MONTPELIER – It is a little daunting that the legislative session is continuing this late into May, but that is because we are working hard in these final weeks to get several major pieces of legislation right.
We are close to reaching an agreement with Governor Scott on the final education bill, H.955. This legislation would establish a new statewide education foundation formula that changes how schools are funded, facilitate the creation of regional service-sharing structures called Cooperative Education Service Areas (CESAs), and encourage and incentivize school district consolidation through a voluntary, democratic process rather than through forced mandates.
The new funding formula would centralize more decision-making at the state level and redistribute funding differently across districts based on need. The CESAs could allow districts to share services such as special education, transportation, curriculum support, HR, payroll and other administrative functions. The goal is to reduce duplication and lower costs by sharing resources across multiple districts.
Final details are still being hammered out and will continue into next week as the Senate will begin debate to pass it back to the House for a final vote. If passed, this deal would represent a huge victory for Vermonters all over the state, and especially for our small rural communities.
It has taken incredible effort to walk our state back from the forced mergers that were looming ahead of us at this time last spring, and I am really proud of the work we’ve accomplished this year. However, I expect that whatever final bill ultimately emerges next week, it will likely continue to favor larger districts and place financial and structural pressure on smaller schools and communities.
Because of that, rural Vermont will increasingly need to focus on maintaining healthy growth that can sustain both the educational quality and the costs of the school systems that we want to preserve. That is why we have also worked on legislation related to housing, affordability, and broader economic development this year, and are finalizing some bills in those areas as well. Our schools and the strength of our communities are deeply connected, and long-term sustainability will require us to address both together.
Another important bill we passed yesterday was S.190, which aims to lower hospital and health insurance costs for public school employees, small businesses and Vermonters who purchase insurance through Vermont Health Connect. The bill expands the use of “reference-based pricing,” a system designed to help control health care costs by tying certain hospital payments from insurers to Medicaid rates. By creating more predictable pricing, the goal is to reduce overall insurance costs for Vermonters. If fully enacted, the measure could save tens of millions of dollars each year in health care spending statewide. The bill now heads back to the Senate next week for further consideration.
We are hoping to gavel out sometime next week, and I will be hosting my final coffee hour on Saturday, June 6, from 10:00 a.m. until noon at the Craftsbury Town Hall. Please note the new location, where I will be joined by Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers and State Senator John Morley. Together, we will share our final reports from this biennium and welcome questions and conversation with our neighbors. This event is being hosted by the Craftsbury Freedom and Unity Committee, which will also be providing coffee, cider and baked goods. I hope you can stop by to learn more about the many bills we passed this session, the measures we have taken to try to make life better for our communities, and the work ahead as we discuss what comes next for our community.
Leanne Harple represents the Orleans-4 House District that includes the towns of Albany, Craftsbury, Glover and Greensboro.
Rep. Leanne Harple
Leanne Harple represents Orleans-4, the towns of Albany, Craftsbury, Glover and Greensboro.
