S1, E13 (Apr. 10, 2023): Being Green While Making Green
Guests: State Treasurer Mike Pieciak, Rep. Laura Sibilia
State Treasurer Mike Pieciak was elected as our 31st State Treasurer last November after completing his “Road to Victory” – taking part in the 251(+1) Club, visiting every town and city in the state – ending in Victory, VT and with a resounding victory on election night. The Brattleboro native, who previously served for six years as the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, talks about the honor of serving in a statewide office, his role as a top elected LGBTQ+ official, and how his background in law helps shape his work as Treasurer. We discuss his ‘slow and thoughtful’ approach to divestment from fossil fuels in state funds, and the impact his role has on climate-related decisions at the state level.
With crossover in the rearview mirror, things have settled down a bit in the State House. Now we’re into a countdown to the end of the session to see what will make it past the finish line – with bills voted out of the Senate now in their respective House committees and vice versa. Last week we saw a unanimous Senate vote in support of S.25, a nation-leading bill that would restrict PFAS and other toxic chemicals from cosmetics, personal care products, textiles, and athletic turf. Now it’s up to the House Committee on Human Services to take it up, and we will be advocating hard for that to happen soon. Hear more about the latest legislative action in our Session Shakedown segment, and then hear our conversation with Representative Laura Sibilia (I-Dover), after another week of testimony on the Affordable Heat Act, S.5, on why she’s a strong supporter of this policy, especially for her rural constituents. Read the full transcript here.