Slightly Sounding the Alarm - Policy for The People March 4, 2025

When I began writing this series I promised you that I would not sound the alarm unless it was necessary. Here we are. We are near a time in the legislature’s calendar that we should all know called “crossover”. 

What This Means: Two important dates are coming that determine which proposed laws will move on in the process and which ones will, essentially, fail. House Policy Bills must be reported out of the last committee of reference by March 14, 2025. By March 21, 2025 all Senate/House Money Bills must be referred to the Committees on Appropriations and Finance/Ways and Means to be reported out.


Why It Matters: All legislatures operate like a game of chess. Much like the game, pieces are always moving, changing direction, and sometimes being kicked out. In this analogy, of course, the proposed laws are all of the moving pieces, our legislators are battling on our behalf, and whether we enjoy the game or not: we are all inequitably at stake when these proposals become laws at the end of the session.


What You Can Do: No matter your age or demographics, you can participate in democracy. Most importantly, at this time you should write your legislators. Even if you just write them to introduce yourself, tell your story as a Vermonter, and express which topics directly affect you most (housing, food systems, farming, corrections, etc.): now is the time to use your voice.


If you want a brief overview of proposed laws from this session that may benefit or affect your life, please visit:

  1. https://verypublicopenletters.blogspot.com/2025/01/policy-for-people-bi-weekly-roundup.html
  2. https://verypublicopenletters.blogspot.com/2025/02/policy-for-people-february-10-2025.html


To find your legislators, visit: https://legislature.vermont.gov/people/


To send emails, locate your legislator using the link above. Each of their pages lists an email address. 


To send a letter via postal mail: 

(NAME OF YOUR LEGISLATOR)

Vermont State House

115 State Street

Montpelier, VT 05633


This is Policy for The People. 

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