Divided House committee approves Act 250 compromise -
After more than a year of work, the House Natural Resources Committee voted 6-3 to approve sweeping changes to Vermont’s landmark land-use law, including a provision...more
2/19/2020
/ Educational Institutions ,
Employee Benefits ,
Global Warming ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health ,
Pending Legislation ,
Pensions ,
Renewable Energy ,
Retirement Plan ,
Stem cells ,
Suicide ,
Surprise Medical Bills ,
Tobacco Regulations ,
Vaping
Underfunded pension liabilities get needed attention
The topic of Vermont’s overwhelming state employee and teachers’ pension burdens rears its head on occasion, but legislators quickly move on to challenges more easily...more
2/10/2020
/ Biomass ,
Co-payments ,
Cost-Sharing ,
Driverless Cars ,
Economic Development ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employee Benefits ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Pensions ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drug Coverage ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State and Local Government ,
Telehealth ,
Tobacco Regulations
Paid Family Leave bill heading to a showdown -
The Senate approved the conference committee report on the paid family and medical leave bill on Friday, with a vote of 20-9-1. H.107 will now head to the House for a vote....more
1/20/2020
/ ACOs ,
Cloud Computing ,
Competency Requirements ,
Driverless Cars ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employment Contract ,
Environmental Policies ,
Federal Agency Taskforce ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Lead ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
PFAS ,
Public Records ,
Revenue ,
Rural Health Care Program ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Rates ,
Taxation ,
Water Quality
News about severe financial difficulties at the Brattleboro Retreat quickly spread throughout the State House this week, and just as quickly legislators rallied to throw their support behind the venerable institution....more
1/14/2020
/ Hospitals ,
Land-Use Permits ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medical Monitoring ,
Mental Health ,
Minimum Wage ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Records ,
State and Local Government ,
Wage and Hour
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee reviewed a report Thursday on the state’s progress with health care payment and delivery system reform efforts. Department of Vermont Health Access Deputy Commissioner Michael Costa...more
1/22/2019
/ ACOs ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Excise Tax ,
Health Care Providers ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Manufacturers ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Marijuana-Infused Edibles ,
Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
State and Local Government
Utilities, DPS Raise Concerns about Electric Grid Congestion -
A surplus of renewable electric generation, coupled with low demand, in northern Vermont has created constraints on the electric grid and caused ripple effects...more
4/12/2018
/ Credentialing ,
Dams ,
Electric Generation Suppliers ,
Inland Waterways ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medical License ,
Medicare Part D ,
Mental Health ,
Net Neutrality ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Ridesharing ,
Strict Liability ,
Unemployment ,
Utilities Sector
A May 18th adjournment brought to a close the first half of the 74th biennial session of the Vermont General Assembly. Drama awaits as Gov. Phil Scott has threatened to veto H.518, the fiscal year 2018 budget, over an...more
5/30/2017
/ ACOs ,
Affordable Housing ,
Biologics ,
Carbon Taxes ,
Cell Towers ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Economic Development ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Energy-Efficiency Tax Credits ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Escrow Accounts ,
First Amendment ,
Independent Contractors ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Lifeline Program ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Mental Health ,
Mortgages ,
Net Metering ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Power Grid ,
Pregnancy Discrimination ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Retirement Plan ,
Rural Development ,
Sexual Assault ,
Social Media Policy ,
State Budgets ,
Students ,
Suicide ,
Telecommunications ,
Telemarketing ,
Telemedicine ,
Tobacco Regulations ,
Toxic Exposure ,
Water
Senate Committee Rejects Anti-Uber Amendment -
The Senate Finance Committee on Friday afternoon unanimously rejected a proposal from the Senate Judiciary Committee to impose high automobile liability insurance limits on...more
5/11/2017
/ ACOs ,
Auto Insurance ,
Duty to Warn ,
EB-5 ,
EB-5 Regional Centers ,
Independent Contractors ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Lyft ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Mental Health ,
Misclassification ,
Paid Leave ,
PTSD ,
Rural Development ,
Sharing Economy ,
Suicide ,
Telemedicine ,
Uber ,
Workers Compensation Awards
Senate Money Panel Passes Budget Bill -
On a vote of 7-0, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a $5.8 billion budget on Friday that closes a $72 million projected gap between revenues and expenditures in the 2018...more
4/25/2017
/ ACOs ,
Emergency Response ,
Environmental Policies ,
Financial Institutions ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Independent Contractors ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Legislative Committees ,
Mental Health ,
Misclassification ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Paid Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Tax Increment Financing ,
Wage and Hour
Trial Bar Proposes Anti-Ride-Sharing Amendments to Insurance Bill -
The Senate Judiciary Committee considered amendments this week proposed by the Vermont Trial Lawyers Association that would likely force Uber out of...more
4/11/2017
/ Affordable Housing ,
Auto Insurance ,
Consumer Lenders ,
Electricity ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Health Insurance ,
Independent Contractors ,
Insurance Industry ,
Insurance Regulations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Licensing Rules ,
Low Income Housing ,
Low-Income Issues ,
Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
Mortgage Loan Originators ,
Power Grid ,
Private Right of Action ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Renewable Energy ,
Sharing Economy ,
Telemedicine ,
Uber ,
Workers' Compensation Claim
The House Ways and Means Committee is considering a proposal from the Vermont Department of Taxes to reduce the amount of use tax a person can pay without providing records to prove his or her tax liability. The rate would...more
3/21/2017
/ ACOs ,
Ambulance Providers ,
Economic Development ,
Emergency Response ,
Firemen ,
Health Care Providers ,
Independent Contractors ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Lifeline Program ,
Low-Income Issues ,
Mental Health ,
Misclassification ,
Nurses ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Police ,
Proposed Legislation ,
PTSD ,
Sales & Use Tax ,
Sexual Assault ,
Social Media Policy ,
Tax Liability ,
Telecommunications ,
Tobacco Regulations ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Ways and Means Committee ,
Workers' Compensation Claim
House Commerce Considers Independent Contractors, Again -
Vermont's business community continues to plead with lawmakers to update the statute defining independent contractors, arguing that current law is costly and...more
3/7/2017
/ Economic Development ,
Economic Realities Test ,
Employee Definition ,
Health Care Providers ,
Independent Contractors ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health ,
Misclassification ,
Motor Vehicles ,
Nurses ,
Proposed Legislation ,
PTSD ,
Public Schools ,
Rural Areas ,
Rural Development ,
Suicide ,
Tax Increases ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Wage and Hour ,
Water ,
Workers' Compensation Defense
Act 188 Plans On Hold as New Chemical Bill is Introduced -
Nearly three years after the legislature passed a law to regulate children’s products containing chemicals of high concern, a web site intended to inform the...more
2/28/2017
/ ACOs ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Angel Investors ,
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) ,
Blue Cross ,
Blue Shield ,
Children's Products ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Duty to Warn ,
Economic Development ,
Employee Housing ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Hospitals ,
Housing Market ,
Insurance Industry ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Meals-Gifts-and Entertainment Rules ,
Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
Minimum Wage ,
Municipalities ,
Original Source ,
Pending Legislation ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pregnancy ,
Pregnancy Discrimination ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
R&D ,
Research and Development ,
Safety Standards ,
Senate Finance Committee ,
Suicide ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Increment Financing ,
Tax Revenues ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Traditional News ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wages
Governor’s $35 Million Housing Bond Discussed in Ways and Means Committee -
Executive Director Gus Selig of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board revealed some of the details this week behind the $35 million bond...more
2/20/2017
/ ACOs ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Affordable Housing ,
Agricultural Sector ,
Aircraft Equipment ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Economic Development ,
Funding ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Job Creation ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
Millennials ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
R&D ,
Research and Development ,
Rural Areas ,
Rural Development ,
Sales Tax ,
State Budgets ,
Tax Credits ,
Telemedicine ,
Transfer Taxes
The Agency of Transportation has submitted a proposal to the House Transportation Committee that would allow the agency to seek damages from a utility that fails to move or adjust a utility line that is in a state or local...more
2/13/2017
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Auto Insurance ,
Coal ,
Divestment ,
Economic Development ,
Employee Benefits ,
Exxon Mobil ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Hospitals ,
Insurance Industry ,
Investment ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Lyft ,
Medicaid ,
Mental Health ,
Municipalities ,
Natural Gas ,
Notice Requirements ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pending Legislation ,
Pensions ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Qualified Health Plans ,
Right of Way ,
Sharing Economy ,
State Pilot Programs ,
Telecommunications ,
Telemedicine ,
Telephone Service Providers ,
Transportation Industry ,
Uber ,
Utilities Sector ,
Water
Treasurer Will Build Public Pension Plan for Small Business -
State Treasurer Beth Pearce on Wednesday asked the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee to create the framework for a...more
1/31/2017
/ Apprenticeships ,
Baby Boomers ,
Caregivers ,
Chemicals ,
Contamination ,
Department of Children and Families (DCF) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Elder Care ,
Elder Issues ,
Employee Benefits ,
Environmental Policies ,
Healthcare ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health ,
Natural Resources ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacies ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Pension ,
Retirement ,
Retirement Plan ,
Senate Judiciary Committee ,
Small Business ,
State Treasurers ,
Telecommunications ,
Training
Support has begun to gel in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee around a bill that would clarify the status of independent contractors. Many businesses, particularly in the construction industry, have been...more