Vermont Bills

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 408: An act relating to State purchasing of local food

This bill requires Vermont state institutions and universities to prioritize purchasing Vermont-grown food when prices are comparable to non-local options. Specifically, state agencies must buy local food unless it costs more than 10% than non-Vermont agricultural products. It applies to all state agencies, universities, and colleges purchasing food, defining "local" as food grown or produced within Vermont. The policy aims to support Vermont farms and strengthen local food systems through concrete procurement rules.

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 422: An act relating to testing of groundwater samples from contaminated sites at the State Agricultural and Environmental Laboratory

H 422 requires groundwater testing at contaminated sites (where hazardous materials were released) to be conducted at Vermont's State Agricultural and Environmental Laboratory, unless the lab cannot perform the tests or private lab testing would save significant costs (approved by the Secretary of Natural Resources). This affects site owners who pay for monitoring and the Secretary of Natural Resources, who must enforce the testing requirement. The bill aims to lower monitoring costs by prioritizing state lab testing, preventing post-closure funds from being exhausted. It applies to sites requiring groundwater monitoring under state law.

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 418: An act relating to an excise tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition

This bill imposes an 11% excise tax on the retail sale of firearms, firearm precursor parts, and ammunition in Vermont. Licensed firearm dealers and ammunition vendors must collect the tax at the point of sale (during background checks) and remit it quarterly to the state. The tax applies to all retail transactions except those exempt under Vermont law, such as transfers to law enforcement or immediate family members. Revenue from the tax will be deposited into the Domestic and Sexual Violence Special Fund, which supports victim services. The tax takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 411: An act relating to public safety

H 411 updates Vermont's public safety laws with several key changes. It extends extradition timelines to 120 days for individuals violating bail, probation, or parole in another state, and mandates a minimum five-year prison sentence for high-risk sex offenders who fail to comply with registry requirements. The bill restricts judges from using alternative sentences for repeat offenders or those violating probation without written justification, and changes the process for sealing criminal records to make sealing standard for most completed sentences with limited access for criminal justice and licensing purposes. Additionally, it transfers juvenile case jurisdiction for certain offenses from the Family Division to the Criminal Division and repeals a law that had raised the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 19.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 412: An act relating to land use and housing development

This bill modifies Vermont's land use regulations to encourage housing development, primarily affecting developers and municipalities. Key provisions include creating an exemption for "priority housing projects" (mixed-income housing in designated downtowns, growth centers, or neighborhoods with required infrastructure) and defining "mixed use" development requiring at least 40% residential space. It also revises rules for road construction to prevent fragmentation of natural resource areas while allowing clustered housing designs. These changes aim to streamline approvals for housing in specific zones without altering broader conservation protections.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Housing

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 421: An act relating to the authority to create a regional council of governments

This bill requires Vermont's regional planning commissions to establish regional councils of governments by July 1, 2027, through agreements with their member municipalities. These councils, composed of elected municipal officials, will coordinate shared services like emergency management, waste disposal, economic development, and regional planning across participating towns. The councils may receive state/federal funding, hire staff, and coordinate intermunicipal projects but cannot assume essential powers like taxation or eminent domain. The bill also sets a deadline for the state to develop a process for determining council structures and membership.

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 419: An act relating to the City of Barre tax increment financing district

This bill extends two key deadlines for Barre's tax increment financing (TIF) district. It delays the city's deadline for incurring new debt related to the district from March 2026 to March 2028, and extends the period during which the city can retain tax increments (future tax increases above a base level) until June 2039. The TIF mechanism allows Barre to use projected future tax growth from a designated area to fund current development or infrastructure projects within that district. The extension directly affects the City of Barre's ability to manage its TIF district finances and project timelines.

in committee · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 57: An act relating to survivor benefits for law enforcement officers

H.57, "Jessica's Law," would extend Vermont's existing $80,000 survivor benefit for emergency personnel to law enforcement officers. It requires the state to pay this benefit to surviving spouses, children, or parents when a certified law enforcement officer dies "in the line of duty" or from an occupation-related illness. The bill amends existing law to include law enforcement officers under the same eligibility criteria and benefit structure currently applied to firefighters and emergency personnel. The benefit would be administered by a state review board and take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 414: An act relating to the Vermont Commission on Aging

H.414 establishes the Vermont Commission on Aging within the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living to coordinate policies and services for Vermonters aging. The commission, composed of 16 members including state agency heads, public advocates, aging adults from diverse backgrounds, and representatives from key committees, reviews aging-related policies and recommends improvements. It must annually report to the legislature on services for aging Vermonters, including disaggregated data on race, gender, location, and disability. The bill appropriates $155,000 for the commission’s initial operations, including hiring a Director of Aging to lead its work.

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 415: An act relating to Franklin County Field Days

H.415 provides $350,000 for purchasing land and $350,000 for relocating existing fair structures from the Franklin County State Airport to support the Franklin County Field Days agricultural fair. The bill directly funds the Franklin County Field Days agricultural fair association for land acquisition and physical relocation costs. It appropriates these funds from the General Fund for fiscal year 2026, effective July 1, 2025. The bill focuses solely on providing specific grant funding for infrastructure needs of the fair association.

introduced · Vermont · Senate Feb 26, 2025

S 92: An act relating to the retirement allowance for interim educators

This bill (S 92) allows retired Vermont teachers (Group A or C members) to work as interim school educators for up to one school year while continuing to receive their retirement allowance. To qualify, retirees must have received benefits for at least six months, and their school employer must pay required contributions to the retirement fund. The law requires school districts to certify they exhausted all options for hiring active teachers before hiring a retired educator. The provision expires on June 30, 2031, and does not allow multiple renewals for the same position. It directly affects retired teachers seeking temporary interim roles and their school employers.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

introduced · Vermont · Senate Feb 26, 2025

S 90: An act relating to employee privacy protections

This Vermont bill (S 90) prohibits most employers from using credit checks, criminal history inquiries, or drug testing for hiring or employment decisions unless the information has a direct relationship to the specific job duties. It exempts certain roles like financial positions, law enforcement, and jobs involving financial fiduciary responsibilities, but requires employers to demonstrate the direct job connection. The bill also bans retaliation against employees who report violations and imposes civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation for noncompliance. It directly affects all Vermont employers and job applicants by restricting common pre-employment screenings.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results