Representative Dobrovich’s Weekly Newsletter

Week of April 29 – May 2, 2025

Dear Constituents,

As we conclude another productive week at the State House, I'm pleased to share updates on our legislative activities.

Weekly Recap

House Education Committee

This week, the House Education Committee engaged in several key discussions:

  • Advancing H.54, the Cell Phone-Free Schools Bill: The House Education Committee continued its careful consideration of H.54, which proposes limiting student use of personal electronic devices during school hours to create a more focused and supportive learning environment. We heard valuable perspectives from educators and students, including Ryan Heraty, Superintendent of Lamoille South Supervisory Union, who noted that their district’s cell phone restrictions have boosted classroom participation, with 76% of teachers observing improved student attention. We also reviewed a Connecticut model, shared by Erin Benham of the Connecticut State Board of Education, where phone-free policies have strengthened student engagement and peer interactions, offering useful insights for Vermont. Though the legislative timeline presents hurdles for moving H.54 forward this session, the widespread support encourages us to explore connections with policies like the Kids Code to enhance student well-being.
  • Visit to North Country Career Center: We toured the North Country Career Center to explore its innovative CTE programs, offering hands-on training in fields like welding, graphic design, culinary arts, automotive repair, and healthcare. Discussions with staff and students highlighted funding challenges, such as limited state aid for facility upgrades, and their vision for modernizing education through career-focused pathways. This visit underscored CTE’s importance in our broader education transformation efforts, and reinforced the need for sustained funding and policy support to expand CTE access across Vermont.
  • Joint Hearing on Special Education Funding: On Friday, we held a joint hearing with the House Ways and Means Committee to examine special education funding and its transition under the new pupil-weighted funding formula enacted in H.887 (Act 183). Ezra Holben, Fiscal Analyst from the Joint Fiscal Office, presented data showing Vermont’s special education spending grew 74% from FY2015 to FY2025, driven by rising student needs and staffing costs, with projections indicating continued cost pressures. Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, clarified federal Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirements under IDEA, noting that districts must maintain special education spending levels to avoid penalties, which complicates cost containment under the new formula. These insights are critical as we navigate the formula’s implementation to ensure equitable funding without compromising services.

Week in Review

As the 2025 legislative session approaches its final weeks, the House floor remains busy with key votes and new proposals.

  • S.36 (Act 47) ensures Medicaid covers long-term residential treatment for co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders and streamlines payment models for such services, addressing Vermont’s behavioral health crisis;
  • S.50 allows larger solar net metering projects to qualify for faster registration, supporting renewable energy growth;
  • H.505 endorses amendments to the Town of Barre’s charter, enabling local governance updates;
  • H.96 increases monetary thresholds for certificates of need, simplifying approvals for healthcare facilities;
  • S.27 offers relief by excluding medical debt from credit reports, safeguarding Vermonters’ financial health.

On Thursday, May 1, 2025, the House considered Proposal 3, a constitutional amendment to embed in Vermont’s Constitution the right of workers to organize and collectively bargain, ensuring they can freely form unions to negotiate wages, hours, workplace safety, and other terms. While I respect the value of workers’ right to organize, I voted no on Proposal 3 due to its clause permitting unions to mandate membership as a condition of employment—a step I believe erodes individual choice. No worker should be forced to join a union to hold a job; that goes too far. Moreover, Vermont’s current labor laws, codified in Title 21 of the Vermont Statutes and recognized as some of the strongest in the nation, already robustly protect these organizing and bargaining rights. I also approach constitutional amendments with caution, as frequent changes—four confirmed in the last five years, compared to one in the prior five-year period and none in the decade before, per legislature.vermont.gov records—risk weakening their significance. Proposal 3, as noted in the House Journal, underscores the challenge of balancing collective rights with individual autonomy, and I remain dedicated to safeguarding both. In November 2026, Proposal 3 will ask voters to amend Vermont’s Constitution to protect workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively. I urge voters to study it, consider its impacts, and decide for themselves at the polls.

Eyes Up: Looking Ahead

Next week, the House Education Committee has a comprehensive agenda:

  • Moving Forward with H.454, the Education Transformation Bill: The Senate Education Committee unanimously passed H.454, a bill aimed at reforming Vermont’s education governance and funding systems, advancing it to the Senate Appropriations Committee for a thorough review of its fiscal impacts. The Senate’s version (Draft 9.1, 5-2-2025) is markedly different from the House version, which I voted against due to concerns over its approach. These differences are likely to fuel in-depth discussions on the Senate floor, and a conference committee will probably be needed to reconcile the two versions. I’ll be studying the Senate’s version, available at https://tinyurl.com/2yu2wp63, to evaluate its changes and prepare for collaborative discussions.
  • Continued Discussion on H.54, the Cell Phone-Free Schools Bill: The House Education Committee will resume its review of H.54, aimed at restricting student use of personal electronic devices during school hours to enhance learning and mental well-being, with further discussion scheduled for next week. On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, we will hear testimony from Laura Marquez-Garrett, an attorney with the Social Media Victims Law Center, who specializes in holding social media companies accountable for harms to youth, including mental health impacts, as noted on socialmediavictims.org. Her insights, per the committee agenda on legislature.vermont.gov, will inform our efforts to address the bill’s implications amid a tight legislative timeline.

These sessions aim to deepen our understanding and guide our legislative actions to enhance Vermont's educational landscape.

Stay Engaged

For more detailed information about all things happening in the legislature, please refer to the official Vermont General Assembly website. Here are some helpful links:

Your input is invaluable. Please feel free to reach out with your questions, concerns, or suggestions. Together, we can work towards a better future for our community and state.

Warm regards,
Joshua Dobrovich
jdobrovich@leg.state.vt.us

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