bill itself is illegal.

Clarkson helped negotiate a major deal last spring to create a new financing program for infrastructure. In retirement, she wants to help reestablish a culinary institute in Vermont.

Most of the school budget defeats on Tuesday came in lower-income districts, and education officials are worried about a widening economic gap "between the haves and the have nots."

Legislative leaders hope new projections for property tax growth over the next three years will breathe life into foundering education reform negotiations.