Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The House on Wednesday passed H.222 with tri-partisan support, an omnibus overdose response bill that seeks to reverse the trend of fatal overdose in Vermont. The bill seeks to address the state’s record-breaking amount of overdoses in recent years by decriminalizing buprenorphine, establishing a statewide syringe disposal program, increasing equitable access to treatment, and removing barriers to recovery housing development. This legislation makes buprenorphine decriminalization permanent and removes barriers to treatment for those on Medicaid. It also removes zoning barriers for recovery housing, establishes a statewide syringe disposal program, and funds services through updated fees on pharmaceutical manufacturers. The bill also strengthens liability protections for syringe service providers, modernizes the Narcan statute, and establishes a definition of recovery residence.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas is urging residential contractors to register with the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office of Professional Regulation (OPR). Pursuant to a law passed by the Legislature last year, residential contractors working in Vermont who perform $10,000 or more worth of work inclusive of labor and materials must register with OPR. The registration requirement applies to any contractor who performs residential construction where the estimated value is $10,000 or more, inclusive of labor and materials. Home contractors will also be required to maintain insurance and have a contract with the homeowner.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) will hold his first annual “Youth Chess Day” on Saturday, April 1. This event is part of a series of initiatives organized by Sanders to provide opportunities for civic engagement and community for Vermont youth, ranging from student town halls held virtually and in person, his State of the Union Essay Contest, Vermont Day at the Edward Kennedy Institute, and many more. This inaugural event will take place at Vermont Technical College in Randolph and will feature a learn-to-play session for students interested in trying out the game for the first time, as well as a recreational tournament for experienced players. Sanders will speak with the students and their families about the game of chess, education and after school activities, and other topics of importance to them.

Vermont Business Magazine In 2009, the US Preventive Services Task Force changed its mammography screening guidelines to recommend that routine breast cancer screening start at age 50 rather than age 40, recommending an individualized approach for women ages 40-49. The group cited insufficient evidence for screening women ages 75 and older. Researchers at the UVM Cancer Center, Sarah Nowak, PhD, and Brian Sprague, PhD, found that the change in guidelines led to a decline in mammography screening rates for all three age groups, including in the 50-74 group most at risk of developing breast cancer and most in need of screenings, an unintended consequence. The researchers coined the term "spillover" for this effect. Vermont had the second steepest drop of any state for all three groups.

Vermont Business Magazine iSun, Inc (NASDAQ: ISUN), a leading solar energy and clean mobility infrastructure company with 50-years of experience accelerating the adoption of innovative electrical technologies, today announced that it had secured five contracts covering 6.5 MW and valued at $5.1 million in Vermont, to provide expanded solar energy capabilities at five industrial sites. Projects scheduled to begin in spring 2023 and are expected to be completed in 2023 and 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 1 office and the US Department of Energy (DOE) are honoring 11 New England companies and organizations, including Efficiency Vermont, as ENERGY STAR partners for their outstanding leadership in promoting energy efficiency and tackling climate change. Efficiency Vermont (Winooski, Vermont), a state energy efficiency utility, increased incentives for low- and moderate-income households in the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program and rolled out a social media campaign that increased subscribers and Facebook followers. Efficiency Vermont has been a Sustained Excellence winner for 8 years.

Vermont Business Magazine Anyone thinking of violating Vermont’s fish and wildlife laws needs to keep in mind that they cannot just hunt, fish or trap in another state if their licenses are revoked here. Vermont is one of 48 states belonging to the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact (IWVC), which recognizes fish and wildlife related license suspensions of member states. Any person whose license privileges are suspended in one compact member state will have his or her licenses suspended in all other compact member states. The IWVC assures that in participating states, nonresident violators will receive the same treatment as resident violators.

Vermont Business Magazine Dozens of VBSR CEOs and business leaders gathered in Montpelier on Thursday, March 16, to deliver a decisive call for climate action. The group advocated for the passage of key legislation this session, including the Renewable Energy Standard (H.320) – more commonly referred to as the “RES” bill – S.5, the Affordable Heat Act, and H.101, the Transportation Affordability Act. Through it all, they emphasized the need for a bold, comprehensive plan not just this session, but in every successive year. With the Golden Dome standing tall as the backdrop, VBSR business leaders used their community profiles to speak directly to the press about why the climate and the economy are inseparable.

Vermont Business Magazine During the spring fish spawning season, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) wants to remind Vermonters that permitted Lake Encroachment construction projects (like shoreline stabilization or projects that disturb the lakebed) in public lakes and ponds are typically not allowed from March 15 to July 1. Examples of Lake Encroachment construction projects that are not allowed during this period include adding fill in the water for shoreline stabilization (such as riprap or seawalls), boathouse reconstruction, or dredging. Examples of projects that can potentially move forward during this time frame include installing docks, floats, rafts, buoys, and regular repairs or maintenance to existing encroachments.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington School District (BSD) announced today that "following three years of hard work and a renewed focus on training in Hazing, Harassment, and Bullying (HHB) procedures," the District has been released from its 2019 settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice. In a letter to the District, the DOJ noted, “We also recognized the efforts of the District's leadership to prioritize equity work and appreciate the District's commitment to continue its work in this area. In particular, we have observed that District employees' compliance with your policies and procedures regarding harassment has increased tremendously since our initial investigation.”