Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed Senate Bill 171 establishing a statewide ethics code.

The bill prohibits public officials and employees from accepting or soliciting gifts not expressly permitted by the code.

Permitted gifts include food and beverage where the cost does not exceed $100 and unsolicited de minimis gifts with a value of $50 or less.

The bill also prohibits former legislative employees from being paid to appear before the General Assembly or its committees for one year following the termination of their service.

The bill will take effect on July 1.

The Vermont Legislature passed Senate Bill 171 and delivered it to Gov. Phil Scott today.

The bill establishes a statewide ethics code covering all individuals elected or appointed to serve as public officers as well as all state employees.

The ethics code includes conflict of interest, gift, and revolving door provisions.

If signed by Scott, the ethics code will go into effect on July 1.

The Legislature met in a one-day special session on November 22 to approve a bill allowing municipalities to impose their own mask mandates.

Legislative leadership agreed to the special session after Gov. Scott made it clear he would not impose statewide masking requirements.

This session marked the Legislature’s first return to the Statehouse since the pandemic began.

Gov. Phil Scott will reconvene the Vermont Legislature for a special session on November 22 to address mask mandates.

The special session will aim to pass legislation allowing municipalities to implement their own time-limited mask mandates.

It is not yet clear when the session will end. This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

Incumbent Gov. Phil Scott won reelection for a third term as Governor of Vermont and defeated a challenge from current Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman.

Gov. Scott has one of the highest governor approval ratings in the country and won the reelection by receiving nearly 69% of the vote.