The Montpelier Happy Hour

Education reform, budgets, and layers of bureaucracy with Sen. Scott Beck

May 15, 2026 (prerecorded 5/11): State Senator Scott Beck discusses H.955 (education reform), CESAs, and the state budget. He also shares his thoughts on how to lower costs and make Vermont more affordable. Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://www.rhtt.net [http://www.rhtt.net/]

News Roundup with Randolph T. Holhut: H.995 education bill, lawmakers retire, Brattleboro and Hinsdale debate bridges

May 1, 2026: The Commons News Editor, Randy Holhut, joins this week's conversation. He updates listeners on local issues and examines potential education changes that could affect Windham County schools. He also shares memories of reporting on outgoing Representatives Mollie Burke and Leslie Goldman. Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://www.rhtt.net [http://www.rhtt.net/]

Act 181, Primary Candidates, and the Legislative Session without End with John Walters

April 24, 2026: John Watlers from The Vermont Political Observer is back! In this episode, we discuss the ongoing Legislative Session, Act 181, and Primary Candidates. Read John Walters' work at The VPO: https://thevpo.org/ [https://thevpo.org/] Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://www.rhtt.net [http://www.rhtt.net]

REBROADCAST: Housing and Land Use

April 17, 2026: With Act 181 in the news, here is a rebroadcast of the first conversation with then Rep. Bongartz about the revisions to Act 250 that eventually became Act 181. From the January 26, 2026, broadcast: Rep. Seth Bongartz joins this week's show to continue the housing conversation. Bongartz has worked on a number of housing-related bills and will share his insight on what's working (or not). Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://www.rhtt.net [http://www.rhtt.net]

Uneven Impacts? Vermont's Act 181 Tier 3 and Rural Communities

April 10, 2026: "Act 181 was the straw that broke the camel's back," explains Loralee Tester in this week's episode. Tester, the executive director of the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce, shares her concerns about how revisions to land-use laws might hurt small communities. Her worries don't stop with Act 181. For Tester, the policy's potential impacts on small towns are broad and likely to do more harm than good. Tester's op-ed in Vermont Digger: https://vtdigger.org/2026/03/10/loralee-tester-when-protection-becomes-exclusion/ [https://vtdigger.org/2026/03/10/loralee-tester-when-protection-becomes-exclusion/] Tester references the April 8, 2026, Vermont House Committee on the Environment, taking testimony related to Act 181 (specifically S.325, an act relating to planning and Act 250 Tier jurisdiction). The committee had several rounds of testimony. Here are the links: 9:00 AM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrd1m7pmbIk&t=2909s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrd1m7pmbIk&t=2909s] 10:00 AM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo25sEqpLa0 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo25sEqpLa0] 11:15 AM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-JKFPrbrgc [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-JKFPrbrgc] 2:10 PM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJjJ8OpqQbU&t=49s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJjJ8OpqQbU&t=49s] Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://www.rhtt.net [http://www.rhtt.net]