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May 2026 Updates from Laura Sibilia

News Release Date
08-26-2025
Back to News

May 27, 2026

Good evening friends and neighbors,

We are almost certainly in the final week of the legislative session, and I wanted to send the first of several updates this week on some of the larger bills still moving through the State House.

This update focuses primarily on education finance and governance proposals, including H.955 and the annual yield bill, H.949, both of which continue to evolve quickly as negotiations continue between the House and Senate.

I also included an update on changes being proposed to Vermont’s cannabis laws, as well as an update on H.686, a bill I introduced this year focused on transparency in paid lobbying advertisements. H.686, along with H.727, the large energy load and data center bill I introduced this year, have each passed the House and Senate and both been sent to the Governor for his consideration.

Many of these bills remain active negotiations, and additional changes are still possible before final votes are taken. I will continue providing updates as we move through the final days of the session.

The Senate has proposed significant changes to H.955 that move more aggressively toward regional district mergers. The proposal changes “study committees” into “merger committees,” accelerates timelines, requires districts to participate in the process, and places greater emphasis on regional middle and high schools and universal access to career technical education. The current proposed timelines are posted above. The current fiscal note can be found here. The image above is of the current timeline for bringing potential mergers to town votes.

Under the current Senate proposal, merger committees would begin meeting in fall 2026. Final recommendations would be due by September 2027, followed by State Board review later that year. Votes on proposed mergers would then occur on Town Meeting Day 2028.

One of the questions many communities are asking is what happens if a town votes no.

Under the Senate proposal, the answer depends on how the merger plan is written. If a town is identified as “necessary” to forming the proposed new district, a no vote could stop that merger from moving forward. If a town is identified as “advisable,” the proposal may still be able to move ahead without that town, depending on the final articles of agreement and State Board approval.

A no vote would not necessarily end the conversation. The proposal could potentially be revised, or a district that does not merge by July 1, 2028 could later seek legislative approval to join a neighboring unified union school district. That later step would require action by the General Assembly.

At the same time, the Senate proposal is clearly designed around encouraging larger regional systems. The proposal also includes a moratorium through fiscal year 2035 on towns petitioning to withdraw from or dissolve a union school district. That language was not included in the House-passed version.

I understand why this is creating concern in communities like Jamaica, where residents have struggled to meet the current legal thresholds required to leave a union district.

When I met with both Jamaica residents and River Valley representatives this session, I encouraged everyone to participate in the committee process in good faith. These larger regional conversations are difficult, but they may also help create better long-term solutions for students and communities.

I also suggested communities consider nonbinding advisory questions on the November ballot heading into next session so voters can more directly express their priorities before additional legislative decisions are made.

It is also important to note that this remains very fluid. The House has requested a conference committee and named Rep. Conlon, Rep. Kornheiser, and Rep. Quimby as conferees. The Senate has appointed Senators Bongartz, Hardy, and Mattos as conferees.

As a reminder, I will be holding an online meeting on Saturday, May 30 at 9:00 a.m. to discuss the latest proposed language and current timelines. Zoom link.

H.949, the annual yield bill, remains in conference committee.

The bill sets the statewide education property tax yields and nonhomestead tax rate for fiscal year 2027 and makes several additional education finance changes.

Under the current Senate proposal, the Joint Fiscal Office estimates the bill would result in an average statewide education property tax increase of approximately 3.8%.

The Senate proposal also lowers the excess spending threshold from 118% to 112% beginning in fiscal year 2028 while expanding exemptions for voter-approved school construction bond payments. The fiscal note estimates that if the proposal had been in effect this year, roughly $21 million in school spending would have exceeded the excess spending threshold compared to approximately $4.7 million under current law.

The proposal also temporarily expands the Vermont renter credit for claim year 2027 by increasing both the maximum credit amount and the percentage of fair market rent used in the calculation.

Additional sections address special education census grant inflation adjustments, a repayment issue related to Barre’s TIF district, and technical education finance corrections. Current fiscal note

The current conference committee members are:

  • Rep. Emilie Kornheiser
  • Rep. Charles Kimbell
  • Rep. Martha Feltus
  • Sen. Ann Cummings
  • Sen. Thomas Chittenden
  • Sen. Scott Beck

H.686 Update: Transparency in Paid Lobbying Advertisements

I introduced H.686 this year because Vermont has a loophole in our lobbying disclosure laws that allows national advocacy organizations to spend heavily on political advertising outside the legislative session without the same transparency requirements that apply during the session.

Groups like fossil fuel funded Americans For Prosperity can – and have – run expensive advertising campaigns intended to shape public opinion about legislators, candidates, and political issues while avoiding the disclosure rules Vermonters reasonably expect. That is especially concerning in election years.

This bill does not limit speech, advocacy, or political organizing. It simply says that if organizations are spending significant money trying to influence Vermonters through paid lobbying advertisements, the public should be able to see who is paying for those campaigns.

 

The House passed H.686 earlier this year with language that broadened the definition of lobbying advertisements to include not only traditional media like television, radio, newspapers, and websites, but also mass-distributed communications such as robocalls, mass mailings, and paid online messaging.

When the bill reached the Senate Government Operations Committee, senators made several changes. Most significantly, the Senate added a new reporting requirement for lobbying advertising campaigns costing $1,000 or more. Under the Senate version, organizations would have to disclose:

  • who paid for the advertisement,
  • how much was spent,
  • who received the payment,
  • what issue or bill was being discussed, and
  • whether the advertisement supported or opposed the issue or person featured.

The Senate also narrowed the House definition of “advertisement.” The House language more clearly covered things like mass texting campaigns and other broadly distributed communications. The Senate version returned to a more traditional advertising definition focused mainly on television, radio, newspapers, and websites.

I continue to believe Vermonters deserve greater transparency around who is funding political influence campaigns in our state. Whether people agree or disagree with the messages being promoted, voters should be able to evaluate that advocacy with full information about who is paying for it.

H.686 now moves to the Governor.

Changes to Cannibus

The House has proposed a number of changes to S.278, the cannabis bill currently moving through the Legislature.

Some of the most visible changes would:

  • increase the legal possession limit for adults from one ounce to two ounces;
  • increase the transaction limit for retail sales from one ounce to two ounces;
  • increase the THC limit in a single package of edible cannabis products from 100 mg to 200 mg; and
  • reduce licensing fees for many outdoor cannabis cultivators.

The bill would also create a temporary pilot program allowing permitted cannabis events where adults 21 and older could legally consume cannabis products on site, subject to approval by municipalities, security requirements, and Cannabis Control Board oversight.

The House proposal also makes several structural changes to Vermont’s cannabis system, including repealing the “integrated license” structure that currently allows medical dispensaries to operate across multiple parts of the cannabis market under one license.

Another significant section would allow the Governor to enter into future interstate cannabis agreements with other states if federal law or federal enforcement policy changes enough to allow legal interstate cannabis commerce.

The proposal also includes new protections for renters by prohibiting lease provisions that completely ban possession of cannabis inside a rental unit, though landlords could still prohibit smoking or inhaled cannabis use inside buildings.

The current fiscal note also highlights several financial impacts. The event permit pilot program is expected to generate a maximum of about $5,000 annually for two years, split between host municipalities and the Cannabis Regulation Fund. The proposal to reduce outdoor cultivator licensing fees would lower Cannabis Regulation Fund revenue by roughly $105,000 annually unless the Legislature transfers or appropriates replacement funding. The fiscal note also notes that changes related to cannabis business deductions and property tax credit calculations could have a small impact on Education Fund revenues over time. Current fiscal note

As with many end-of-session bills, this remains an active negotiation and additional changes are still possible before possible final passage and before the bill can be sent to the governor for consideration.

As always, please reach out if you need help navigating state services or want to share what you’re seeing locally. I read and value your notes, even if I can’t always respond immediately. 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 [at] leg.state.vt.us (lsibilia[at]leg[dot]state[dot]vt[dot]us)

Phone: (802) 384-0233

Sibilia Announces Campaign for Reelection to Represent Windham-2

 

 

 

 

May 26, 2026

This coming week will likely be the final week of the legislative session. It appears that the Governor has come to an agreement with House and Senate negotiators on education reform and the entire House and Senate will consider this in the coming week.

I’ll be holding office hours on Saturday June 6th at the Dover Free Library at 11 am, and I hope to resume meeting on the 3rd Thursdays of the month in the evening at the Wardsboro Library at 6 pm beginning on June 18th and then again in August on the 20th.

Education Reform Update
H.955 passed out of Senate Appropriations last week and is now on the Senate Action Calendar. House Education also reviewed a side-by-side comparison prepared by Legislative Counsel outlining differences between the version passed by the House and the Senate Finance amendments.

Side by Side for Sections 1-29 link
Side by Side for Section 65-86 link

An amendment including the details of a further Senate, House and presumably Governor agreement is now on the Senate Calendar which you can find here.

Work continues on education finance and tax stabilization discussions, including proposals involving the use of surplus funds and buy-down mechanisms intended to moderate property tax increases during this transition period.

I will hold an online session to walk through the final bill on Saturday May 30th at 9 am on Zoom.

S.325 Conference Committee
The conference committee report reflects the Legislature’s ongoing work to revise and implement portions of Act 181, the major land-use and Act 250 reform bill passed last biennium. Overall, the conference committee kept most of the House approach in place.

The biggest changes are in Section 6 in what has become known as the “Burtt Amendment” on accessory on-farm businesses.

The conference committee allows concerts and farm stays as accessory on-farm businesses, limits farm stays to five or fewer units, and adds new operating standards for events and activities. The amendment sets a 70-decibel noise limit at the property line, requires events to end by 10:00 p.m., and requires agriculture to remain a meaningful part of the activity or event. The conference committee also delayed implementation of this section until July 1, 2027. This report passed on a voice vote in the House. I expect this area of policy to receive ongoing oversight and adjustment next year.

Data Centers, AI Infrastructure, and H.727
One issue that received significant attention this session was H.727, the Vermont Sustainable Data Centers Act.

Last year, while attending conferences and discussions related to energy policy and grid operations, I became increasingly aware of the impact very large data centers are having on electric systems and natural resources in other parts of the country. It was clear to me that Vermont should better understand these issues and establish a framework before facing similar pressures ourselves.

Vermont already has very small data centers supporting communications systems, cloud computing, hospitals, businesses, and government operations. These are not the hyperscale facilities creating large impacts elsewhere.

Hyperscale data centers tend to locate where electricity is relatively inexpensive and where large amounts of water are available for cooling. Adapting to the infrastructure demands these facilities can create, particularly when project planning and timelines are not transparent early in the process, has been difficult in other parts of the country. This is why I sponsored H.727.

The bill does not approve or guarantee any future data-center project in Vermont. What it does is establish standards, public review, utility protections, and environmental oversight if proposals are brought forward here in the future.

The legislation requires large facilities to cover infrastructure costs associated with serving them rather than shifting those costs onto existing ratepayers. It also establishes review requirements related to grid reliability, environmental impacts, water use, and transmission impacts.

I am pleased the Energy and Digital Infastructure Committee and the Senate continued working to improve the legislation as it moved through the process. H.727 is now with the Governor awaiting his signature.

I recently wrote a longer piece explaining the legislation and some of the broader national discussions around AI infrastructure, electric demand, and data-center siting. https://laurasibiliavt.com/2026/05/22/sibilia-vermonts-approach-to-regu…

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Latest art display in the Card Room in the Vermont Statehouse

Regional Governance and Pilot Program
H.762 extends the work of Vermont’s County and Regional Governance Study Committee, which is examining challenges facing towns, including staffing, emergency services, and complex responsibilities.

The bill gives the committee more time to study whether services like emergency management, dispatch, policing, tax administration, and planning would work better regionally.

It does not eliminate towns or local control, but it asks whether some services make more sense at a regional level. This bill has already been signed into law by the governor.

The Legislature also recently passed the Windham County policing pilot through S.255.

The pilot creates a voluntary regional law enforcement governance council for towns without their own police departments. Participating towns could work together on policing, dispatch, and public safety coordination instead of each town trying to manage services independently.

The pilot lasts five years so communities and the state can evaluate whether a regional model improves service, coordination, staffing stability, and costs before making any long-term decisions.

The larger issue behind the bill is one Vermont is increasingly facing across many systems: whether some services function better regionally than town-by-town.

As always, please reach out if you need help navigating state services or want to share what you’re seeing locally. I read and value your notes, even if I can’t always respond immediately. 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 [at] leg.state.vt.us (lsibilia[at]leg[dot]state[dot]vt[dot]us)

Phone: (802) 384-0233

The Rural Caucus is made up of members from different parties and regions across Vermont. We continued work this biennium on issues affecting rural communities, including outreach to our constituents about and improvements to Act 181 implementation.

 

 

May 15, 2026

Hello friends and neighbors,

We are now in the final stretch of the legislative session, and these are often the hardest and most complicated days and weeks of the year.

In a typical year, we would likely be preparing to adjourn around this weekend. This year is different. Major education policy disagreements, the volume of bills still moving through the Senate, and ongoing negotiations between the House, Senate, and Governor are all contributing to a longer and more difficult end to the session.

For those who do not follow the process closely, every bill must pass both the House and Senate in identical form before it can move to the Governor. When one chamber changes a bill passed by the other chamber, the bill must return for further action and negotiation. There are also procedural timelines, committee requirements, and constitutional steps that can slow things down, particularly at the end of the year when many major issues are moving at once.

Recent public comments from legislative leaders and Governor Scott make clear that education transformation remains the central unresolved issue. Governor Scott has publicly stated he may veto the budget and other major spending bills if the Legislature does not send him a bill that includes mandatory school district consolidation. That has added pressure and tension to negotiations. The Joint Fiscal Office, which provides non partisan fiscal analysis for the legislature has posted information about what happens in a government shutdown.

At this point in the session, people are tired. Tempers can get short. We have had some borderline disrespectful testimony in committee this week. But this is also a reminder of why the principles of democracy, separation of powers, and respect for institutions is so important.

My friend and colleague Rep. Elizabeth Burrows often reminds me to “assume good intention” of others. I have been thinking about that a lot in these final weeks of session.

At its core, democracy means people with different views and interests govern together through debate, elections, laws, and public participation rather than force or intimidation. Democracy requires patience, negotiation, and the ability to disagree without treating each other as enemies.

Like many people in the building, I am tired, but I remain fully engaged in the work. My focus continues to be making sure our district’s voice is represented in these final negotiations and that the ability of people within our communities to disagree respectfully with one another is also protected and respected.

Below are a few updates on major bills and negotiations still moving through the Legislature.

jca_mayfest_joining_fair_ig-post image
Education Transformation – H.955
H.955 is the House’s broad education transformation bill focused on school governance, regional service delivery, long-term district structure, and the future of Vermont’s public education system. The bill has now been moved out of the Senate Education Committee on a divided 3-3 vote and then advanced out of Senate Finance on a 5-1 vote, setting up further negotiations in the final weeks of session. The bill will be on the Senate Floor on Tuesday.

One of the biggest differences between the House and Senate versions of H.955 is how they approach regional study committees and future school district alignment.

The House version grouped many districts together largely based on geography and size targets. The Senate Education and Finance version substantially changed those proposed groupings, particularly in Southern Vermont. Many of those changes are connected to longstanding discussions around school choice and maintaining feeder towns for publicly funded enrollment at Burr and Burton.

These proposed study committee groupings are consequential because they could influence future governance structures, regional partnerships, tuitioning relationships, and where our students ultimately attend school.

Communities must be able to weigh in on these decisions. Rural communities are not interchangeable, and potential changes of this scale should not move forward without meaningful public engagement and strong local voices at the table. No matter where these negotiations ultimately land, I remain committed to continuing to work with our communities, school boards, educators, families, and students to try to find solutions that communities can live with and help shape together. I will be watching these negotiations very carefully and encourage constituents, school boards, and community members to stay engaged and continue reaching out with concerns, priorities, and questions. As I have previously noted, education votes are some of the most difficult and divisive votes legislators take because schools are deeply connected to our communities, identities, children, taxes, and local futures. Vermonters can and do disagree strongly about the right path forward.

Business Managers Weigh In

This testimony was submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee by Elizabeth Jennings, President of the Vermont Association of School Business Officials (VASBO), about H.949, the annual “yield bill” that affects education property tax rates statewide. VASBO is the association of all of the Business Office leaders of Vermont’s supervisory union.

Her main message is that constant changes to the education tax formula during session are making it harder for school districts to give voters accurate information about property taxes.

She explains that districts build their budgets using the state’s December tax estimates, but when lawmakers change the numbers repeatedly later in session, voters lose confidence in the process. The testimony also warns against using one-time money to temporarily lower taxes because it can create bigger problems later if the underlying costs are still rising. Finally, VASBO raises concerns about proposals that pressure higher-spending districts to cut staffing or programs without addressing the real reasons education costs are increasing.

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PEW: Distributed Energy Can Unleash the Resilient, Affordable Grid of the Future

Data Centers and Large Energy Loads – H.727
The House and Senate have passed versions of H.727, proposed legislation I sponsored that is focused on large data centers and other major electric loads.

As states across the country race to address growing electricity demand tied to AI and large data centers, Vermont has been working through questions around grid infrastructure, ratepayer protections, water use, permitting, and long-term energy planning.

H.727 attempts to create a framework for how Vermont should approach very large new electric loads while protecting existing ratepayers and communities from subsidizing infrastructure costs tied to those projects.

The Senate made substantial changes to the House version, including the addition of annual payments from data centers towards energy transformation projects that reduce fossil fuel usage. There are still active discussions underway about how to strike the right balance between protecting ratepayers, maintaining grid reliability, supporting long-term energy planning, and ensuring Vermont has a workable and transparent regulatory framework.

To date, both the House and Senate versions of the bill have received overwhelming tripartisan support.

I also appreciated seeing Vermont’s work on H.727 and large energy loads recently featured by Environment+Energy Leader.

Act 181 and Land Use Reform
The Senate did not concur with the House amendments to S.325 and asked for a Committee of Conference. These are three members from the House and three members from the Senate who are appointed to negotiate on behalf of each body. If they are able to come to a majority agreement on a final version, that final version will then go back to the House and Senate for a vote to agree or disagree. No amendments are possible at that point. Committees of Conference are tracked on this page.

Vermont Public: Dartmouth researchers find rain is consolidating into bigger storms as the climate changes

PR.4 – Equal Protection Amendment
PR.4 is a proposed amendment to the Vermont Constitution focused on equal protection under the law.

Vermont’s process for changing the Constitution is intentionally slow. A proposal must pass the Legislature twice over two separate bienniums before going before Vermont voters statewide.

If approved by voters, the amendment would add language to the Vermont Constitution stating that government cannot deny equal treatment and respect under the law based on race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Supporters argue Vermont should have clearer protections in its own Constitution at a time when federal protections and court decisions continue to shift. Others have raised questions about how courts may interpret broad constitutional language in the future.

P.R.4 has passed the Senate and House with large bipartisan votes, Vermont voters will have the final say at the ballot box in November.

Bills Signed by the Governor
Governor Scott recently signed several bills into law, including:

• H.410 – Calculation of recidivism and criminology measures

• H.519 – Vermont State Employees’ Retirement System Group G membership

• H.762 – County and Regional Governance Study Committee

• H.940 – Miscellaneous public utility subjects

As always, please reach out if you need help navigating state services or want to share what you’re seeing locally. I read and value your notes, even if I can’t always respond immediately. 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 [at] leg.state.vt.us (lsibilia[at]leg[dot]state[dot]vt[dot]us)

Phone: (802) 384-0233

I announced this week that I would be seeking reelection to represent Windham 2 in the 2027/2028 biennium – please be in touch with your questions and concerns.

 

 

May 1, 2026

Dear friends and neighbors,

I will be holding office hours tomorrow, Saturday May, 2 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Dover Free Library. All are welcome.

Green Up Day is also this Saturday, May 2nd. Thank you to the volunteers in each town organizing the effort.

  • Dover Meet at Dover School starting at 9:00 a.m. for bags and route assignments. Donuts and refreshments will be available at pick-up. Leave tied bags on roadsides for pickup by the Town Road Crew on Monday morning.
  • Jamaica Bags are available at the Town Office and Transfer Station before and after Green Up Day. Bring filled bags to the Transfer Station between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
  • Stratton Bags are available in advance at the Town Office (Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.). On Green Up Day, pick up bags and refreshments at Town Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Leave filled bags roadside.
  • Wardsboro Pick up bags and road assignments at the Town Office from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Volunteers will gather at the Wardsboro Library from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. for pizza and a book giveaway. Bring filled bags to the Transfer Station.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Jamaica Selectboard meeting on Monday with Senator Hashim and Harrison and I. There was a strong turnout and thoughtful questions. Hearing directly from you is helpful as we try to address really complex issues.

Education Reform and Property Taxes

The Senate has sent over its version of the education “yield” bill, which sets property tax rates and adjusts how school spending is treated. It lowers the excess spending threshold from 118 percent to 112 percent, which would bring more districts into penalty territory (see last weeks newsletter), while also adding a hold harmless provision so districts are not penalized if their spending stays level or increases for reasons outside their control and excluding bond payments from those penalties. It includes a temporary expansion of the renter credit and sets tax rates to fully fund the Education Fund, resulting in an estimated average increase of about 3.8 percent. We now move into negotiations between the House, Senate, and Governor. You can review the fiscal note here

H.955, the education transformation bill, is now being worked on in the Senate. The Senate Education Committee has put forward a draft amendment that makes changes to how regional service areas operate, allows for local input on membership, and continues to adjust timelines for implementation. This is still a working draft and will likely continue to change as it moves through the Senate. Much of the focus remains on process and structure rather than immediate changes to funding. You can review the draft amendment here

River Valleys Budget

Congratulations to River Valleys for passing their budget at the annual meeting. The community also voted to keep the IB program

Land Use (Act 181 / S.325)

The House Environment Committee, Ways and Means Committee and Appropriations Committee each advanced S.325 this week with unanimous votes. Most notably, the bill repeals Tier 3 and the Road Rule language from Act 181 is being repealed. These provisions expanded when Act 250 would apply and created real concern, especially in rural communities, about how decisions about land were being made.The bill is likely to be voted on by the whole House next week and then will head Here is a section by section summary of what is in the bill.

The bill also:

  • Expands Act 250 exemptions for housing in areas with existing infrastructure such as downtowns, village centers, and planned growth areas through January 2028
  • Clarifies the role of municipalities in administering and enforcing certain Act 250 permit conditions in Tier 1A areas
  • Requires a statewide public engagement process before additional land use changes are considered
  • Creates a Joint Legislative Environmental Oversight Committee to track implementation and outcomes
  • Extends planning timelines to give regions and towns more time to align with the updated framework

Energy

Work continues on several energy and economic development efforts. Here are a few:

  • Plug-in solar: S.202 would allow small plug-in solar devices that can be connected directly to a standard outlet. These systems are limited in size, require landlord permission for renters, and must meet safety standards that prevent backfeeding during outages. They do not receive net metering compensation and are not subject to Act 250 or Public Utility Commission review. The goal is to make it easier for more people to access small-scale solar, including those who may not be able to install a full rooftop system. The bill was advanced unanimously out of House Energy and Digital Infrastructure.
  • H.727, the Sustainable Data Centers Act, passed the House in March and is now being taken up in the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee. The bill puts a framework in place before large data center projects can move forward to ensure they cover their costs, protect ratepayers, and meet Vermont’s environmental and water standards. Testimony is ongoing. You can review the bill as passed by the House here
  • S.327, An act relating to economic development, includes several tools aimed at supporting business growth. It authorizes municipalities to create C-PACE districts, which allow commercial property owners to finance energy improvements through their property tax bill, with the loan tied to the property rather than the owner. It also allows “penny rounding” for cash transactions, meaning businesses can round the final total to the nearest nickel instead of using pennies; electronic payments are not affected. Most of these provisions take effect upon passage, with C-PACE requiring local approval before it can be used in a given town. You can review the fiscal note here

 

Heavier Rainfall in 129 U.S. Cities Hourly rainfall intensity — a key factor in flash floods — has increased in 129 cities across the U.S. since 1970 including our region. Heat-trapping emissions from burning fossil fuels are warming the air, allowing it to hold more moisture. That leads to more intense storms and added pressure on roads, culverts, stormwater systems and electric grid infastructure.

Several bills have been recently signed into law including:

  • Signed H.549, An act relating to eligibility of sentenced or detained individuals to obtain a State-issued nondriver identification card, replacement operator’s license, or replacement learner’s permit
  • Signed H.744, An act relating to procedures for release after arrest
  • Allowed H.849, An act relating to a civil action for damages for deprivation of federal constitutional rights by any government official to become law without signature | Letter
  • Signed H.917, An act relating to military affairs
  • Signed H.626, An act relating to sexual extortion, voyeurism, and disclosure of sexually explicit images without consent
  • H.723, An act relating to posting of land

As always, please reach out if you need help navigating state services or want to share what you’re seeing locally. I read and value your notes, even if I can’t always respond immediately. 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!

 


 April 26, 2026

Dear friends and neighbors,

As we head into another week, I am keeping military families in my thoughts. We are seeing more public and at times combative exchanges between civilian leadership and military leaders while the United States is engaged in an active and evolving conflict in the Middle East. The consequences are carried by the people serving and the families waiting for them.

Last week’s update went into more detail on land use and education. You can review it here. Those are two issues are driving much of what we are working on right now. This week, I’m providing somewhat briefer updates on those items and updates on Windham County law enforcement pilot and how hard it is to pass laws to protect your privacy.

Jamaica Selectboard Meeting 4/27: Land Use and Education Reform

The Jamaica Selectboard will be discussing Act 181 (land use) and education reform (H.955) on April 27 at 7:00 p.m. at the Town Office. I will be there along with Senator Wendy Harrison and Senator Nader Hashim to provide updates and answer questions.

Land Use (Act 181 / S.325)

There has been a lot of recent activity, including committee discussions. Tier 3 and the Road Rule are likely to be repealed. These provisions expanded when Act 250 would apply, particularly around certain development areas and road construction, and have raised significant concerns about cost and impact on rural landowners. Read more here: https://laurasibiliavt.com/2026/03/31/sibilia-land-use-policy-wont-work-if-vermonters-arent-part-of-it/

 

Education Reform (H.955)

This bill creates a process for districts to work together and study potential mergers, but it does not change funding in the near term. The new funding formula is delayed until at least 2030, which means continued pressure on property taxes under the current system. At the same time, the Legislature is considering two changes that would affect taxes much sooner. The Senate is proposing to lower the excess spending threshold from 118% to 112%, which would take effect in FY2027 (this coming year’s school budgets and property taxes).

The spreadsheet is here. Looking at our local districts:

At the current 118% threshold:

  • West River: not over the threshold
  • River Valleys: over the threshold (~$244,000 in excess spending)
  • Stratton: not over the threshold

At the proposed 112% threshold:

  • West River: over the threshold (~$197,000–$246,000 in excess spending)
  • River Valleys: over the threshold (~$570,000 in excess spending)
  • Stratton: not over the threshold

 

Lowering the threshold would bring more districts into penalty territory which increases pressure on property taxes and so also theoretically increases pressure to cut spending.

 

River Valleys is already over the threshold today and would see a significant increase at 112% without significant cuts. West River is not currently over, but would be under the Senate proposal. Stratton remains below the threshold in both scenarios.

 

River Valleys Budget and Elections

This is your opportunity to ask questions and vote on the River Valleys Unified School District (Dover and Wardsboro) for next year and ask questions about the local decisions that are contributing to property tax increases. Please engage and vote.

  • Voting for school board members takes place by Australian ballot on Monday, April 27, 2026 from 10 AM to 7 PM
  • All other items will be decided at the district meeting on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 7 PM at Dover Town Hall. At this meeting, you will vote on a roughly $6.85 million school budget that affects your property taxes, whether to use up to $470,000 in reserve funds to lower those taxes, funding for buildings and transportation, whether or not to pay more then the state tuition rates for students attending private schools, whether to continue the IB program in Dover, and district elections. You can read the full warning here

Second Homes and Property Taxes

I’ve heard from many of you on this. Act 73 (2025) created a new structure for education property taxes with three categories: homestead (your primary residence), nonhomestead residential (which includes second homes and most rentals), and nonhomestead nonresidential (commercial property).

H.955 does not set tax rates. It adds definitions so properties are classified correctly. That matters because classification determines how the system could apply in the future. The law allows the Legislature to apply different factors to these categories, but those decisions have not been made. The Department of Taxes is still working through how this would be implemented. This is on a long timeline, with changes not expected until around 2028–2029.

The intent of this work is to reduce pressure on primary residences, but whether that happens depends on future decisions that have not been made. Read more at the link below

 

Read the report

 

Windham County Law Enforcement Pilot

S.255 creates a pilot Law Enforcement Governance Council in Windham County to test whether a more coordinated, regional approach can improve how law enforcement services are delivered. Participation is voluntary for your town.

The version reported out of House Government Operations focuses on accountability and evaluation. It requires the Council to come back to the Legislature evaluations and reports.

  • September 30, 2030 – a mid-point evaluation
  • December 31, 2033 – a final evaluation

Those reports must look at cost, service quality, whether the governance model is working, and whether it should continue or expand. They go to the House and Senate Government Operations Committees so we can make informed decisions based on actual results. I voted yes because this gives us a way to test a different approach here in Windham County, with check-ins over multiple years and legislative oversight before making any broader commitments. Here is Sheriff Mark Anderson’s testimony.

 

Rep. Molly Burke from Brattleboro has announced she will retire – this month her paintings were hanging in the statehouse cafeteria.

 

Data Privacy (H.211)

Data privacy is something I hear about regularly from constituents. As our economy continues to evolve, I am prioritizing privacy and making sure Vermont businesses can continue to operate and compete.

Most of us understand a simple boundary: if you give a business your information to do something for you, that’s one thing. If it’s sold to someone else you’ve never heard of, that’s something else. That second thing is happening every day with your data.

A data broker is a company that collects personal information about people and then sells or shares it with others who you may not have a direct relationship with. There are 283 data brokers registered in VermontH.211 would put some limits around that by:

  • requiring data brokers to register and disclose what they collect and share
  • giving you the right to request deletion of your data
  • requiring notice if your data is breached
  • prohibiting use for fraud, harassment, or discrimination

The goal is pretty straightforward: more visibility and more control for individuals.

There are concerns being raised. Businesses in our region rely on digital marketing to reach customers and support our tourism economy. They are asking that privacy protections be practical and aligned with other states so Vermont businesses are not put at a disadvantage. There are also questions about how broadly the law is written, whether it captures activity beyond traditional data brokers, and what the compliance burden would be, especially for smaller organizations.

There is also massive lobbying on this issue, particularly from large technology companies and national industry groups, along with Vermont business organizations. That reflects how much economic value is tied to how your personal data is being collected and used.

The bill is now in the Senate Commerce Committee. Much of the current debate is focused on the data broker provisions, including proposals to narrow their scope. What happens next depends on votes in that committee, and where the committee feels the line should be between protecting your personal data and how much regulation is placed on those collecting and using it. If you have an opinion on that, now is the time to share it with Senate Commerce.

Other bills I’m working on

  • Data centers (H.727): putting guardrails in place before large projects move forward, particularly around energy use, ratepayer impacts, and water
  • Energy costs (S.138): helping businesses finance efficiency upgrades over time

Bills signed into law by the Governor:

S.60 An act relating to establishing the Farm and Forestry Operations Security Special Fund to provide payments for farm and forestry operation losses due to weather conditions This law creates a permanent Farm and Forestry Operations Security Special Fund to support Vermont farms and forestry businesses facing losses from extreme weather. This comes directly out of the flooding and weather events we’ve seen over the past two years, and the reality that many of our farmers are not well served by existing federal programs. When funded, this program will provide direct assistance for things like lost crops, damaged infrastructure, and ongoing expenses after a disaster, helping keep working lands viable and supporting rural economies. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, with implementation tied to future appropriations.

H.545 An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations This bill relate to how Vermont issues immunization recommendations. This was done in response to changes at the federal level and ongoing questions about how recommendations are made, with the goal of ensuring Vermont has a clear, transparent, and consistent process in place. The law maintains access to recommended immunizations at no cost to individuals and continues to rely on established medical guidance, while clarifying that the Department of Health will issue recommendations in consultation with medical experts and national guidelines. Most provisions took effect upon passage and remain in place through July 1, 2031.

Recent Reports:

Health Care Spending Reduction Report This report shows Vermont is in the early stages of a major effort to bring down health care costs while maintaining access to care. The state has set a goal of reducing hospital spending by at least 2.5 percent and is working with hospitals to develop regional plans, shift care out of higher-cost settings, and build a more coordinated system. All hospitals have submitted transformation plans, and initial funding and technical support are being put in place, but much of the work is still in planning and early implementation.

A caveat: many of the expected savings are not yet measurable, and the changes are happening at a time when hospitals are already under financial strain and communities are worried about access. If this transition is not paced carefully, there is a real risk of reducing services or shifting costs before the new system is fully in place, especially in rural areas.

Office Hours

I will be holding office hours next Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Dover Free Library. Please stop by if you have questions or want to talk through any of these issues.

As always, please reach out if you need help navigating state services or want to share what you’re seeing locally. I read and value your notes, even if I can’t always respond immediately. 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.

 


 

 

Next Steps on Act 73 and H.955

Last week, I shared an overview of H.955, the House’s education transformation bill following Act 73.

Since then, the bill has moved through Ways and Means and was voted out on a 6–5 vote. There is still no fiscal note, which makes it difficult to fully understand the cost implications. The bill is now in Appropriations.

The expectation is that the bill will come to the House floor this week. If it passes, it will then move to the Senate, where it will be taken up by the Education, Finance, and Appropriations Committees.

I will share more next week when the fiscal note is available and there is a clearer understanding of both the costs and the path forward. If you have thoughts on this bill or how it may affect your community, I welcome hearing from you.

At the same time, cost pressures continue to build for Vermonters.

An analysis by the Energy Action Network shows that fuel prices jumped sharply in March, adding about $32 million in costs in just one month. The average driver is now paying about $50 more per month for gas, and heating oil costs have risen even faster. These increases are driven by global events and are largely outside Vermont’s control. When we rely heavily on fossil fuels for transportation and heating, Vermonters are exposed to sudden price swings that hit household budgets immediately.

Healthcare continues to be one of the biggest cost pressures for property taxes, families, employers, and the state. Bills like S.197 (primary care reform) and H.585 (association health plans) have a goal to improve access and expand options, but they do not yet address affordability.

The legislature is also working on S.138, CPACE, which would allow businesses to pay for energy upgrades over time through their property tax bill. This is one practical way to reduce long-term energy costs and limit exposure to price spikes.

We are heading into the final weeks of the session with major issues still unresolved, including land use and education governance. I will keep listening, being direct about what I am seeing, and pushing for a path that reflects what we are hearing from Vermonters.

As always, please reach out if you need help navigating state services or want to share what you’re seeing locally. 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 [at] leg.state.vt.us

Phone: (802) 384-0233

 

 

 

 

April 5, 2026

Dear friends and neighbors,

The place you send your elected leaders to work in displays artwork from many Vermont artists. The photo above hangs in the Senate Institution’s Committee Room. Focal Point, is a painting by Montpelier artist Kate Burnim, whose work explores how color, space, and process reflect the way we experience and make sense of the world. More info here https://www.kateburnim.com/

I hope you had some time today to be with family, reflect, or recharge, whether you are celebrating Easter, Passover, or simply enjoying the start of spring. We have taken a hopeful first look at our gardens and what is already starting to emerge.

This week at the statehouse, Vermonters’ voices on Act 181 continued to grow, and an education transformation bill emerged from the House. I am spending a lot of time, both in the building and out in communities, listening and working through these two issues. They are complicated, connected to cost and quality of life, and have the potential to shape Vermont for years to come.

At the same time, I am paying close attention to what is happening beyond these bills. Energy prices are rising again. Data privacy and cybersecurity risks are increasing quickly. These are not abstract issues. They are already affecting households, towns, and small businesses, and are likely to intensify.

These are not challenges any one bill will solve. I am talking with legislative leaders, members of the administration, and other concerned legislators about what is within our control in the near term. I have included some data about this and some practical tips below.

There are likely another five to six weeks left in the legislative session before members return to their districts and the 2026 election season begins. The decisions we make in this window matter and my focus is on whether what we are doing is workable, affordable, and can actually improve outcomes for Vermonters.

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Vermont’s Olympic athletes celebrated with Statehouse resolutions

Listening on Act 181

Earlier this week, I shared an op-ed outlining my concerns with Act 181 and how it is being implemented. You can read that piece here

On Wednesday evening, the Rural Caucus hosted a listening session with approximately 85–90 Vermonters joining in person and virtually. We heard from farmers, parents, small business owners, healthcare providers, and multi-generation Vermonters. People spoke about housing, affordability, land use, and the ability to stay in the communities they have built their lives in.

Thank you to all who took the time to participate. If you weren’t able to join, you can watch the full recording here:

4/01/2026 Participant List
4/01/2026 Written Comments Folder
4/01/2026 Recording


One word was used multiple times by those who came to talk with us: displacement.

As an example, a family owns land and plans to subdivide a small piece so their child can build a home. That may still be possible, but it may now require a permit, additional time, and added cost, along with a process many people are still trying to understand. The result may not be immediate loss, but over time, fewer families may stay, fewer young people return, and communities begin to hollow out or gentrify. That is what I heard some Vermonters say.

On Friday, Speaker Jill Krowinski released a statement acknowledging Vermonters concerns and the need to address parts of the law, particularly those affecting rural Vermont. You can read her full statement here

The Rural Caucus is a tripartisan group. We do not take positions unless there is shared agreement among members. We agreed at the beginning of the session to introduce H.730 and explained why here. This next week we will be working to determine whether there are areas of common ground that we can collectively advocate for in the House before the end of the session.

 

The ACLU of Vermont is hosting a Know Your Rights training in Brattleboro on Thursday, April 9. This in-person session will cover how to respond as a bystander during interactions with immigration enforcement, as well as general protest rights.

These trainings can be helpful for anyone looking to better understand their rights and responsibilities in real-world situations.

You can learn more and register here: REGISTER TODAY

 

Next Steps on Act 73

A House education transformation bill has now emerged, H.955. You can read it here. This bill is the House’s next step following Act 73. It does three main things as introduced. It creates regional service areas so districts can share staff and services. It requires every district to participate in a study of whether it should merge into a larger unified system.

And it adjusts the timeline and conditions for the broader changes contemplated in Act 73.

The bill now heads to the Ways and Means Committee, where it will see additional review and likely changes, especially around how these ideas connect to the education finance system and property taxes.

There are some potential benefits to this approach. It encourages more more bottom up coordination across districts and could reduce duplication over time. It creates a structured way for communities to evaluate consolidation rather than having those decisions happen to them. It also slows down parts of Act 73 to allow more planning and analysis before major changes take effect.

There are also real concerns. This bill focuses on structure but does not directly address the biggest drivers of cost, especially healthcare and staffing. It aims to find efficiencies, but there is a risk of added administrative layers and short term costs without guaranteed long term savings.

As this bill moves through Ways and Means, I welcome your feedback. It will then go to the Senate where it may get an unfriendly reception. It is unclear if the governor will support this approach. My sense is that this is the vehicle upon which agreements between the House, Senate and Governor will be made.

One other question I have been asked, related to Senator Bongartz map. I have been asked if I support changes to which county our towns are placed in. I do not support moving our towns into a different county/region, as our education and government service systems are structured to work together. There is a lot of time left in the session for deliberating about how to get the final bill to satisfy the most number of Vermonters.

Next Generation of AI

This reporting points to a shift in cyber risk. New AI tools could allow a single actor to carry out sophisticated attacks at scale. The risk is no longer theoretical. This is moving quickly, and it is an area where most of us do not have much experience.

If a town, utility, or local system is affected, a few simple steps help:

Be ready for short disruptions. Keep basic supplies, some cash, and avoid letting your gas tank run low. Have a simple plan to check in with family if systems are down. Watch for fraud.

These are practical steps that can help reduce risk and help individuals communities recover more quickly from disruption.

Gas prices 2026-04-02 134300 image
VermontBiz: Vermont gas price up to $3.99, US $4.08

What we are seeing right now with gas prices is a reminder of something we all know. Vermonters are exposed.

We rely on fossil fuels to get to work, get our kids to school, and heat our homes. When prices spike, families feel it right away. There is not much of a buffer.

At the same time, we can see a different energy system right next to it.

Electric rates in Vermont do not spike overnight. They are planned, regulated, and reviewed in public. They can go up, but they are more stable and more predictable.

Over the last few years, the legislature has taken some steps to create more stability related to fossil fuels. Weatherization helps people use less fuel. Incentives help some households transition. But we have not made enough progress. There have also been efforts to invest in alternatives to gasoline and reduce reliance on heating fuels.

Which have been fought against by nationally funded advocates for the fossil fuel industry like Americans for Prosperity.

Doing nothing leaves Vermonters exposed to price swings we do not control for energy needed to get to work and heat our homes.

There are a lot of big changes happening in our economy and state. Climate change, the energy transition, changes in our demographics are having a profound impact on our communities. There is a lot of work to be done to help communities, businesses and Vermonters manage these changes. This work is also why I shared at Town Meeting that I plan to run for reelection. I will have more to say in the coming weeks.

As always, please reach out if you need help navigating state services or want to share what you’re seeing locally. 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!

 

 

March 25, 2026

Hello friends and neighbors,

I am hearing from many of you and your town leaders with questions about Act 181 of 2024 and what it means for your land and your community. Many of these questions are coming up now because parts of the law are moving from planning into implementation.

I have been writing and speaking about this issue for the past three years as the bill was developed and passed. If you are looking for background, you can review past updates on my website: www.LauraSibiliaVT.com

In summary, Act 181 is a 171 page, 111 section (that is a really big, really complex bill) major update to Vermont’s land use and development laws. It changes how Act 250 works, creates a new Land Use Review Board, and shifts more decision-making into a system based on mapped areas that determine where development is encouraged or more restricted. It adds new environmental criteria, including protections for forest blocks and habitat connections, and introduces new triggers for when Act 250 applies, including road construction and development in certain mapped areas. At the same time, it expands exemptions to make it easier to build housing in designated growth areas, updates local zoning requirements, and creates new programs, incentives, and tax changes tied to housing and resilience. It is a historic restructuring of how land use decisions are made across the state, affecting permitting, planning, and development at both the local and state level.

What is the current status of Act 181? It passed over the governor’s veto in 2024. I voted no on the bill and no to override the governor’s veto. There are several bills to change aspects of the bill this year. H.730 and S.325.

What is H.730?

H.730 is a proposal from the Rural Caucus to delay implementation, to notify all land owners about the changes to their land and to provide guidance to listers and assessors on how to value changes to land use. We wrote about it in November of 2025. The bill is currently hanging on the wall in the House Environment Committee

What is S.325?

S.325 is a Senate proposal that would adjust the timeline for parts of Act 181, including delaying the road rule and Tier 3 implementation, to allow more time for clarity and input. This bill is up for debate in the Senate this week, and presuming it [passes will head to the House Environment Committee. Link to S.325

What are you doing, Laura?

  • On March 24, I spoke at the State House with members of the Rural Caucus about what we are hearing and the work underway. Link to my remarks
  • Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25, the Rural Caucus will hold a listening session focused on Act 181. These conversations are helping inform the work ahead and where more clarity is needed.
  • I will hold a public Zoom meeting on Thursday, March 26 from 5:00 to 6:00 PM to answer questions and hear directly from you. Link to sign up and receive the Zoom link

There is work to do, and your input matters. Please stay engaged and continue to reach out with questions.

As always, please reach out if you need help navigating state services or want to share what you’re seeing locally. I read and value your notes, even if I can’t always respond immediately. 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 [at] leg.state.vt.us

Phone: (802) 384-0233