Legislative Report: My concerns are sincere

Heffernan says “My comments were never about denying anyone fairness, dignity, or respect.”

Debates over education reform, budget priorities, taxes, public lands and ethics oversight are shaping the final stretch of Vermont’s legislative session.

The Independent inadvertently allowed certain representations by Hardy that criticized New Haven resident Paul Ralston.

Legislative Report by Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Middlebury

Now is not the time to add pressure to property taxes or the state budget.

Friday was Crossover at the State House, the day when bills must pass out of their original committees in the House and Senate in order to cross over to the other chamber this session.

Our work last year to reduce health care costs has had a measurable impact, slowing the growth in health insurance rates. Unfortunately, many people did not benefit from these decreases due to the elimination of federal health insurance subsidies.

“This week, the Senate passed two important bills to protect residents from federal actions in Vermont.”

The 2025 Legislative Session came to a close in mid-June after a grueling extended session dedicated to passing K-12 education transformation legislation.

A lot has changed with H.454, Vermont’s major K-12 educational transformation bill, and it will be up for a vote on the Senate floor this week. Sen. Hardy will vote against it.

Many people have questions about how the proposed changes to Vermont’s K-12 school system being debated by the Legislature might impact their kids, school, community, or property taxes. To learn more, join Senator Ruth Hardy for a K-12 Education Community … (read more)

Some of Vermont’s top elected officials converged on Middlebury Saturday to spread a united message during these tumultuous early days of the Trump Administration: The Green Mountain State will safeguard its citizens from the growing threats of reduced fe … (read more)

Have you noticed new childcare programs springing up all over Addison County? To name a few, the Salisbury Children’s Center opened last fall next to the town offices.

Can Vermont legislators distinguish an AI-generated portrait from a real one? That was the question facing the Senate Government Operations committee last week as members watched pictures from a New York Times quiz designed to test just that.

The new year has brought the start of a new legislative session, with big changes at the Statehouse. After the November election, Democrats retained the majority in both houses, but many more Republicans are members of the House and Senate, and fewer wome … (read more)