CLIMATE & ENERGY
Passing the nation’s strongest regulations on AI data center development
VPIRG led the effort to strengthen and pass H.727, which Gov Scott ultimately vetoed despite hundreds of VPIRG members and other Vermonters urging him to side with Vermont ratepayers over Big Tech. The bill would have ensured Vermonters don’t wind up paying higher electric bills due to data center development, that data centers maximized on-site renewables and funded energy-saving projects for the surrounding community, and critically, it barred data centers from running on-site fossil fuel generators except during genuine emergencies. While the bill is dead for this year, it provides a model we’re committed to building on and passing in the 2027 session.
Bringing plug-in solar to Vermont
Currently, many Vermonters – especially renters – are effectively locked out of the solar transition, exacerbating existing energy inequalities. S.202, currently on its way to the governor, would enable plug-in solar and begin to change that. Current technology and safety standards mean that Vermonters that are allowed to do electrical work in their home can access this technology right away. Additionally, the bill ensures that as soon as true “plug-and-play” solar is available Vermonters will be able to use it.
Protecting appliance efficiency standards from Trump administration attacks
The Trump administration is actively working to roll back many of these important consumer-protection standards, which would allow costly, inefficient, energy-wasting appliances into the market. That’s why we pushed hard to pass language adopting all current federal appliance efficiency standards into Vermont state rule. These protections were also passed as part of S.202.
We also: Worked to prevent new barriers to solar development as proposed in several bills; ensure protections against the risks of nuclear power and waste were not weakened; pass and fund legislation that would strengthen Vermont’s greenhouse gas reporting efforts (H.740 – which unfortunately ran out of time for passage before the end of the session); and eliminate outdated bureaucratic hurdles driving up the cost of solar arrays being located near each other.
DEMOCRACY
Establishing a Vermont Voter Protections Act
This legislation is one important step toward countering threats to our democracy coming out of Washington, D.C. The bill (S.298), which is now awaiting the governor’s signature, establishes a state-level voter protection framework. It also prohibits the intimidation of voters and election workers and updates campaign finance rules, allowing candidates to utilize campaign funds for certain personal cybersecurity measures during an election cycle.
Closing the lobbyist advertising disclosure loophole
Some lobbying organizations, including the fossil fuel-friendly Americans for Prosperity, have exploited a disclosure loophole in current Vermont law. This bill (H.686) would close the loophole by requiring reporting of lobbying advertisements whenever they occur and it would add greater specificity in that reporting. The bill passed both chambers and will be sent to the governor soon.
Exposing the use of AI in campaign ads
VPIRG backed legislation (S.23) that will require political ads using AI or synthetic media to carry a public disclosure. This bill has been signed into law.
We also: Launched an important new campaign to fundamentally reset corporate power in Vermont. This would leverage the state’s ability to modify corporate charters to exclude the power of corporations to engage in political spending. It could make the disastrous Citizens United decision irrelevant here. The bill (S.322) didn’t make it this year, but we and many supporters will be back.
CIVIL RIGHTS
Requiring law enforcement identification
We’ve seen how callous and cruel the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts have been across the country. That’s why we were proud to support legislation that would have required local, state, and federal law enforcement officers to clearly identify themselves during enforcement actions, including a ban on officers from wearing masks outside of extreme circumstances. This legislation (S.208) passed the Senate on a 27-2 vote, but suffered serious setbacks, delays, and an ultimate failure in the House when the body failed to suspend rules to take the bill to a final vote on the last day of the session.
Establishing protections for sensitive locations
As part of our efforts to safeguard our communities, we also supported legislation to protect Vermonters by prohibiting civil arrests in sensitive locations like schools, shelters, healthcare facilities, places of worship, polling places, and government buildings. This bill passed the Senate on a 27-2 vote, and the House on a 109-30 vote. We expect this bill to be delivered to the governor’s desk any day.
Providing constitutional accountability
After the violence that took place in South Burlington on March 11, the call for accountability became louder than ever. The Constitutional Accountability Act (H.849), which allows individuals to bring action against government officials for interfering with constitutional rights, passed into law this session. The bill passed the Senate on a 23-7 vote and the House on a 97-39 vote. The governor allowed H.849 to become law without his signature.
We also: Continue to celebrate the adoption of resolutions (S.R.21 & H.R.12) condemning the deadly overreach we’ve seen from federal immigration enforcement officers this year and to monitor legislation that develops immigration protocols in schools (S.227), which recently hit the governor’s desk.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & ZERO WASTE
Banning the toxic pesticide paraquat
Paraquat is a highly toxic herbicide that has been linked to Parkinson’s disease and other serious health harms. In a landmark victory, legislators passed and the governor signed H.739, making Vermont the first state in the nation to ban paraquat.
Testing for toxics in baby food
Studies have indicated that toxic heavy metals can be found in baby food and even in infant formula. New legislation in Vermont (H.536) will require testing and disclosure for heavy metals in baby food so caregivers can make informed purchasing decisions. It will require the same for infant formula once California or two other states require the same.
Updating the Bottle Bill
A bill that will soon be on the governor’s desk (H.915) will make modest but important changes to Vermont’s popular Bottle Bill program. First, it gives redemption centers and retailers a financial lifeline by increasing the handling fee by a penny for the first time in almost 20 years. It also gives consumers improved opportunities for convenient redemption while reducing the burden on small retailers.
We also: Built support forlegislation (S.247) to reduce the quantity and toxicity of single-use plastics – particularly plastics used in packaging. Plastic pollution and microplastics are a growing threat that must be addressed.
CONSUMER PROTECTION & HEALTH CARE
Strengthening Vermont’s data broker law
The legislature passed a bill (H.211) to update Vermont’s first-in-the-nation data broker law in a number of important ways. If enacted, this bill would increase the registration fees for data brokers; make it easier for the state to hold accountable data brokers that fail to register with the state or provide incorrect information when they register; require data brokers to share more about their practices; and, importantly, it sets Vermont on a path to eventually create a one-stop universal data broker deletion mechanism via a feasibility study by the Secretary of State. This bill is heading to the governor’s desk.
New protections for consumer genetic data
The legislature passed a bill that puts strict data privacy requirements on direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies (e.g. 23 and Me, Ancestry.com, etc.) by making those companies obtain express consent from consumers for practically any use of that data and giving consumers the ability to revoke that consent at any time. Importantly, consumers that are harmed by any company that violates this law can hold the company accountable in court. This bill is also heading to the governor’s desk.
Comprehensive consumer data privacy
VPIRG fought to pass a strong comprehensive consumer privacy law that would ensure companies collecting our data treat privacy as the default by limiting their collection and processing of personal information to only that which is necessary to deliver the goods or services a consumer is expecting. Unfortunately, the legislation that passed (S.71) tracks more closely to the tech-industry-preferred data privacy model, which allows companies to continue their current data practices so long as they disclose them to the consumer. We’ll be back to work to strengthen this law in future sessions.
Setting up a Vermont prescription drug discount card program
We supported a proposal led by Treasurer Mike Pieciak to join a collaboration of state governments working together to secure lower prices on prescriptions for their residents. The program is called ArrayRx, and a bill (H.577) authorizing Vermont to join this effort passed both chambers with tremendous support. We are now teaming up with the State Treasurer to promote this new opportunity for Vermonters to save money on their prescriptions.
We also: Advocated for a ban on the use of surveillance pricing; and right-to-repair legislation that would provide consumers access to the parts, tools, and information necessary to fix the products we own. Neither of these bills advanced this session; we’ll be back to push for these policies in the future.