On May 9 and May 11, 2023, House and Senate Democrats voted to override Governor Phil Scott’s veto of S.5 – the Affordable Heat Act. Governor Scott vetoed the bill last week despite overwhelming support in both the House and Senate. This is the first veto that the Democrats, who have supermajorities in both chambers, have overridden this session.
“I’m so proud of our legislators for protecting Vermonters from the harms of climate change,” said Vermont Democratic Party Chair David Glidden. “The Affordable Heat Act will help working Vermonters break their reliance on foreign oil and make heating their homes dramatically more affordable over the long term.”
The Affordable Heat Act is estimated to save Vermont households an average of $4,500 annually while drastically reducing our state’s pollution. Without this bill, Vermont is projected to miss its greenhouse gas reduction targets in both 2025 and 2030 by large margins. By overriding this veto, Democrats have taken another crucial step in fighting climate change and reducing the cost of living for Vermonters.
“We are disappointed, but not surprised, that Governor Scott vetoed the Affordable Heat Act,” said Senate Caucus Communications Director Becca White. “During his six years in office, he has proven time and again that he puts his own political agenda over the safety and affordability of Vermont. Vermonters elected Democrats up and down the ballot in historic and unprecedented margins during the last election, and our elected officials are doing what they promised to do: fight for their constituents and the betterment of their communities.”
Simply put, S.5 requires the Public Utility Commission to design – not enact – a Clean Heat Standard. This two-year long process will allow Vermonters to submit public comments and give our members in both the House and Senate a better idea as to what the exact costs and benefits of the program are. Once that is understood, both chambers will have to debate and vote on its final design – anybody describing S.5 in any other way is simply lying to the public. Overriding the Governor’s veto gives Vermonters the answers to almost all the questions they have – allowing us to make informed decisions when the 2025 legislature votes to finalize the program.