Please see this statement from the Windham County Delegation related to the BMH Birthing Center

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Good evening friends and neighbors,

When the Legislature adjourns, I return to the year-round job I’ve been fortunate to hold throughout my time serving in Montpelier. That transition gives me the opportunity to reconnect every day with our region’s economy, municipalities and the people who call this part of Vermont home. It also gives me a chance to see how the decisions we make in Montpelier play out in real life.

Late Spring/early Summer is a welcome change of pace. I spend more time with TJ, work in my gardens, take long walks and think about what we accomplished – or didn’t, what we could do better and what comes next. This year, my post session reflection is also being shaped by my first visit to Gettysburg.

Serving as an independent is a manifestation for me of my sense that no one person, political party, or philosophy has all the answers. Some of the best work I’ve been part of has come from people who disagreed on many issues but shared a willingness to listen carefully, ask hard questions, and keep working toward common ground.

Gettysburg was a powerful place to reflect on that. Standing where Americans fought one another in one of the bloodiest battles in our nation’s history, I couldn’t help but think about the generations of loss, division, and rebuilding that followed. It reminded me just how precious our democratic institutions are and how important it is that we continue resolving our disagreements through elections, town meetings, our courts, and our legislatures while never losing sight of our common humanity.

How we govern is just as important as what we pass. I’m thinking less about individual bills and more about how we work together and make decisions together.

Over the past decade, we’ve lost some of our sense of community and willingness to come together. We spend more time online and less time in the community places where connection happen: libraries, schools, volunteer organizations, town meetings, community events, and around our neighbors’ kitchen tables. I believe rebuilding those local connections may be one of the most important things we can do for our communities and our democracy.

There is another reason I’ve appreciated these past few weeks.

The final days of the legislative session were busy, complicated, and at times more political than productive. I haven’t yet written about Governor Scott’s vetoes, the debates over data centers, energy and climate policy, or some of the procedural decisions that shaped the end of the session.

I’ve been taking the time to review what happened, and what lessons should be carried into next year. I’ll share those reflections in the coming weeks because I think they’re important to understanding where Vermont goes from here, and the work I hope to do going forward.

For now, I’m grateful for the chance to step into my work in the region, reconnecting with our communities, and spend more time listening than talking. That’s one of the reasons I value office hours so much, and I hope you’ll stop by this summer to share your thoughts, your questions, and your ideas.

Office Hours

One of my favorite parts of serving as your representative is hearing directly from constituents. Whether you have a question about legislation, a concern about state government, an idea worth exploring, or simply want to stop by and visit, I hope you’ll join me.

Please note that there will be no Dover office hours tomorrow on Saturday, July 4, because I’ll be at the Wardsboro Fourth of July Parade, one of my favorite community traditions. I hope to see many of you there!

Upcoming office hours through August:

• Saturday, July 4 – Dover Free Library (Cancelled – I’ll be at the Wardsboro Fourth of July Parade.)
• Wednesday, July 8, 6:00 p.m. – Jamaica Town Office (Second Wednesday of each month. Many thanks to Jamaica’s Tom Tolbert for helping establish these new office hours.)
• Thursday, July 16, 6:00 p.m. – Wardsboro Public Library (Cancelled – I’ll be with family for a milestone event)
• Saturday, August 1, 11:00 a.m. – Dover Free Library (First Saturday of each month.)
• Wednesday, August 12, 6:00 p.m. – Jamaica Town Office
• Thursday, August 20, 6:00 p.m. – Wardsboro Public Library(Third Thursday of each month.)

School Board Meetings

A reminder that our school boards and administrators are doing a lot of work, and can use community support and input right now especially. I plan to continue attending school board meetings throughout the summer to listen, answer questions when I can, and better understand how decisions made in Montpelier are affecting our schools.

When my schedule allows, you’ll find me at:

• River Valleys Unified School District (RVUSD): First and third Mondays of each month.
• West River Education District (WRED): Second Monday of each month.
• Windham Central Supervisory Union (WCSU): Fourth Wednesday of the month (when scheduled).

Whether you’re a parent, student, educator, taxpayer, or simply interested in the future of our publicly funded education system, I encourage you to attend. The implementation of this year’s education legislation will happen largely at the local level, and your voice is important.

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New Vermont Laws Taking Effect July 1

My last newsletter highlighted several bills the Governor had recently signed. Since then, July 1 has marked the beginning of Vermont’s new fiscal year, and with it a number of new laws have taken effect. Here are a few you may find interesting.

Portable Plug-in Solar (Act 149 / S.202)

Vermont has become one of the first states to authorize qualifying portable “plug-in” solar systems. Once UL-certified equipment becomes available in the United States, homeowners and renters will have another option to generate electricity without obtaining traditional Public Utility Commission approval. These systems are limited to 1,200 watts.

The legislation also includes important protections for landlords. Tenants must provide written notice before installing a qualifying system, landlords may impose reasonable conditions related to safety and property protection, and they cannot be required to pay for electrical upgrades. If a landlord does not respond within the required notice period, the tenant may proceed with installation in accordance with the law.

This legislation is intended to expand access to affordable, small-scale renewable energy while balancing the interests of both tenants and property owners. Bill information

Cannabis Updates (Act 176 / S.278)

Act 176 makes several updates to Vermont’s regulated cannabis marketplace. Beginning July 1, adults may purchase up to two ounces of cannabis flower, or the equivalent in other cannabis products, in a single transaction. The law also creates a two-year pilot program allowing licensed retailers to host a limited number of public cannabis events featuring Vermont cultivators. It also establishes a framework for Vermont to participate in interstate cannabis agreements if federal law changes.

Throughout the legislative process, Vermonters expressed concerns about youth access, public health, impaired driving, and the long-term impacts of cannabis use. The final legislation is more limited than originally proposed. Provisions that would have changed THC potency limits and reduced the cannabis excise tax were not included in the final bill. Existing age restrictions, licensing requirements, and regulatory oversight remain in place.

The goal of the legislation is to strengthen Vermont’s regulated marketplace while continuing to balance public health, public safety, and consumer access.

Forensic Mental Health Facility (Act 147 / S.193)

Act 147 establishes the framework for creating Vermont’s first secure forensic mental health facility. The facility will provide evaluation, treatment, and competency restoration services for certain individuals involved in the criminal justice system who have significant mental health needs.

This legislation was the result of extensive negotiations among the judiciary, the executive branch, mental health providers, law enforcement, advocates, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and legislators. One of the central questions throughout the process was who should be responsible for caring for individuals whose needs fall at the intersection of the mental health and criminal justice systems, and how to balance treatment, individual rights, public safety, and accountability.

The final legislation reflects a consensus that correctional facilities are often not the most appropriate setting for people whose primary need is mental health treatment, while also recognizing that Vermont needs a secure facility capable of protecting both patients and the public.

Building the facility is the first part of the work ahead. Successfully implementing the law will also require sustained investment in staffing, clinical services, and coordination among Vermont’s health care, public safety, and judicial systems.

Bottle Bill Modernization (Act 158 / H.915)

The first phase of Vermont’s Bottle Bill modernization begins this month. Redemption centers will receive an increase in handling fees (the first adjustment in nearly two decades) helping support the businesses that collect and recycle beverage containers throughout Vermont.

The law also begins Vermont’s transition to a producer responsibility system, under which beverage manufacturers will assume greater responsibility for operating and financing the redemption program. The goal is to create a more efficient and financially sustainable system while maintaining convenient recycling opportunities. Changes will be phased in over the next several years.

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If you need help with state services, please reach out. I do not have staff and I work year-round, so if you do not hear back in a day or two, please follow up or send a text. If you find my work useful and are able to support it, you can do that  here.

Thank you for staying engaged and staying in touch!

Rep. Laura Sibilia
Windham-2 District (Dover, Jamaica, Somerset, Stratton, Wardsboro)
Email:  lsibilia@leg.state.vt.us
Phone: (802) 384-0233

Sibilia Announces Campaign for Reelection to Represent Windham-2