Vermont Legislature

A first-in-the-nation policy that seeks to reduce the amount of fossil fuels Vermonters use to heat their homes would add an estimated 58 cents per gallon to the cost of heating fuel over the next 10 years, according to a report issued by the Public Utility Commission.

People with incomes under $50,000 and couples with incomes under $65,000 do not pay state taxes on their benefits. A bipartisan effort at the Statehouse wants to raise those income exemption levels.

Republican Gov. Phil Scott will introduce legislation that would create clearer legal standards for when a defendant can be held without bail. He said the provision will address a practice that his administration has coined “catch and release.”

In his fifth inaugural address, Scott framed the latest election results as a clear mandate — and he telegraphed big plans for Vermont's schools.

Thursday’s election was an unusual but not unprecedented event. Rodgers beat Zuckerman in the November elections, but because neither won more than 50% of the vote, the state Constitution required lawmakers to name a winner.

Gov. Phil Scott delivered his fifth inaugural address on Jan. 9, 2025. Watch the full recording or read the transcript here.

Jill Krownski was elected to a third session leading the House of Representatives, defeating a independent challenger. The leader of the Senate, Phil Baruth, also retained his seat as president pro tempore.

Here are the moments that caught our eye as lawmakers gathered in the Vermont Statehouse to begin the session.

The road to getting anything big accomplished this year in Montpelier is going to require collaboration between Democrats and Republicans. Here are some of the key issues to watch.

Where Vermont gets its energy, and how many tons of greenhouse gas emissions it generates, will be one of the most pressing policy questions for lawmakers and the governor when they return to Montpelier on Wednesday.