Vermont Bills

introduced · Vermont · House Mar 17, 2023

H 475: An act relating to preserving the rights of a parent with a disability

This bill prohibits courts and agencies from denying or restricting parental, prospective parental, foster parent, or guardian rights solely because a person has a disability. It requires that any such restrictions be based only on what is in the best interests of the child, not on the parent's disability status. The law directly affects parents with disabilities who may face barriers in maintaining custody or guardianship of their children. By establishing this standard, the bill aims to prevent discrimination while still allowing decisions that prioritize child welfare.

in committee · Vermont · House Mar 17, 2023

H 477: An act relating to marriage license fees

This bill increases the fee for obtaining a marriage license in Vermont from $60 to $75. The change directly affects couples applying for marriage licenses and the town clerks who issue them. Under the new provisions, $15 of the fee would be kept by the town clerk while $60 would go to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Special Fund. The bill also requires town clerks to submit quarterly reports to the State Treasurer detailing all fees collected. These changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2023.

introduced · Vermont · House Mar 17, 2023

H 474: An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City of Burlington

This bill approves amendments to the City of Burlington's charter that authorize the City Council to create an ordinance preventing landlords from eviding tenants without "just cause." The just cause provisions include nonpayment of rent, material breach of the rental agreement, violation of state tenant laws, and failure to accept reasonable renewal terms, while excluding rental agreement expiration as a sole reason for termination. The bill also exempts owner-occupied duplexes and triplexes, properties being withdrawn from the rental market, and buildings needing substantial renovations, and requires landlords to provide adequate notice and reasonable relocation expenses to affected tenants.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 17, 2023

S 136: An act relating to addressing climate change

This bill extends Vermont's greenhouse gas emissions reduction deadlines by 10 years, moving targets from 2030 to 2035 and from 2050 to 2060. It requires the state to cut emissions by at least 26 percent by 2035, 40 percent by 2040, and 80 percent by 2060, compared to 2005 and 1990 baselines respectively. The legislation mandates the creation of a Climate Action Plan outlining specific strategies for reducing emissions across transportation, buildings, industry, and other sectors, while also preparing communities for climate impacts. State officials must develop and update rules to meet these new targets, with periodic reviews to ensure progress toward the extended deadlines.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 17, 2023

S 134: An act relating to requiring legislative approval prior to closing or reducing the size or scope of any Vermont State College library

This bill requires legislative approval from the Vermont General Assembly before the Vermont State Colleges can close, reduce, or convert any physical library that existed on January 1, 2023. It also prevents the colleges from reducing library staff positions, employees, or work hours below the levels established on that same date without state approval. The law affects the Vermont State Colleges Corporation and its library operations across all campuses. If passed, the colleges would need explicit permission from lawmakers before making changes to their library facilities or staffing levels.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 16, 2023

S 131: An act relating to high school student legal residency

This bill allows high school students to keep their legal residency in a school district if they completed ninth grade there, even if their parents move away. It directly affects students who might otherwise lose access to local schools due to their parents' change of residence. The key provision adds a new rule to Vermont's education code that lets students maintain residency through graduation based on their ninth-grade attendance rather than their parents' current location. This change takes effect on July 1, 2023, and applies to any student enrolled in the same district on October 1 of their tenth-grade year.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Immigration

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 16, 2023

S 132: An act relating to nominating petitions for a candidate for the office of a unified union school district board member

This bill updates the rules for nominating candidates to Vermont unified union school district boards by standardizing the signature requirements across all three representation models. Under the new provisions, a nomination petition must be signed by either 30 voters or one percent of the legal voters in the relevant area, whichever number is smaller. The changes apply to proposed districts, existing unified districts using modified at-large systems, and fully at-large representation models. The bill also specifies filing deadlines and requirements for candidate consent to appear on the ballot.

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 15, 2023

S 126: An act relating to expanding community health teams to provide additional mental health and substance use disorder services

This bill expands Vermont's community health teams to better support patients with mental health and substance use disorder needs by adding screening, intervention, and treatment services to their existing care offerings. The legislation requires these multidisciplinary teams to collaborate more closely with medical homes and community organizations to coordinate care, while also establishing a two-year pilot program to test and evaluate these expanded services. Additionally, the bill mandates a financial report from the Department of Vermont Health Access to track funding contributions from different payers, including Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurers, to support these community health initiatives. The changes are designed to improve patient outcomes through more integrated care and will take effect on July 1, 2023.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Vermont · Senate Mar 15, 2023

S 124: An act relating to the creation of the School Construction Aid Task Force

This bill creates the School Construction Aid Task Force to study and make recommendations about how Vermont funds and manages school building projects. The Task Force will include representatives from the legislature, state agencies, and education and construction organizations, with the State Treasurer serving as chair. Its main duties are to review current school facility conditions, examine funding options, and develop criteria for prioritizing construction aid, with a required report due by January 15, 2024. The group will meet for up to 10 sessions and will receive $200,000 in funding to hire experts and cover administrative costs. The Task Force will dissolve on July 1, 2024, after submitting its final report to relevant legislative committees.

Topics ✓ Education

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 15, 2023

S 127: An act relating to the creation of new types of cannabis establishment licenses and the provision of cannabis excise tax revenue to the Cannabis Business Development Fund, communities that have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition, and substance misuse treatment

This bill expands Vermont's cannabis regulatory framework by creating new business licenses for delivery services, special events, and temporary events, while also allowing certain cultivators to sell directly to consumers. It adjusts product standards by increasing the maximum THC allowed per package from 50 to 100 milligrams and per serving from 5 to 10 milligrams, and permits cannabis consumption in public spaces where tobacco use is currently allowed. The legislation also directs additional cannabis excise tax revenue toward the Cannabis Business Development Fund and communities disproportionately affected by past cannabis prohibition, expanding funding to include substance misuse prevention and harm reduction programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 15, 2023

S 128: An act relating to the regulation of kratom products

This bill, known as the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, would regulate kratom products in Vermont by establishing labeling requirements and an age restriction. It directly affects processors and retailers who sell kratom, requiring them to label products with specific alkaloid content and prohibiting sales to anyone under 18 years old. The legislation mandates that kratom products be tested by independent laboratories, prohibits the sale of products containing dangerous contaminants or synthetic alkaloids, and requires annual registration fees for processors. Additionally, the bill removes kratom from the state's list of regulated drugs, clarifying its legal status while implementing consumer safety measures.

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 15, 2023

S 129: An act relating to employee privacy protections

This bill restricts Vermont employers from conducting criminal history checks, credit checks, and drug tests on job applicants and employees unless the information has a direct relationship to the specific job duties. It prohibits employers from asking about credit history on initial applications and requires criminal background checks to occur only after an applicant has been deemed qualified for a position, with narrow exceptions for roles involving financial responsibility, law enforcement, emergency medical services, or positions where federal or state law mandates disqualification based on certain convictions. Drug testing is allowed only after a conditional job offer is made, with written notice provided to the applicant, and for current employees only when there is probable cause of drug use on the job, provided the employer offers an assistance program and the employee is not terminated if they successfully complete rehabilitation. The legislation also protects applicants and employees from retaliation if they file complaints or cooperate with investigations regarding unlawful employment practices related to these screening procedures.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

Bill results