Vermont Bills

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 382: An act relating to data collection in the criminal justice system

H.382, the Vermont Justice Transparency Act, requires Vermont's Judiciary, crime information center, state's attorneys, sheriffs, and corrections department to collect and publicly post detailed criminal justice data. It mandates reporting on demographics (age, race, gender), case specifics (bail amounts, sentencing, plea deals), and system metrics (solitary confinement, opioid treatment in prisons, recidivism) starting between 2026 and 2028. The data must include county-level details and be posted online in accessible formats for public review. This law directly affects state agencies responsible for data collection and provides transparency for Vermont residents regarding criminal justice outcomes.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 399: An act relating to tenant rights

H 399 strengthens tenant protections in Vermont by banning rental application fees and requiring landlords to provide written rental agreements for 12+ month leases. The bill limits no-cause evictions with mandatory notice periods (60-90 days based on how long a tenant has lived there), prohibits charging for background checks, and adds citizenship/immigration status to discrimination protections. It creates a Rental Registry and an Office of Tenant’s Rights Advocate to help tenants navigate disputes. Tenants in Vermont rental housing will directly benefit from these concrete changes to agreements, evictions, and discrimination safeguards.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Immigration

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 379: An act relating to second look sentencing

H 379 creates a "second look" sentencing process in Vermont for incarcerated individuals serving 15+ years. It allows people who have served at least 15 years to petition their original sentencing court for a sentence reduction, directly affecting those currently serving long sentences (including life sentences or 50+ year terms). Key mechanisms include mandatory notice to the court, prosecutor, and public defender after 15 years of incarceration, a structured petition process with required documentation, and expedited hearings for those with serious health conditions or who are 60+ years old after 25 years served. The bill aims to reduce Vermont's high rate of life-sentence inmates (20% of the incarcerated population) and lower annual incarceration costs ($134,218 per person).

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 380: An act relating to creating a felony penalty for a violation of conditions of release and to staff the pretrial supervision program

H 380 proposes two key changes to Vermont's criminal justice system. It upgrades penalties for violating release conditions (like missing court appearances) from misdemeanors to felonies, with maximum penalties of up to 3 years in prison or $5,000 fines. The bill also directs the Department of Corrections to hire 12 new Pretrial Supervision Officers and 2 administrative staff by fiscal year 2026 to fully staff the pretrial supervision program. These changes directly affect individuals released under court supervision and the Department of Corrections, with the law taking effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

in committee · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 323: An act relating to mental health programming funded by the Mental Health Innovation Special Fund

H 323 proposes creating the Mental Health Innovation Special Fund, financed through voluntary tax checkoffs on state income returns. The fund would support three main programs: mandatory school mental health screenings for students, a peer-to-peer mental health support pilot in schools, and a statewide mental health and substance misuse literacy curriculum for students. It directs the Department of Health and Education to develop and implement these initiatives, with grant funding available for innovative mental health and substance misuse treatment programs targeting youth and workforce development. The bill establishes mechanisms for public contributions via tax forms and annual reporting requirements for fund usage, directly affecting Vermont students, schools, and mental health care providers.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 365: An act relating to the regulation of social media platforms and artificial intelligence systems

H 365 requires social media platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) providers operating in Vermont to annually register with the Secretary of State by January 31, pay a $100 fee, and submit privacy policies. The bill directly affects companies using platforms or AI systems with Vermont residents, mandating they avoid harmful design features for minors (like excessive use prompts), set high default privacy settings, block unknown adult contact without minor-initiated interaction, and prohibit using minors' data for targeted advertising. Providers must also comply with "product safety and privacy terms" focused on preventing algorithmic discrimination and "heightened risk of harm" to minors, including unfair data processing. Violations can trigger daily $50 fines (capped at $10,000 annually) and civil penalties enforced by the Attorney General.

Topics ✓ Technology

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 366: An act relating to neurological rights

H 366 establishes new rights for individuals regarding neural data and brain activity, directly affecting people using neurotechnology (like brain-computer interfaces) and the companies developing such devices. The bill requires written consent before collecting or sharing neural data (defined as brain activity measurements), prohibits "consciousness bypass" (using tech to manipulate brain activity without awareness), and allows individuals to revoke consent at any time. It enforces these rules through Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act, imposing civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all entities handling neural data within Vermont.

Topics ✓ Technology

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 394: An act relating to renewable energy generation

H.394 requires renewable energy developers to align projects with Vermont Conservation Design and state energy goals during planning. It limits the Public Utility Commission's review of grid upgrades to stability, reliability, and public health/safety, while creating a Public Energy Advocate to support applicants. The bill also sets a minimum annual target of 20 MW for net metering systems and increases the threshold for stricter review from 15 kW to 25 kW for larger installations. These changes directly affect solar/wind developers, local planning bodies, and the PUC, streamlining approvals for smaller projects (12 months for ≤5 MW) while maintaining environmental and safety safeguards.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 388: An act relating to the protection of an individual’s digital replica

This bill sets rules for when companies can use digital replicas (like AI-generated versions of a person) in service contracts. It requires clear consent from individuals and specific terms about how these digital replicas can be used. The law directly affects people whose digital likeness might be replicated and the businesses creating or using such replicas.

Topics ✓ Technology

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 351: An act relating to operator’s licenses, privilege cards, and nondriver identification cards

This bill extends the validity period for Vermont operator’s licenses, privilege cards, and nondriver ID cards from four years to eight years, with a transition period allowing current holders to exchange licenses by July 2029. It establishes reduced fees ($62-$85) for low-income individuals seeking these IDs and requires the Vermont DMV to develop a plan ensuring ID cards display a person’s full legal name and are accessible to unhoused individuals and those without permanent addresses. The DMV must also create outreach programs to inform Vermonters about obtaining these IDs. These changes apply directly to all Vermont residents needing these identification documents for driving or non-driving purposes.

Topics ✓ Immigration

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 356: An act relating to the creation of the Unemployment Compensation Benefit Modernization Advisory Committee

H 356 creates the Unemployment Compensation Benefit Modernization Advisory Committee to advise Vermont's Department of Labor on implementing technological upgrades to the unemployment benefits delivery system. The committee, composed of appointed legislators, Department of Labor staff, labor representatives, employers, and legal aid attorneys, will monitor the upgrades, make recommendations, and assist with testing. It must submit quarterly reports to legislative committees starting September 2025, with the committee dissolving by June 2026 or once the system is fully implemented. This bill directly affects how unemployment benefits are delivered to Vermont workers by establishing a formal advisory process for technology changes.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 369: An act relating to parental rights and responsibilities

H 369 establishes a legal presumption that shared parental rights and responsibilities (meaning both parents share decision-making and physical care) are in the best interests of a child after separation or divorce. Courts must assume shared parenting is appropriate unless evidence shows it would cause direct physical harm or significant emotional harm to the child or a parent. The bill updates the factors courts consider in custody cases, including parents' ability to communicate and cooperate, the child's relationship with each parent, and the child's adjustment to their current environment. It also requires child support orders to reflect the true cost of raising a child and approximate the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the family remained intact. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Bill results