Dear Constituents -

A recent US Census Bureau estimate indicates that Vermont recorded the largest percentage population decline in the nation last year, only one of three states that lost population. A Vermont Public article reports that number as 1800 residents no longer living here. By 2030, one in three Vermonters will be 65 or older, contributing to a decline in available workforce, declining student enrollment, and rising healthcare costs as residents age. These are concerning demographics! Additionally, Vermont has the second-oldest housing stock in the nation, the result of decades of restrictive development laws that left supply far behind demand, and much of it not suitable for an aging population or first-home buyers.

On the House Floor, we passed several housekeeping-type bills, as well as H.790, the Budget Adjustment Act, which is a mid-year budget true-up. Bills passed are in the House or Senate Journals each day. Please note if you are looking for the version that the House/Senate passed, it will be clearly labeled as “As passed by the House/Senate” on the General Assembly website by typing the bill letter&number into the bill tracker.

In the House Gov Ops & Military Affairs committee, we continued our work on the VT Ethics Commission, Public Records Act, H.762(County and Regional Governance Study), H.841(miscellaneous amendments to animal welfare procedures), H.669(online lottery sales), H.588(professions and occupations regulated by the Office of Professional Regulation), H.67 (government accountability), building omnibus bills on emergency management and disaster response and alcohol statutes. Please note if you are looking at these bills online, click on the latest draft on our webpage, not the “as introduced” version, as the language has likely undergone changes during the committee process.

The Rural Caucus continues to take testimony on the implementation of Act 181 with respect to the Tier system that is currently being mapped. On Friday, a number of members signed a letter that was sent to the Speaker of the House and the Chair of the House Committee on Environment to take up H.730(relating to Act 250 location-based jurisdiction), proposing various amendments to Act 181 of 2024, which House leadership has indicated they are not interested in taking up.

Stay well,

Rep Lisa Hango