Rep. Sibilia: October 13th 2025 update

Dear friends and neighbors,

This is us – just before we got married at the turn of the century!

TJ and I have been spending time getting ready for winter, checking in on family, and taking pleasure in harvesting from our garden. We are also making plans to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in November! I can’t believe how quickly the years have gone by.

This time of year always brings a sense of anticipation. The shorter, cooler days remind us that the holidays, winter, and the next legislative session are just around the corner.

Many of you have reached out about the closure of Mount Snow’s child care center. My own kids spent years there, and I share your concern and appreciation for how deeply this affects working families, local employers, and our region.

I’ve asked to meet with Mount Snow and any group interested in finding solutions for our area. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reach out and share your experiences.

Education and School District Redistricting

Vermont’s School District Redistricting Task Force is continuing its work under Act 73. Regional listening sessions are scheduled so Vermonters can weigh in on draft approaches to new district maps:

Leland & Gray High School, Townshend – Thursday, October 16 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Oxbow High School, Bradford – Friday, October 10 | 4:30–6:30 PM
Rutland High School, Rutland – Wednesday, October 22 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Winooski High School, Winooski – Tuesday, October 28 | 6:00–8:00 PM

All sessions include virtual options. Because of the Leland & Gray session, Wardsboro office hours on October 16 are canceled so I can join in that meeting.

To help explain the Task Force’s charge and timeline, the Speaker’s Office has released a short video overview of Act 73 and what this process could mean for Vermont schools and communities:
Understanding Act 73: Vermont’s Education Redistricting Process

You can also read this recent oped by the governor: Gov. Phil Scott: “Our opportunity to fix Vermont’s education system is now.”

Act 181: Tier 3 Rules and Mapping

The Land Use Review Board has released a second draft of the Tier 3 rules and updated maps for public comment. These rules decide where Act 250 review applies, shaping how and where homes and businesses can be built across Vermont.

Last week, members of the Rural Caucus met with the Board to learn how to review and interpret the new maps. We are meeting again this week to discuss how things are going and how we can best engage and support a fair and transparent process.

Public meetings will be held from October 21–29, with both in-person and virtual options. Two that may be most convenient for southern Vermonters are:

October 22 – Rutland: Rutland Regional Planning Commission, 16 Evelyn Street (2nd floor)
October 29 – Windsor: Selectboard Meeting Room, 29 Union Street

Each meeting runs from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.
You can find the draft rules, updated Tier 3 map viewer, and meeting links here: Tier 3 Rulemaking and Report | Act 250

A good development: The latest draft includes new Tier 3 exemptions to simplify permitting for small or routine projects when your land is identified in Tier 3, like:

Construction within 50 feet of existing structures
Small structures (200 sq. ft. or less)
Water or wastewater improvements for existing buildings
Road or utility work within 50 feet of existing roads, driveways, or rail lines
Maintenance of existing trails

You can also review the presentation being used at the October public meetings here: Tier 3 October Public Meetings Presentation (PDF)

This overview is helpful for understanding the process but does not include details about the automatic Act 250 jurisdiction tied to elevation or the “road rule,” which affects most of rural Vermont. As this process moves ahead, I will continue to advocate for fairness, notice, and transparency. Every landowner should be notified if Act 250 jurisdiction on their property changes, and local assessors need clear guidance to reflect those changes in property valuations.

John Lewis Youth Leadership Award

Nominations for the 2025 John Lewis Youth Leadership Award are open through November 14, 2025. Nominate a young leader here.

Created in 2021 by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), this award honors the extraordinary legacy of Congressman John Lewis. It recognizes young people 25 years or younger who have shown leadership, courage, and a commitment to improving life in their communities.

If you know a young Vermonter who leads with integrity and service, please consider nominating them.

Guard Deployments and Constitutional Questions

The federal shutdown is beginning to affect Vermonters, from delayed flood insurance renewals to Guard members being sent into cities.

Last week, Governor Phil Scott called President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to American cities “unconstitutional.” Watch his remarks here.

In testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Maj. Gen. William Enyart (USA, Ret.), former Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard and former U.S. Representative, described the trust that holds the Guard, its leaders, and the nation together:

“When soldiers are defending our nation or helping their neighbors recover from disaster, they accept the sacrifices. But when they are bagging trash in Washington, D.C., they lose trust, and worse, their families and employers lose trust. It took a generation for the Guard to recover from the stain of Guardsmen shooting and killing college students at Kent State. We are one trigger pull away from another such tragedy. Do not let it happen. National Guard forces are for real emergencies, not a bandage for long-standing problems that demand long-term solutions.”

These words were spoken in defense of our citizen soldiers, men and women who live and work in our communities, leave their jobs and families when duty calls, and carry both the pride and sacrifice of that service.

It takes courage to speak up when the line between lawful command and political misuse of military force is crossed.

It is appropriate and necessary for service members to find it difficult to question orders. The discipline that defines military service protects our nation . Every soldier swears “to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic” and “to obey the orders of the President of the United States and the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.” Those words commit soldiers to lawful orders and to the Constitution.

The last time a president overrode a governor’s authority over National Guard troops was during the civil rights era in the 50s and 60s, when Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy federalized state Guards to enforce court orders protecting the constitutional rights of Black Americans.

Sending Guard troops from one state into another without that state’s consent has never happened in modern American history, until last week, when Texas Guard were sent to Illinois over that state’s objection. That action is at odds with the Constitution and with the trust that keeps our citizen soldiers serving their own communities and lawful missions.

Peaceful Protest and Local “No Kings” Events – October 18

Vermonters who want to exercise their right to peaceful protest have been invited by organizers to “No Kings” events which will take place on Saturday, October 18, in Wilmington (10:00 AM – 12:00 PM) and Brattleboro (1:00 – 2:30 PM)

There is also a small but consistent and dedicated protest in Jamaica every Saturday at 2:00 PM, where residents gather to express their commitment to democracy.

If you plan to attend, please remember:

Stay peaceful and respectful.
Follow local instructions from law enforcement and organizers.
Know your rights and your responsibilities.
Keep your phone charged and your location shared with a friend if attending alone.

Strong communities and civic courage are how we protect democracy.

Privacy and Digital Rights: “People vs. Big Tech” Workshops

From my last newsletter, the statewide People vs. Big Tech: Vermont series continues. I’ll be attending the session in Brattleboro.

Manchester – Wednesday, October 22 | 4:30–6:00 PM | Community Library
Brattleboro – Tuesday, October 28 | 7:30–9:00 PM | Brooks Memorial Library

These sessions include expert briefings, open conversations, and steps Vermonters can take to protect themselves and advocate for stronger privacy laws. Please join us.

Freedom of Movement & Privacy

When a Texas sheriff used data from 83,000 cameras to track down a woman for getting an abortion, it revealed how easily surveillance tools can be turned against personal freedom. That kind of search could reach into any state – including Vermont – unless we act.

The good news is Vermont lawmakers already have a solution. S.71, as proposed to be amended by the House Commerce Committee on May 30, 2025, would close this surveillance gap by protecting location and mobility data linked to reproductive care. It’s time to pass it in Vermont this year.

In every Vermont town, a majority of voters have supported protecting and ensuring women’s reproductive health. We need laws that keep up and show those values. Please reach out to your Senators and Representatives – and to the Governor – to share why this matters to you.

Federal Shutdown and Flood Insurance

A recent Joint Fiscal Office brief outlines broader shutdown impacts on Vermont programs and the economy. You can read it here: Impacts of a Federal Shutdown — JFO Issue Brief (PDF)

With the federal government shutdown, authorization for the National Flood Insurance Program has lapsed. Existing policies that do not expire during the shutdown remain in effect and claims can still be paid, but new policies, renewals, and coverage increases cannot be issued until reauthorization — delaying some real estate closings that require flood coverage.

Resilience Implementation Strategy

Vermont has released a Resilience Implementation Strategy with more than 300 actions to help towns prepare for flooding, heat, drought, and wildfire smoke.

Public meetings to prioritize which actions should be implemented first will be held on:

October 23 at noon
October 27 at 6:00 PM

Learn more and explore actions here: ANR: State Identifies Climate Resilience Priorities

Phone problems

I’m sorry to still have to share this information I first posted 7 years ago, but I still am getting regular outreach about problems with phone service in parts of our district that have not been built out by DVFiber. If you experience problems with your landline telephone service, these steps can help you open and escalate a repair ticket: