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.

Government Transparency and Operations

These three all deal, in different ways, with government operations, transparency, and public trust.

Serving in multiple positions in government has been both a blessing and an education. It never ceases to amaze me how things actually happen versus how people think they happen. Sometimes the reality is better than people assume. Sometimes it is worse. Either way, transparency matters.

H.501 – An act relating to the deadline for public bodies to respond to an alleged Open Meeting Law violation

This was a short-form bill, which means it was intended to put an idea before a committee and let them decide whether they wanted to develop it further. The concept was simple: require a public body to respond to an alleged Open Meeting Law violation within 20 business days or at its next regular meeting, whichever came first.

I submitted this bill after dealing with a series of Open Meeting Law complaints while serving on the BUUSD Board. Some complaints raised legitimate concerns. Others did not. Regardless, the law required us to go through the same process every time.

The result was that a small number of complaints could create significant scheduling and administrative burdens. My goal was not to weaken Open Meeting Law. I support transparency. My goal was to make sure concerns were addressed promptly but also not to disrupt regular operations and so it could not be used as a weapon by anyone, regardless of political viewpoint.

H.734 – An act relating to nonprofit transparency in lobbying and elections

Legislative Counsel gave this one a great title: the Vermont Nonprofit Advocacy Transparency and Accountability Act of 2026. The bill would have created additional disclosure requirements for certain nonprofit organizations that spend significant amounts of money on advocacy, lobbying, or election-related activities in Vermont.

Vermont has one of the highest concentrations of nonprofits in the country. Most of them do incredible work. They feed people, support families, provide housing assistance, and strengthen our communities.

But there is another category of nonprofit that plays heavily in politics and public policy. Some organizations receive government funding while also spending substantial resources lobbying legislators, influencing public opinion, and participating in election-related advocacy.

My view is simple: if an organization is spending large amounts of money trying to influence public policy or elections, the public deserves to know who is funding those efforts if they receive a dime of taxpayer money. Whether you agree with the organization or disagree with it, transparency builds trust.

H.865 – An act relating to travel disclosures for public servants

This bill was largely a response to the controversy surrounding legislative travel, particularly the discussion over trips to Israel. The bill would have required public servants to disclose travel taken in their official capacity or because of their status as public servants, including who paid for the trip and associated expenses.

Personally, I never had much of an issue with the legislators taking those trips. My sense was that much of the controversy had more to do with the Israel-Gaza conflict than the travel itself. It is also my understanding that these types of trips have been happening for years. I know there is a contingent of folks that go to Ireland because they are legislators, although I believe they have to pay their way. That said, if public officials are traveling because of their public office, I think the public has a right to know where they went, why they went, and who paid for it.

As for me, This is not a problem I will ever have. I probably will not be heading to Israel, Ireland, or Timbuktu anytime soon. I like it here in the United States. Maybe I will go to Canada someday for a Kinder Egg... but that is probably it and would not qualify as official business. lol

That is it for today's list of bills. I want you all to know what I have been doing in Montpelier. Not because I expect everyone to agree with me. Some of you will be happy with these bills. Some of you will not.

What really matters to me is the conversation. As you will see in future posts there is a reason. In a nutshell, hearing different perspectives makes me a better representative. Not because I always change my mind, and not because I always stand my ground, but because good conversations help us find common ground and sometimes reveal something I hadn't considered before.

And honestly, changing your position after learning something new is not always a bad thing.

Healthcare HSA Option

I am sure this one will generate some conversation.

H.833 – An act relating to evaluating the feasibility of developing a public option, high-deductible health insurance plan

Healthcare costs are crushing Vermont families, businesses, schools, municipalities, and taxpayers. I honestly believe regulation is what is causing the insane cost of healthcare compared to others states. Nevertheless, we can argue all day about the causes, but at some point we need to start exploring new ideas. Because clearly the deregulation road was not an option.

It was a short-form bill that would have created a study committee to evaluate whether Vermont could offer a lower-cost health insurance option built around a high-deductible health plan paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA). The concept was to have the plan administered by private insurers, not the State. However, the state would act as the self-insurer.

The goal was simple: see if we could create a plan that gives people more control over their healthcare spending while also putting downward pressure on premiums.

The bill proposed studying ideas such as:

• Mandatory price transparency so people can compare costs.
• Preventive care incentives to encourage healthier lifestyles.
• A statewide risk pool starting with public employees.
• Using competition and consumer choice to help reduce costs.
• Examining reimbursement models that could lower premiums while maintaining access to care.
•Create regional NP run primary care offices to handle the members.

In the short form version it was just a study… but I would have fully supported implementation if it got traction. You roll it out to public sector workers to create an actuary base and then offer it to small businesses as a benefit for working for them.

I do not pretend to have all the answers on healthcare. What I do know is that doing nothing is not working. Premiums keep going up, deductibles keep going up, and Vermonters keep paying more and more and more.

Sometimes the first step toward solving a problem is considering radical ideas and technically I know this plan can work. It is basically the plan I have at work and I love my healthcare. One of the top reasons for working at the company I work for.

Contact

Reach out with questions or to get involved

Email

Phone

boutinforbarre@gmail.com

802-272-2858

© 2025. All rights reserved. Paid for by Michael Boutin, 5 Hillside Ave, Barre VT 05641