Vermont Bills

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 4, 2024

H 638: An act relating to the Working Group on Asynchronous Open Meetings

This bill creates a temporary Working Group on Asynchronous Open Meetings to study how public bodies in Vermont could use technology to hold electronic meetings where participants join at different times rather than live. The group will include representatives from the legislature, state agencies, news media, and municipalities, and will examine available technology, public access, best practices, and costs associated with such meetings. The Working Group must hold its first meeting by September 1, 2024, and submit a written report with findings and recommendations by January 15, 2025, after which the group will dissolve. The bill also provides for per diem compensation and reimbursement for group members attending meetings, with funding appropriated from the General Fund.

Topics ✓ Technology

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 4, 2024

H 650: An act relating to excluding income from damages related to employment-related lawsuits from income tax

This bill would allow individuals in Vermont to exclude certain damages from their state income tax when they win an employment-related lawsuit against their employer. Specifically, it removes from taxable income amounts awarded for emotional distress, mental anguish, lost wages, or lost benefits, but not punitive damages. The change applies to both court-awarded damages and settlement agreements reached in such cases. This provision would take effect retroactively for the 2024 tax year and all subsequent years.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 4, 2024

H 646: An act relating to the transfer of property by Vermont’s congregational churches

This bill would remove special legal rules that currently govern how Vermont's Congregational churches transfer their property. By repealing specific state statutes, the bill allows these churches to handle property transfers in the same way as other religious organizations. The changes would take effect on July 1, 2024, and do not alter existing property rights or interests held by religious corporations.

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 4, 2024

H 648: An act relating to contractor licensing

This bill requires contractors in Vermont to obtain a state license, following Washington state's model which includes registration, bonding, and insurance requirements. It directly affects construction and service contractors operating within the state by mandating they meet specific licensing standards before working. The legislation also aims to protect consumers by ensuring contractors provide transparent cost estimates. If passed, contractors would need to comply with these new rules to legally operate in Vermont.

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 4, 2024

H 647: An act relating to creation of the Housing Board of Appeals

This bill creates a new Housing Board of Appeals in Vermont to review zoning decisions related to housing projects. The Board would consist of three full-time members, including at least one attorney and one engineer or land surveyor, who are appointed by the Supreme Court for five-year terms. It gives the Board authority to hear appeals from municipal zoning decisions on housing, including variances, permits, and mixed-use developments, and allows it to affirm, reverse, or modify those decisions. The bill also establishes specific procedures for filing appeals, holding hearings within 90 days, and making decisions within 60 days after a hearing, while requiring a $250 filing fee for most cases.

Topics ✓ Housing

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 4, 2024

H 631: An act relating to access to utility energy consumption data and establishment of an energy storage program

This bill requires Vermont utilities to provide building owners, tenants, and other authorized parties with access to their energy consumption data while protecting individual privacy through aggregation. It establishes specific rules for how utilities must store data, including a requirement to keep billing records for at least 15 years, and defines which buildings qualify for data access based on the number of utility accounts they contain. The legislation also creates a framework for an energy storage program and sets up a process for the Public Service Commission to develop detailed procedures for implementing these data sharing requirements by October 2024.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Technology

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 4, 2024

H 637: An act relating to repealing the Public Records Act exemption covering records relevant to litigation

This bill would remove a provision in Vermont's Public Records Act that currently allows government agencies to withhold records related to ongoing lawsuits. The change would require agencies to make litigation-related documents available to the public immediately, rather than keeping them hidden until the legal case concludes or a court orders them released. This affects state and local government agencies that handle public records and participate in legal proceedings. The bill would take effect on July 1, 2024, increasing transparency around government litigation activities.

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 4, 2024

S 210: An act relating to motor vehicle and pedestrian safety

This bill introduces three main safety measures for Vermont drivers, vehicle buyers, and road users. It requires all new driver's license applicants aged 18 and older to complete a driver education course with at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of driving practice, while also setting new qualifications for driver education instructors including experience and testing requirements. The legislation mandates that new car manufacturers share crash-test data and information about the specific crash-test dummies used with dealers, who must then make this information available to consumers online or in person. Additionally, the bill directs the state transportation agency to update its complete streets guidance to better prioritize the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Transportation

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 4, 2024

S 214: An act relating to emergency orders against stalking or sexual assault

This bill establishes procedures for obtaining emergency court orders against stalking or sexual assault outside of regular court hours, including weekends and holidays. It allows individuals to file complaints and affidavits electronically or through designated authorized personnel, who can administer oaths over the telephone and communicate requests to judges for immediate review. The bill requires that any issued orders include a hearing date within 14 days for the defendant to contest the order, and it mandates that all orders and affidavits carry specific warnings about criminal penalties for violations or false statements.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 4, 2024

S 212: An act relating to the open carry of firearms at polling places, political debates, and public demonstrations

This bill prohibits the open carry of firearms at polling places, political debates, and public demonstrations in Vermont. It directly affects individuals who wish to carry visible firearms in these specific locations, while allowing law enforcement officers and government employees to carry firearms for official duties. The legislation defines a public demonstration as gatherings of 25 or more people expressing views or grievances and sets penalties of up to one year in prison or a $1,000 fine for violations. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage and does not regulate firearms carried in motor vehicles.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 4, 2024

H 627: An act relating to emergency preparedness and hazard response

This bill establishes the Resilient Communities Fund to provide financial assistance to Vermont municipalities for planning and responding to floods, fires, environmental hazards, and other disasters, with priority given to projects that match federal grants and serve vulnerable communities. It requires the Division of Vermont Emergency Management to identify specific areas needing additional funding based on past disasters, current risks, and local capacity, and mandates a study to improve coordination between state and local disaster response efforts. Additionally, the bill directs the Secretary of Natural Resources to create rules for development permits in flood hazard areas and authorizes the creation of a State Urban Search and Rescue Team for rapid emergency response.

Topics ✓ Environment

Katherine Sims (D) · 19 co-sponsors

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 4, 2024

H 635: An act relating to employment protections for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel and tax credits for employers

This bill protects employees from being fired, discriminated against, or retaliated against for taking time off to serve as volunteer firefighters or volunteer emergency medical personnel. It also allows employers to claim a $500 tax credit for each volunteer firefighter or emergency medical personnel they employ for at least 12 weeks during the tax year. To qualify for protections, employees must provide written proof from their volunteer department to their employer, and employers are not required to pay employees for time spent on volunteer duties. The tax credit is available to private employers who maintain workers' compensation insurance and meet state registration requirements. These changes take effect on July 1, 2024.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Woody Page (R) · 24 co-sponsors

Bill results