Vermont

Final Reading: That’s all, folks, for Vermont’s 2025 legislative session – VTDigger

Published

9 months ago

June 18, 2025

Press Room

Final Reading: That’s all, folks, for Vermont’s 2025 legislative session – VTDigger

VTDigger reporter Ethan Weinstein at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Monday, June 16. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

*Cue “Closing Time” by Semisonic*

After weeks of contentious negotiations over this year’s landmark education bill, H.454, which the House and Senate both passed on Monday, Vermont’s 2025 legislative session has come to an end. Lt. Gov. John Rodgers brought down the gavel in the Senate, for the final time, just before 7:45 p.m., while House Speaker Jill Krowinski did the same about an hour later.

“It’s actually early though, right? I mean, we’ve had some pretty late-night years before,” Gov. Phil Scott joked to senators in his closing remarks Monday to the chamber. (That’s easy to say, I thought, for a guy who spent the morning hanging out with his buddies down in Boston.)

With lawmakers clearing out their desks and heading home for the summer, Final Reading is signing off, too, until the start of the 2026 legislative session next January.

But before we go, some thanks are in order. Putting together an originally-reported newsletter, every day of the session — on top of the more traditional news stories our readers expect — is no easy task. While you’re used to seeing my byline, and that of my fearless Statehouse colleague, Ethan Weinstein, there are a host of others who make this work possible.

A number of VTDigger reporters took the lead on issues of Final Reading this year, including Carly Berlin, Emma Cotton (who’s now, in fact, an editor), Peter D’Auria and Habib Sabet. Interns Klara Bauters and Olivia Gieger also pitched in. Meanwhile, ace photographer Glenn Russell captured many of the moments — like this one — that defined this year’s session.

Kristen Fountain, senior editor on the politics desk, wrangled all the bits and bobs of each day’s newsletter, often writing copy and tracking key bills herself. Neal Goswami, VTDigger’s managing editor, brought his years of experience covering the Statehouse to the editing process.

Yardain Amron, VTDigger’s night editor, is the one who turned the plain text of a Google Doc into the email that landed in your inbox every night. Taylor Haynes, the newsroom’s audience and product director, made sure that email looks as good as it does. Natalie Williams, senior editor for the digital team, helped us deliver the most engaging, accessible product possible.

And of course, we’re grateful to all of you — our more than 7,000 subscribers — who turned to this newsletter, and do so year after year, to stay on top of the news under the Golden Dome.

If you care enough about how Vermont works to read this newsletter, then you know that clear, fact-based reporting on government can be hard to come by these days. Vermont has lost 75% of its journalism jobs over the past quarter-century. Across the country, dedicated Statehouse reporting has long been in decline, too, but recent research shows that nonprofit newsrooms — like VTDigger — are helping to buck that trend. It’s something we can only do, though, with our readers’ support.

So, if you don’t already, please consider making a contribution to our newsroom to support Final Reading — and all of the VTDigger journalism you rely on to make sense of our state. Thank you!

— Shaun Robinson

So, about that voice vote

Some House lawmakers, particularly those opposed to the year’s landmark education reform package, were pretty pissed that the chamber took arguably the year’s most important vote by voice.

I’m talking about the vote on H.454, which, when no one asked for a roll call, House Speaker Jill Krowinski conducted by weighing the volume of the spoken (or bellowed out) “Yeas” versus “Nays.”

Rep. Kate Logan, P/D-Burlington, leader of the Progressive caucus, said she didn’t think the speaker intentionally rushed the vote, but she still took umbrage with the process.

“I do think they took advantage of the fact that we all kind of froze after a complicated procedural vote,” Logan said.

Logan argued that while H.454 had the votes to pass, a majority of Democrats would have voted against it — a possibility that can’t be known given the lack of roll call.

In order for the vote to be reconsidered, a lawmaker who voted “yes” would’ve needed to make a motion that was then voted on and approved. But no one made that motion.

“I did not clearly hear or understand the question, did not have an opportunity to ask questions or debate, and did not vote because I was unsure of what she had said and what we were voting on,” Rep. Ela Chapin, D-East Montpelier, wrote in a text. She did not support H.454.

“I have not experienced anything like it in my three years as a state representative,” Chapin wrote.

Burlington independent Rep. Troy Headrick made his frustration with the voice vote known on the House floor and again in an email yesterday to Democratic leadership.

“As you know, this was arguably the most consequential bill of the session, both in scope and in its political sensitivity,” Headrick wrote. “While I understand this may fall within the boundaries of procedural correctness, I believe it represents a misuse of authority.”

Conor Kennedy, Krowinski’s chief of staff, said in an interview that representatives’ frustration was “misguided.”

“For the people who are upset, I’m kind of like, literally anyone there could have done it,” he said, referring to making the request for a roll call.

Kennedy noted the speaker allowed people to share their opinions on the bill during a later motion, and any representative can make their position known to their constituents. He said the speaker’s staff reviewed a recording of the floor and found Krowinski allowed a normal amount of time to pass before calling the vote by voice.

“For me there has to be a little bit more self reflection rather than placing this blame on the speaker,” he said. “You can be frustrated about a piece of legislation, but I would caution us about how that frustration is directed.”

— Ethan Weinstein

In the know

Just days after a gunman shot and killed one state legislator and injured another in Minnesota, security was tighter than normal at the Vermont Statehouse on Monday. Access to the building, typically available unchecked through a number of different entrances, was allowed only through a door by the loading dock, where Capitol Police were screening bags with a little-used X-ray machine and wanding down entrants with a metal detector.

State Rep. Melissa Hortman — the Minnesota House’s top Democrat and its former speaker — and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot at their home Saturday. Meanwhile, Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot and wounded at their home, too. The gunman has since been apprehended.

The shootings, which Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has said were politically motivated, weighed heavily on Vermont legislators in recent days. Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, who said in a statement over the weekend that she and Hortman were friends, called the shootings “unthinkable” in remarks on the floor Monday morning.

“There are really no words to describe how tragic this event was,” she said, appearing to tear up.

— Shaun Robinson

Plans for the state to build a secure youth treatment facility are “on hold” after officials withdrew a proposal in Vergennes, according to the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services.

The news came a day after state leaders informed advocates for justice-involved youth and other stakeholders that Vermont would consider a variety of options in its effort to build a new facility, five years after the closure of the scandal-plagued Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center.

Read more about the decision to reconsider the facilities’ location here.

— Ethan Weinstein and Charlotte Oliver

Don’t be a stranger

While the session is over, our coverage of government and politics is year-round. If you’ve got tips, scoops, story ideas or anything in-between, be sure to let our reporters know. We’ll be keeping tabs on the many bills lawmakers approved this year, with a focus on what works — and what, perhaps, does not. You can find the right person to contact, and their emails, on our staff page.

We’ll catch you on the flip side.

— The Final Reading team

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Vermont

19 Vermont school budgets fail as education leaders debate need for reform

Published

41 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

19 Vermont school budgets fail as education leaders debate need for reform

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Most Vermont school budgets passed Tuesday, but 19 districts and supervisory unions saw their spending plans rejected — an uptick from the nine that failed in 2025, though well below the 29 that failed in 2024.

Some education leaders say the results show communities are largely supportive of their schools.

“We’re starting to kind of equalize out again towards the normal trend of passage of school budgets each year,” said Chelsea Meyers of the Vermont Superintendents Association.

Sue Ceglowski of the Vermont School Boards Association said the results send a clear message. “Vermont taxpayers support Vermont’s public schools,” she said.

Meyers said the results also raise questions about the scope of education reform being considered in Montpelier. “If we are going to reform the system, it might not require sweeping broad changes as are being considered right now, but a more concise approach to consider that inequity,” she said.

But in districts where budgets failed, officials say structural changes are still needed. In Barre, where the budget failed, Barre Unified Union School District Board Chair Michael Boutin said the Legislature must, at a minimum, create a new funding formula. “We have to have that in order to avoid the huge increases and decreases — the huge increases that we’ve seen in the last couple years,” Boutin said.

He said the rise in school budgets is separate from why property owners are seeing sharp tax increases. The average state increase in school budgets is 4%, but the average property tax increase is 10%, driven by cost factors including health care. “There’s a complete disconnect, and that’s a product of the terrible system that we have in Vermont with our funding formula,” Boutin said.

Ceglowski says the state should address health care costs before moving forward with rapid education policy changes. “Addressing the rapid rise in the cost of school employees’ health benefits by ensuring a fair and balanced statewide bargaining process for those benefits,” she said.

The 19 districts that did not pass their budgets will need to draft new spending plans to present to voters, which often requires cuts. Twelve school districts are scheduled to vote at a later date.

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Vermont

6 of the Quirkiest Towns in Vermont

Published

13 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Vermont is, for many visitors, the postcard-perfect New England state. A part of the United States since 1791, the first to join the Union after the Thirteen Original Colonies, Vermont has many unique, and sometimes quirky, features. The place has attracted artists and other creative geniuses, some of them decidedly eccentric, from its earliest days. The natural parts of Vermont, like the famous Lake Champlain, offer unusual points of interest for visitors and locals alike. With a state as rich in traveling attractions, it should be little wonder that some of them come with a quirk or two.

Montpelier

Summer Farmers Market in Montpelier, Vermont. Editorial credit: Phill Truckle / Shutterstock.com

Montpelier, while being Vermont’s charming capital, is the tiniest among all US state capitals with just around 8,000 residents. For comparison, the second-smallest, Pierre in South Dakota, has a population of about 14,000. Established in 1787, this historic town warmly welcomes visitors with a variety of landmarks, including the Vermont History Museum and the sprawling 200-acre Hubbard Park. The State House is also open to the public for tours. Just a short drive west, less than an hour away, lies Lake Champlain, one of the Northeast’s most beloved watersides.

The town’s name pays homage to Montpellier, a beautiful city in southern France. This naming reflected the high regard for France at the time, especially for their support during the US War of Independence. Interestingly, Montpelier has experienced its share of flooding, with significant damage occurring in the years 1927, 1992, and most recently in 2023.

Elmore

Elmore, a charming small town in Lamoille County with fewer than 900 residents, is a favorite spot for autumn leaf-peepers. Located north of Montpelier, this peaceful town has its own unique charm, including several local landmarks sharing the name ‘Elmore,’ which adds to its character. It’s important to note that Elmore town is separate from East Elmore. To the west, Elmore Mountain overlooks the area, while Elmore State Park lies just north of the town itself. Enjoying waterside beauty, Elmore Lake is often listed among Vermont’s most picturesque lakes, with its waters flowing into the Lamoille River through Elmore Pond Brook. Like Montpelier, Elmore is situated east of Lake Champlain. For those seeking a more bustling scene or a change of pace, the vibrant city of Burlington, just an hour’s drive west, makes for a perfect day trip or weekend getaway.

Stowe

Stowe, with a lively population of 5,300, is Vermont’s top spot for adrenaline seekers and the eccentrics among us, earning its reputation as the state’s premier ski and snowboard destination. The Stowe Mountain Resort proudly calls itself the “ski capital of the east”—that’s the eastern United States. Nestled near the breathtaking Mount Mansfield, Stowe offers more than just winter fun; warmer months bring plenty of activities like hiking and mountain biking in the beautiful Cady Hill Forest.

The town also has a rich history, being the home of Jake Burton Carpenter (1954-2019), the visionary behind Burton Snowboards and a trailblazer in making snowboarding an international sport. While some might have called him eccentric when he launched his company in 1977, today he’s celebrated as a true pioneer whose legacy keeps inspiring young snow sports enthusiasts, like those at Mount Mansfield Winter Academy, a special school dedicated to nurturing the next generation of champions.

Manchester

Manchester, a town with 4,500 residents located in southwest Vermont, is popular among art and architecture enthusiasts. It features Hildene, the estate of Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert, which boasts an impressive Georgian Revival house and grounds. The town’s American Museum of Fly Fishing showcases numerous rods, flies, and related gear, attracting many superstitious anglers. Manchester is also home to Orvis, a renowned fishing and clothing company. The Southern Vermont Arts Center hosts exhibitions, and includes a sculpture garden and performance space. Nature lovers should visit Mount Equinox, west of town, or explore the Green Mountain National Forest to the south.

Eccentric fact: Jonathan Goldsmith, known for portraying “The World’s Most Interesting Man” in Dos Equis commercials, resides in Manchester. Stay quirky, my friends.

Brattleboro

Brattleboro, with a population of 12,100, sits along the Connecticut River and features a variety of attractions and oddities. Located just west of New Hampshire—in which the Connecticut River forms the border—and just north of Massachusetts, the town is an ideal midpoint for exploring the wider New England region. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate Fort Dummer State Park, welcoming hikers, bikers, and campers alike. Among the more renowned eccentric figures in history, British writer Rudyard Kipling moved to Brattleboro after marrying a Vermont woman in 1892. Their home, Naulakha, references his birth and childhood in India. Kipling believed that Brattleboro’s conservative small-town culture created an

Woodstock

Woodstock, a town with 3,000 residents located in upstate New York, is separate from the famous 1969 cultural event. This southeastern town attracts architecture enthusiasts, particularly for the First Congregational Church, built in 1807 and featuring a bell cast by American revolutionary Paul Revere, and the Norman Williams Public Library, completed in 1884. For outdoor activities, visitors can walk in Woodstock Town Forest, located south of the town, or enjoy panoramic views from the Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historical Park, the only part of the US National Park system in Vermont besides the Appalachian Trail. Recently, Woodstock has modernized its infrastructure with digital technology, launching the “Wireless Woodstock” initiative in 2011, which provides free Wi-Fi across the entire town. It’s not quirky; it’s just cool.

Vermont’s Quirky Small Towns May Also Be Its Best

These small Vermont towns show the state’s sometimes quirky, but never boring character. Architecture fans will find unusual, beautiful examples state-wide. Montpelier is an oddly pint-sized capital with heavyweight history. Brattleboro has long attracted strange, sometimes brilliant types, whether foreign or domestic. Manchester is interesting enough for the World’s Most Interesting Man. And with abundant natural parks, the Green Mountains, and the majesty of Lake Elmore and Lake Champlain, the quirks of Vermont’s best features should attract even the most straight-laced visitors.

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Vermont

Vermont postal worker allegedly threw away mail she was supposed to deliver for months

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Vermont postal worker allegedly threw away mail she was supposed to deliver for months

Crime

During a search of a dumpster where the worker allegedly discarded the mail, police found several packages and holiday cards.

A Vermont postal worker was cited and suspended for allegedly throwing away mail that was supposed to be delivered to other people, according to police.

Natasha Morisseau, 34, of North Troy, was cited on nine counts of petty larceny and five counts of unlawful mischief, Vermont State Police said in a statement. She works as a mail carrier for the town’s United States Postal Service (USPS) office.

Officers were first alerted to the discarded mail on the afternoon of Jan. 23, according to police. Upon finding the mail in a dumpster on Elm Street in North Troy, they determined that none of it was for that address.

Police identified Morisseau as a person of interest and learned that she was a postal employee. They confirmed that she had regularly been throwing away a small amount of mail under her care since at least October 2025, according to the statement.

After searching the dumpster and Morisseau’s mail vehicle, officers found opened and unopened packages, along with several holiday cards, one of which contained money. Morisseau was later cited Feb. 14 and is due to appear March 17 in Vermont Superior Court, police said.

Since Jan. 23, Morisseau has been suspended by USPS, and all recovered mail has been given back to them for delivery, according to the statement. The case has been forwarded to the USPS’ Inspector General for further review.