Current News

by Devon Green, Sr. Vice President of Policy & Strategy, VAHHS A huge thank you to Chairs Black and Lyons and Rep. Berbeco and Sen. Gulick, along with all the members of the health care committees, for quickly shepherding through the House and Senate H.84, a bill that allows for recording of telehealth visits with consent. Not only will this bill support more engaged patient visits; it will also provide a better quality of life for our providers. Fun fact: it’s also one of the rare bills that remained unchanged from start to finish! Next stop is the governor’s desk for a signature.

Vermont Business Magazine On April 6, Governor Scott signed a bill of the following title: H.50, An act relating to identifying underutilized State buildings and land. When signing H.50, Governor Scott sent the following letter to the General Assembly: Dear Legislators: I’m writing to inform you that H.50, an act relating to identifying underutilized State buildings and land, has been signed into law. While I appreciate the Legislature reinforcing parts of Executive Order 06-25, H.50 falls far short of the reform required to address Vermont’s growing housing affordability crisis and ignores the most important changes made in both Executive Order 06-25, as well as the housing bill we’ve put forward (that has not been fully acted upon).

by Maggie Lenz and Gwynn Zakov At the governor’s weekly press conference last week, Governor Scott stood at the podium and in no uncertain terms, on the record, said that he's going to veto the budget. When a reporter asked whether he'd veto the House passed budget and yield bill as they stand, Scott's answer was a flat "Oh, yeah." He said the same about the House Education Committee's version of Act 73 implementation. Three vetoes, promised before the bills have even cleared the Senate. But the veto threats aren't the interesting part. The interesting part is the math, both fiscal and political math, and whether the legislature can thread a needle that may not have an eye. 

Vermont Business Magazine It is hard to imagine ourselves in a situation where we don’t have the ability to make sound decisions regarding our health care. Yet planning for a time when we might not be capable of making important medical decisions is crucial for each of us. It is something people of all ages should be thinking about. Having an advance directive in place can be extremely beneficial, as it allows you to make your wishes known and to select a significant other, family member, or friend as the decision maker regarding health care issues should you become unable to make medical decisions.

Vermont Business Magazine The Center for Living and Rehabilitation in Bennington announced today that it earned official Heart Failure Accreditation from the American Heart Association as it continues to focus on providing the highest quality care to patients. The elite designation makes CLR the first Vermont facility within the Allaire Health Services portfolio to receive this accreditation and one of only two facilities in the state of Vermont to hold the distinction. The AHA accreditation is awarded to facilities that demonstrate a rigorous commitment to following evidence-based clinical pathways and maintaining the highest quality standards for heart failure care.

Vermont Business Magazine Biswas Pradhan (Bis), MPH, MSW, Community Health’s new Director of Population Health and Quality, brings experience, insight, perspective and public health strategy to Community Health’s executive team as population health becomes a vital part of delivering quality health care. Earning degrees in business administration, social work and public health at prestigious universities in the US including the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Pradhan has addressed timely public health issues while working at federally qualified health centers serving Chicago’s southside and Boston’s underserved communities.

VermontBiz Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC (DRM) is honored to announce that they have been ranked as a Best Place to Work. The ranking was announced at a ceremony at the Doubletree by Hilton, Burlington on April 2nd. DRM ranked #4 in the Medium-size business category (100-249 employees).

“At DRM, our people are the foundation of everything we do,” said Will Dodge, CEO and Managing Partner. “Being recognized in the top five for Best Places to Work reflects the intentional effort we put into fostering an environment where individuals feel respected, supported, and motivated to do their best work. We’re proud of this honor and remain focused on building a culture that not only attracts talented professionals but also encourages them to grow and stay.  When it comes to all of our employees, we take nothing for granted and remain committed to improving on DRM’s traditions of mentorship, community involvement, a vibrant in-office culture, and best-in-class benefits.” 

VermontBiz LaunchVT, a division of the Lake Champlain Chamber, has selected eight Vermont startups to participate in its 2026 Accelerator. This is the 14th cohort to come through LaunchVT’s flagship program. Since 2013, LaunchVT has provided business development support, strategic coaching, and over $1.4 million in cash and services to accelerate 95 Vermont startups statewide.

Cathy Davis, president and CEO of the Lake Champlain Chamber, said, "LaunchVT’s mission is to empower the entrepreneurs who are driving Vermont’s economy forward. I’m inspired by the talent in this year’s cohort and proud that the Chamber continues to be a home for the startups and ideas that shape our state's future."

VermontBiz Today, Aly Richards, the former CEO of the child care advocacy organization Let’s Grow Kids, announced she’s officially running for governor of Vermont in the 2026 Democratic primary. Richards announced she’s running at a campaign kick-off rally at the Newbury Village Store, down the street from where she grew up. The event was attended by over 100 supporters, including dozens of business leaders, parents, and children.

In her announcement speech, Richards said: “We have common sense here in Vermont. You have to ask yourself – are you better off today than you were ten years ago? When people can’t afford to live here, you know there’s a problem - it’s not working. It’s time for a new approach. What if we had an economy that grew instead of shrank?What if we invested in our rural communities instead of squeezing them? What if we believed Vermont’s best days are still ahead of us? Well, I believe. And I know you all believe, too. I’m running for governor because there’s so much to do and there’s no time to waste.” 

VermontBiz Linda I. Letourneau announced the lease of office space at 2 Market Place, Essex Junction to Gammel Real Estate Services.  Letourneau represented the landlord, LSW Associates, LLC.

Tony Blake participated in the sale of the historic Brooks House at 120 Main Street Brattleboro. The property includes 88,000 square feet of mixed use tenants.  Blake, along with Cushman & Wakefield, represented the seller of the property to Harry May, LLC.

Shaneco Properties, LLC purchased a property at 40 Morse Drive, Georgia from Ten Five 79 Investment Property, LLC.  Linda I. Letourneau assisted both parties in this transaction.

VermontBiz On Friday, April 3, Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, was arrested alongside other activists during a nonviolent direct action outside Lockheed Martin’s development facility in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

The action followed a large interfaith prayer vigil organized by a Philadelphia-area antiwar coalition. Participants gathered to commemorate Good Friday and to protest U.S. militarism and the role of weapons manufacturers in global conflicts. After the vigil, demonstrators carried the names of children killed in Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon and peacefully blocked the entrance to the facility, resulting in multiple arrests.

Cohen, who spoke prior to the action, joined demonstrators in the civil disobedience.

VermontBiz Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) called on Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to obey the law and immediately release more than $810 million in federal funding that helps more than 10 million Americans living in poverty, including nearly 50,000 Vermonters.

Specifically, in just one year, Vermont’s community action agencies served 3,200 Vermonters who did not have health care, 9,000 people who had a disability, more than 7,000 low-income seniors, more than 11,000 children living in poverty and 1,200 veterans and active military personnel.