Attorney general outlines consumer-protection priorities to House Commerce & Economic Development committee

The attorney general told the Vermont House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development on Jan. 15 that the attorney general’s office is focused this year on consumer protection, data privacy, enforcement against online sellers of vaping products, and on building capacity to pursue cases against large technology companies and AI-related harms.

The briefing, delivered to the committee by the attorney general and staff, explained the office’s structure (about 150 employees and roughly 100 lawyers), described the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) hosted at the University of Vermont, and outlined recent and proposed enforcement priorities and staffing requests. The attorney general asked lawmakers to consider making the home‑improvement specialist position permanent and adding an assistant attorney general dedicated to technology and AI matters.

The attorney general said the consumer unit relies primarily on Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act and is responsible for cases and investigations ranging from antitrust work to debt-collection practices. “The Consumer Protection Act essentially says you can't misrepresent in the marketplace. It's that simple,” the attorney general said, summarizing the statute's practical effect in consumer litigation and enforcement.

The attorney general described CAP as a long‑running partnership with the…