Peter Hirschfeld
ReporterHelp shape my reporting:
The Vermont Statehouse is often called the people’s house. I am your eyes and ears there. I keep a close eye on how legislation could affect your life; I also regularly speak to the people who write that legislation. The more I hear from you, the better I’ll be at my job. So, what issues do you want lawmakers to focus on? What info do you most urgently need?
I'm eager to hear from you. Get in touch using the form below:
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About Peter:
Peter Hirschfeld covers state government and the Vermont Legislature. He is based in Vermont Public’s Capital Bureau located across the street from Vermont’s Statehouse.
Hirschfeld is a Vermont journalist who has covered the Statehouse since 2009, most recently as bureau chief for the Rutland Herald and Times Argus. He began his career in 2003, working as a local sports reporter and copy editor at the Times Argus.
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The Committee on Committees is a three-person panel that determines Senate committee appointments. Sen. Jane Kitchel fills the vacancy Sen. Dick Mazza left when he resigned earlier this month.
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The provision would create Vermont’s first user fee for electric vehicles starting in 2025. An annual fee of $89 for EV users would create revenue stream to subsidize the construction of charging stations.
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Sen. Bobby Starr will not seek reelection after a long run in Montpelier. The Orleans County senator was first elected to the Vermont House in 1979, and the Vermont Senate in 2004.
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The Vermont Senate has lost one of its most respected and influential members, and his departure signals a potentially generational change in the chamber.
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Sen. Mazza was the longest-serving member in the Senate. He submitted his formal letter of resignation to Gov. Phil Scott on Monday.
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Republican Gov. Phil Scott and Democratic state lawmakers agree that public safety should be a priority this session. But there's little agreement in Montpelier on how to move the needle.
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Republican Gov. Phil Scott and Democratic lawmakers agree that improving public safety should be a top priority in Montpelier this year, but they’re at odds over how to accomplish that goal.
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The legislation would create the Community Resilience and Disaster Mitigation Fund, but lawmakers haven't decided to allocate any money for it yet. The legislation would also create new positions in Vermont Emergency Management, which are also currently unfunded.
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Democrats in the Vermont House have passed three bills that would raise taxes and fees by $130 million per year, and Republican Gov. Phil Scott is sounding the alarm. We'll break down that dynamic for this week's edition of the Capitol Recap, and share how it could impact local elections in November.
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The Vermont Statehouse this week became the front line in an ideological battle over the role of state government after Democrats in the House of Representatives approved $131 million in tax increases that Republicans derided as “off the rails and out of control.”