Ryan McLaren

Healthcare Address cost drivers in education by reforming the statewide healthcare system to prevent unchecked insurance expenses from destabilizing our local school budgets. Education Pursue thoughtful regionalization of education delivery, ensuring robust community participation throughout the planning and implementation process. Infrastructure / Transportation Require transparency and oversight for high-risk AI systems used in hiring, lending, housing, and health care decisions, with safeguards to prevent discrimination and bias. Environment / Energy Advocate for a Green New Deal that would foster a just and sustainable transition, train the next generation of electricians, welders, and technicians for good paying jobs right here at home implementing and maintaining renewable energy projects, reduce our emissions on a whole, and save money in the process. Environment / Energy Deploy Vermont-based renewable energy projects as fast as possible by cutting regulatory red tape to increase the speed and development of these projects so they lower costs and pollution for Vermonters statewide. Environment / Energy Create a more fair and democratic process for renewable energy projects that is not held up by one person or one committee taking years and years to review a single project. Education Reduce back-office bureaucracy and demand efficiency in administrative functions to direct maximum resources into Vermont classrooms. Infrastructure / Transportation Establish strong, enforceable data privacy standards so Vermonters’ personal information cannot be sold, shared, or exploited without meaningful consent. Economy Invest in digital literacy and workforce training programs so Vermonters can compete and thrive in an AI-driven economy. Environment / Energy Allow Vermonters the ability to use "balcony" or "plug-in" solar where they can simply plug-in solar panels into one's home or apartment to quickly and effectively lower energy costs. Education Invest in high-quality classroom teachers, recognizing that excellent instruction is the single most important factor in student success. Housing Give homebuilders certainty about WHERE they can build. That means identifying the areas in each community best able to support new housing and getting rid of artificial timelines in some current state laws. Healthcare Protect reproductive rights and ensure organizations like Planned Parenthood have the resources and legal protections necessary to provide essential reproductive healthcare to all who need it. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Allow police to focus on their core public safety responsibilities by supplementing our public safety responses with mental health professionals and social services that address underlying issues and needs. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Hold traffickers who are importing drugs into Vermont and preying on our communities strictly accountable. Environment / Energy Continue Act 250 reforms so that we build sustainable, energy efficient housing with density in mind so that we can meet our housing and environmental goals simultaneously. Environment / Energy Fight the draconian and irrational efforts by the Trump Administration to gut environmental protections that keep all of us safe and our 21st century economy prosperous. Housing Adequately fund resources for the unhoused. This includes providing temporary housing, mental health and rehabilitation resources, and funding programs that provide a path to obtaining stable housing. Infrastructure / Transportation Create clear, consistent rules of the road for major technology companies, including accountability for misuse of personal data. Housing Support and enhance housing development while providing transitional housing to those experiencing homelessness. Infrastructure / Transportation Streamline compliance standards that protect consumers while ensuring small businesses are not overburdened by complex regulations. Education Address major cost drivers, including unchecked employee health care expenses that have grown disproportionately and require statewide reform. Healthcare Curb runaway spending by implementing reference-based pricing and holding large health networks accountable to their mission of providing affordable, high-quality care. Healthcare Support the healthcare workforce by creating robust pipelines into nursing and other critical fields, while improving working conditions and protecting staff from the encroachment of private equity in long-term care. Healthcare Expand the tools available to treat mental health crises and addiction. This should include better facilities available to treat those suffering serious mental health crises. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Ensure that our public safety officials have the tools they need to reduce rates of re-offense. Healthcare Invest in community-based care by strengthening our Federally Qualified Health Centers and expanding healthcare supports within our public schools and childcare centers. Housing Listen to what Vermonters have been saying for years. Vermont’s commitment to protecting our environment has been essential to our state and we should celebrate our successes. But we no longer live in a world where the approaches adopted over half a century ago are adequate to address our current needs. Housing Give homebuilders certainty about WHAT they can build. Some Vermont towns have already started to do this by allowing dense infill development in specific, clearly defined areas as an obvious part of the solution. Housing Build on our momentum: Last year, the Legislature created a new program called “CHIP” that makes it more realistic to build the basic infrastructure homes require – roads, wastewater or other septic systems. This program is going to be a huge help but it won’t solve everything. Let’s keep the pressure on and codify our appeals process timeline and expedite permitting processes. Healthcare Establish Universal Primary Care as a foundational first step toward a universal system, ensuring every Vermonter has access to essential services, mental health support, and substance use treatment without the burden of copays or deductibles.