2026 Vermont Legislative Guide
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This year’s legislative session will help decide what the future of Vermont’s schools will look like under Act 73 and how the state plans to navigate federal funding cuts. Lawmakers will also be weighing housing, climate, health care and other issues that affect daily life across the state.
Use this guide to keep up with the people, bills and budget decisions shaping Vermont. You’ll find tools to help you stay informed and understand what’s happening, along with our latest reporting from the Statehouse.
Our Legislative Guide is free to use. If you value this kind of public‑service reporting, please consider supporting VTDigger.
This week at the Statehouse
During the session, our Final Reading newsletter rounds up what’s happening under the Golden Dome. Here’s what’s on deck this week:
- 1/6 – the Legislature kicks off
- 1/7 – Gov. Phil Scott expected to deliver State of the State address
- 1/9 – First week in the books
Sign up for our free Statehouse newsletter. Delivered Tuesday through Friday evenings.
What we’re watching in 2026
Charting the future of Vermont’s public schools and responding to the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration could define the 2026 legislative session.
Education reform and Act 73
Vermont’s new education reform law, Act 73, sets in motion a multi-year effort to restructure how the state funds and governs its public schools.
Why it matters: Changes to school funding and governance could affect your tax bill, the future of small schools and the services available to students in your community.
Catch up on the latest:
Federal funding cuts and Vermont’s budget
Almost every day, decisions out of Washington D.C. impact programs here in Vermont. Our job is to sort through the noise.
Why it matters: As a small state, Vermont relies disproportionately on federal funding. Social services like food, heating and rental assistance rely on money from Washington. This year, lawmakers will need to make tough choices on what the state can afford to pay for and can’t afford to lose.
Catch up on the latest:
Bill tracker
Track this year’s key policy themes as they move through the Legislature. Each category highlights a small set of bills our newsroom is watching closely. You can browse the bills below using the arrow buttons or search by name or topic. This tool will be regularly updated throughout the session.
Look up your legislators
Use the maps below to find the legislators in your senate and house districts. Each name clicks through to their contact information on the State of Vermont website. Reaching out with questions or input is one of the most direct ways to make your voice heard and engage in the legislative process.
Most recent legislative coverage
Clear theme emerges on opening day of Vermont’s Legislature: Tough choices ahead
The specter of rising property taxes, potentially declining tax revenue and unfinished work on education reform loomed over the first day of the session.
Your starter kit for the 2026 Vermont legislative session
We’ve put everything you need to engage with statehouse lawmaking in one story, with links.
Eyeing cuts to federal support, Vermont lawmakers face tough decisions over food and heating assistance
“We’re coming back to the basic hierarchy of needs here,” said Rep. Theresa Wood, who chairs the House Committee on Human Services.
New ‘American Abenaki’ curriculum, focused on Vermont, draws rebuke from Abenaki nations based in Quebec
The online educational materials for students in grades 3-12 were created by members of the four groups recognized as Abenaki by Vermont’s state government.
Lawmakers’ ethics and financial disclosures
This tool includes state legislators’ disclosures as they were submitted to the Legislature at the beginning of the 2025-2026 legislative session. Each is a snapshot of what occupations, volunteer roles and other involvements legislators hold outside of the Legislature. VTDigger plans to update this tool with updated information as it becomes available.
Use the search bar below to look for a particular legislator or browse through the pages with the arrow key. The table contains pdf links to each legislators’ disclosure forms, along with a link to their profile page on the legislative website to learn more about the individual.
Senate:
House:
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