That’s a wrap! After a legislative session that ran longer than usual due to active debates around education reform, lawmakers finally adjourned last Friday.

Lawmakers ended up passing a number of positive laws to improve the health and resilience of our communities – despite some unusually divisive rhetoric and other challenging dynamics this session. Governor Scott has vetoed two of those bills so far – regulating data centers and reducing chloride pollution. Despite that disappointing outcome, the Legislature has made meaningful headway in protecting the health of Vermonters with a first-in-the-nation ban on toxic paraquat pesticides, as well as better regulation of heavy metals in baby food and infant formula. The Governor signed both of these important bills. We hope Governor Scott will sign the other bills highlighted below into law. 

Read our legislative summary to see where key environmental issues landed:

Reducing Toxic Chemicals and Plastics

• Paraquat ban: Legislators passed a first-in-the-nation bill to ban many uses of Paraquat (H.739), which is a highly toxic pesticide linked to Parkinson’s disease and other harms. ENACTED!
• Heavy metals in baby food: Lawmakers also enacted a bill to require testing and transparency to reduce toxic heavy metals in baby food and infant formula (H.536). ENACTED!
• Bottle Bill updates: A bill that aims to improve the bottle redemption program (H.915) passed the Legislature. SENT TO GOVERNOR
• Rodenticides, chemical recycling, and other toxics reforms: Lawmakers did not advance a proposal to phase out harmful rodenticides (H.758), or a bill to ban so-called “chemical recycling” – a toxic and ineffective practice that often entails burning plastic – and policies to reduce microplastics and toxic phthalates in medical IV bags (S.247). We will work to get attention for these issues in the coming year. STALLED OUT

Climate and Clean Energy

• Portable solar: A bill to authorize Vermonters to access portable, plug-in solar units (S.202). SENT TO GOVERNOR
• Smart growth solar: Another pro-solar bill, H.710, would allow new solar projects to be sited alongside existing solar arrays. SENT TO GOVERNOR
• Data centers: A bill to create proactive, protective regulations for large-scale AI data centers (H.727) overwhelmingly passed both bodies. It included cost protections for Vermont ratepayers, safeguarding water resources from pollution and depletion, and ensuring data centers wouldn’t drive up climate pollution. Despite strong public and policymaker support for AI data center regulation, Gov. Scott vetoed the bill. VNRC will continue to fight to ensure potential large-scale data centers in Vermont don’t negatively impact Vermont’s natural resources, electric ratepayers, and communities. VETOED
• Greenhouse gas inventory: A bill to create a greenhouse gas inventory to collect better data on fuel use across the state (H.740) was one of the Top 10 recommendations of the 2025 Climate Action Plan. It passed the House, and the Senate added a repeal of the Clean Heat Standard to clarify that the program is not being implemented. Senate Republicans refused to suspend the rules on this bill – unlike many other bills – and, as such, the clock ran out on the bill.This baseline data is fundamental to support good program design, planning, and future policies. It’s a disappointing result, and we will be working hard to put this important program back on the table ASAP. STALLED OUT

Clean Water

• Protecting lakes: A bill advanced through the legislature to study how we classify lakes to ensure that lakes with high water quality are protected from degradation (S.223). SENT TO GOVERNOR
• Drinking water and wastewater: A bill to improve the review of connections to public water and sewer systems and address other issues related to the regulation of water supply and wastewater systems passed the legislature (S.212). SENT TO GOVERNOR
• Chloride pollution reduction: A bill to create a voluntary program to reduce unnecessary road salt and cut harmful chloride pollution (S.218) passed the Legislature, but was disappointingly vetoed by Governor Scott. VETOED
• Ecological restoration: VNRC supported the creation of a new ecological restoration permit process for projects like dam removals, which did not move forward legislatively, but the Agency of Natural Resources has initiated a stakeholder group to look into this issue. 

Healthy Democracy

• Voter protections: A bill to protect Vermonters’ access to the ballot has advanced through the legislature (S.298). This bill takes some positive steps forward, but key provisions were removed, so we will continue working on voters’ rights, particularly as the Supreme Court undermines the federal Voting Rights Act. SENT TO GOVERNOR
• Lobbying loopholes: A bill to close a lobbying disclosure loophole and make it easier for Vermonters to know who is trying to influence their perspectives on key issues has advanced through the legislature (H.686). SENT TO GOVERNOR
• Civil liberties: A pair of bills – S.208 and S.209 – both sought to protect civil liberties and address some of the harmful tactics being used by ICE and others. S.208 aimed to require law enforcement agents to show identification and have their faces visible. This bill did not make it to final passage. S.209 prohibits civil arrests in sensitive places such as hospitals, schools, and polling places. It was adopted by the legislature and will head to the Governor’s desk. S.208: STALLED OUT ; S.209: SENT TO GOVERNOR

Sustainable Development & Land Conservation

• Revisiting critical resource protection process: After the Senate passed a bill (S.325) to provide more time and clarification for Act 181, the major land use and Act 250 modernization law passed in 2024, the House voted to repeal the natural resource protection policies in the bill known as the “Road Rule” and “Tier 3,” and launched a new process to develop a plan to more inclusively engage Vermonters in the question of how best to protect the state’s most critical natural resources. We shared our thoughts on this here.  S.325 also makes significant changes – both good and concerning – to how the state guides development and investments. This bill passed the legislature. SENT TO GOVERNOR

Transportation

The Transportation Bill largely remains about roads and bridges, but does advance some of VNRC’s priorities. On the electric vehicle front, it includes right-to-charge for condominiums and common interest community associations, requires EV chargers to accept direct credit card payments and provide real-time status on their operability, and maintains essential funding for Drive Electric Vermont. Last-minute changes, however, risk making EV drivers the singular guinea pigs of a new program designed to help recoup lost gas tax revenue. The proposed Mileage-Based User Fee program threatens to have the cleanest vehicles on the road paying more than their dirtiest, least efficient counterparts – more than their “fair share.” For more details, see VNRC’s position. SENT TO GOVERNOR