Terry Williams's activity stream

2025 Legislative Session

REPEAL CLEAN HEAT STANDARD BY BRINGING TO FULL SENATE VOTE (S.68).

Vote held 2/25/2025.

S.68 would repeal the Clean Heat Standard, a tax on fossil-based heating fuel, but has not been voted out of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (where it is likely to remain). Those voting YES wanted to vote on a full repeal of the Clean Heat Standard. Those voting NO sought to keep deliberating on S.68 in the committee.

Williams - YES

$161 MILLION BUDGET INCREASE, WITH HOMELESS SHELTERING PROGRAM (H.141).

Vote held 2/25/2025.

H.141 would increase the state budget by another $161 million. The most contentious item was the $18.3 million designated for the Emergency Housing program for the homeless, which allows the homeless to reside in up to 1,100 rooms per night through March 30. Those voting YES believe protecting the homeless is worth the cost. Those voting NO believe that the sheltering program had grown too expensive, especially for a program that didn’t attempt a long-term solution.

Williams - NO

2024 Legislative Session

Yield (Property Tax) Bill (H.887).

Vote held to override Governor’s veto on 6/17/2024.

The Legislature passes a yield bill every year to raise the funds necessary to cover local school budgets. However, this year the legislature grappled with skyrocketing school spending and a lack of policy levers to contain costs. In December 2023 the statewide increase to education taxes was projected to be 20%. The legislature reduced the increase with a one-time $25M transfer from the General Fund and two new taxes on short-term rentals, and subscription software to arrive at a statewide average increase of 13.8%. The bill did nothing to structurally address rising school costs; instead Legislators punted this responsibility to a Commission loaded with special interests who designed the current system.

Williams - NO

Renewable Energy Mandate (H.289).

Vote held to override Governor’s veto on 6/17/2024.

This legislation requires that all utilities provide 100% clean energy by 2035. This legislation would increase the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which would require Green Mountain Power, Vermont's largest utility, to get 100% of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2030. Smaller municipal utilities would have until 2035 to reach the 100% clean target. The bill explicitly prohibits new out of state renewable generation from counting towards these goals, creating regulatory capture for some of the legislature’s largest campaign donors. The cost estimates for achieving this range from $140M to over $800M, primarily paid by ratepayers to upgrade distribution infrastructure to handle more distributed renewable power generation.

Williams - NO

‘Safe’ Injection Sites (H.72).

Vote held to override Governor’s veto on 6/17/2024.

The legislation allows a supervised injection site pilot project without any age limit. The site would allow the use of illegal drugs while preventing the enforcement of state or federal law. Similar facilities in Oregon have been closed due to ineffectiveness.

Williams - NO

Historic $8.6B State Budget (H.883).

Vote held by Senate to approve the final bill on 5/10/2024.

The largest state budget ever was passed by the Legislature and increased state spending by 14% over two years. The increase was so stark that a former finance commissioner and tax commissioner for the state started raising red flags and state economists warned legislators that their spending was exceeding organic revenue growth. The state would need to cut spending drastically if a recession were to hit. Rapid increases in state budgets, without corresponding economic growth may also signal a future bond ratings issue for the state.

Williams - YES

2023 Legislative Session

Authorize Affordable Heat Act with Study Period (S.5). Passed 18-10 on March 3, 2023.

Williams - NO

Assert Government Authority to Audit State Contractors (S.9). Passed 23-6 on March 2, 2023.

Williams - NO