By Mike Faher, VTDigger.org Even as legislators move quickly to protect federal subsidies for Vermonters’ health plans, a newly proposed state cut may mean higher costs for some of the same people lawmakers have been hoping to help. The Department of Vermont H... More »
By Kelsey Neubauer, VTDigger.org Lawmakers are moving ahead with proposals to examine racial bias in government and education in what they say is an effort to level the playing field for all Vermonters. Among the legislative initiatives is a bill (S.281), spon... More »
by Anne Galloway/VTDigger.org The Scott administration says the governor made an error last week in his budget address when he said he would pay $20 million “more than required” to pay down teacher retirement liabilities. That statement was incorrect. In fact,... More »
By Alan J. Keays, VTDigger.org Vermont’s public safety commissioner told lawmakers that legislation allowing police to use saliva drug testing is the most important measure they could pass this session. A representative of the Vermont American Civil Liberties ... More »
By Cory Dawson, VTDigger.org SOUTH BURLINGTON — Time, and money, are running out for the community health centers that provide basic medical services to Vermonters, Vermont’s congressional delegation is warning. A federal program that provides funding for the ... More »
By Mike Polhamus, VTDigger.org Vermont has a problem. The state is $1.2 billion short of the funding it will need to meet federal targets for reducing pollution in state waterways. To solve that problem, Gov. Phil Scott suggested a creative solution last week ... More »
By Elizabeth Hewitt, VTDigger.org WASHINGTON — Dr. Dynasaur’s condition is stable. The short-term funding package Congress approved this week to end a three-day government shutdown also reauthorizes a program that provides health insurance to 9 million childre... More »
By Alan J. Keays, VTDigger.org James Lyall says he is confident Vermont can cut its prison population in half, and he’s launching a campaign to help the state do just that. Lyall, who is executive director of the Vermont chapter of the American Civil Liberties... More »
By Anne Galloway, VTDigger.org Sexual harassment is harming the ability of women to earn a living, advocates say, and new legislation will give them the added protections they need to combat misconduct in the workplace. Cary Brown, the head of the Vermont Comm... More »
By Mike Faher, VTDigger.org If state legislators needed a cheering section for enacting universal primary health care, they got one Tuesday night. During a public hearing jointly hosted by the House Health Care and Senate Health and Welfare committees, more th... More »
By Anne Galloway/VTDigger.org There are no “bells and whistles” in Gov. Phil Scott’s 2019 budget. As expected, there are also no new taxes and no new fees. Nor have any big initiatives been proposed in the budget. Instead, the governor’s office gave the Legi... More »
By Anne Galloway, VTDigger.org Aplan to exempt Social Security benefits from the state income tax would eliminate the tax for about 35,000 retirees, according to Scott administration officials. That represents about 23 percent of people in Vermont who receive ... More »
