Public Policy Positions

• Our Climate Future:
  • Climate Resilience: Champion business input as part of the update to VT’s Climate Action Plan and Resilience Implementation Strategy.
  • Climate Mitigation: Defend bedrock climate legislation to reduce climate emissions in VT while advancing the Global Warming Solutions Act.
  • 2025-2026 Goals:
    • Support the implementation of VT’s Global Warming Solutions Act
    • Support the development & passage of new state-level climate mitigation policy
    • Support the development & passage of new state-level climate resilience policy
    • Continue to offer VBSR’s ClimateReadyVT program
• Care Economy:
  • Child Care: Support new legislation to establish standards and pathways to promote a well-trained early childhood educator workforce in VT.
  • 2025-2026 Goals:
    • Uphold implementation of Act 76, VT’s historic child care legislation (2023)
    • Support the development of a new child care bill building upon Act 76, including Early Childhood Educator workforce development
    • Support the implementation Let’s Grow Kids’ continuity plan related to the organization’s sunset in December 2025
    • Support opportunities to expand Vermont's Paid Family and Medical Leave program, while continuing to work towards our ultimate goal of a robust Paid Family and Medical Leave program for all Vermonters
• Employee Basic Needs:
  • Housing: Incentivize and support efforts to promote the development of affordable housing for low-and-middle-income Vermonters.
  • Healthcare: Support legislative and administrative efforts in 2025 related to maintaining our existing emergency and maternity health services at rural hospitals.
  • 2025-2026 Goals:
    • Advocate for affordability of programs/services supporting employee basic needs
    • Support legislation to incentivize affordable housing development in towns seeking development as a result of the Act 250 housing exemption (2024)
    • Pursue opportunities to support access to affordable healthcare, including preserving emergency and maternity care in our more rural communities
    • Work toward our ultimate goal of decoupling health insurance from employment

VBSR’s Legislative Team advocates for member-driven public policy positions in the Vermont Legislature. VBSR is the voice in Montpelier for socially responsible business supporting environmental responsibility, social equity, and sustainable economic development.

Learn more about our most recent Advocacy Agenda above and here.

VBSR supports economic development policies that build on Vermont’s strengths: our extraordinary workforce, high quality of life, beautiful open spaces and clean environment. We believe healthy people, healthy communities and a healthy environment are the foundations of a healthy economy.

When making decisions about energy and transportation, we also need to think about the long-term health and welfare of our society and our environment. Ultimate success requires that we move away from a carbon-fueled energy and transportation economy, move toward renewable and local sources of energy, take aggressive action regarding climate change and commit to being the first climate-neutral state in the country.

A healthy environment is essential to a strong economy. VBSR supports:

• enforcement of existing environmental laws to protect our natural environment,

• wise land use decisions in order to ensure smart growth and to maintain open space, and

• development built on a human scale that encourages less-polluting forms of transportation.

VBSR supports universal access to healthcare that is accessible and affordable. By reforming our healthcare system, Vermont could take a leadership role in business attraction, retention and success.

VBSR supports public policies that support people, families and community. Healthy people and healthy communities are central to keeping a productive and sustainable business climate. People who come to work knowing their children are well cared for, that they will be able to pay their bills, and who are respected and valued by their employers, are people who will strengthen and grow our economy.

It’s in the best interests of business for children to be fed, for people to be educated and literate, for families to be adequately housed, for everyone to have full access to health care, and for the natural environment and its resources to be protected. Business cannot both see to these social needs and meet the challenges of the marketplace. There is a role for government as an equalizer.