S 59 Vermont Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An act relating to amendments to Vermont’s Open Meeting Law

This bill amends Vermont's Open Meeting Law to require all State nonadvisory public bodies (like state agencies and boards) to hold meetings in a "hybrid" format, combining in-person and online access. It mandates that these bodies electronically record all meetings, retain the recordings for 30 days, and make them publicly accessible online. The bill also requires posting meeting details and agendas in physical public locations (like town offices) and specifies that executive sessions - where the public is excluded - can only occur for limited reasons (e.g., security risks or confidential financial matters) and with strict voting rules. These changes apply exclusively to State-level nonadvisory bodies, not local governments or advisory groups.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
Jun 2025
Introduced Feb 11, 2025 Signed Jun 13, 2025
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
36
Key actions
12
Committee
7
Amendments
8
Jun 13, 2025
Signed into law
Senate Message: Signed by Governor June 9, 2025
executive
Jun 11, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor on June 9, 2025
executive
May 28, 2025
Introduced
Senate Message: House proposal of amendment concurred in
lower
May 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
upper
May 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
As passed by Senate and House
upper
May 27, 2025
Introduced
House proposal of amendment concurred in
upper
May 27, 2025
Introduced
House proposal of amendment; text
upper
May 27, 2025
Introduced
New Business/House Proposal of Amendment
upper
May 23, 2025
Introduced
House proposal of amendment
upper
May 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
House message: House passed bill in concurrence with proposal(s) of amendment
upper
May 21, 2025
Introduced
Read third time and passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment
lower
May 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report of Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs agreed to
lower
May 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rep. Waters Evans of Charlotte reported for the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
lower
May 19, 2025
Introduced
Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
lower
May 16, 2025
Introduced
Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
lower
Mar 25, 2025
Introduced
Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government Operations agreed to
upper
Mar 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read 2nd time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment by Senator Hart for Committee on Government Operations
upper
Mar 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government Operations
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government Operations
upper
Mar 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Government Operations
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Introduced
Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Government Operations
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Ruth Hardy
Ruth Hardy
DDemocratic
VT
Addison