Good evening!

The 2024 session adjourned after 1 am on May 13th. A veto session is scheduled for mid June – if necessary.

Governor Scott has indicated he may veto several bills, including the Yield Bill which determines statewide property tax rates after factoring in locally voted on budgets in addition to increases or decreases in state and federal revenues. Other bills that may be subjected to a veto are River Corridors, Act 250/housing bill and modernization of Vermont’s existing Renewable Energy Standard which is a carefully negotiated consensus update between Vermont’s 20 regulated electric utilities and public, environmental and industry interests.

S.213, the River Corridors bill would place the state in charge of mapping river corridors and enforcing permitting within those areas. A river corridor can be different then the federally mapped flood zone. which identifies areas that have the highest risk of flooding through periodic updates. FEMA maintains and updates data through flood maps and risk assessments. River corridors are not merely where water rises during flooding; they are the place where the violence of moving water causes the most destruction. For towns across Vermont, and small towns in particular, navigating flood regulations can be overwhelming. Balancing protection with practical considerations is not an easy task.

I voted to support S.213 after securing an agreement with the Agency of Natural Resources to review Act 250 and wetlands permitting costs, in order to explore the possibility of waiving or reducing fees in specific instances. My goal is to try to prevent unintentional gentrification as a result of expensive permitting put in place to protect Vermont’s people, natural resources and species.

H.687, the Act 250/Housing bill has also been a topic of major debate this session and may be the target of a veto. As it moved through committee and the House, I helped lead Rural Caucus members in proposing amendments and ultimately voting no in the House over a number of concerns related to the bills impact on rural Vermont. The bill returned from the Senate with additional housing incentives, and the appeals process for Act 250 permits returned to the courts, contrary to the House’s proposal to shift it to the Natural Resources Board. This was a major sticking point for the Rural Caucus.

Following the anticipated veto session, I’ll provide a more comprehensive assessment of the session’s outcomes.

In addition to these ongoing legislative issues, we’re hearing many announcements from those who won’t seek reelection. In the Valley, Tristan Roberts and Brian Campion have decided not to run for office. If you’re interested in running for those seats, now is the time to explore candidacy. Petitions to run in the Republican or Democratic partisan primaries need to be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Independents have more flexibility, as they don’t participate in party primaries and petitions to run as an independent need to be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 8, 2024

I have my petitions for re-election and will be out in the community this weekend seeking signatures. After the veto session, I’ll make a formal announcement regarding my re-election campaign.

Thank you for your engagement and trust.