Bills Sponsored or Co-Sponsored
I believe it is important to know what your representative is doing. Below are some bills that I have sponsored(had drafted) or co-sponsored(other Representatives drafted that I signed on to). Click the button below to be directed to my Legislative page which shows all the bills in the 2025 & 2026 sessions.
Want to skip ahead to a specific topic? Click the corresponding button below.
Public Safety
Barre City has seen more than its fair share of criminal activity over the last several years. Whether the root cause is drugs, mental health, poverty, or some combination of all three, nobody should feel unsafe in their home, at work, or in their community.
I sponsored H.128 — an act relating to unlawful drug activity in a dwelling by a person who is not a legal tenant.
This bill came directly from concerns raised by constituents living at places like the Barre Manor and other apartment complexes. The issue is that people who are not tenants are using apartments for illegal activity, and landlords often have very limited ability to remove them quickly. A version of this proposal eventually made its way into H.772, but that bill ultimately died in the Senate.
I cosponsored H.754 — an act relating to repeat violent offenders, assaults against a protected professional, and victim input on plea agreements. This bill would have increased the penalties for repeat violent offenders and for people who assault police officers, EMS personnel, firefighters, healthcare workers, DCF employees, and other protected professionals. It also would have strengthened victims' rights by requiring prosecutors to better inform and consult victims before plea agreements are finalized.
I cosponsored H.780 — an act relating to establishing mandatory minimum sentences of incarceration for retail theft and drug trafficking. This bill would have created mandatory minimum jail sentences for certain repeat retail theft offenses and drug trafficking crimes. Vermonters are tired of seeing the same people repeatedly committing serious crimes with little accountability. This bill was aimed at addressing that problem.
I also cosponsored H.781 — an act relating to filing certain juvenile offenses in the Criminal Division. This bill would have required certain serious crimes committed by older juveniles to begin in the adult criminal court system, while still allowing appropriate cases to be transferred back through existing youthful offender processes. Crimes such as felony firearm offenses, drug trafficking, aggravated stalking, and certain release violations are serious offenses with serious consequences for victims and communities.
Public safety matters.
People deserve to feel safe walking down the street, going to work, shopping downtown, or sleeping in their own home. While we may debate the best solutions, I believe accountability has to be part of the conversation. Compassion and consequences are not mutually exclusive. We can help people who are struggling while also protecting the law-abiding citizens who make up the vast majority of our communities.
Vermont Traditions
Vermont has a long history of outdoor recreation. Trails, snowmobiles, ATVs, hunting, and local outdoor events are all part of our culture. This rich history make Vermont what it is and brings money into our communities and strengthens our small businesses.
I cosponsored H.147 — an act relating to establishing the Recreational Trails Compensation Study Committee. This bill would have created a study group to look at whether landowners should be compensated by the state when people use their land for recreational purposes, including trails for ATVs and snowmobiles. Our enjoyment of these recreational activities only work because private landowners allow access. If we want that to continue, we should make sure landowners are treated fairly.
I sponsored H.150 — an act relating to reinstating the waiting period exemption for firearms transfers at gun shows. This bill would have removed the three-day waiting period for purchases at gun shows only. This impacts Barre directly because we have an annual gun show, and those sales help bring people into the city and generate local option tax revenue. In early February thousands of people come to Barre City to go to the show.
I also sponsored H.788 — an act relating to the operation of all-terrain vehicles on Class 3 and Class 4 town highways. I enjoy using my ATV, and like many others, I am a member of VASA. I truly believe Vermont is missing a real opportunity here. States like Kentucky have opened roads in a way that supports ATV use and tourism. Vermont could do the same in a responsible way. Opening more access would bring people into our communities, support small businesses, and put more money into the gas tax, which helps pay for our roads that need funds for repair.
These bills were about protecting Vermont traditions, respecting landowners, supporting local businesses, and looking for ways to grow outdoor recreation in a way that actually benefits our communities.
Veterans
I was one of the 70+ Representatives that sponsored H.43 — an act relating to exempting military retirement and survivor benefit income from Vermont income tax.
H.43 did not become law. However, the concept made it into S.51, which was signed by Governor Phil Scott as Act 71. This was not an easy process. It is my understanding that some representatives have been trying to get this over the finish line for over a decade.
The final law provides a full state income tax exemption on military retirement pay and survivor benefits for many Vermont veterans and military families, with partial exemptions for others based on income.
This was a huge win for veterans, surviving spouses, and military families across Vermont. Honestly it is also an important workforce and affordability issue. Vermont has struggled to attract and retain military retirees, many of whom have valuable skills, leadership experience, and are still in their prime working years.
Here in Barre City, we have veterans who served our country, retired military families, and surviving spouses who will directly benefit from this change. Keeping more of their retirement income in their pockets is simply the right thing to do. They can spend it better then the state can for sure!
Act 71 also included additional tax relief through expansions of the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, Social Security exemptions, and a new tax credit for lower-income veterans.
Not every bill makes it across the finish line in its original form. Sometimes the idea gets picked up, modified, and packaged into a larger bill. This is one of those cases, and I am proud to have supported the effort from the beginning.
Thank you to all of our veterans and military families for your service and sacrifice.
Education
Education dominated much of the biennium. I supported Act 73 in 2025, which was supposed to lead to truly transformative changes in Vermont’s education system. Unfortunately, the majority party backed away from those larger goals and settled for a smaller compromise. For information on how I voted for H.955 An act relating to next steps in transforming Vermont’s education system, please go to my voting record page. Below are some bills around education.
I cosponsored H.54 — An act relating to cell phone-free schools and it made it into law. Schools in Vermont are now supposed to be cell phone-free during the school day. This is a huge win for schools, teachers, and most importantly, children. Cell phone use in schools has become a major problem. It distracts students from learning, affects attention and focus, and contributes to serious concerns around mental health and social development.
I co-sponsored H.211 — An act relating to data brokers and personal information. This bill upon passage included a section requiring an inventory of education technology being used in our schools. That matters. Large technology companies are collecting and using data, including data connected to children. At the same time, we are putting more and more electronic tools in front of students during the school day. Before we can make good policy, we need to know what is being used, what data is being collected, and whether there are any negative effects. Once we have that information, I hope to still be in the Legislature when we take the next steps.
I sponsored H.616 — An act relating to the right to enroll full time in virtual learning. I was able to testify about it in the House Education Committee. Vermont already uses the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative as a flexible pathway. The problem is that parents generally have to go through school administration to access it. In my opinion, that creates a perverse incentive. A school district may not want to approve a student using virtual learning, even when it may be the best option for that child. I believe parents should have the right to use an existing virtual learning pathway without being blocked by school administrators.
Education policy should be focused on students, families, and outcomes. Whether we are talking about cell phones, education technology, or virtual learning, my goal has been the same: protect children, support families, and make sure our education system is actually serving students. If reelected I will maintain those goals.
Environment
Full disclosure, I fully believe that the climate is changing and I also believe that Vermonters cannot do much about it. Rather we need to focus on the things that make an impact on Vermonters and not focus on big global issues that we will have no impact on. I honestly believe some of the most damaging legislation to moderate and low income families is in the name of protecting the environment.
That is why I cosponsored H.16 An act relating to repealing the Affordable Heat Act. This bill would have repealed the Clean Heat Standard. Estimates suggested the program could add significant costs to heating fuel. At one point, figures as high as $4 per gallon were being discussed. With many Vermont families already struggling to afford heating costs, I believed the risk was simply too great especially now when fuel is so high! For the record, Clean Heat Standard is still looming in the shadows.
I cosponsored H.159 — An act relating to repealing the Renewable Energy Standard. I support repealing a set of goals Vermont has already failed to meet and will make living here more expensive. I also have concerns that these mandates create opportunities for litigation that ultimately costs taxpayers money while doing little to improve affordability or the environment but sure lines the pockets of big donors that support political campaigns.
I cosponsored H.518 — An act relating to repealing the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program. I viewed this law as largely symbolic and questioned whether spending state resources pursuing lengthy legal battles against major oil companies was the best use of the Attorney General's time and taxpayer dollars.
I cosponsored H.397 An act relating to miscellaneous amendments to the statutes governing emergency management and flood response, which became Act 57. Act 57 focuses heavily on flood response and resilience. It allows disaster mitigation grants to be used for voluntary buyouts of flood-impacted or flood-prone properties, helps municipalities access emergency and weather alert systems, gives towns and cities more flexibility to borrow funds after all-hazard events, and allows advance dam drawdowns when it may reduce flood damage. This bill was not necessarily environmental rather how we respond to the changes.
We all want a clean environment. The real question is how to achieve that goal without making life less affordable for the people who live here. I believe Vermont needs practical environmental policies that balance environmental stewardship with affordability, reliability, and common sense.
