Victories
S.81 – Banning Toxic Flame Retardants
May 20, 2013
Upon learning that a cancer-causing chemical banned from children’s pajamas in the 1970s (chlorinated Tris) had found its way into numerous other children’s products and home furniture, VPIRG and our fire fighter allies successfully pushed for a ban on Tris in these products.
The legislature unanimously supported this bill, which puts in place the nation’s strongest ban on these ineffective flame retardants, and is an important step on our path to broader chemical safety reforms.…
S.82 – Commonsense Campaign Reform: Delayed
May 20, 2013
Last November, when VPIRG laid out a plan to force Super PAC contributors into the light of day, legislators of all political stripes took notice. The window for passing comprehensive elections reform legislation – which had been closed for years – appeared to open.
In fact, the Legislature took steps toward that goal. The Senate and House both approved versions of campaign finance and disclosure legislation. However, VPIRG had to threaten to oppose drafts of the legislation in both houses in order to prevent legislators from opening the floodgates to even more money in politics.…
H.107 – Holding Health Insurers Accountable
May 20, 2013
Revealing Health Insurance Industry Secrets – Last year, VPIRG led the effort to require health insurers to disclose financial data and new information on the number and type of health claims they deny (click here to see what we found!). Thanks to the passage of another VPIRG-backed bill this year, Vermonters will soon be able to access the same data from Medicaid as well as private insurers. Enabling consumers to make side-by-side comparisons of health insurance plans (and the insurer’s track-record) is a huge step toward a more transparent health care system.…
State Voice in Tar Sands Pipeline Affirmed
May 20, 2013
As the national and international debate over the Keystone XL pipeline heated up, VPIRG and our partners successfully pressed for more state control over a plan to ship tar sands oil through a 63-year old pipeline in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. VPIRG activists sent in over 1,000 comments to the District 7 Environmental Commission calling for appropriate environmental oversight over any plan by Exxon to ship tar sands through Vermont. The Commission agreed, and ruled that a proposal to reverse the flow through the aging pipeline would require new environmental review.…
H.530 – Keep Vermont on the Path to Reform
May 20, 2013
Preparations are well under way to launch “Vermont Health Connect,” the virtual insurance marketplace required by the federal Affordable Care Act, so legislators and the administration spent much of the session considering how the transition would impact Vermonters who have subsidized insurance plans now. VPIRG urged policy makers to keep coverage consistent for those eligible for popular state programs like VHAP and Catamount.
In the end, our efforts were somewhat, but not entirely successful. The new law will ensure most low and middle income Vermonters are spared a significant rise in what they pay in health care premiums each month.…
H.395/H.520 – Baby Steps on Clean Heat
May 20, 2013
Heating efficiency programs save energy and money, while reducing global warming pollution. But it takes money to save money, and in order to meet the statewide goal of weatherizing 80,000 (or one in four) Vermont homes by 2020, we need a serious investment of public dollars.
Lawmakers, pressured by fossil fuel interests and Super PAC lobbying, failed to step up and make these investments. However, VPIRG did successfully back improvements to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which could bring in additional dollars to help Vermonters weatherize their homes.…
H. 112—Protecting your Right to Know GMOs
May 20, 2013
In a historic vote, the Vermont House passed legislation to protect your right to know whether the food you’re considering purchasing contains genetically engineered ingredients (a.k.a. genetically modified organisms or GMOs).
No other state’s GMO-labeling bill has gotten this far – Vermont’s bill to require labels on GMO food sold here is on track to become the nation’s first such law. VPIRG and our partners will now focus on the Senate so that the bill can become law next year.…
Legislative Accomplishments 2013
May 20, 2013
The legislative session is over, and the results are in. Here at VPIRG, we’re celebrating the victories that our members helped to bring about. Thank you!
Of course, we didn’t win every fight. The Legislature failed to commit the necessary resources to weatherize our homes and businesses, for example. But we’re taking the time to celebrate the wins, reflect on the losses, and get to work building the grassroots support to carry us forward again, next year!…
GMO Labeling Passes Out of the House of Representatives
May 10, 2013
Today the House of Representatives passed H.112 , this year’s GMO labeling law, by a vote of 99-42! This is the furthest any such legislation has made it through the legislative process in the US. It was clear that hearing from Vermonters like you that gave them the courage to lead the nation on this important issue.
Vermont House Unanimously Passes Nation’s Strongest Ban on Cancer-Causing Flame Retardants
May 8, 2013
In the jam-packed final days of the legislative session, the House of Representatives carved out time to pass the nation’s strongest bill to protect children and fire fighters from unnecessary and harmful flame retardant chemicals (S.81, vote:141-0) by banning their use in childrens products and home furniture.
