Madam President, Madam Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, members of the General Assembly and fellow Vermonters.

It's our tradition at the opening of the legislative session to come together and charter our course for the work ahead.

Whether in times of peace or war, prosperity or depression, those who came before us felt the same hope and optimism we share today , ready to do the work, to take on new problems and solve those who that have eluded us for years.

It's a day I've been part of many times.

I've delivered, presided over or sat through 21 of these addresses, and I have always felt that on this day with all of us together, anything is possible.

In this moment, we get to decide where we'll focus over the coming months, which challenges we'll work on, and those will set aside to do what's best for our fellow Vermonters.

It's been almost two years since we were last together in one room, and I know your decision to legislate remotely was a difficult one.

But it was the right one, at least for now, and proves that our government, through great adversity, can and will move forward.

And I think most would agree.

Remote legislating doesn't have the same energy and emotion, camaraderie, cooperation and occasional conflict that are essential for good policymaking.

This left many feeling a bit nostalgic for the chance to see friends, even those we don't always agree with for the ideas that come up in cafeteria conversations and go on to become bills and then laws, and for the privilege to be recognized on the floor to represent your district and make your case and know that the voice of your constituents has been heard.

Friends, we will get through this and be back together soon.

But for now, I know we'll find a way to take on our challenges To see them through and make a difference for those we serve It's no doubt the last 21 months have been difficult, but if we're willing to make the most of the silver linings, there's much to be gained thanks to the work of our congressional delegation especially Senator Leahy.

We received billions in federal aid and with that aid, we came together to fund significant needs.

We rolled up our sleeves to achieve the highest vaccination rates in the country and then kept them rolled up, went to work and passed historic investments in housing, broadband, climate change, water, sewer and economic recovery, dedicating over 600 million to transform communities large and small across the state.

I'm pleased to report that nearly half of this fundin has already been approved for release with public servant in just about every agency moving forward with projects every day.

And that's on top of the more than 500 million we spent on infrastructure through our typical funding sources.

These investments will help reverse decades of economic inequity in every single county.

This has put us on a new path, creating more opportunities for the future than most of us thought possible just a few short years ago.

For these reasons, I can report to you today that the state of the state is strong and we're growing stronger every day so that every new generation in every county and every community is healthier, better educated and more secure and prosperous than those who came before.

To get there, we must be clear about the challenges we face, the problems we must solve and the people and places that need our help most continuing to navigate out of this pandemic remains one of those issues.

We know the next several weeks are going to be incredibly challenging across the country and we'll be focused on this issue.

But for today, let's focus on the future because we have to learn to manage life with this virus and can't let it derail us from addressing our most fundamental challenges our desperate need for more people in our communities and more workers to fill the tens of thousands of jobs available in Vermont today.

In January 2020, when the new virus was just a fleeting mention on the nightly news, I stood before you and shared my biggest concern, that for years, our working age population and the number of kids in our schools had been shrinking unsustainably, creating deep economic inequity between the northwestern part of our state and everywhere else.

I reported at the time that only three counties had added workers, while the other eleven had lost them.

Unfortunately, today, all 14 have lost workers, even Chittenden with Windsor, Windham, Caledonian, Bennington Essex and Rutland down 15% or more since their peak.

Statewide, we've seen our workforce decrease by nearly 30,000 since 2010.

It's clear that while the pandemic didn't create this problem, it has made it much, much worse The hardest part of addressing our workforce shortage is that it's so intertwined with other big challenges, from affordability and education to our economy and recovery.

Each problem makes the others harder to solve.

Creating a vicious cycle that's been difficult to break.

Specifically, I believe our high cost of living has contributed to a declining workforce and stunted our growth.

As we lose Vermonters who can't afford to live, do business or even retire here That burden from taxes and utility rates, the health care and education costs falls on fewer and fewer of us making life even less affordable.

With fewer working families comes fewer kids in our schools but lower enrollment hasn't meant lower costs.

And from district to district, kids aren't offered the same opportunities like foreign languages, AP courses or electives.

And with fewer school offerings, it's hard to attract families, workers and jobs to those communities.

Fewer workers and fewer students means our businesses struggle to fill the jobs they need to survive, deepening the economic divide from region to region.

And for years, State budgets and policies failed to adapt to this reality.

But here's the good news.

This is the moment we've been waiting for.

We've been making headway on these issues for the last five years, putting ourselves in a position to reverse our workforce trends, revitalize every county in our state and secure the future we've envision.

One where Vermonters can find a good job, a good school and an affordable home in each of our 14 counties and 251 cities, towns and villages.

Where kids in the smallest communities have as many opportunities as kids in the largest, for young families can afford to enjoy all our state has to offer.

And we're a strong economy, generates the tax revenue to easily serve all people, protect the vulnerable and invest in the things we care about most.

I'm more optimistic than I've ever been, that this future is within our grasp.

But we've got to work together so we don't squander this once in a lifetime opportunity to truly transform our state.

Five years ago, I said, when you're in a hole, stop digging.

My friends, today I'm happy to report we're out of that hole and we're sitting on a pile of bricks, mortar lumber and steel.

So let's grab, hold and start building.

Now we know this won't be easy.

It's going to take all of us committing to this goal and pulling in the same direction.

And I want to acknowledge upfront that I won't have all the answers.

Many solutions will come from local communities and legislative committees.

You can expect proposals on my end to be geared towards workforce, because whether it's training and recruitment, childcare tax policy, housing, health care, infrastructure or climate change, we must reverse our workforce trends.

And just so we're clear for any legislation to have my support.

It cannot make this problem worse.

If we look at everything through this lens.

If we have the discipline to stay focused and don't get distracted by the antics of an election year.

I have no doubt we can succeed far beyond the incremental steps of a typical session and make significant, lasting, transformative leaps forward.

So let's start with the people already here and do more to connect them with great jobs.

First, our internship, returnship and apprenticeship programs have been incredibly successful.

Not only giving workers job experience but also buildin ties to local employers.

To improve on this work, the Department of Labor will assist employers to fill and manage internships statewide, and will invest more to help cover interns wages.

And let's not forget about retired Vermonters who want to go back to work and have a lot to offer.

I look forward to working with Representative Marcotte in the House of Commerce Committee on the issue and many others.

Next, let's put a greater focus on trades training, and here's why.

We all know we need more nurses and health care workers.

And as I previewed with Senator Sanders and Senator Ballard early this week, I'll propose investments in this area.

But if we don't have enough CDL drivers, mechanics and technicians, hospital staff won't get to work.

There will be issues getting the lifesaving equipmen and supplies we need, and we'll see fewer EMTs available to get patients to emergency rooms.

If we don't have enough carpenters, plumbers, electricians or heating, ventilation, air handling and refrigeration techs, there's fewer to construct and maintain the facilities in our health care system or build homes for the workers we're trying to attract.

If we make smart changes to current policy, we can open the door to career and technical education, giving kids multiple paths to a lucrative career and filling these crucial jobs.

But more importantly, we need to do more to encourage students to pursue these programs.

And I can say from my own personal experience, it's not easy to choose the track, even when it's your passion.

For far too long, we haven't done enough to point students toward these great opportunities to build a real future for themselves.

It's time we end the stigma around CTE because the fact is many of the smartest, most successful people I know are in the trades.

So let's all recognize that it's just as important, valuable and impressive to become an electrician, welde or EMT as it is to go to Stanford, Dartmouth or Harvard.

Our strategy to grow the workforce can't just be about training, it must be about meeting the needs of families.

That's why my workforce proposals also include things like housing affordability and jobs.

Twice over the last five years we passed the largest investments in housing in the state's history.

Last year we focused heavily on permanent housing for homeless Vermonters As a result, we built about 800 new affordable units with another 800 under-development and helped over 13,000 struggling families transition out of homelessness, giving them the dignity and security of permanent homes to regain their independence.

And to help with heating costs and reduce emissions, we're working to deploy the 20 million and weatherization funds passed last year.

Now, this is important, but it's not enough, and it doesn't really get at the heart of the problem.

the lack of decent, affordable homes for middle income families.

Without it, workers we have can't afford to move up and the workers we want can't afford to move in.

We must recognize housing policy is workforce policy.

If you work with me in budget adjustment to allocate 80 million more, we can show we're fully committed to this cause.

In the budget I'll present in two weeks.

You can expect to see another 100 million because it's time to get serious about putting the benefits of a good home and a good investment within the reach of every Vermonter.

Housing isn't the only area that remains unaffordable.

Our fiscal discipline over the last five years, including multiple budgets that didn't raise taxes or fees narrowed the gap between the increase in costs of state government and growth in paychecks.

But the fact is, Vermont is still ranked near the top of the list when it comes to tax burden and cost of living.

So we should do our part to keep the cost of government from rising faster than people's wages, because when they do, we're pushing them down the economic ladder.

But when take-home pay is growing faster than these costs, we're helping people move up.

So I'll put forward a balanced and progressive tax relief package with a focus on those who need it, like retirees, middle income families and young workers.

We all want to see Vermonters take home more in their paychecks and for every family to have some breathing room once their bills are paid.

If we work together, we can make this happen, this session.

We know we need more workers, and that also means we need to keep the good jobs we have and add more of them.

That's why all propose expanding the Capital Investmen Grant program, which we created with $10 million last year, but we receive applications for six times that amount.

This is helping employers like child care and senior centers, museums and theaters, and agricultural businesses, enhance their facilities and keep good jobs and services here.

So let's do more.

We're also continue our work to attract new businesses from Canada, with the help of our new business recruitment office in Montreal.

And let's also help our most cutting edge employers like Northern Reliability and Beta Technologies, become global leaders in order to grow our attack and climate sectors right here in Vermont.

As I've said many times, if we build the strongest cradle to career education system in the country, it'll be one of the best economic development tools we could ever ask for, and this means looking beyond pre-K through twelve.

We've worked together to increase the state's investment in child care by over 30% since I took office.

To build on that, I'll propose changes to our child care financial assistance program to increase access to quality care and learning.

And alongside this focus, two years ago, at my request, we started down a path toward universal after school and summer programs.

Last year, we joined Senator Sanders schools and private partners to take some big leaps forward through our Summer Matters initiative.

We added 30,000 more summer camp slots and about 240 more weeks of programing, and we'll do it again because we should be offering these opportunities to young Vermonters year-round.

This initiative came at a time when our kids desperately neede to reconnect with friends, get outside and just have fun because we must acknowledge that many of the difficult decisions we made to keep people safe before vaccines, while necessary at the time, had negative effects.

These are the real life consequences we must consider when thinking about returning to restrictive pandemic measures.

Just look at our hospitals where many patients are sicker and getting admitted because of deferred care or our mental health system or demand for crisis services has never been higher.

And when it comes to our kids who lost out on months of full in-person instruction, not to mention music, drama, sports, field trip dances and all those normal interactions we took for granted.

This pandemic has taken a significant toll.

The strain is far too much for some, sending them to the E.R.

for mental health needs.

And while it was less severe for others, the grief was still felt.

Last spring, I heard directly from students about the impact of hybrid learning.

A 13 year old from Fairhaven put it best.

She said not being able to enjoy school and socialize with friends.

It's made a lot of us feel lonely and down.

And she asked me and I quote, to bring back some enjoyable activities so students will look forward to going to school.

From academics to extracurriculars, we have a lot of ground to make up.

So the Agency of Education, Department of Mental Health and Schools are putting 285 million in recovery dollars to work to address social, emotional and educational gaps.

I know teachers, parents, school nurses and administrators are working harder than ever to make up for these losses, all while dealing with high case counts.

I think every single one of them.

I know it's not easy, but it's so much better for student to be back in school.

Please know we're in this together and for the sake of our kids, we must keep moving forward.

As I said, they're not the only ones impacted by the state of emergency, which is why we need to remember that COVID 19 is not our only serious public health challenge, and we can't continue to address just one at the expense of the others.

Our mental health system is facing serious stress, and it's not uncommon for emergency departments to have many people in mental health crisis as they await treatment.

Which is why we will continue to increase the number of mental health beds throughout the state.

And I'll ask you to expand our mobile crisis pilot and suicide prevention model to make sure when our friends and family, neighbors and coworkers need us most.

We have the tools to help.

And while we did our best to support those struggling with addiction during the pandemic.

The data is clear it wasn't enough.

So my budget will expand prevention, treatment and recovery efforts.

Supporting those dealing with substance misuse and addiction have been a priority and a commitment we've all shared for nearly a decade.

No matter what other challenges come our way, we cannot weaken our efforts to reduce the number of Vermonters struggling with drugs and alcohol.

The number of families it touches and the lives they claims.

This work not only keeps people healthier, it also makes community safer as we modernize law enforcement policy.

We can't forget that police and other first responders are essential to public safety, and this is another area where we have a significant labor shortage.

The work we're doing to continuously improve fair and impartial policing is necessary and important, and much of it is being led by our state and local officers themselves.

We've also taken meaningful steps like universal body cameras, new training and a statewide use of force policy.

There will always be more to do, but we must account for what's already being done and make sure we continue to have the tools and the peopl to serve and protect our communities.

Law enforcement, human service and health care workers can't do it alone, so let's recognize that safe communities start with strong communities.

Investments in infrastructure like water and sewer, broadband and climate change resiliency will help increase economic equity and strengthen our communities from region to region.

This is exactly why the investments we made last year were so important.

For example, where the wastewater funding going to Westford, the town can move forward on new housing and bring small businesses to his town center.

A plan that's been 16 years in the making.

We're also working to help Montgomery with its plans for a similar project that will also bring jobs and housing.

And with our investments, broadband will bring fiber to people who for far too long have had little or no access to the service.

But only a portion of the 1 billion dollar proposal I presented was funded.

So this year, we'll ask for the rest of it.

Just making the investments isn't enough because it remains difficult and expensive to build here in Vermont, so let's continue expanding tax credits for our downtowns.

And let's add more tools to revitalize vacant and once vibrant properties, including some of our shuttered campuses like Green Mountain College in Pulteney and old industrial sites like Jones and Lampson in Springfield.

There are many ways to strengthen our communities, and we finally have the funds to do this work.

But we must ensure our regulatory system doesn't become the bottleneck that holds us back.

So I'll once again ask you to bring our 51 year old land use law into the 21st century.

Given the time constraints on the federal money and the need to move quickly in order to truly make the most of this incredible moment.

The time to modernize Act 250 is now.

This is what can be achieved this session.

Major additions to our education system that make it the best in the nation.

Good jobs and affordable cost of living so families can prosper and safe and healthy communities with thriving town centers that, along with our incredible natural resources, offer the best quality of life in the nation.

This benefits the people here now and gives us the workforce recruitment tools we need.

But we can't rely on that alone.

We have to tell our story.

We have to make sure people know all we've done to make Vermont such a great place for families and workers.

And we have to make it easy for them to move here.

So I'll again propose a comprehensive relocation packag that makes the best use of marketing dollars to identif and directly reach people who have past ties to or current interest in Vermont, like young adults who moved away after graduation or those who enjoy the outdoors.

In addition, my budget will support the Senate's worker relocation program with some changes to bring in more families who contribute to our communities, schools and economy.

And let's finally eliminate the tax on military pensions, because if we want members of the military after a 20 year career to join our workforce, we must be able to compete with 47 other states that have already greatly reduce or remove this burden.

In the past, we've worked with Secretary of State Condo's to improve our licensing laws.

Becoming one of the first states to give credit for experience gained in the military, accepting more credentials from other states and speeding the process for license, alcohol and drug counselors.

This is putting more skilled professionals to work, so let's further modernize these laws.

And we're bringing in more people.

We should go beyond our borders to welcome more refugees, especially the Afghan allies who served alongside our servicemen and women in the global war on terror, because the truth is we need them.

And more importantly, welcoming refugees is the compassionate thing to do.

It's the right thing to do, and it's the American thing to do.

There's no doubt we face significant challenges in fixing, one is dependent on fixing several others.

But we now have the resources to make a big difference.

And that's exactly why this is such a unique moment in our history.

Late last year, our nation lost a great American, General Colin Powell devoted his entire life to our country.

He fought for freedom and democracy, liberty and equality even though because of the color of his skin.

Those ideals weren't always equally applied to him.

With a thoughtful and honest approach, he viewed the world from the center and always look both ways before making decisions.

General Powell believed there is no end to the good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.

I guess that's why he never ran for office, but we did.

And the way I see it is one thing that could pull this incredible opportunity out of our reach and that's our election year politics.

So let's remember the work done here and across state government isn't about us.

It's not about how many votes we get, how many followers and likes we have on social media, or how many times our name is in the news.

It's not about checking things off a national political agenda or proposing policies to raise money, earned endorsements or to have better answers for all those special interest questionnaires.

It's just not about us.

It's about the workers who want to know they still have a job as we continue to manage COVID, like the waitress in Burlington, who told us she was worried about her paycheck and her kids if they get shut down again.

A high school senior who isn't planning on going to college but has a talent for trade that could lead to a lucrative career or a business of their own.

The communities like Sheldon and Orleans that depend on the local plant for jobs and economic activity.

The kids like that 13 year old Fairhaven student and thousands like her who need us now more than ever, and they're relying on us to lead them with a healthy planet.

It's about the people of Vermont.

We're here for them because the fact is there's no amount of money, infrastructure projects or government policy that can rebuild and grow our communities without people, the volunteers and the fire department, none.

The Planning Commission, those who step up to coach and train, mentor and inspire our kids, neighbors willing to drive someone to pick up groceries, visit a loved one or get their booster.

Our success through the pandemic and the opportunity in front of us is thanks to the hundreds of thousands of Vermonters who stepped up.

But there's more work to do and it's going to take all of us recognizing that this moment is one of service.

So for those still looking for a way to get back, this is your time.

Help out at a place like Jenna's house in Johnson.

Or Josh's house in Colchester, both started by parents who experienced incredible loss but transformed their grief into good, helping others in saving lives.

Join a school board or become a substitute teacher?

Sign up and train to be a LNA to start on the pat towards your dream of a career in health care.

Volunteer at the senior center.

Take that extra step to welcome a refugee family to your town or simply call a friend who may be struggling through hard times.

It's the little things, along with the big, it will make certain we meet this moment.

We have a big job ahead of us, but a brighter future is within our grasp.

The best education system in the country, resilient kids and thriving families, clean water and a healthier planet.

Strong communities with good jobs, affordable home and vibrant downtowns in every corner of our state.

Friends, this is all within our grasp.

We just need to reach out together and take hold.

I thank you so much for listening.

Good afternoon, I'm Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint.

For nearly two years now, Vermonters have been working so hard to hold their lives together.

I've seen incredible resilience among my neighbors and constituents.

I've watched thousands of Vermonters step up to pitch in and help their communities.

Frontline workers continue to keep our state running day after day.

Teachers, health care workers, public employees, retail and hospitality workers and all the small businesses and nonprofits that have kept serving and supporting Vermonters throughout this ongoing emergency.

Despite the scourge of the pandemic, we have food on our tables, we have medicine in our cabinet and our children are getting an education because of your dedication to your neighbors.

Thank you for all you've done to hold us all together.

Shortly before Christmas, a family member of mine had a health emergency that required an ambulance run and a trip to the hospital.

What a tremendous relief we all felt when she got the excellent medical care she needed.

All too often we take these things for granted.

We don't stop enough to think of the people who make these systems of care run.

These critical systems are made up of dedicated professionals Vermonters who fill vital jobs, but also have a calling to serve their communities.

And we are so fortunate that they do.

To answer this call to service as legislators, we also have a part in making sure that these systems keep running Along with the executive and judicial branches, our citizen legislature serves Vermonters, the three branches of government are designed to be co-equal so we can act together as a system of checks and balances Your Legislature is not made of professional politicians, we are your neighbors, we're citizens who run for office because we care deeply about our communities, our state, its people and its land.

We're former teachers, we're business owners, retail workers chefs, social workers, medical workers, attorneys and retirees We come from all walks of life.

We bring our family histories with us and our experiences, and we also carry with us the stories of our constituents from all of our villages, towns and cities, and we try our level best to do right by the people back home.

That means working hard on behalf of all of you, listening deeply to your experiences, fighting for what is best for our constituents and knowing that we need to work with the other branches to do our best work.

The legislative session opened yesterday, and the governor's state of the state today is the beginning of our shared work.

It is the start of a complex conversation between the executive branch and the legislative branch.

A conversation that will carry on throughout the session and hours of committee hearings and discussions with our constituents and with members of the government.

This is the third legislative session in which the pandemic is swirling around us.

And I know I speak for so many Vermonters when I say I thought we'd all be at the end of the emergency by now.

But yesterday was another record breaking day of infections, and we are not at all through the crisis.

We have to continue working together to fight the pandemic and support a strong recovery.

We must prioritize Vermonters health and well-being and support all the working families who are having such a tough time right now.

The core of the Senate's agenda this session will be about supporting Vermonters and their families.

My top priority will be wisely investing the millions and millions of federal rescue dollars to improve the lives of Vermonters and their families.

And I agree with the governor that workforce is a central issue, and it's one par of a series of interconnected challenges facing all of us.

We need real and sizable investments and much needed policy support in a bunch of areas.

We have to address the housing crisis.

We have to continue investing in broadband and child care.

We have to protect our climate and our planet.

We have to push for more accountability in our criminal justice system, and we have to continue to support our teachers, public employees and make sure their pensions are protected for the future.

We began critical work in these areas last session, and we must continue the investments we make now must address both the immediate needs of Vermonters, those needs that are created by the pandemic and its fallout But we also have to create opportunities for Vermonters going forward so that they can come out of this emergency thriving.

One of my biggest priorities this session will be addressing Vermont's major housing crisis.

Vermonters across the state struggle with housing costs, accessibility and stability.

Businesses can't recruit employees, workers can't fill jobs, and individual and families suffer when they don't have housing.

As the governor said, and I agree, housing policy is work force policy.

In the fall and early winter, the speaker and I held listenin sessions around the state, the investing in Vermont's future tour was an engagement process that enabled us to listen.

To other policy tools as well.

I look forward to tackling the safety and the availability of rentals.

The continuing development of downtowns and villages and the pathways to home ownership for more Vermonters.

We heard a lot this afternoon about the workforce shortage that greatly impacts businesses and families across the state.

This is affecting every single sector of the economy and it is being felt not just in Vermont but across the country.

What I've been hearing from Vermonters is that it's particularly difficult among the caring professionals, those professionals that keep our families and communities runningm, nurses, childcare, professionals, educators, mental health workers and professionals who support Vermonters with physical, cognitive or behavioral challenges.

We also see sizable shortages in the hospitality sectors and in the trades.

So we have to continue to invest in higher education, training and development for key professions and work to identify new tools to help businesses recruit and retain employees.

But we also know this is a time for education and training systems to be reimagined.

We can break down the siloed thinking that says we should have two systems one for the trades and one for academics.

We must have a technologically fluent and adaptable workforce coming out of our K through twelve system, whether they also master a traditional trade or an emerging technology like electronic aviation, or whether they choose to pursue a post-secondary degree.

Because of the federal funding available to us, we now have resources to make systemic changes while also making strategic short term impacts in critical areas.

This is an all hands on deck moment.

And we welcome ideas from all partners in Vermont's economy.

And we know that we must address Vermonters concern about a 40 high energy bills and about what kind of planet our children will inherit.

The immediate recommendations of the Vermont Climate Council offer an opportunity to address both issues simultaneously by investing a lot more money in the weatherization of homes, energy efficiency and electrification.

We must keep people and the planet at the center of what we do.

We must lower costs for families and reduce dangerous emissions.

Both are true, and this work must be rooted in environmental justice.

We have to ensure that those most impacted by global warming and environmental degradation are helped, truly helped by our solutions.

The Senate will also make meaningful action on racial justice by working to make sure that all Vermonters get their day in court and have access to judicial oversight if they're abused.

The systems of justice we create and support must be accountable to all Vermonters.

Other important issues we'll work on will be continuin to seek a shared solution that makes sure that we have a sustainable pension system for our teachers and state employees.

And we must keep pushing for a secure retirement plan for all Vermonters so that every citizen has a safety net when they retire.

We'll also be setting up a bipartisan, fair redistricting process that strengthens Vermonters trust in our democracy, and the Legislature will finish our efforts to protect reproductive liberty and our state's constitution and then send the issue out to the voters.

This session, the Senate will work hard to deliver meaningful results for the working families that we all represent.

We want to make sure all Vermonters see their lives supported by our work.

As pro-tem, I will work with my colleagues to make sure that we all stay focused day after day on how to make important investments for the people of our state.

We will work in partnership with the House and with the Governor and get to work on behalf of all of you We will easily agree on some policy goals, and we'll have more contentious conversations about others, I'm sure on some issues will agree on the end goal, but may not think the same way about how to get there.

As I said a year ago.

That's all part of the lively, robust conversation that happens in a healthy democracy and here in Vermont, we still have that healthy democracy.

We can continue to show the nation and those who seek to undermine our ideals, that our legislative work is done for the people, not for soundbites or ego or petty victories that come from demonizing each other.

Each day of this legislative session through our shared work we will if we do it right, rebuild and sustain trust in our green mountain states, hallowed democracy and make meaningful change for the people of Vermont.

Thank you, Senator Balint.

Good afternoon.

I'm Jill Krowinski, I'm the speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives almost exactly one year ago, as we started the New Year and the Vermont Legislature was starting our legislative work.

We watched in horror as a violent insurgency took place at our nation's capital.

It was a shocking attack on our democracy, and the ripple effects of the insurrection continue today as people questioned the election results and prepar to campaign against the validity of future elections.

It was in stark contrast to the work that was set to take place in Montpelier, and that can be reflected in the condemnation of the attack by all parties.

Vermonters saw it for what it was an attempt to dismantle the very fabric of our democracy.

It made me proud that we rallied together in that moment, but there is much, much work to do in order to heal our state, our nation and chart a successful path into the future Well, many things have changed in the past year.

There are still many sad similarities that remain.

The virus is surging across all 50 states, and Partizan politics have retained their grip on our nation's capital.

With deadlock as the de facto state of affairs in Washington, D.C., we are fortunate to have a wonderful congressional delegation and I thank them for all their continuous work to support Vermonters during this difficult time.

While Vermont has been successful in working together and making sacrifices to protect our communities and get things done, in recent weeks, the pandemic has been surging in the state with record case counts and hospitalization rates.

We see our health care workers, teachers, emergency responders, parents, caregivers and neighbors continue to step up and do everything they can to hold it all together.

I can't thank you all enough for your efforts.

I know you are all exhausted and my hope and our mission is for the Legislature to act quickly and thoughtfully to provide relief across Vermont.

We will not let the pandemic deter us.

We are taking on the important work that Vermonters are counting on to build a more resilient and equitable communities across the state.

We have many lessons learned from the pandemic, including the way that we have responded together We have a lot to reflect on and to be proud of.

This has been an incredibly difficult time in our nation's history, but I do believe we can come out of this united, more united and stronger than ever.

We must remember and act on all of the things that we learned during this time, and we must persevere to recover together and to create a Vermont that works for everyone.

So what does that mean?

That means we need to chart the course into a future that is more stable and equitable for all Vermonters.

I agree with the governor that we have made headway in recent years, including the Legislature making historic investments just this past year.

We stabilized our state college system with the largest investment in higher education in state history.

We made a 190 million dollar investment in housing, a $120 million to continue our work to clean our Vermont waterways.

$150 million in broadband development to close our digital divide.

And nearly $160 million pumped into communities, workforce and our economy.

Those are just a few of the investments we made that will impact the future for all our fellow Vermonters, and we know that there is still much more to do.

When we talk about recovering our economy, we must first address the social fabric of our society.

There are systems of injustice that persist and there are gaps in support systems in our communities.

We must address these systemic gaps to give all Vermonters every single one of us an equal shot at a good life.

Last year, we made progress in addressing these gaps by passing legislation, ensuring health care coverage for all children and pregnant individuals, regardless of their immigration status.

We made significant investments in our child care system, pushing us closer to child care that is affordable and more accessible to working Vermont families.

And there was our community schools pilot to help kids and families access vital services such as health care, mental health counseling or help with food or housing in times of crisis.

Vermonters are known for our ability to rally together, and we have to make that our status quo each and every day.

In speaking with Vermonters this summer and fall, I heard wonderful signs of progress.

one person said telehealth has been transformative.

We've been able to access a lot of services and connect to other people who can support us.

Another person said I've been so impressed with how hard everyone is working in state government, the nonprofit sector everywhere Everyone is doing their best to help each other help their neighbors.

There is a degree of kindness that underlies everything.

However, there were also some deeply concerning and troubling stories, such as this one.

We're recruiting at all levels of staff, and yet we have a 40% vacancy rate right now.

Our clients are struggling with minimal support, and our staff are stretched thin and overworked.

But we can't recruit people, we can't pay them enough and can't find housing for them Another story was there is no childcare available in my community or in surrounding communities.

I have to drive my children to the closest place I could get access to, and it is 50 miles each way.

This is unsustainable and disruptive, but I have no other option if I want to keep working.

There is so much to take on and I look forward to tackling the interconnected strategies of housing, child care and workforce and developing and advancing strategies to combat climate change that sets a foundation to building a resilient future while working to ensure the legislation that passes creates greater equity for all Vermonters.

These issues are all intertwined, and I have asked House committees to avoid tackling these issues in silos.

Instead, we'll look at how these overarching challenge like workforce interact with policy areas both in and across communities and committee, Senator Balint and I met with Vermonters throughout the summer and fall to discuss the future of Vermont.

We asked people three basic questions What's going well?

What challenges are you facing and what investments could have the greatest impact o These conversations with Vermonters from all across the 14 counties were truly informative.

Individuals shared their stories, their life experiences and hope for the future of Vermont.

There are clearly success stories for us to build on, but we also heard plenty of challenges occurring in our communities that cannot be left unaddressed If we are to build a state that is welcoming for all people to live and to visit.

At a high level, many Vermonters agreed that strategies to combat climate change and transition to a sustainable way of life were important, as were continued investments in higher education and workforce development, supporting working families through affordable housing, a child tax credit, rural broadband buildout and affordable, high quality child care.

Also increasing access to child health care, mental health and substance use disorder treatment services Also dismantling systemic and institutional racism and advancing racial and social equity to make more welcoming communities.

This is just a snapshot of the things that we heard, and I know Senator Balint shared my enthusiasm for continuing these conversations to make sure that we can be successful in supporting all Vermont communities.

The pandemic has taken a toll on all of us, and I know Vermonters are exhausted and looking for support in their day to day, day to day lives.

We have lost 482 Vermonters to COVID 19.

Countless others are facing the long term impacts from contracting the virus, and disruptions continue for everyone everywhere.

It is imperative that we take on this legislative session with our fellow Vermonters in mind, and I know that the Legislature can and we will find collaborative solutions to support our families, friends, neighbors as they continue to support each other through this phase of the pandemic.

Lastly, I'll say that we are all working hard together, and this is our time and our moment to make Vermont an even better place for our working families, small business and communities.

Thank you.

Be well and stay safe.