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Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Legislature on Friday evening passed a $7.35 billion budget for FY22 for the operations of state government and provide services and benefits to Vermonters. The budget also makes investments in Vermont’s infrastructure and human capital from the federal funds available from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the CARES Act (CRF).

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today addressed Vermont legislators to mark their adjournment for the 2021 legislative session. The governor thanked lawmakers for their work, noting the significance of what they have achieved during this once-in-a-century public health crisis.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State Colleges System Chancellor Sophie Zdatny released a statement on the Vermont Legislature’s historic investment of 88.9 million dollars in the Vermont State Colleges System (VSCS) and Vermont students in the Fiscal Year 2022 State Budget. The legislature is funding $88.9 million in investments in the state's colleges.

Vermont Business Magazine Northern Vermont University celebrated the 494 graduates of the Class of 2021 through two Virtual Commencement ceremonies this past weekend, honoring Johnson Campus graduates on Saturday, May 15 and Lyndon Campus graduates on Sunday, May 16. Held as YouTube Premiere events, both celebrations incorporated time-honored commencement traditions into the watch party experiences.

Vermont Business Magazine Audit reveals 1099G errors caused by single person, Scott announces the Vermont Forward Plan, Koffee Kup, Vermont Bread close, 247 jobs lost, PUC extends utility disconnection moratorium through May 31, Community Health Centers get $33 million investment, Community Health Centers get $33 million investment, Montpelier hotel, parking deck project scrapped, and more...

Vermont Business Magazine The VDH reported today 37 new cases of COVID-19 with no deaths, which remain at 255. Governor Phil Scott announced today that all the state’s pandemic restrictions can be lifted ahead of the Vermont Forward target date of July 4th — if the state vaccination rate reaches 80% of eligible Vermonters (age 12 and older). Currently, nearly 75% of eligible Vermonters have received at least one dose — more than 400,000 Vermonters. “So, here’s my challenge to Vermonters, if we hit 80%, I’ll lift any remaining restrictions and mandates — that day.”

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that when 80 percent of Vermont’s eligible population - those age 12 and older - have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the state will enter Step 4 of the Vermont Forward plan – currently slated for July 4 – and remove its remaining restrictions. At a modest rate of 1,500 vaccinations a day, the state would reach Scott's goal by June 8.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) and Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV) applaud the Vermont Legislature for making historic investments in climate action, clean water, affordable housing, broadband, and other critical programs that will benefit Vermont’s people, environment, and communities. Governor Scott said today that he expects to sign the budget bill once it reaches his desk, barring any last minute changes. The Legislature could adjourn as early as today.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Regular weekly unemployment claims fell dramatically to pre-pandemic levels the last two weeks as the Vermont Department of Labor was able to eliminate the vast bulk of fraudulent claims by requiring new claimants to call the department directly. As the VDOL discovered, and other states have realized, criminal operations were barraging online systems with false claims. The work search system technical issue at VDOL that surfaced on May 16 is now resolved. The Vermont work search requirement for unemployment insurance filers was reinstated on May 9.

Vermont Business Magazine Earlier this week, the Vermont Department of Labor identified issues with entering work search information when filing weekly claims. This resulted in some claimants not being able to file. All work search related issues with the weekly claim have been resolved as of today. If you have not been able to file your weekly claim, you can now log back in and do so. The Vermont work search requirement for unemployment insurance filers was reinstated on May 9.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont's seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for April was 2.9 percent. This reflects no change from the prior month’s revised estimate. The comparable United States rate in April was 6.1 percent, which was an increase of one-tenth of one percentage point from the revised March estimate. Vermont has the fifth lowest rate in the nation, one-tenth behind Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Dakota and Utah. Last month Vermont was tied for lowest.