This bill changes how Vermont school districts fund teen parent education programs by increasing the payment amount from 83 percent to 100 percent of the previous year's statewide average net cost per pupil. It also removes the requirement for sending school districts to reimburse receiving schools for coordinating education plans for pregnant or parenting students. These changes directly affect school districts that host teen parent education programs and the families of students attending them. The funding adjustment takes effect on July 1, 2023, and aims to provide more consistent financial support for these specialized education services.
This bill amends the Vermont statute governing the Board of Trustees of the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College to increase the total number of trustees from 25 to 27 members. The change adds two new faculty trustee positions that will be elected by the university faculty to six-year terms, with the Faculty Senate overseeing the election process. The bill also clarifies student trustee selection procedures, establishing that student representatives must be full-time undergraduate or graduate students who are at least 18 years old. These provisions take effect immediately upon passage, with new faculty trustees required to be elected by August 1, 2023, to fill the expanded board.
This bill modifies Vermont's court evidence rules to allow certain statements made by child victims of serious crimes to be admitted as evidence during legal proceedings. The change specifically applies to children who have been victims of offenses involving serious bodily injury, such as sexual assault or physical abuse. Under the new rules, these statements could be used in court without the child needing to testify in person, which aims to protect them from the stress of appearing in court. The bill also addresses how confidential records related to these cases may be disclosed during the legal process. This legislation directly impacts prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and the families of child victims involved in serious criminal cases.
This bill proposes to decriminalize possession of a personal use supply of regulated drugs in Vermont by reducing penalties from criminal charges to a civil offense with a $50 fine. Instead of facing criminal prosecution, individuals cited for this offense can avoid the penalty by agreeing to participate in substance use disorder screening and related services. The legislation would also establish a Drug Use Standards Advisory Board to determine benchmark personal use dosages and supplies, and allow for the immediate sealing of criminal records for those previously arrested or convicted of possessing amounts below these benchmarks. Additionally, the bill authorizes pilot programs for drug-checking services that allow individuals to analyze substances for chemical composition and contaminants to prevent overdoses. These changes aim to shift Vermont's approach from a criminal justice model to a public health strategy focused on harm reduction and treatment access.
This bill proposes to exempt all U.S. military retirement income and military survivor benefit income from Vermont state income tax. It directly affects active and retired military personnel, as well as surviving spouses and dependents of deceased service members who receive these benefits. The legislation amends Vermont tax code to remove military retirement and survivor income from taxable income calculations, while also clarifying that taxpayers must choose between this exemption and other retirement income exclusions if they qualify for multiple. The bill includes a statement of purpose honoring military service and applies retroactively to January 1, 2023.
This bill would ban the use, sale, and application of the pesticide chlorpyrifos and the herbicides glyphosate and atrazine in Vermont. It directly affects farmers, agricultural businesses, and anyone involved in applying these chemicals by prohibiting their use across the state. The legislation removes these specific substances from the list of allowed agricultural products without requiring additional permits or exemptions. By eliminating these chemicals, the bill aims to improve water quality and reduce potential environmental exposure. The measure does not address alternative pest control methods or provide funding for transition assistance to affected industries.
This bill allows voters in Vermont to use electronic signatures on petitions for local ballot measures, provided the signatures meet state electronic transaction standards. It directly affects residents participating in local elections by modernizing how they can gather support for ballot initiatives. The law adds a new section to the state election code permitting electronic signatures and requires petitions to include printed names, signatures, and addresses of supporters. Changes to warning notices on petitions remain, but the core update focuses on accepting digital signatures for local election petitions starting July 1, 2023.
This bill establishes a state task force to study and develop proposals for reparations related to the institution of chattel slavery. The task force would examine the historical and ongoing effects of slavery and discrimination on Black Americans, including economic disparities, educational gaps, and health outcomes. Its duties include compiling historical documentation, recommending public education initiatives, and proposing remedies such as a formal state apology, policy changes, and potential compensation for descendants of enslaved people. The task force would submit its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly for further consideration.
This bill would require landlords in Vermont to notify tenants before selling a residential rental building, giving tenants the opportunity to purchase the property themselves. The law establishes a 45-day period after notice for tenants to decide if they want to buy the building, during which the landlord cannot accept a final sale offer. If a majority of tenants express interest, the landlord must negotiate in good faith and cannot sell to another buyer for an additional 120 days, and must accept an offer from tenants if it matches the property's appraised value or third-party offers. The bill applies to most residential building sales but excludes foreclosures, family transfers, and certain other exceptions, and it includes penalties for landlords who fail to follow the required procedures.
This bill requires safety belts on all Type I school buses manufactured after July 1, 2023. It directly affects school districts, transportation companies, and bus manufacturers operating in Vermont. The legislation mandates that new buses built after the specified date must be equipped with seatbelts for student passengers. This change aims to enhance student safety during school transportation by ensuring restraint systems are available on newer bus models. The bill currently awaits committee review and does not yet establish specific implementation timelines or enforcement procedures.
This bill imposes a moratorium on the study, design, construction, expansion, or renovation of correctional facilities in Vermont until July 1, 2028, while also ending a long-standing suspension of state aid for school construction projects. The corrections provisions prohibit the state from building new prisons, expanding existing ones beyond current capacity, converting facilities for detention purposes, or renovating them to increase bed capacity, with only basic maintenance and code compliance exceptions allowed. Simultaneously, the bill restores state funding for school construction projects starting in fiscal year 2024, allowing the state to accept and review applications that had been blocked since 2007. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2023, and includes findings that link poor school environments to incarceration rates and that harsh prison conditions contribute to recidivism and trauma.
This bill extends the grace period for paying overdue premiums on life and long-term care insurance policies in Vermont, giving policyholders more time before a policy can be cancelled for nonpayment. Under the new rules, insurers must allow at least 90 days from when a premium is due before cancelling a policy, with some flexibility for industrial life insurance policies. The bill also requires insurers to provide a secondary notice of cancellation at least 60 days after a premium becomes due and unpaid, following a national model rule. These changes apply to all life and long-term care insurance policies issued or renewed after the bill takes effect.
