|  | Legislature Reconvenes – ’25 Legislative Session Underway The Vermont Legislature met last week to begin the 2025-26 biennium. With many new legislators elected in the past two elections, there are plenty of new faces in both the House and the Senate. This turnover brings both energy and excitement as well as a lot of learning and onboarding. Committee assignments have been made, and there are adjustments there as well. There are many new chairs, especially in the Senate, and the House made a small change to bring back a committee focused on energy and technology issues. You can see full rosters on the Committee page on the Legislature’s website. The weekly schedules for floor sessions and committee hearings are being posted as well. You can find those agendas and ways to access the meetings on the Legislature’s homepage. As always, note that the schedules changes frequently, and sometimes with little advanced notice. Alliance staff has begun to work with our partner organizations to monitor legislative discussions and support advocacy throughout the session. Please let us know what we can do to help you stay involved in events at the State House. | | |  | Alliance Monthly Equity Discussion – “The Head Start Equity Academy” – 1/17 Join a group of peers and colleagues from the early childhood community to engage in sustained learning about anti-racism, equity, and inclusion. The Alliance hosts a monthly, salon-style Equity Discussion Group via Zoom. Our next session is coming up this Friday, January 17, at 1:00 pm. The discussion will be led by Holly Moriglioni, the Children’s Services and Professional Development Manager at Champlain Valley Head Start. Our focus will be the Head Start Equity Academy, whose goal is to support Head Start Programs to incorporate an equity lens into all aspects of program planning and development and to establish a practice of continuous and systematic assessment. Register on Zoom to receive the meeting link. | | |  | Alliance ‘25 Legislative Agenda Issue Spotlight – Housing – 1/27 In the coming weeks, the Alliance is hosting virtual Issue Spotlights that will focus on one or two issues from the Alliance’s 2025 Legislative Agenda. In discussions led by representatives from the issue’s lead organizations, participants will be able to ask direct questions and hear a brief legislative update. This year’s first session will be held Monday, January 27, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm, and will focus on development of and access to emergency and affordable housing. Hosted by the Housing and Homelessness Alliance of Vermont, this session is a great opportunity to learn more about this important issue, where it stands in the Legislature, and how to get involved. Register on Zoom to receive the meeting link. | | |  | | Registration is Now Open for ECDL ’25! Join us in person for Early Childhood Day at the Legislature (ECDL) on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier Join the Vermont Early Childhood Advocacy Alliance, early childhood professionals, parents, employers, and policymakers in person to meet with legislators about early childhood issues, attend workshops on current topics, and network and exchange information. The issues on our 2025 Legislative Agenda will play central roles at this year’s ECDL. We encourage you to register early! To register a group larger than five, please contact Taylor Hughey, Alliance Outreach Manager, at taylor@vecaa.org. Scholarships and professional development are available. Contact taylor@vecaa.org with any questions. Visit the Alliance website for more information and to register. | | | | |  | | | | The Vermont Early Childhood Advocacy Alliance is a statewide coalition formed in 2000 of early childhood professionals, parents, organizations, businesses, and strategic partners committed to improving public policies that impact young children between birth and age eight in the areas of health, safety, food security, economic security, and early care and education. The Alliance crafts an annual Legislative Agenda in partnership with early childhood organizations, provides year-round advocacy support, and facilitates meaningful interactions with policymakers at key times during the decision making process. | | | | 7 School Street | Montpelier , Vermont 05602 vecaa.org The Vermont Early Childhood Advocacy Alliance is a program of the Vermont Community Loan Fund. | | | | | | | |