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 VPIRG-backed legislation that passed in the final hours of the 2013 legislative session will make it easier for consumers to hold insurers accountable when they try to raise your rates. Under the new law, consumers can sign up to receive notifications when their insurer is planning to hike rates, and can have their voices …
Vermont Passes Consumer Centered Health Care Reform Bill Read More »
Despite the near-unanimous agreement at the beginning of the legislative session that this would be the year to pass meaningful reforms to Vermont’s campaign finance law, legislators declared the issue dead for the year.
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.
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.
The House Judiciary Committee voted 7-4 to pass H.112, the Vermont GMO labeling bill. The bill will now go to the full House of Representatives where a full vote is expected later this week. If the bill passes out of committee it will be the furthest a comprehensive GMO labeling bill has advanced in any state legislature. With the legislature slated to end their session later this week the bill will be in a great position to be taken up in the Senate when lawmakers return to their work in January.
For Immediate Release: May 3, 2013 Montpelier, VT – After a long week of late night debates and close votes, the House Human Services Committee came together across party lines to approve a bill that bans toxic and ineffective flame retardant chemicals from children’s products and home furniture (S.81, vote: 10-0-1). The bill will be …
Ban on Toxic Flame Retardants Moves Another Step Closer to Final Passage Read More »
Over 5,000 children’s products contain toxic chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive problems according to reports filed with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology). An analysis of the reports by the Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer States found that makers of kids’ products reported using a total of 41 chemicals identified by Ecology as a concern for children’s health, including toxic metals such as cadmium, mercury, and antimony, and organic compounds such as phthalates.
Within the next 24 hours, a key House committee will vote on whether to give very wealthy individuals and corporations the right to pour even more money into Vermont elections. And at this moment, it looks like the vote will be bad – very bad. Help us to get Big Money OUT of Politics in Vermont! …
Key Committee Could Vote to Put More Money in Politics Read More »
This summer, VPIRG’s canvassers will be fanning out across Vermont to generate support for our campaign to label GMOs in Vermont. We’re aiming to knock on doors in EVERY town in the state to make sure Vermonters know about the presence, prevalence and potential dangers of the GMOs that are currently not labeled but present in nearly …
