Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) is the nation’s only institution featured in the top five for both environmental law (No. 5) and most graduates entering public interest law (No. 5), according to newly released rankings from U.S. News and World Report. VLGS also ranked No. 48 in Best Legal Writing Programs, No. 49 in Best Part-Time Law Programs and No. 55 in Best Clinical Training Programs.

Vermont Business Magazine An internationally recognized advocate for girls’ education will deliver the commencement address to the Saint Michael’s College Class of 2026. Shabana Basij- Rasikh, co-founder and president of the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA), will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the College’s 119th Commencement. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on May 10, 2026, in the Ross Sports Center. In addition to Basij-Rasikh, the College will award honorary degrees to two distinguished alumni whose lives and careers exemplify leadership, service, and impact: Donald R. “Don” Dion, Jr., Esq. ’76 and Richard E. “Rich” Tarrant ’65 (posthumously).

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University is graduating its third class of students on May 16 and 17, 2026, and today announced its group of commencement speakers for the four ceremonies held at the Castleton, Randolph, Lyndon, and Johnson campuses throughout the weekend. Former Lyndon State College President Joe Bertolino, Ed.D., will serve as the commencement speaker at the Lyndon campus, where he served as president from 2012 to 2016. At Vermont State’s Johnson campus ceremony, newly retired Major General Gregory C. Knight will be the guest speaker. The Castleton campus will welcome alumna Kelly Pearsons ’17 as its commencement speaker. Graduating student Jerika LaValley will serve as the commencement speaker for the joint Randolph and Williston commencement ceremony, continuing the Randolph campus tradition of a student speaker.

Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont is bolstering the cybersecurity of Vermont’s public sector by providing centralized resources and expert guidance to help protect critical infrastructure. As of October 1, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) shifted to a tiered, fee-based model for state, local, tribal, and territorial government members. Many of the eligible public sector entities are small organizations that lack access to dedicated cybersecurity resources—and in many cases, do not have dedicated IT staff at all—making centralized support and guidance especially critical.

by Katrina Menard, Public Assets Institute Last July, Congress cut Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion over a decade as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Over 150,000 Vermonters—including 60,000 children—receive health insurance through Medicaid. Up to ten percent of adults could lose health coverage due to changes in eligibility and enrollment requirements, and kids may also lose coverage. For Vermont’s schools and students, reduced Medicaid payments could mean budget shortfalls. Under federal law, states may receive reimbursements for certain health care services provided to students with Medicaid and for related administrative costs. Medicaid is the fourth-largest funding stream for public schools, providing over $7.5 billion nationally each year.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) is developing the next State Plan on Aging, a guiding document that outlines how the State of Vermont and the network of Area Agencies on Aging and service providers will strive to meet the changing needs of older Vermonters over time. The draft plan is online at: asd.vermont.gov under “Latest News.” Vermont has one of the oldest populations in the country, and its residents are getting older faster than in most states—making this more than a statistic; it’s a story about neighbors, families, and entire communities adapting to change. Older adults are one of Vermont’s greatest resources, contributing experience, wisdom, and a deep sense of community that strengthen the state in countless ways.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported for the second week that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations have fallen to a very low level, similar to the negligible level seen last summer. There were no measles cases after one reported in Vermont in February in Washington County and the rate nationally is low. While there was no measles virus detected recently, RSV, Influenza B and Norovirus remained elevated at all the Vermont wastewater testing sites.

Vermont Business Magazine IPRO was recently awarded a contract from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to serve as the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) program for the 13th Statement of Work in the Northeast Region (Region 1), which encompasses Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Previously, IPRO had been named the QIN-QIO for the Mid-Atlantic Region (Region 2) which includes Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC. Under these contracts, IPRO will work directly with nursing homes, hospitals, and outpatient clinical practices to improve the quality and safety of care for 24 percent of the nation’s Medicare beneficiaries. Both contract terms run through May 2030.

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.