News & Updates

Updated (5/24/2018): Gov. Phil Scott has vetoed H.196, the paid family and medical leave bill. Although the governor has been a vocal opponent to a paid family and medical leave program, VPIRG and allies had hoped he would heed the message of Vermont’s working families, small businesses, and public interest advocates who have demonstrated overwhelming ...

(Update 5/24/18): In yet another shameful display of putting corporate polluters ahead of Vermonters’ best interests, Gov. Scott vetoed S.197 – legislation that would have provided a modest step towards justice for Vermonters harmed by toxic chemical exposure by providing medical monitoring at the polluting entity’s expense. Gov. Scott vetoed S.103 earlier this year – a ...

VPIRG was proud to join with a diverse group of advocates and organizations to call on Governor Phil Scott to stand with Vermonters over corporate interests at a press conference Thursday. The groups that gathered outside the State House represent a wide array of backgrounds — from small business owners to low-income advocates to privacy activists ...

Position: VPIRG Summer Canvasser Location: Burlington, VT Apply here: www.vpirg.org/2018-canvass-app Ever wish you could get paid to travel Vermont, bike around some of the most scenic parts of the state, and camp with friends, all while making an impact on the future of important environmental and political issues? If you answered yes, VPIRG has the job for you. The ...

Earlier today, the House and Senate passed H.739, a bill that creates a three year pilot program to give Efficiency Vermont more flexibility in working with some of the largest businesses in the state on custom efficiency and energy saving programs. This bill now heads to Governor Scott’s desk before it can become law. The Efficiency ...

All session long, VPIRG and our members have been advocating for H.764 – better known as the Data Broker Bill. Data brokers are third party companies (like Equifax) that buy and sell your personal information without your knowledge. You don’t interact with these companies and would probably be surprised to learn that they may have in-depth ...

With just days left in the Vermont Legislative session, state legislators are working to finalize language on a proposal to promote net neutrality in Vermont. S.289 – the Net Neutrality Bill – is being negotiated in a committee of conference, before heading to both the House and Senate for a final up-or-down vote. If passed S.289 would ...

Earlier this week, VPIRG held a press conference outside of the Lowe’s Home Improvement store in South Burlington as part of a  national “Mind the Store” campaign urging Lowe’s to stop selling deadly paint strippers. Executive Director Paul Burns made brief remarks outside of the store and presented the store manager with a letter requesting ...