Housing is a cornerstone of stability and prosperity in any community, but in Vermont, its importance is amplified by the state's unique demographic, economic, and environmental challenges. With a population that is aging rapidly—projected to see 170K households aged 55+ by 2029—and a persistent shortage of affordable units, housing directly influences the ability of Vermonters to live, work, and thrive. Our state requires an additional 24K to 36K homes by 2029 to meet growing demand, normalize vacancy rates, and accommodate workforce needs, yet only about 2,300 new homes were permitted in 2022, far below the annual target of 5,000 to 7,000. This shortfall exacerbates issues like homelessness, where Vermont ranks second nationally in per capita rates, with over 3,295 individuals counted as unhoused in 2023, including a 200% increase in child homelessness since 2020. Without sufficient housing, basic social structures erode, affecting health outcomes, family stability, and community cohesion. This is particularly true for low-income and BIPOC families.

Every year, Campaign for Vermont sets a research agenda for when the legislature is out of session. These are topics that we want to focus on in the spirit of bringing forward new information and recommendations for our state's policymakers. This work might result in new research papers, new position statements, new legislation, or just furthering our own understanding of an issue.

This bill amends two sections of current law related to health insurance practices. The act focuses on claim edit standards (used by insurers to process and validate healthcare claims) and prior authorization requirements (pre-approvals insurers often require for certain services). It aims to reduce administrative hurdles in healthcare delivery while maintaining some safeguards for insurers and compliance.

Dear Members of the Act 73 Task Force,

You have no easy task before you to reconcile all the different perspectives you bring to the table and produce a pathway forward for education reform in Vermont. We were part of the conversations that led to Act 46 and that effort may have just been a foreshadow of this one.

Since 2010, Vermont has consolidated 271 school districts down to 119. During that same timeframe, we have seen spending accelerate and outcomes fall. Today, we are spending 79% above the national average but performing below average when you account for Vermont’s demographics.

What do we know about the group of people that will guide the next phase of education reform?

The working group that Act 73 put in charge of developing a plan for the new education governance system was named a couple short weeks ago. What do we know about them? What solutions will they try to advance? Perhaps more importantly, whose interests will they advocate for?

Vermont’s education system has long grappled with balancing efficiency, equity, and local control. A recent Yale thesis by Grace Miller, titled Evaluating the Impact of School District Mergers in Vermont: Fiscal Reallocation, Equity, and Community Perspectives, provides a comprehensive analysis of the state’s school district merger initiatives from 2010 to 2020. The study examines the fiscal and operational impacts of these mergers, prompted by Vermont’s Act 153 and Act 46, and offers insights into their implications for educational equity, community dynamics, and future consolidation efforts.

S.63 modifies the regulatory duties of the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) with a focus on health information technology, accountable care organizations (ACOs), and hospital budget oversight. The legislation amends several sections of law to enhance coordination, transparency, and efficiency in Vermont’s health care system.

The legislature passed its long-awaited bill to reform the way Vermont finances pre-K to 12 education.  What it neglected to consider is what to do about the quality of the state’s education system.

Ask any legislator, or your neighbor, or yourself, how good Vermont’s schools are, and you’ll find near unanimous agreement that our schools are at the least very good,  and most likely excellent.

Ask me, and I’ll say they are below average.  Why?  Because I go where the data take me.

Act 21 allocates $1M to a nonprofit to purchase and abolish medical debt for eligible residents with incomes ≤400% of the federal poverty level or high debt burdens, ensuring no cost or tax consequences and removal from credit reports. It prohibits credit agencies from reporting medical debt and restricts large health care facilities from selling or reporting such debt, except to nonprofits for debt relief.

The act also defines "behavioral health" to avoid stigmatizing mental health or substance use disorders and takes effect July 1, 2025.