Today the House Human Services committee voted 9-2 in favor of advancing S.20, a bill that would allow dental therapists to offer care in Vermont. Dental therapists are dental professionals with a scope of practice beyond that of a hygienist, but not as expansive as a dentist. Dental therapists are part of the dental workforce …
Dental therapy bill passes out of House Human Services committee! Read More »
VPIRG and members of the Alliance for Clean and Healthy Vermont co-released a new report produced by national partners today that found that the lining of two out of three cans tested contain the toxic chemical Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that negatively impacts our hormonal systems. Evidence suggests it may contribute …
New report finds toxic BPA in two out of three tested canned food linings Read More »
The next few days will be very important in the ongoing effort to move Vermont toward clean, renewable energy and protect and build on the over 16,000 clean energy jobs in Vermont. S.230, an energy siting reform bill, passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee on a 5-0 vote and is expected …
The Vermont Senate voted 19-6 in favor of S. 220, an act related to the public financing of campaigns, and sent it to the House for consideration. The bill makes improvements in our current law by allowing publicly financed candidates to run more competitive campaigns. Public financing of campaigns is a crucial step towards countering the …
VT Senate approves changes to public financing of campaigns Read More »
The Vermont House passed H.620, the Access to Birth Control bill, sending it to the Senate for consideration. This is a huge step forward for family planning, economic security, and other issues that are greatly impacted by unintended pregnancies! In Vermont, nearly half of pregnancies are unplanned[1]. H.620 will do a few things …
House approves bill to expand access to birth control Read More »
Over the past week, four of the nation’s largest food manufacturers have announced that they will join Campbell’s in labeling genetically engineered foods sold in the United States to comply with Vermont’s upcoming GMO labeling law. Food giants General Mills, Kellogg, Con Agra, and Mars made their announcements after a bill to eliminate Vermont’s GMO …
This week, the House Human Services committee resumed testimony on S.20, the bill to establish dental therapists in Vermont. The committee is the first in the House to take up the bill after it passed the Senate last year. Hearing from a range of advocates, including VPIRG’s Falko Schilling, dental professionals, administrators and analysts, the …
House committee hears testimony on bill to expand access to dental care Read More »
As folks across the country become more aware of the necessity of recycling and reducing waste, we begin to address some more unusual sources of waste- in this case, tennis balls. Ever think about where all those yellow balls end up when they lose their bounce? Many tennis players will open a fresh can every …
In a win for consumers across the country today, the U.S. Senate voted 48-49 against advancing a bill, known as the new Deny Americans the Right to Know (DARK) Act, which would preempt Vermont’s GMO labeling law. In a press conference among representatives from VPIRG and the Vermont Right to Know GMOs coalition as well …
Our democracy was founded on the principle of “one person, one vote”, but it’s no secret that many Americans feel their vote doesn’t count. From the overwhelming influence of big money in politics to restrictive voting laws, barriers are disempowering Americans and pushing us away from participating in the political process. The result is a …
