A Vermont legislator is aiming for the stars with a fresh proposal to create a panel dedicated to investigating UFO sightings within the state.
Representative Troy Headrick from Burlington has put forward a bill to establish the Vermont Airspace Safety and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force, as highlighted by the Vermont Digger.
This proposed legislation seeks to form a state task force responsible for examining reports of unidentified objects both in the air and underwater. The initiative aims to evaluate safety concerns related to airspace and collaborate with federal agencies and researchers to develop enhanced policies.
The task force would include representatives from Vermont’s transportation and public safety departments, alongside seats for legislators and subject matter experts.
Rep. Troy Headrick has introduced this bill with the objective of setting up a panel to scrutinize Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) within Vermont.
“I am not an expert in this field,” Headrick admitted, according to the Vermont Digger. “However, as lawmakers, it’s our duty to stay informed about new trends impacting public safety.”
According to H.654, the panel would investigate reports of any unknown objects that exhibit “performance characteristics not consistent with currently understood technologies,” such as, “instantaneous acceleration absent observable inertia or hypersonic velocity without a corresponding thermal signature or sonic boom.”
Headrick initially introduced the legislation at the request of a constituent, lobbyist Maggie Lenz, according to Seven Days Vermont.
If passed, the new legislation would create a panel to investigate objects showcasing “performance characteristics not consistent with currently understood technologies,” such as, “instantaneous acceleration absent observable inertia or hypersonic velocity without a corresponding thermal signature or sonic boom.” (iStock)
Lenz, owner of Atlas Government Affairs, reportedly became interested in the issue after a string of UAPs, or unidentified anomalous phenomena, made headlines throughout New Jersey in 2024, sparking nationwide panic regarding countless mysterious flying objects.
“I’m certainly not saying that it’s aliens,” Lenz said, according to Seven Days Vermont. “But I do think just having the conversation here in Vermont will begin to allow for it to be taken a little bit more seriously.”
The proposed legislation replicates the federal government’s response to UAPs in recent years, following Congress passing the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act in 2023 and the U.S. Department of War’s creation of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
Rep. Headrick reportedly offered a more practical use for the proposed committee – including investigating drone sightings as use of the technology continues to grow within the state. (iStock)
The draft bill indicates that Vermonters have reported UAP sightings to police in various instances, signaling a need for a coordinated response between state and federal officials.
While speaking before Vermont’s House Government Operations Committee last week, Headrick offered a more down-to-earth reason behind the proposed bill – pointing to the surge of drones throughout the state.
“The proliferation of drone use — this is where I see the need for data,” Headrick told the committee, the Vermont Digger reported.
Headrick did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
While the proposed bill has yet to be voted on by the committee, Headrick reportedly tried to sweeten the deal by promising to look into Vermont’s famed sea monster if the legislation is passed.
“For the cryptids fans in the room, there’s an underwater provision to this as well,” Headrick said, according to the Vermont Digger. “So if we want to investigate Champ, we can do that.”
