Phil Scott

Signed Executive Order 05-26 on 2026-07-08, telling state agencies to use their current powers to lower health insurance costs and draft reforms for 2027.

July 8, 2026Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.190 on 2026-06-16, a bill on hospital price limits (reference-based pricing). He said the savings went to some insurance payers and not all Vermonters.

June 16, 2026Opposes Healthcare Affordability

Source: governor.vermont.gov

On May 6, 2026, Governor Phil Scott vetoed S.218, a Vermont bill intended to reduce chloride contamination of state waters. In his veto message, he said he agreed with the bill's intent but opposed its liability and cost consequences for municipalities and businesses required to reduce salt and salt alternatives used on winter roads, parking lots, stairs, and sidewalks.

May 6, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: vermontpublic.org

Issued Executive Order 04-25 on 2025-05-13, pausing enforcement of rules that required carmakers to meet electric vehicle sales targets.

May 13, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed H.289 on 2024-05-23, a bill requiring utilities to get all their power from renewable sources. He said it raised electric rates too much.

May 23, 2024Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: vermontbiz.com

Vetoed H.706 on 2024-05-20, a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides (linked to bee deaths) on treated seeds and many crops.

May 20, 2024Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed the Affordable Heat Act (S.5), which set up a clean heat standard for heating fuels. Lawmakers overrode the veto, and the House vote on 2023-05-11 made it law.

May 11, 2023Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: vermontpublic.org

Vetoed H.606 on 2022-06-02, a bill on protecting forest blocks and wildlife habitat through land-use rules.

June 2, 2022Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: governor.vermont.gov

His veto of the clean heat standard bill, which set up a credit system to cut carbon from home and business heating, held on 2022-05-10 when the House fell one vote short of overriding it.

May 10, 2022Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: vermontpublic.org

Vetoed H.688, the Global Warming Solutions Act, on 2020-09-15. The bill made the state's greenhouse gas cuts legally required. He offered changes he said he could accept.

September 15, 2020Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Issued a "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order on 2020-03-24 and closed in-person work at all non-essential businesses to slow COVID-19.

March 24, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Declared a state of emergency for COVID-19 on 2020-03-13 by executive order, giving him emergency powers to take steps to slow the virus.

March 13, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: governor.vermont.gov

His administration required about 3,000 state workers to work in the office three days a week from December 2025. On 2026-04-01 the state Labor Relations Board ruled the order broke bargaining rules and told the state to rescind it. Scott criticized the ruling.

April 1, 2026Opposes Labor Rights

Source: vermontpublic.org

Vetoed S.125 on 2025-06-09, a bill unionizing some court employees and making it harder to remove a union. He said it limited workers' choice of union.

June 9, 2025Opposes Labor Rights

Source: governor.vermont.gov

The Legislature overrode his veto of a minimum wage increase (S.23) on 2020-02-25, by 100-49 in the House after 24-6 in the Senate. The law raised the wage to $11.75 in 2021 and $12.55 in 2022.

February 25, 2020Opposes Labor Rights

Source: vermontbiz.com

Vetoed H.107 on 2020-01-31, a mandatory paid family and medical leave program funded by a $29 million payroll tax on workers. He backed a voluntary paid leave plan instead.

January 31, 2020Opposes Labor Rights

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Directed state agencies to build tighter budgets for the next fiscal year, through an August 2026 memo from his finance commissioner. The memo said the governor had directed the state to lower Vermont's tax burden.

September 17, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: vtdigger.org

Vetoed H.91 on 2025-06-11, a bill to continue the pandemic-era hotel and motel shelter program for homeless people. He said it did not cut the program's size or cost enough.

June 11, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: governor.vermont.gov

The Legislature overrode his veto of the property tax bill (H.887) on 2024-06-17, by 103-42 in the House and 22-7 in the Senate. Property tax bills rose 13.8% on average.

June 17, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: vermontbiz.com

The Legislature overrode his vetoes of the 2024 state budget (H.494) and the child care payroll tax bill (H.217) on 2023-06-20. The House votes were 105-42 and 116-31.

June 20, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: vermontbiz.com

Vetoed H.217 on 2023-06-06, a child care funding bill paid for with a new payroll tax. He called the tax regressive.

June 6, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.39 on 2023-05-31, a bill raising pay and benefits for state legislators. He said it was unfair for lawmakers to shield themselves from costs they put on Vermonters.

May 31, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed the state budget for the second time in 2018, on 2018-06-14, because it did not stop a rise in property tax rates. The standoff pushed the state toward a July 1 government shutdown.

June 14, 2018Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: wcax.com

Vetoed the Legislature's state budget (H.518) and property tax bill (H.509) on 2017-06-06. He said they passed up millions in school health-insurance savings and raised property taxes.

June 6, 2017Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Signed an executive order on 2020-09-04 starting police reforms, including statewide rules on body cameras and use of force and better data collection.

September 4, 2020Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Signed Executive Order 06-25 on 2025-09-17 to speed up home building by easing permits, energy code rules and permit costs.

September 17, 2025Supports Housing Affordability

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Signed the HOME Act (S.100) on 2023-06-05, a housing law easing local zoning and permit rules to allow more homes.

June 5, 2023Supports Housing Affordability

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed H.91 on 2025-06-11, a bill to continue the pandemic-era hotel and motel shelter program for homeless people. He said it did not cut the program's size or cost enough.

June 11, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed H.217 on 2023-06-06, a child care funding bill paid for with a new payroll tax. He called the tax regressive.

June 6, 2023Opposes Social Programs and Welfare

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.30 on 2022-02-22, a gun bill that banned firearms in hospitals and let gun sales wait longer for background checks. He proposed raising the three-day wait to seven business days instead.

February 22, 2022Opposes Gun Control

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.169 on 2019-06-10, a bill to require a 24-hour waiting period before buying a handgun.

June 10, 2019Opposes Gun Control

Source: vermontpublic.org

Governor Scott signed a package of gun-safety reforms into law, including extreme-risk protection orders, removal of firearms from those accused of domestic violence, and raising the age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21.

April 11, 2018Supports Gun Control

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Signed H.57 on 2019-06-10, a law protecting the right to abortion in Vermont. He said he has always supported a woman's right to choose.

June 10, 2019Supports Women's Reproductive Rights

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Signed S.51 on 2025-06-25, a tax cut that exempts up to $125,000 of military retirement income and expands the child tax credit, earned income credit and Social Security exemption.

June 25, 2025Supports Personal Income Tax Reduction

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed H.121 on 2024-06-13, a strong data privacy bill that let people sue companies misusing their data. He said the lawsuit right and a kids' online design code carried legal and business risks.

June 13, 2024Opposes Data Privacy

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Signed Executive Order 04-18 on 2018-05-30 to promote racial, ethnic and cultural diversity and equity in state government.

May 30, 2018Supports Civil Rights

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.37 on 2019-06-17, a bill letting people exposed to toxic chemicals sue polluters to pay for medical monitoring. He said it was unclear what legal and financial risks it created for employers.

June 17, 2019Opposes Corporate Accountability

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Publicly criticized the Trump administration's effort to limit mail voting on 2026-08-25. He called voting by mail safe and reliable and said the federal government has no business telling states how to run elections.

August 25, 2026

Source: wamc.org

Vetoed S.230 on 2026-06-18, a bill limiting other unions' access to Corrections Department workers. He said it favored one union over others.

June 18, 2026

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed two bills on 2026-06-17: H.710, which he said made it easier to expand industrial wind projects, and H.817, which told agencies to fund mental health programs in schools in his next budget.

June 17, 2026

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed H.727 on 2026-05-28, a bill setting rules for data centers. He said current law already covers them and the bill risked driving away jobs.

May 28, 2026

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Allowed H.849 to become law without his signature on 2026-04-27. It lets people sue any government official in state court for violating their federal constitutional rights. He doubted it was constitutional.

April 27, 2026

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Appointed Christina Nolan and Michael Drescher to the Vermont Supreme Court on 2026-01-05.

January 5, 2026

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Signed H.454 (Act 73) on 2025-07-01, an education law that shrinks Vermont's 100-plus school districts to about a dozen and moves school funding to a state formula.

July 1, 2025

Source: vermontpublic.org

Governor Scott vetoed the fiscal year 2025 budget-adjustment bill (H.141) on March 14, 2025, opposing added spending including the hotel/motel program for the unhoused; he has repeatedly vetoed budgets he viewed as growing too fast, with the Legislature overriding some vetoes.

March 14, 2025

Source: vermontbiz.com

Voted for Democrat Kamala Harris for president on 2024-11-05. He said he put country over party, as when he voted for Joe Biden in 2020.

November 5, 2024

Source: vermontpublic.org

Vetoed H.687, a major Act 250 land-use and housing bill. Lawmakers overrode the veto on 2024-06-17, and it became law.

June 17, 2024

Source: vermontpublic.org

Vetoed H.645 on 2024-06-04, a bill expanding restorative justice programs. He said it gave the Attorney General's office new work without funding.

June 4, 2024

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed H.72 on 2024-05-30, a bill allowing overdose prevention sites where people use drugs under supervision. He called it a costly experiment.

May 30, 2024

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Allowed S.259 to become law without his signature on 2024-05-30. The law makes big fossil fuel companies pay for climate change damage in Vermont. He worried Vermont was acting alone.

May 30, 2024

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Allowed S.209, a ban on untraceable "ghost guns" without serial numbers, to become law without his signature on 2024-05-28.

May 28, 2024

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Endorsed Nikki Haley for president on 2024-01-19 and urged New Hampshire primary voters to stop Donald Trump.

January 19, 2024

Source: vermontbiz.com

Declared a state of emergency on 2023-07-09 ahead of major flooding, so the state could request help from other states faster.

July 9, 2023

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Allowed H.165, free school meals for all students, to become law without his signature on 2023-06-14. He objected to its $20-30 million cost on property taxes, including for well-off families.

June 14, 2023

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Allowed H.230, a bill to reduce suicide and community violence that included a 72-hour gun purchase waiting period, to become law without his signature on 2023-06-01. He said he had constitutional concerns about waiting periods and left them for the courts.

June 1, 2023

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed charter changes on 2023-05-27 that let 16- and 17-year-olds vote in Brattleboro town elections (H.386) and let noncitizen residents vote in Burlington city elections (H.509).

May 27, 2023

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed H.728 on 2022-06-07 because it directed his administration to plan overdose prevention sites, also called safe injection sites. He said the money belonged in prevention and treatment.

June 7, 2022

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.234 on 2022-06-01, a bill changing Act 250, the state land-use law. He said it made the law more cumbersome and housing harder to build.

June 1, 2022

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed H.708 on 2022-05-03, a Burlington charter change that limited evictions to set "just cause" reasons. He argued it discourages landlords from renting.

May 3, 2022

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.286 on 2022-05-02, a bill changing public employee pensions and retiree benefits. He said it did not make enough structural change to fix the state's large unfunded pension debt.

May 2, 2022

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.79 on 2021-07-02, a rental housing safety bill covering nearly all rental units. He said it cut housing options by adding costs and rules for small landlords.

July 2, 2021

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Lifted all state COVID-19 restrictions on 2021-06-14 after 80% of eligible Vermonters got at least one vaccine dose.

June 14, 2021

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed city charter changes for Montpelier (H.177) and Winooski (H.227) on 2021-06-01 that let noncitizen residents vote in local elections. He asked lawmakers to handle noncitizen voting statewide instead.

June 1, 2021

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.107 on 2021-05-20, a bill keeping the first arrest and charge of young adults confidential like juveniles. He objected to raising the age of these protections without enough services in place.

May 20, 2021

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Called on 2021-01-06, after the attack on the U.S. Capitol, for President Trump to resign or be removed from office. He was the first Republican governor to do so.

January 6, 2021

Source: yahoo.com

Allowed S.54, the bill creating a regulated retail cannabis market, to become law without his signature on 2020-10-07. He urged more funding for youth prevention and education.

October 7, 2020

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed H.926, a bill changing Act 250, the state land-use law, on 2020-10-05. The same day he signed Executive Order 04-20 to give recreation trails clearer permit rules.

October 5, 2020

Source: governor.vermont.gov

The Vermont Ethics Commission withdrew its 2018 opinion against Scott on 2019-09-05. It said its process was wrong because it had accepted the request from an outside group.

September 5, 2019

Source: vtdigger.org

The Vermont Ethics Commission said in an advisory opinion on 2018-10-02 that Scott broke the state ethics code by keeping a financial tie to DuBois Construction, a company that does business with the state.

October 2, 2018

Source: vermontpublic.org

Signed H.511 on 2018-01-22, ending penalties for adults 21 and older who have up to one ounce of marijuana or grow two mature plants at home. Marijuana sales stayed illegal.

January 22, 2018

Source: governor.vermont.gov

Vetoed S.22 on 2017-05-24, a bill to legalize adult possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and two mature plants. He said he was open to a revised bill.

May 24, 2017

Source: vermontpublic.org

Sold his half of DuBois Construction, a company that does state work, back to the firm on 2016-12-30 for $2.5 million, just before taking office. He financed the sale himself, so the company still owed him money.

December 30, 2016

Source: vermontpublic.org

As lieutenant governor, broke two tie votes in the state Senate on amendments to the 2013 medical aid-in-dying bill (S.77), including a vote for Sen. Ann Cummings' shorter version. The Senate then passed the bill.

February 14, 2013

Source: vtdigger.org

As a state senator, was one of four senators who voted on 2010-02-24 to advance a bill letting the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant keep running past 2012. The Senate rejected it 4-26.

February 24, 2010

Source: legislature.vermont.gov

As a state senator, voted on 2009-03-23 for a failed plan to replace the same-sex marriage bill with a nonbinding statewide vote; it lost 11-19. He then voted with the 26-4 majority to advance the marriage bill (S.115).

March 23, 2009

Source: legislature.vermont.gov