Our Legislative Agenda
Legislative Agenda
What do you want Vermont to look like?
Our State thrives on local control which means that we, the people, are responsible for our government. We tell government what to do; Government does not tell us what to do.
Yet our state democratic/progressive legislators continue to believe in centralized control over your life. Education should be in the hands of the parents not bureaucrats in the Montpelier Agency of Education. We are for Parental rights in education. The aggressive democratic/progressive legislature continues to enact bills which are offensive and costly.
We need to change the direction of Government and replace the legislature with responsible Vermonters who reflect the people’s wishes rather than cram down expensive laws.
News
As your County Chair, I scan reliable sources like FYIVT.com and VermontDailyChronicle.com weekly to keep us ahead on Montpelier developments. Here are the top stories from the past two weeks (Feb 9–23, 2026) that impact our district—focusing on fiscal accountability, education reform, government spending, and policy overreach.
- Vermont’s $2 Billion Retiree Health Gap (FYIVT, Feb 20) State faces over $2.1 billion in unfunded retiree health obligations—highlighting long-term fiscal irresponsibility. This underscores the need for stricter budgeting and spending restraint. Read more: https://fyivt.com/be-informed/vermonts-2-billion-retiree-health-gap/
- VT Legislature Presses DCF on Housing Money (FYIVT, Feb 19) Lawmakers grill the Department for Children and Families over $11 million in emergency housing funds redirected without clear oversight—raising questions about transparency and waste in state programs. Read more: https://fyivt.com/be-informed/vt-legislature-presses-dcf-on-housing-money/
- Senator Proposes School Choice Within One Statewide District (Vermont Daily Chronicle, Feb 18) A bill pushes Vermont Education Accounts for parental choice amid rising property taxes and declining enrollment—aligning with GOP calls for efficiency and alternatives to the current system. Read more: https://vermontdailychronicle.com/senator-proposes-school-choice-within-one-statewide-school-district/
- Proposed Constitutional Amendment Expands Protections for Limited Groups (Vermont Daily Chronicle, Feb 18) Prop 4 (Equality of Rights) adds “sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression” to constitutional protections—critics argue it creates interpretive confusion and prioritizes specific groups over broad equality. Likely on the November 2026 ballot. Read more: https://vermontdailychronicle.com/mcguinness-proposed-constitutional-amendment-expands-protections-for-limited-groups/
- Vermont Mandates AI Labels on Election Deepfakes—But Research Shows They Might Backfire (Vermont Daily Chronicle, Feb 16) New law (S.23) requires disclosure labels for AI-manipulated campaign content; similar California rule struck down as unconstitutional—potential free speech concerns for 2026 elections. Read more: https://vermontdailychronicle.com/vermont-mandates-ai-labels-on-election-deepfakes-but-research-shows-they-might-backfire
Other Upcoming Events –
NEXT MEETING:
Our next meeting is Saturday March 7th. We should have a few local candidates introducing themselves and getting signatures on their petitions. See you at 10 am at the Arlington Community House, (Rear Entrance) 3842 Rt. 7A, Arlington, VT 05250
News Highlights
Vermont Judge dismisses CFL climate lawsuit against State of Vermont
Roper: The Coming Politics of Mega-School Districts
Soulia: Why Did the NEA Pull Their Handbook from Their Website?
Soulia: This Ain’t Your Great-Grandma’s NEA
Roper: Climate Action Plan Demands Spend, Spend, Spend!
Roper: Did Republicans Get Played on Education Reform?
Soulia: VT’s 3-Acre Rule: A Billion-Dollar Cleanup with Pennies of Impact
Conservative News and Commentary
Small Farm Republic – John Klar (Substack)
Behind the Lines – Robert Roper (Substack)
Joe Gervais
Bennington County GOP Chair
The new Bennington County GOP Facebook group had grown to over 100 members. – share with your friends so we can get to 150 members. https://www.facebook.com/groups/4190612831170290/