January 21, 2026 — 12:15PM
Vermont lawmakers spent the morning of January 21 moving through a dense slate of committee work touching on data privacy, education technology, environmental land use, Lake Champlain spending priorities, transportation fees, and hospital finances. While there were no floor fireworks, several proposals raised familiar tensions around consumer protection, state spending obligations, and the expanding regulatory footprint of state government.
Consumer Tech, Privacy, and Data Control
The House Commerce and Economic Development Committee devoted substantial time to technology-focused consumer protection bills.
One proposal would require minimum security standards for connected consumer devices sold in Vermont, including appliances, toys, and household electronics capable of recording audio, video, or personal data. The bill would mandate clear privacy disclosures, encryption, automatic security updates, strong password requirements, vulnerability reporting mechanisms, and the ability for consumers to delete stored data. Lawmakers discussed examples ranging from smart televisions and refrigerators to children’s toys with microphones and location tracking, framing the issue as a basic transparency and security problem rather than a ban on smart devices.
Commerce also heard extensive testimony on H.650, a bill creating a state registry for educational technology products used in Vermont schools. Under the proposal, EdTech companies would be required to self-certify compliance with privacy, safety, and educational effectiveness standards in order to be used in classrooms. The registry would be maintained by the Secretary of State, with enforcement authority resting with the Attorney General.
Supporters argued that schools lack the technical capacity to vet rapidly changing digital products and that student data is being harvested and monetized with little oversight. Critics raised concerns about administrative burden, the scope of state involvement in curriculum tools, and the potential for conflict with existing federal and state student privacy laws.
The committee also advanced discussion of a separate subscription-cancellation consumer protection bill, aimed at online and auto-renewing subscriptions. The proposal would require that cancelling a service be as easy as signing up, a response to widespread complaints about digital “dark patterns” that trap consumers in ongoing monthly charges.
Genetic Data and Consumer Rights
Commerce also reviewed legislation regulating direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies, prompted by the financial collapse and sale of 23andMe. The bill would limit secondary data sharing, require explicit consumer consent for specific uses of genetic information, prohibit disclosure to insurers and employers, and give consumers rights to access and delete their data. Lawmakers framed the proposal as a gap-filling measure, addressing risks that arise when genetic databases are sold, breached, or repurposed.
Lake Champlain, Flooding, and Infrastructure Costs
In the Senate Agriculture Committee, lawmakers heard a wide-ranging presentation from the Lake Champlain Citizens Advisory Committee, outlining its 2026 action plan and funding priorities.
Testimony emphasized flood mitigation, climate resilience, nutrient pollution, invasive species control, and equitable public access to the lake. Speakers repeatedly highlighted the fiscal impacts of flooding, noting that Vermont ranks near the top nationally in per-capita disaster spending and has incurred close to $1 billion in flood-related costs in recent years.
Agricultural runoff, chloride from road salt, failing septic systems, PFAS contamination, and emerging threats such as microplastics were all cited as long-term challenges requiring sustained public investment. Committee members discussed existing legislation, including S.60, which would establish a farm and forestry operations security fund to help producers recover from climate-driven disasters, though lawmakers acknowledged that funding sources remain uncertain.
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Wildlands and Land Use Restrictions
The House Environment Committee continued work on H.276, a bill that would formally designate large portions of state-owned land as “state wildlands.” The proposal would sharply limit timber harvesting, vegetation management, and waterway alterations in designated areas, allowing natural ecological processes to prevail.
Supporters framed the bill as a climate resilience and biodiversity measure, citing flood mitigation, carbon storage, and habitat protection. Critics raised questions about land management flexibility, impacts on forestry revenue, and how permanent restrictions could affect future policy choices.
Transportation Fees and DMV Operations
In a joint House–Senate Transportation session, the Department of Motor Vehicles presented its FY2027 budget. While no major program expansions were proposed, one change drew attention: credit card transaction fees will no longer be absorbed by the DMV and will instead be passed directly to consumers.
DMV officials emphasized that free alternatives remain available via ACH transfers, checks, and cash at full-service locations. Lawmakers also pressed the department on vehicle inspection policy, signaling renewed interest in reducing or eliminating annual passenger vehicle inspections, though no budget language currently reflects that change.
Hospital Pricing and Health Care Costs
Finally, the House Appropriations Committee reviewed proposed language affecting hospital drug pricing caps enacted last year. The discussion centered on carving out an exception for Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, which participates in a federal rural community hospital demonstration program. The exemption would allow the hospital to exceed outpatient prescription drug price caps under specific circumstances, raising questions about precedent, hospital finances, and whether similar exemptions could be sought by other struggling facilities.
Bottom line: The morning’s committee work revealed a Legislature focused less on splashy new programs and more on tightening oversight—of technology, data, land use, and pricing—while quietly grappling with long-term fiscal pressures tied to health care, climate impacts, and infrastructure. Whether these proposals ultimately expand protections or burdens will depend on how aggressively they are enforced and funded in the months ahead.
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