A Weekly State House Recap
By Maggie Lenz and Nick Charyk on behalf of Atlas Government Affairs
All Hands on Deck: A Bipartisan Approach to Flood Resilience
At a time when national politics is often defined by horrifying displays of division, Vermont’s State House is proving that collaboration and pragmatism can still get things done. Rep. Gina Galfetti, a Republican from Barre Town, and Rep. Teddy Waszazak, a Democrat from Barre City, have teamed up as co-chairs of the Flood Caucus to introduce H.397, the Omnibus Flood Bill. This bill is the result of input from legislators across the state who have been working together to develop a broad and coordinated approach to flood resilience and recovery following the disasters of 2023 and 2024.
"I am very proud to be introducing this bill, along with my Flood Caucus Co-Chair Gina Galfetti," Waszazak said. "This bill reflects the priorities of municipalities, long-term recovery groups, homeowners, and communities from all across the state. For many of our neighbors, the floods of 2023 and 2024 are still with them every day.”
House leadership has said that flood recovery and resilience will be a priority this biennium, and committees will now begin taking up different sections of the bill in parallel. While not every provision will make it through the process, the proposal sets out a framework for how the state could approach long-term recovery and preparedness.
Funding recovery and building resilience
The bill proposes that the state cover 100 percent of the local FEMA match for flood-damaged municipalities, easing the financial burden on towns that would otherwise be responsible for millions in recovery costs. It also proposes upfront financial assistance so municipalities can move forward with essential projects while awaiting federal reimbursements.
For homeowners, it creates a state-led buyout program for properties FEMA will not cover, alongside funding for home elevation, relocation aid, and flood-resistant rebuilding. The goal is to break the costly cycle of destruction and reconstruction in flood-prone areas.
Strengthening infrastructure
The bill proposes directing resources to VTrans for upgrading roads, bridges, and stormwater systems so communities can better withstand future flooding. It also calls for regional fleets of vactor trucks, ensuring municipalities have the equipment needed to keep storm drains and culverts clear before they become a problem.
The Agency of Natural Resources would oversee river and floodway management, including clearing blockages and restoring flood-retaining systems. These efforts aim to reduce future flood risks while balancing ecological concerns.
"We must prioritize mitigation and resilience by focusing money on infrastructure and preventative measures like rebuilding roads and bridges better and performing riverbed maintenance," Galfetti said. "We have common goals that reflect the immediate needs of Vermonters. This bill deals with these things swiftly and in direct response to what my constituents sent me to Montpelier to accomplish."
Streamlining disaster response
The bill calls for Vermont Emergency Management to create a clear framework outlining municipal and state responsibilities during floods, ensuring a coordinated and efficient response. It also proposes expanding the Agency of Commerce and Community Development’s role in economic recovery, recognizing that flood recovery is not just about roads and homes but also about keeping businesses open and local economies strong.
A model for bipartisanship
While partisan differences in Montpelier are real, Galfetti and Waszazak’s work together stands out as an example of how lawmakers can set ideology aside to solve immediate challenges.
"The work that has been done on this bill shows that Republicans and Democrats can work across the aisle," Galfetti said. "In a session that has proven quite partisan at times, the needs of flood-impacted communities do not fall along party lines."
Waszazak echoed the sentiment and expressed hope that this collaboration could set an example for tackling other pressing issues.
"We can build our communities in a flood-resilient way and make people whole, and this bill would go a long way toward making that a reality," he said. "I hope other legislators will learn from this collaboration and work on the affordability crisis facing us and not waste any more time."
As H.397 moves through the legislative process, committees will take up its provisions, debate the details, and determine what moves forward.
Follow the Money
On Thursday, Friends of Vermont Public Education (FVPE), a newly formed nonprofit, held a press conference at the State House to voice concerns about taxpayer dollars flowing into private schools with little oversight. FVPE argued that Governor Scott’s push to expand Vermont’s voucher system raises serious questions about affordability, equity, and the appropriate use of public funds in education.
FVPE contends that Vermont already allows significant public dollars to go to private schools with few strings attached, and that rather than expanding this practice, lawmakers should be increasing accountability. Speakers at the event pointed to what they see as a lack of financial and academic oversight for schools receiving taxpayer money, arguing that any institution taking public funds should follow the same rules as public schools. As FVPE board member Neil Odell put it, "Affordability and accountability go hand in hand. Without oversight, taxpayer money can be spent inefficiently, with little accountability for student outcomes or fiscal responsibility."
FVPE board member Armando Vilaseca, who served as Vermont’s last Commissioner of Education and became its first Secretary when the Department of Education transitioned into the Agency of Education, spoke about the state’s long history of publicly funded private school tuition. He noted that while Vermont has allowed public money to follow students to private schools for over a century, the scale of funding and lack of accountability in recent years have created serious concerns that need to be addressed.
FVPE further warned that Vermont could face the same financial pitfalls as other states that have expanded voucher programs. The group pointed to studies from education policy organizations showing that states like Indiana, Arizona, and New Hampshire experienced massive cost overruns after expanding voucher systems, in some cases reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. Their message to lawmakers was clear: without stronger oversight, Vermont risks following the same unsustainable path.
Curiosities: A Weekly Peek at the Odd and Intriguing Happenings Under the Golden Dome
There are few places in Vermont as deeply familiar to those who work in them as the State House. It’s a building most of us could traverse with our eyes closed, every hallway, staircase, and creaky floorboard etched into memory.
But now, the mezzanine level, once home to legislative attorneys and mostly out of sight to the public, has been repurposed, feeling new, strange, and almost detached from the historic core of the State House. Tucked away behind the cloakroom, with stair access hidden in the farthest reaches of the building, it’s a space that many are only now discovering.
The entire mezzanine, now home to House Government Operations and Military Affairs in M106 and House Education in M103, has a distinctly modern feel, unlike the rest of the building. The layout is wider and more open than the committee rooms tucked into the main floors, with brighter colors and fresh design touches. It lacks the heavy wood paneling, historic portraits, and well-worn carpets found throughout the State House. If most rooms have a familiar, lived-in feel, the mezzanine feels like walking into an addition that was built yesterday.
For House Government Operations, the move to M106 marks the end of their time in Room 10 in the Lincoln Hallway, a space that had long served as a public meeting room before COVID.
"This has been a long time coming," said Chair Matt Birong (D-Vergennes). "Our committee had spent several years in Room 10 in the Lincoln Hallway. That had always been a public meeting space pre-COVID. It was time to get that room and Room 11 back into that role. The General Assembly has been looking to expand our workspace for years. We are now just realizing those efforts."
The new space isn’t just an upgrade, it’s a complete departure from what most committee rooms feel like.
"It’s wonderful. It feels fresher than the rooms most of the House committees do their work in. Not just because it’s new, but because of the color schemes and accents. The architect, designers, and contractors did great work," Birong said.
It’s also a test site for new technology, particularly video and audio systems for remote access, which means Gov Ops is working more closely with the Legislative IT team than most committees.
"It’s kinda cool to work with our Legislative IT department in this way," Rep. Birong added.
House Government Operations has always been one of the busiest committees in Montpelier, but its portfolio has grown even larger this session. In addition to its usual work on elections, municipal governance, and the state workforce, the committee is now handling the voting provisions tied to education reform, overseeing much of the state’s flood recovery policy, and tackling military affairs. The workload reflects the committee’s role as the place where major structural policy changes often land, making its expanded space on the mezzanine feel all the more fitting.
But despite the upgrades, some quirks come with the territory. The most notable in M106 is a load-bearing pole planted directly behind the committee table, perfectly positioned to split the seating between Birong and ranking member Rep. Chea Waters-Evans (D-Charlotte).
"We have put up a ‘This many days since a pole incident’ sign as a bit of a VOSHA joke," Birong said.
Of course, when one committee gets a major upgrade, there’s bound to be some ribbing from colleagues still making do with the same old spaces.
"I definitely wouldn’t call it resentment," Birong noted. "There have certainly been some quips about flying business class or the lap of luxury. All in all, though, everyone is just grateful to see us have more elbow room to do our work."
Chair of the House Government Operations Committee, Rep. Matt Birong (D-Vergennes) shows off his new digs.
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