[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6377250,"mediaKeyId","2139369-b1b6a16b749764b4a804bc49b924ae3b","parentId",2139369,"title","Committee details new executive director role, data and coordination plan for statewide workforce strategy","audioSeconds",1635,"startMs",1835000,"endMs",3470000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2139369-b1b6a16b749764b4a804bc49b924ae3b&start=1835&end=3470","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2139369-b1b6a16b749764b4a804bc49b924ae3b/thumbnail_1835000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6377250/Vermont/Committee-details-new-executive-director-role-data-and-coordination-plan-for-statewide-workforce-strategy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377250-80e5164ae58e3d37b3b4f70a8d285046/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199920&Signature=REvKvGpsBwpuAAwtltlUCho05voqZN2I8ECNqm6rKCu30LInSK6AZ8jc8zbkDfsO9xqsY0QjKLQVGIWo7tnV2KTCqMZye30RHJn3n0iIxE1vxnfL-XcCuLEkUMxxDGNrJZySBGSkQjeoC61GQC02ts1bWW08toC2jB3OL~yS5~lT~l-tdRmrF7DHL7-Te45rMFsjzR11W6xDPoE3AhVIyoUz83UPyPCPH6HuJYomNVIfDi9d9nosMtqiTOKTwaAiZGKtqcekBBhUN4u51m4eYLkacwdVSwkeAyAW2TWvkBNzwjtc5vBlCd-IghxCjMiWckRXA5Utf1j3PiPbLv8V3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-01-22T16:02:10Z","article","The Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee received a briefing on the state’s effort to centralize workforce strategy and coordination, including legislation that creates an executive director of workforce strategy and development who reports directly to the governor.

Representative Michael Maricoff, chair of the House Commerce and Economic Development committee and a lead on the SACWED effort, reviewed the history leading to the change. He said the legislation reduced the state workforce development board to 27 members to meet federal minimums, repurposed existing Department of Labor positions rather than adding new staff, and charged the executive director with inventorying workforce programs, coordinating regional planning and working with private-sector partners.

Jay Rand, director of workforce development at the Department of Labor, described the distinction between the department’s operational programs and the executive director’s coordinating role. Rand said his division administers federally funded programs (including components of WIOA), adult education and services for jobseekers, while the executive director’s office will coordinate across state agencies and the many nonprofit and private workforce providers so that resources are not duplicated and gaps are visible.

Data and accountability: committee members emphasized metrics and early indicators of success. Rand and other presenters said the state will pursue a data trust model — drawing on examples from other states — to provide longitudinal, actionable information about program outcomes. The bill language discussed in committee calls for the executive director to work with the state chief performance officer to develop indicators and reporting.

Implementation notes: Representative Maricoff and staff said the reconstituted workforce board and executive director will work with existing Department of Labor staff, with no net new positions requested. The committee discussed the need for clear measures so the state can identify programs that are working and redirect funds from ineffective programs.

Ending: committee members asked the executive director and department staff to return with implementation details and an initial report; members said they expect a first report in January and a fuller data-trust proposal the following December.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Economic Development - 2025 - 01- 22 - 9:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The committee reviewed the work of the special oversight committee on workforce expansion (SACWED), described legislation creating an executive director of workforce strategy and plans to repurpose two Department of Labor positions, reconstitute the State Workforce Development Board and pursue a workforce data trust for program evaluation.","taxTitle","Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",37662,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6377255,"Treasurer’s office seeks pilot funding and design feedback for baby bonds program aimed at wealth creation for low-income youth",629,1187000,1816000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2139369-b1b6a16b749764b4a804bc49b924ae3b&start=1187&end=1816","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2139369-b1b6a16b749764b4a804bc49b924ae3b/thumbnail_1187000.jpg","/articles/6377255/Vermont/Treasurers-office-seeks-pilot-funding-and-design-feedback-for-baby-bonds-program-aimed-at-wealth-creation-for-low-income-youth","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377255-2da62c318858c9708d57f1bf7d65cdf7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199920&Signature=Rj1Vwg70EAMPnOtZMTuixgQ7GsCqYO~Lo0Dsu4nGpIB4HFhWrvrSTD5brpg~vajWicMoAxC~lQHntCQ2GAENpvc4Oc4~1k4dTRE4n7Z7N9qHmoz6XNDhPC-XHoaocC7J8onqfa9AUG4PA4OFFieDS4bkUDDwhQolb5y03UcTsAsUS2oBpwyRenNDuCMfygxa4yLMQ2P9gS3LWbJIDceDHxflG7HFKQfSb4TLhIyPSuHpvFN13hY2kCMkVES7-iIqiUXJAMSIMPl2QkIJpYAVodPJjm194ZuUWm2ptOPfLh9cRmefGPz5xGERlJ23RaQ1L9So0E9l~eebJppobHQorQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Treasurer’s staff described a proposed baby-bonds pilot that would seed savings accounts for children born into poverty and track outcomes over several years. The office said the concept aims to reduce economic inequality, support rural retention, and help young Vermonters build wealth.

Program outline: Becky Washington described a model that would identify young people born on Medicaid as the qualifying population and provide a per-child seed allocation invested until adulthood. The office described typical allowable uses between ages 18 and 30 as buying a home in Vermont, starting a Vermont business, paying for postsecondary education, or rolling into retirement savings. “The idea around baby bonds is trying to drive at this issue of economic inequality,” Washington said.

Pilot design and evaluation: the treasurer’s office said the pilot would accelerate the timeline by identifying older teenagers — for example, those about to turn 18 — and equivalently crediting them with a larger lump sum (the office used a hypothetical accelerated figure, such as an $18,000 account, to simulate the long-term value) so researchers can measure near-term choices. The office said it is seeking an independent evaluator and an account manager for a longitudinal study and would pursue private philanthropic support as the primary funder, while asking the state to consider seed or administrative support.

Scale, timing and funding: officials said the pilot cohort size should be sufficient for statistical evaluation — presenters suggested a minimum cohort on the order of a few hundred participants (the academic evaluator would set final sample sizes). The office said foundational grant funding requests could exceed $1,000,000 for long-term cohort funding and evaluation; the treasurer’s staff also asked for comparatively small state seed funding to cover administrative costs and to help leverage private donations. The office proposed a pilot duration of about four years for early outcome analysis.

Equity and targeting questions: committee members raised concerns about equitable targeting, the risk of selecting families who later move out of poverty or those who later become wealthy, and asked for evidence that being born in poverty correlates with poverty at age 18. Presenters said they would study existing pilots in other states (including Connecticut) and engage independent evaluators to test impacts and address selection and equity issues before scaling the program.

Ending: the committee encouraged the treasurer’s office to return with design details, sample-size proposals from an evaluator and a clear plan for private funding and state seed support if the pilot proceeds.","The treasurer’s office outlined a proposed baby-bonds pilot to provide seed capital for children born into poverty, reporting plans to target births covered by Medicaid, to invest funds until adulthood and to limit uses to home purchase, business starts, education or retirement.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6377260,"Vermont Saves retirement program launches early; treasurer’s office reports initial employer and employee sign-ups",216,949000,1165000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2139369-b1b6a16b749764b4a804bc49b924ae3b&start=949&end=1165","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2139369-b1b6a16b749764b4a804bc49b924ae3b/thumbnail_949000.jpg","/articles/6377260/Vermont/Vermont-Saves-retirement-program-launches-early-treasurers-office-reports-initial-employer-and-employee-sign-ups","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377260-a26929f457e5e6e8ed7d8290d819792c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199920&Signature=O9hARYAYRzjLFZYlh-X7UtTmrQXV25jvoXqZiR4M37mge1NNqA6jFK959eUPiGRK3Nzc48kkE6pp5nt7qOgJ8UgVytPxEV12xGHOyT5HM0~yIYW1lOYRm3SI8l0T~rEpcsXBubs9IrIC61SFieNUWdsQIujGKN9Y18ig0ccEPbJl68bPq3KuDFwXSDAqJtg3Dx9lPI4s5k3fddLqAmx7lWCRTFTTUZDMyIQGhYnELVs2-ndekTi3ECquhR5N2KtK7wdmJ~ryjisrSOVJ6LfKDTbxPn1k1Q64iLYcDJh9tni31N8Orvq6UAXbmLMyq~qxLQxC4ddDxwzZL7-z5Z9gbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Treasurer’s staff told the Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee that Vermont Saves launched earlier than planned and is currently in open enrollment. Becky Washington, director of financial empowerment at the treasurer’s office, said the program began enrollment in December and is open through the end of February.

“We’ve identified 72,100 employers,” Washington said in her update, and the office reported that roughly 1,000 employees are already in some onboarding or participation status. The treasurer’s office said employers are required to notify employees about the program and that some employers have informed the office they are exempt because they already offer a retirement plan.

Program description: Vermont Saves is a publicly run retirement system designed to extend access to retirement saving to employees whose workplaces lack an employer-sponsored plan. The office described the program as automatic-enrollment at no cost to the employer; employees may affirmatively opt out. Officials said the program targets workers who are less likely to have access to retirement – including younger workers, women, BIPOC and lower-wage earners.

Early demographics and next steps: the treasurer’s office reported early participation skewed toward younger workers, including employees under 30 who do not have other retirement coverage. The office said it will continue outreach to employers and expects enrollment numbers to increase as additional notifications are sent and open enrollment continues through February.

Ending: the committee thanked the treasurer’s office for the update and said it expects monthly participation data from the program vendor going forward.","Treasurer’s office reported that Vermont Saves, the state-run automatic-emrollment retirement program, launched earlier than planned in December, is in open enrollment through February and has initial employer and employee participation.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6377265,"Treasurer’s office outlines plan to buy and erase up to $100 million in older medical debt",948,106000,1054000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2139369-b1b6a16b749764b4a804bc49b924ae3b&start=106&end=1054","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2139369-b1b6a16b749764b4a804bc49b924ae3b/thumbnail_106000.jpg","/articles/6377265/Vermont/Treasurers-office-outlines-plan-to-buy-and-erase-up-to-100-million-in-older-medical-debt","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377265-98edf7e47758f6547b4ec78d25be0a74/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199920&Signature=lgQqJJLyvuNBm0v8apTXE~v9Yqy-qUmgBFzMLpqy3-GrkHPf36dfjhw8IB-ILM223qVGhD~Bq0MxIgrMo9rFBVHPY9aeKbLkIeY~G8mojEt17Itx0so7AZprkXlI6Ae-uPlvYuxm~pYpmCCmJvf6~e0V6iLAvHuknhuGxLHvNU5grxHMc2aHTaO1cQWhl80F~UFOxBKP9-9M1Rgbhmct34AN6iMIs4xAW3JAD93A8EGXDQI9TDvwi3yl0Kc-jph-8TpWwZ0nbWn~RCv~y3u-ULGUZd7R4VhL09hBcMkAGv63t4M5qtc~XLbRjb2UPLgrFXc6TNpS473T4Og0nR9zNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The treasurer’s office told the Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee on Thursday that it is pursuing a partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to purchase and erase older medical debt held by moderate- and low-income Vermonters. The office said it would seek a one-time reappropriation of $1,000,000 that Undue could use to negotiate purchase of roughly $100,000,000 in eligible debt.

The proposal, as described by Becky Washington, director of financial empowerment in the treasurer’s office, would target medical debt between about 18 months and seven years old. Undue, the treasurer’s office said, purchases aged medical debt at a steep discount and then forgives it for affected individuals. “It’s huge. Huge impact for relatively modest money,” Washington said, describing the expected return on the requested appropriation.

Why it matters: the office said aged medical debt can impair credit, raise borrowing costs and deter people from seeking timely care. Officials cited Undue’s national track record, saying the nonprofit has retired medical debt at scale and that several other states and counties have implemented similar public–private partnerships.

What the treasurer’s office reported: Undue provided an estimate that up to $100,000,000 of Vermont medical debt could be eligible for purchase under its standard eligibility rules, which the office said would affect on the order of “60,000” Vermonters. The office described a typical eligibility screen that considers income (the program would prioritize households at or below 400% of the federal poverty level and those with medical bills exceeding a set share of income) and the age of the debt. Undue will negotiate file-by-file with hospitals and other providers and notify individuals automatically if their debt is eliminated; individuals do not apply to participate.

Funding context: the treasurer’s office proposed reappropriating $1,000,000 that had been included in a prior $20,000,000 appropriation intended to buy down state bonds. Officials said each $1,000,000 applied to bond buydown would yield roughly $50,000 in lifetime savings on state debt service, and argued the $1,000,000 reappropriation for medical debt would deliver larger community benefit by enabling purchase of a much larger face value of debt.

Limitations and program design notes: the office said the proposal is meant as a one-time forgiveness program to reduce moral hazard. Officials described the model as purchasing older, hard-to-collect medical debt that providers may be willing to sell or donate; some providers may accept purchase payments, some may donate accounts. The treasurer’s office emphasized the program’s administrative structure would rely on Undue to negotiate with providers and handle notifications; the state would provide oversight and the one-time appropriation. Washington added that the office expects the program to launch after further legislative action and administrative set-up, not immediately.

Questions and next steps: senators pressed for detail on how many Vermonters the $1,000,000 would actually reach, how providers would be prioritized, and whether the program could create market signals that would discourage future collections. The treasurer’s office responded that the model addresses moral-hazard concerns by focusing on older, already-collected accounts and by designing the proposal as a one-time reset rather than an ongoing program. The office said further legislative language and an appropriation would be required before any purchases occur.

Ending: the committee invited the treasurer’s office to return with more detailed fiscal and operational language and emphasized the need for clear statutory limits and reporting if the Legislature moves forward.","Treasurer’s office briefed the Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee on a proposal to partner with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to purchase and forgive older medical debt for moderate- and low-income Vermonters, asking the Legislature to reappropriate $1 million to unlock an estimated $100 million of debt relief.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee details new executive director role, data and coordination plan for statewide workforce strategy

Treasurer’s office seeks pilot funding and design feedback for baby bonds program aimed at wealth creation for low-income youth

Vermont Saves retirement program launches early; treasurer’s office reports initial employer and employee sign-ups

Treasurer’s office outlines plan to buy and erase up to $100 million in older medical debt