Vermont Legislature

Lawmakers are responding to a state Supreme Court decision that raised fears farmers would be subject to a patchwork of local laws.

Dozens of protesters accused state and local police of using excessive force and helping federal immigration agents facilitate the detention of three people from a house in South Burlington last month.

Family caregivers delivered more than $1 trillion worth of unpaid care to older adults and people with disabilities in the United States, according to a new report. The findings carry particular weight in Vermont, where 25% of the adults are family caregivers.

The House Committee on Ways and Means has agreed to vote on legislation this year that would increase state income taxes by 3% on household income over $500,000 a year, and by an additional 2% on income over $1 million.

Act 181 and its ecological conservation measures emerged from this week’s Senate debates delayed but intact. Heated debates are likely to continue in the House.

Demonstrators contended that the law’s conservation aims amount to an infringement on property rights in rural areas of Vermont.

The legislation would allow Vermonters to opt out of a global data industry that generates hundreds of billions of dollars annually from the from the sale of their phone numbers, location histories, political affiliations, biometric data and other information.

Buying down property taxes with one-time money comes with the risk of creating a spike the following cycle. But Gov. Phil Scott has indicated he'll pressure Democrats to use even more one-time cash to lower next year's property taxes.

One said Hooper massaged her in a committee room. Another claimed he pulled her in for a kiss at an election night party. A third said he grabbed her and began dancing with her in the Statehouse cafeteria.

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