Legislative Update: Focused Committee Work on Housing and Labor, Education Updates

Although recent weeks have been quiet on the House floor, committee work has been steady and productive — particularly on three key issues: housing, labor and education reform.

Housing Development: Advancing S.127

Our committee has been actively reviewing S.127, the Senate’s comprehensive housing development bill, which closely mirrors the House-passed H.479—with one significant addition: a new financing mechanism to support housing infrastructure.

 Recently, I joined housing advocates to celebrate the opening of 65 permanently affordable homes at the 10th Cavalry Apartments in Colchester! Fifteen of these units will support individuals and families leaving homelessness. This is also the first project in Vermont to use both federal and state funding to clean up and redevelop a brownfield site — turning challenges into new opportunities for our communities!

Since the beginning of the session, I’ve worked with housing advocates statewide to explore innovative ways to support smart growth. One key outcome of that work was H.378, my bill proposing a targeted Tax Increment Financing (TIF) tool for housing infrastructure. The goal was simple: help communities overcome the financial hurdles of building essential infrastructure like wastewater and sewer systems.

I’m proud to report that language from H.378 has been incorporated into S.127, creating what is now called the Community Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP). Unlike Vermont’s existing, restrictive TIF program, CHIP is designed for communities of all sizes—not just large municipalities—and focuses exclusively on infrastructure that supports housing. This program will enable towns and cities to partner with developers to meet local needs, with an emphasis on projects that are at least 70% housing and serve low- to moderate-income Vermonters.

Originally included by the Senate, the CHIP language was temporarily removed when S.127 arrived in the House. It underwent more than a month of review in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee before coming to the General and Housing Committee for final refinement. We voted the bill out late Friday afternoon after a week of intensive, thoughtful work. The vote was bi-partisan 10-1. I’m deeply proud of our committee’s commitment to tackling the housing crisis.

While CHIP won’t solve Vermont’s housing challenges alone, it adds a critical tool to our toolbox. Looking ahead, several of us in the House are committed to continuing this work over the summer—including advancing additional tax incentives such as tax assessment districts and tax abatement—to keep Vermont moving forward on housing.

I huge shoutout to Jane, a UVM Political Science student who spent most of the session interning with me. Look for her to do big things, soon!

Education Reform: Evolving Discussions on H.454

Meanwhile, the Senate has been focused on H.454, the education transformation bill. Many changes have been made on the Senate side — changes that I believe represent real improvement.

As you may recall, I voted against the original version of H.454 in the House. My concerns centered around the lack of substantive reform and the fact that Vermonters would not see any real tax relief or change for at least five years. Additionally, under the House version, communities like Georgia — which is a  “sending town” — would lose access to public tuition dollars.

While I am optimistic about the direction the Senate is taking with this bill, I remain concerned that the unique needs of sending towns still aren’t being addressed. This is a critical issue, and I will continue advocating for solutions that protect educational opportunities in communities like ours. Please make sure to call your Senators to share your input. 

Looking Ahead: Labor!

This coming week, my committee will focus on S.125, a labor bill that, in its current form, falls short of addressing the real challenges facing Vermont’s workforce. As the only human resources professional in the House, I bring a unique perspective to this discussion and have been working hard to improve the bill. While I cannot support S.125 as written, I’m hopeful that the changes I’ve advocated for in committee will strengthen the legislation enough for me to support it once our work is complete.

Shameless plug of my husband, Jeff, who is doing amazing work as the Director of Innovation & Marketing at the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport! He's spent many days in Montpelier promoting the aviation industry; and I certainly don't mind our lunch breaks together.

THANK YOU!

I've often said the Vermont Maple Festival is the unofficial (but official) start of the Spring. But this year, rain and snow put a chill on the annual parade. Nonetheless, we were there laughing and soaking in the rain and snow! I am thankful to the 22 friends, family, and volunteers who walked with us! I can promise you, it will be warmer come the Fairfax 4th of July Parade, where (adamantly ironic) we'll be distributing over 1,000 popsicles as is our tradition!