Key Takeaways
- Gov. Phil Scott created the Vermont Artificial Intelligence Economic Taskforce by executive order, charging it with delivering up to five AI‑adoption recommendations within 90 days.
- Neale Lunderville, president and CEO of Vermont Gas and a former trustee of the Vermont Journalism Trust, will chair the bipartisan panel, which includes agency secretaries and leaders from various economic sectors.
- The taskforce will focus on economic acceleration, small‑business competitiveness, and community resilience while educating state leaders on responsible AI use.
- In addition to AI developments, the news roundup covers Gov. Scott’s veto of a “sister‑state” bill, an ongoing legal fight over the state’s return‑to‑office mandate, controversy surrounding an animal‑cruelty amendment, and Republican Rep. Ashley Bartley’s Senate candidacy centered on housing reform.
Governor Launches AI Taskforce to Guide State Adoption
On Monday, Gov. Phil Scott signed an executive order establishing the Vermont Artificial Intelligence Economic Taskforce, a body tasked with exploring how state government and Vermont businesses can integrate artificial intelligence to improve public services. The order requires the group to submit up to five concrete recommendations within 90 days and to educate state officials on practical AI applications. As Scott’s office noted in the order, the taskforce must “identify opportunities where AI can increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the delivery of state‑provided services.” This move reflects a growing recognition that AI tools, once confined to tech hubs, are now accessible enough to benefit smaller, rural economies like Vermont’s.
Leadership and Membership of the AI Taskforce
The taskforce will be chaired by Neale Lunderville, president and CEO of Vermont Gas, who has served under both Republican and Democratic governors and previously held several Cabinet‑level positions. Lunderville’s appointment signals a desire for experienced, non‑partisan stewardship. Membership also includes the secretaries of the Vermont Agency of Digital Services and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, alongside representatives from a variety of economic sectors—ranging from manufacturing to agriculture—ensuring that the panel’s advice will be grounded in real‑world business needs. Lunderville emphasized the importance of a measured approach, stating, “We need to really understand (AI) before we can make smart decisions about it,” acknowledging public apprehension about the rapid pace of technological change.
AI as a Leveler for Vermont’s Small Enterprises
Lunderville argued that off‑the‑shelf AI platforms such as Claude and ChatGPT could serve as equalizers for small businesses that lack the resources of larger firms. He gave a tangible example: a small manufacturer using AI to draft requests for proposals could shrink a 20‑hour process down to five hours, freeing staff for higher‑value tasks. “Given his experience holding multiple Cabinet‑level positions in Vermont, Lunderville said he could imagine a variety of ways state government might benefit from AI tools,” the article notes, though he declined to specify them publicly to avoid pre‑empting the taskforce’s work. At the municipal level, where volunteer selectboards and part‑time clerks manage town affairs, Lunderville believes AI could handle “low‑value work,” thereby delivering “better government that way.”
Existing AI Applications in Vermont State Agencies and Local Governments
The Vermont Agency of Digital Services already showcases two internal AI successes: ChatVT, a conversational tool for employee inquiries, and an invoice‑processing tool that automates routine financial tasks. Beyond these formal programs, anecdotal evidence from Statehouse corridors reveals informal adoption. One communications worker told reporters they use AI to help draft internal staff messages, while a senior official described employing it to round up and summarize international news for briefings. These grassroots uses illustrate that Vermont’s public servants are already experimenting with AI, even as the taskforce seeks to formalize and expand such practices responsibly.
Strategic Priorities of the AI Taskforce
Beyond recommending specific tools, the taskforce will concentrate on three interlocking themes: economic acceleration, small‑business competitiveness, and community resilience. Economic acceleration involves leveraging AI to attract investment and boost productivity across key industries. Small‑business competitiveness focuses on ensuring that Vermont’s myriad mom‑and‑pop shops, farms, and craft producers can access AI‑driven efficiencies without prohibitive costs. Community resilience aims to deploy AI in ways that strengthen emergency response, infrastructure planning, and services for vulnerable populations—particularly in remote areas where resources are thin. By anchoring its work in these pillars, the taskforce hopes to produce a roadmap that is both ambitious and attainable for a state of Vermont’s size.
Governor Scott Vetoes Sister‑State Legislation Over Constitutional Concerns
In a separate development, Gov. Scott vetoed a bill that would have created a nine‑person committee to develop and oversee “sister state” relationships between Vermont and foreign governments. Scott explained his veto in a letter to lawmakers, asserting that one provision violated the Vermont Constitution by granting the committee sole authority—by majority vote—to terminate partnerships, a power he maintains belongs exclusively to the governor. He wrote, “I understand the value of these partnerships and could support a bill provided it removes the termination provision while keeping the remaining sections.” The veto marks Scott’s third of the legislative session; the previous two involved minor drafting issues, making this the first substantive policy rejection of the term.
Administration Seeks Supreme Court Intervention in Return‑to‑Office Dispute
The news roundup also highlights the ongoing legal battle over Scott’s return‑to‑office mandate for state employees. After the Vermont Labor Relations Board ordered the state to “rescind” the mandate on April 1, the administration appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court, filing a motion requesting a pause on the board’s order while the appeal proceeds. State attorneys argue that implementing the board’s directive would cause “irreparable harm to the state and the public interest,” citing required reinstatements and reimbursements for employees who left because of the mandate. Conversely, the Vermont State Employees’ Association hailed the board’s decision as a “stunning victory” for union members and accused the governor of attempting to delay its effects through litigation.
Senator Heffernan’s Comments Spark Debate Over Animal Cruelty Legislation
During a Senate floor discussion on a bill to increase penalties for animal cruelty—including prohibitions on sexual contact with animals—Sen. Steve Heffernan (R‑Addison) posed a provocative hypothetical: “In these crazy times, what happens if the individual identifies as an animal having intercourse with an animal?” He later warned that amending the Vermont Constitution to protect gender identity and sexual orientation could inadvertently shield people who “identify as a dog” and engage in bestiality. Senate Democrats condemned the remarks, accusing Heffernan of “used the Vermont Senate floor to compare transgender people to animals, repeatedly and deliberately.” Heffernan insisted his comments were directed at individuals who identify as animals, not transgender people, and said he remains unsure whether he would support the equal‑rights amendment given his concerns about “extreme” applications.
Republican Candidate Ashley Bartley Enters Senate Race Emphasizing Housing Reform
On the campaign trail, Rep. Ashley Bartley (R‑Fairfax) announced her candidacy for the Chittenden‑North district Senate seat, challenging incumbent Sen. Chris Mattos (R‑Chittenden North) who plans to step down at session’s end. Bartley positioned herself as a housing‑advocate, arguing that “for years, we’ve thrown money at the housing crisis without fully addressing the policies that make it harder, slower, and more expensive to build homes.” She called for permitting reform, responsible growth, and the elimination of unnecessary barriers to spur affordable housing development. Bartley will face Democratic challenger Irene Wrenner, a former office‑holder seeking to regain the seat, setting up a contest likely to hinge on contrasting visions for Vermont’s housing future.
Disclosure and Context
The article concludes with a disclosure noting that Neale Lunderville is a former trustee of the Vermont Journalism Trust, the parent organization of VTDigger, underscoring the transparency practices employed in reporting on the taskforce’s formation. Together, these stories paint a picture of a state navigating technological innovation, constitutional governance, labor relations, social policy, and electoral politics—all within a single, busy legislative period.
A new body will recommend how state government and Vermont businesses could adopt AI