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Montpelier Today
By the People, for the People
Vermont Legislature Reaches Crossover Day Deadline
Key bills advance while others stall as lawmakers face divided government and budget constraints
Mar. 14, 2026 at 1:37am
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The Vermont Legislature has reached 'Crossover Day', the halfway point of the session and a deadline that determines which bills advance and which are left behind. A flurry of bills will move forward, including proposals on mental health facilities, school PCB testing, and new gun laws. However, some bills, such as those related to carbon emissions and land use, have stalled. The political dynamic in Montpelier is different this year due to divided government and the lack of federal pandemic funding for new programs.
Why it matters
Crossover Day is a critical juncture in the Vermont legislative session, as it separates the bills that will continue to be considered from those that are unlikely to advance. The outcome of this deadline reflects the priorities and compromises of the state's lawmakers, who must navigate a politically divided environment and budget constraints.
The details
Key bills that will advance include a proposal to build a facility for people deemed incompetent to stand trial, a measure that effectively ends the state-run school PCB testing program, and new gun laws that would make it a felony to steal a firearms, restrict guns from people with mental illness, and ban devices that can make guns fully automatic. However, previously approved Act 250 reforms that would restrict development in more rural parts of the state were delayed three years after concerns were raised in the Northeast Kingdom. Lawmakers also did not act on proposals to cut carbon emissions and move Vermont closer to meeting its legal mandates under the Global Warming Solutions Act.
- Friday, March 14, 2026 marks 'Crossover Day' at the Vermont Statehouse, the halfway point of the legislative session.
- Next Friday, March 21, 2026 is the deadline for bills with an appropriation attached, such as new taxes or funding measures.
The players
Vermont Legislature
The state's legislative body, which is facing a politically divided environment and budget constraints this session.
What’s next
Any proposal that does not advance by Friday could still be revived at the end of the session, but its chances are much slimmer.
The takeaway
The outcome of Crossover Day in the Vermont Legislature reflects the challenges lawmakers face in a politically divided environment and with budget constraints, as they must make difficult choices about which priorities to advance and which to leave behind.
