As week seven comes to a close, it’s worth looking at a roadmap to adjournment. 

• The Legislature will meet for two more weeks until March 1st, when they take a week-long recess for Town Meeting.
• March 5th is Town Meeting Day, when communities vote on school budgets, which will be more contentious than ever, as the state education fund could see double-digit percent increases, with some towns potentially postponing their vote, as we cover later.
• When the Legislature returns, they’ll be racing the March 15 crossover deadline for policy bills. This means that there are about three working weeks from today, or about 12 legislative days, to pass bills out of its committee of jurisdiction or they are likely dead for the year.

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• • March 15th is also the date that new legislation gives school districts to warn votes on their revised school budgets, if they choose.
  • The following week, March 22nd, is the crossover deadline for money bills.
• The next big date is April 15th, which is the new deadline created for communities to vote on school budgets.

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• • The cumulative school budget will be needed to finalize the yield bill, which along with the budget bill, are the most important for adjournment.
• Typically adjournment can be expected to happen around May 10th, though it’s not unthinkable to go beyond that.

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• • This is an election year, so legislators are usually incentivized to get out a little earlier than they may otherwise.
• Vermont’s fiscal year ends on June 30th, so if the Governor vetoes the budget or any legislation important to state finances, they need to get back to remedy that before then.

With that in mind, let’s jump into this week’s update:

• Affordability pressures persistent amidst pivots, budget adjustments, and new tax proposals 
• BE Home Act passes first committee; Rough road ahead
• Public safety and quality of life conundrums stop legislators
• Federal update: massive packages, razor-thin margin, and little time
• VT Paid Family and Medical Leave Enrollment Open
• The Laundry List