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Vermont Legislators are proposing and committees are reviewing bills with a focus on the budget and the impact of the pandemic. Numerous groups including the House Progressive Caucus are lobbying legislators in a virtual world to address their priorities.
The House Progressive Caucus recently outlined its priorities for the biennium, focused on equity in policy and response to the pandemic. Caucus chair Selene Colburn of Burlington says all their priorities have a common theme as the pandemic amplifies societal inequities. “While we as a caucus believe we need to be thoughtful we also believe now is not the time for holding back on addressing the roots of these inequities. The legislature must support bold transformative policies to make change rather than try to restore a status quo that left so many Vermonters behind. We can’t hesitate to do too much because of the pandemic. The pandemic asks us to step up and do more in this moment not less. The Vermont Progressive Party platform is grounded in the intersectional principles of social, racial, economic and environmental justice.”