End of Biennium Report — Emily Carris Duncan

END OF BIENNIUM REPORT 2026: WILMINGTON, WHITINGHAM, HALIFAX

Rep. Emily Carris Duncan: Commerce + Economic Development Committee

INTRODUCTION

It has been an honor to serve you for this biennium in Montpelier. We experienced a transformational biennium that sets Vermont on the path to the future. We find ourselves in a time of transition with an unwieldy economy, needless wars, high gas prices, and a loss of reliability from our Federal Partners. This year the legislature worked hard to control costs in education, healthcare, and transportation. We established programs to maximize our domestic and international trade efforts. We worked this session to create a deeper support for our small businesses and workforce. We are protecting Vermonter’s data online so that we’re less vulnerable to fraud.

We worked to modernize our state wide administrative systems and land use policies. This session we saw a historic galvanizing of a diverse array of rural Vermonters to ensure that we build an equitable future. With S.325 which was signed by the Governor the legislature listened to the people to develop a framework that directly engages communities across the state. This law repealed the road rule, tiers 2+3 rulemaking and set up a community driven process with strong oversight to ensure that Vermonters have a say in how our communities grow and plan for the future. I believe this places us on a better path toward the community driven growth Vermont needs, rather than top down solutions.

Growing our housing stock remains a critical issue. The tight housing market has ripple effects on small businesses, education, and healthcare. This impedes affordability by limiting competition and market opportunity, offering very little wiggle room in the economy overall. Preserving the housing, public buildings, and infrastructure that we do have is a key part of the equation for Vermont’s future affordability. Vermont has some of the oldest building stock in the country. It is what gives Vermont our beautiful character. It will remain part of the special sauce that sets us apart from other states. This craft and lineage deserves to be protected as we look to modernize our communities.

This session we also continued our work to create a public education system that offers more equity for students and educators, experiential hands on learning, and a governance structure that leverages our collective resources. This year the education bill H.955 builds on the public feedback from the School District Redistricting Task Force in the summer of 2025. This feedback focused on creating supportive structures for districts to partner and share resources without mandating consolidation. Districts are already doing this work organically and need the support to continue their work effectively. Vermont’s education districts are not cookie cutter entities. There needs to be room for tailored local solutions. This bill offers that framework.

The bill also continues to develop the State Aide for School Construction program to assist communities with school construction and renovation funding. Though finding sufficient funding remains a critical need, the bill increases state bonding capacity, simplifies the bonding processes, and provides school districts with relief from previous construction investments. This is important progress that I spent this biennium pushing for. There remains more work to be done to secure the funding needed for these building projects. We also need to preserve our existing school building particularly for communities that experience school closures. Our educational buildings are essential community assets paid for with tax payer dollars. It is incumbent on the state to offer help to communities to envision new uses for these buildings that support the community’s needs and add to their vibrancy.

Finally the bill continues to modernize Career Technical Education to make programs easier to administer in the short term. In the long term, the bill lays the groundwork for a fully integrated and accessible CTE system statewide. This includes comprehensive high schools as well as early access to age appropriate CTE programs in later elementary and middle school. This is in response to students, parents, educators, and administrators about the desire for more hands-on learning opportunities across subjects.

Forward

Though the work has been challenging, it has been deeply rewarding to serve you in Montpelier. I feel like my work is just beginning. I have had the pleasure of advocating for our public schools, support for our small businesses and workforce, and for equitable community based land uses policies. I hope to continue working together in trust and cooperation to create a vibrant Vermont. A Vermont where we grow in concert with our environment and natural resources. Where we invest meaningfully in our unique historic buildinging stock. Where our elders can age comfortably in place. Where our public education system offers the skills for a thriving future. Where our community assets like public buildings and infrastructure are maximized to serve our collective needs. Where our small businesses flourish in a marketplace that recognizes the brilliance that Vermont has to offer. For this we need a responsive government structure that offers partnership and support to all Vermonters as well as our municipalities, school, healthcare, human services, small business sectors, and our lush verdant environment. If elected for a second term I will continue to work to make Vermont a safe, affordable place to live. Thank you for trusting me and for allowing me to serve you over this biennium. I look forward to serving you again.

If this resonates with you consider donating to the campaign to help me spread the message

Yours in Service,

Emily Carris Duncan

State Representative

Windham 6 District

COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTS

Environment: S.325 makes changes to Act 181, repealing the Road Rule and Tier 3; initiating a public-engagement process to explore how best to protect working lands and critical natural resources; and creating a legislative committee to increase communication between the legislature, the LURB (the Land Use Review Board, who oversee Act 250) and the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR).

Education: H.955 creates seven mandatory statewide Cooperative Education Service Areas (CESAs), intended to offer education services and support on a larger, regional scale. CESAs will be an important tool to achieve immediate efficiencies, regional-service sharing, and cost savings while the voluntary merger process is happening statewide. The formation of a CESA helps supervisory unions and school districts access specialized programs and technical assistance that individual districts (esp. small and rural districts) might otherwise purchase at a higher cost. Each of the CESAs are required to offer services in the following areas: special education, business and administrative services, and union school district creation consultation and facilitation. Establishing statewide CESAs will increase statewide coherence and build capacity.

The second major element of this bill addresses school consolidation by resourcing seven facilitators—one in each CESA region--to start merger-study committees. These regional groupings will be required to work collaboratively to explore the advantages of school-district consolidation. If a committee concludes that a merger is advisable, a report goes to the Secretary of Education, the State Board, and then the school-district voters of the proposed new district (in the March 2028 Town Meeting elections). The foundation formula (this sets a statewide base rate for education spending per student), which replaces our current funding mechanism, is scheduled to take effect in FY2030.

S. 313 is an act relating to transforming Vermont’s career technical education system. This bill sets the intention to create an integrated CTE system in Vermont that supports the state’s workforce needs by providing hands-on learning to middle and high school students as well as adult learners. This work is contingent on the ongoing K-12 transformation. The committee is proposing a working group to implement improvements by updating State Board of Education rules and procedures, better aligning CTE delivery while preparing for the future state.

Healthcare: H.577 is an act relating to Array RX –a non-profit drug-prescription savings card introduced by the State Treasurer, offering low-cost prescription drugs to those with a Vermont address. The Array RX card: is free to participants; offers generic drugs at about 20% of cost, name-brand at 80%; counts toward a member’s plan deductibles; will save Vermonters money.

S. 189 addresses hospital closure of essential services, setting forth required procedures for when a hospital plans to close an essential service line. The legislation comes after several poorly-handled eliminations of hospital-related services.

Energy and Digital Infrastructure: H.727 would have created a strong regulatory framework ensuring that data-center development benefits Vermont’s ratepayers and grid, while protecting our environment. Governor Scott vetoed H.727; a House override attempt failed on the final day of the session.

AGRICULTURE, FOOD RESILIENCY, AND FORESTRY

H.739 bans the use of paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide linked to Parkinson's disease through wind-borne dispersion. Although paraquat is outlawed in over 70 countries, Vermont is the first state in the nation to prohibit its use. The bill was signed into law in May ’26.

H.536 requires manufacturers of baby food and infant formula to test their products for lead, mercury, and other toxic heavy metals, and to make the results of those tests readily accessible to consumers online and through package labeling. The bill was signed into law in May ’26.

H. 167 (Act 34) created the new Vermonters Feeding Vermonters grant program. The legislation builds on a program by the Vermont Foodbank that provides food-insecure Vermonters access to locally-grown food, while providing a steady market for 300 Vermont farmers.

COMMERCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

S.69 (Act 65) creates the Vermont age-appropriate design code, which requires businesses to protect minors from harm when processing their data. The act prohibits the collection and sharing of a minor’s personal data, and restricts the monitoring of a minor.

H. 385 (ACT 106) provides protections and remedies for victims of coerced debt, allowing Vermont banks to place holds on potentially coercive transactions to ensure their customers don’t get scammed.

H. 512 is an act relating to the regulation of the event ticketing market. The bill regulates the resale of tickets, and caps the price of a ticket being resold to 10% above the original ticket price, including taxes and fees.

EDUCATION

Act 73 of 2025 initiated major legislation to transform Vermont’s educational landscape; H955 continues this work. H.955 creates seven mandatory statewide Cooperative Education Service Areas (CESAs), intended to offer education services and support on a larger, regional scale. CESAs will be an important tool to achieve immediate efficiencies, regional-service sharing, and cost savings while the voluntary merger process is happening statewide. The formation of a CESA helps supervisory unions and school districts access specialized programs and technical assistance that individual districts (esp. small and rural districts) might otherwise purchase at a higher cost. Each of the CESAs are required to offer services in the following areas: special education, business and administrative services, and union school district creation consultation and facilitation. Establishing statewide CESAs will increase statewide coherence and build capacity.

The second major element of this bill addresses school consolidation by resourcing seven facilitators—one in each CESA region--to start merger-study committees. These regional groupings will be required to work collaboratively to explore the advantages of school-district consolidation. If a committee concludes that a merger is advisable, a report goes to the Secretary of Education, the State Board, and then the school-district voters of the proposed new district (in the March 2028 Town Meeting elections). The foundation formula, which replaces our current funding mechanism, is scheduled to take effect in FY2030.

Other components of the bill include further detail on school construction aid, and a study to account for pre-K education within our education system. The bill is on the governor’s desk for signature.

H930 is an act relating to chronic absenteeism. Currently, about 25% of Vermont students are chronically absent causing the need for reading interventions in early years, significantly higher drop-out rates (7x) in high school. This bill aims to address the root causes of absenteeism, outline state-level strategies, and establish clear procedures to help Vermont schools consistently address this issue.

S.227 relates to creating immigration protocols in schools. This law empowers school officials and their designees to protect their students by specifically defining a school’s non-public areas that require authorization to enter. S. 227 establishes an immigration resource guide for schools, maintaining that student information is protected, and that school entry by a law-enforcement official requires a judicial warrant specifically naming a student or staff member. The bill is on the governor's desk.

ENERGY & DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Vermont’s IT systems are critical to our state government, enabling Vermonters to find information and access vital services through Vermont.gov. Vermont has more than $700 million in projects scheduled over the next several years to replace some systems that date back to the 1970s.

Recent successes include: the Department of Motor Vehicles system (myDMV); the Department of Labor’s Unemployment Insurance system; integrated Eligibility and Enrollment--a single point-of-entry for many state-assistance programs; and one unified system for state government payroll, HR and procurement. The Agency of Digital Services’ dashboard and 2026 annual report provide a snapshot of state IT projects.

H.710 makes it easier and more cost-effective for developers to co-locate solar facilities on the same parcel, delivering cost savings and supporting smarter land-use.

Vermont joins a number of states in passing S.202, a bill regulating the use of portable, plug-in solar panels. Also called “balcony solar,” these plug-in photovoltaic (PIPV) devices are widely used in Europe, allowing apartment residents to offset their electricity usage, especially when paired with batteries. While neither utility nor Public Utilities Commission approval is needed, the bill ensures safe usage of PIPV by requiring that stringent national safety standards (UL-approved) are met. The bill is on the governor’s desk.

H.727 would have created a strong regulatory framework ensuring that data-center development benefits Vermont’s ratepayers and grid, while protecting our environment. Governor Scott vetoed H.727; a House override attempt failed on the final day of the session.

ENVIRONMENT

Act 90 ( H.723) addresses barriers to posting one’s land from hunting and fishing, intended to reduce landowner-hunter conflicts. The law (signed by the governor), no longer requires dates on postings, continues to require annual registration with the town clerk, and ensures land is considered legally posted despite minor posting imperfections (ie: an occasional missing sign).

Act 181 passed in 2024 to modernize Act 250--Vermont’s land-use regulatory policy. The Act created the Land Use Review Board (LURB), a professional board to oversee Act 250; initiated a process for the development of regional future land-use maps; created the option for municipalities to request land-use regulation authority, replacing Act 250 permits in municipal areas meeting certain criteria; and initiated a “road rule” that would trigger Act 250, and “Tier 3” areas with critical working lands/natural resources that require additional oversight. It also included Act 250 exemptions for development of housing in downtowns and villages. S.325 makes changes to Act 181, repealing the Road Rule and Tier 3; initiating a public-engagement process to explore how best to protect working lands and critical natural resources; and creating a legislative committee to increase communication between the legislature, the LURB and the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR).

S.212 creates a general permit at ANR to streamline permitting for connections to community water and wastewater systems. Both bills are on the governor’s desk.

HEALTHCARE

Act 55 (H.266) of 2025 addressed the 340B prescription drug program in which hospitals are limited to charging 120% of the average sales price to insurers. This legislation had the immediate effect of reducing Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) premiums, and reducing health care premium increases for school-employee health insurance from 12% to less than 7%. The bill contributed to saving our health-care system approximately $230 million.

Act 68 (S.126) of 2025 enacted reference-based pricing, requiring the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) to establish reference-based prices (maximum amounts hospitals can charge for certain services). Act 68 led to S.190, a bill that implements the beginning of reference-based pricing next year for two important groups: Vermonters on the Qualified Health Care Plan Exchange (the most vulnerable group due to the elimination of federal subsidies); and school-employee health plans.

H.577 is an act relating to Array RX –a non-profit drug-prescription savings card introduced by the State Treasurer, offering low-cost prescription drugs to those with a Vermont address. The Array RX card: is free to participants; offers generic drugs at about 20% of cost, name-brand at 80%; counts toward a member’s plan deductibles; will save Vermonters money.

H-588 allows pharmacists to test, and then immediately prescribe, rather than requiring the patient to see a doctor before receiving a prescription. This is on the Governor’s desk.

S.197 intends to establish universal primary care, and is under consideration of the governor.

TRANSPORTATION

Funding for road and bridge maintenance statewide is increasingly challenging due to a 60% cost increase in the last five years. We added an annual inflation adjuster to the funding formula for Town Highways and Structures in the FY 2026 Transportation Bill (T-Bill). This year’s FY2027 T-Bill further augments local funding by adding $3 million in one-time surplus, and creating a Local Option Municipal Transportation Special Fund, to be funded by an excess of PILOT revenues (this legislation was moved to the FY2027 Budget Bill). The T-Bill also budgets to increase the miles of state highway maintenance projects in FY 2027 to make up for a 2026 below-average paving year.

As gas tax revenues continue to decline, AOT is working to stabilize its almost $1 billion budget. The Agency eliminated 62 positions this year (of 1300+). Revenues coming in to AOT were once healthy enough to share with the Education Fund and the State Police for Highway Patrol. The State Police revenue transfer ended in the 2026 T-Bill; the Ed Fund transfer decreases in FY2027 (enacted in the Miscellaneous Tax Bill).

The FY26 T-Bill funded the planning of a mileage-based-user-fee (MBUF) that will charge EV users for road use (EVs currently pay a higher registration fee). The FY2027 T-Bill plans the MBUF launch for January 2027 with payment tied to the annual auto inspection.

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) grant to install Level III electric chargers has resulted in Bradford’s station (2024), and eight more locations to be functional by year’s end.

The FY27 DMV Bill includes updates to the annual inspection manual to prioritize safety issues, and provide relief from minor maintenance requirements.

mydmv.vermont.gov represents the DMV’s modernization project, replacing a 50-year old system.