This bill limits University of Vermont (UVM) enrollment when Burlington's housing vacancy rate falls below 5%, requiring UVM to cap enrollment at the previous fall semester's level. It mandates that all UVM-owned or affiliated housing meet Burlington's municipal housing codes and rental safety standards by July 2025, with current students in non-compliant housing offered compliant alternatives first. The bill also creates a UVM Housing Task Force (including city officials, UVM representatives, and legislators) to monitor compliance, review housing strategies, and submit annual reports to the state legislature. These provisions directly affect UVM’s enrollment decisions, housing management, and Burlington residents experiencing housing market pressures.
H 162 would repeal Vermont's requirement for the Agency of Natural Resources to issue permits for stormwater discharges from impervious surfaces of three or more acres. This directly affects property owners and developers with large impervious surfaces (like commercial sites or subdivisions) who previously needed permits for such discharges, particularly for sites not covered by earlier regulations. The bill removes the permit obligation for stormwater discharges that were either never permitted or were permitted under the outdated 2002 Stormwater Management Manual. The bill is currently pending in the Environment Committee after its first reading on February 7, 2025.
This bill directs Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board to create a plan for implementing reference-based pricing for hospital services. It would require the Board to establish benchmarks (based on Medicare rates), outline a gradual implementation timeline, estimate cost savings, and include protections against balance billing for patients. The plan must address impacts on hospitals, quality of care, and alignment with state health reform efforts, with a submission deadline of February 1, 2026. This affects all Vermont hospitals and health insurance plans covering inpatient and outpatient services.
H.165 proposes creating an Inclusive Schools Protection Fund to replace lost federal funding for inclusive programs in Vermont schools. The bill would directly fund school districts to support LGBTQ+ student programs, antidiscrimination efforts, inclusive curricula, and educator training on equity. It also protects existing resources like student gender/sexuality alliances, school equity coordinators, and mental health programs for marginalized students. The Agency of Education must annually report on the fund's effectiveness, and the bill directs the state to develop new revenue sources to sustain the fund.
This bill (S.7) changes Vermont's automobile insurance rules to better protect injured drivers. It prohibits insurers from reducing underinsured motorist coverage by subtracting payments received from the at-fault driver's liability insurance. It also prevents insurers from claiming back medical costs paid under medical payments coverage from third parties. These changes directly affect Vermont drivers injured in accidents involving underinsured or uninsured drivers, ensuring they receive full coverage without double deductions. The law takes effect for new policies on or after January 1, 2026.
This bill requires Vermont public schools (prekindergarten through grade 12) to include instruction on social equity and justice in their curriculum, prohibiting restrictions on teaching topics like historical systems of oppression, race/gender as social constructs, and intersectional identities. It mandates that schools adopt policies affirming the dignity of all educators and students, bans influence from privately funded groups on curriculum decisions, and protects teachers from adverse action for following state/federal law in their teaching. The bill amends education standards to require curriculum development within existing State Board of Education frameworks, ensuring schools maintain autonomy while integrating these topics. It explicitly states the bill does not alter existing educational standards or dictate specific instructional materials.
This procedural resolution sets the Vermont legislature's schedule for February 2025, directing that if the Senate and House adjourn on Friday, February 7, 2025, they must reconvene no later than Tuesday, February 11, 2025. It affects only the legislative calendar and does not change laws or impact constituents. The resolution was adopted by both chambers on February 7, 2025.
This House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 20) formally honors Vermonters involved in creating the Tony Award-winning musical *Hadestown* and recognizes Montpelier High School's participation in Washington County teen theater productions of the musical. It specifically acknowledges Anaïs Mitchell (a Vermont native), collaborators like Ben T. Matchstick, and Montpelier High School Theater Director Maren Langdon Spillane for their roles in the musical's creation and a 2024-2025 teen performance partnership with U-32 Middle and High School. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to Montpelier High School and the theater director, serving as a ceremonial tribute with no policy or funding changes.
This House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 12) is a non-binding ceremonial resolution expressing legislative congratulations to the University of Vermont (UVM) men's soccer team for winning their first NCAA Division I men's soccer championship (College Cup) in 2024. It formally recognizes the team's achievement, including their "Cardiac Cats" nickname and championship victory over Marshall University. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to UVM Athletics but does not create any new policy, funding, or legal obligations. It is purely symbolic recognition of the team's athletic accomplishment.
H.164 would change how Vermont distributes local option tax revenue to municipalities, increasing the share from 70% to 80% for the communities generating that revenue. It also requires that any surplus in the PILOT Special Fund (a fund for payments in lieu of taxes from state-owned properties) be distributed proportionally to the municipalities that contributed to the surplus. The bill directs the Joint Fiscal Office to prepare a report on transitioning to a system where the state retains only the minimal amount needed to administer the fund, aiming to eliminate future surpluses. This bill directly affects all Vermont municipalities receiving local option tax revenue and those contributing to the PILOT Special Fund.
This bill updates Vermont's workers' compensation system by expanding wage definitions to include health insurance benefits, requiring employers to cover translation services for non-English speaking injured workers, and creating a process for requesting medical case management services. Insurers must approve or deny medical case management requests within 14 days, with injured workers able to seek Department intervention if denied. It also increases penalties for late payments, charging 5% of the benefit amount for the first late payment, escalating to 25% for fifth or subsequent late payments. The changes directly affect injured workers (especially non-English speakers), employers, and insurance carriers, aiming to improve access to care and timely compensation.
H 169 amends Vermont's anti-discrimination laws to prohibit landlords from requesting Social Security numbers on residential rental applications and requires them to accept all government-issued identification. It also adds "citizenship and immigration status" to the list of protected characteristics in housing and public accommodations, expanding existing protections against discrimination. The bill directly affects landlords, renters, and businesses serving the public by banning specific discriminatory practices in housing applications and services. Key provisions include banning SSN requests for rentals (§ 4456a) and updating definitions to include immigration status in housing (§ 4501, § 4503) and public accommodations (§ 4502). These changes aim to reduce barriers for renters, particularly immigrants and non-citizens, while clarifying prohibited discrimination.
