This bill proposes to create a felony-level penalty for recklessly endangering another person by discharging a firearm at or in the direction of someone, regardless of whether the person is hit. It amends Vermont law to establish that pointing a firearm at another person creates a presumption of recklessness, even if the gun was unloaded or the person didn't believe it was loaded. The penalty for discharging a firearm in this manner would be up to two years in prison or a $1,000 fine, compared to the current one-year maximum for general reckless endangerment. The law would take effect on July 1, 2023, and applies to anyone who commits this act within the state.
This bill requires Vermont's Agency of Transportation to study whether direct-current fast chargers can be installed at locations that previously served as welcome centers. The legislation also asks the agency to update the state's National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan to include these chargers if the study finds them feasible. Additionally, the bill mandates that the agency submit a written report on the findings to the House and Senate Transportation Committees by December 15, 2023. The measure directly affects the state's transportation department and aims to improve electric vehicle charging options at former welcome center sites.
This bill authorizes Vermont to join interstate compacts that allow licensed health care professionals to practice across state lines. It specifically targets compacts for counseling and psychology professions, enabling these providers to work in other states that have joined the same agreements. The legislation expresses the state's intent to participate in these compacts once they are reasonably available. This change would affect licensed counselors and psychologists in Vermont by potentially expanding their ability to practice in other states. The bill does not mandate immediate participation but sets the legal framework for future enrollment in these professional agreements.
This bill proposes to authorize the practice of open air cremation for human remains in Vermont. It directly affects funeral service providers, cremation facilities, and families making end-of-life disposition decisions. The legislation would legally permit cremation to be conducted outdoors rather than requiring it to take place in enclosed facilities. This change would allow for more flexible and potentially cost-effective options for handling human remains. The bill is currently under review by the Committee on General and Housing.
This bill allows elementary school students in Vermont to transfer to a public elementary school in a different school district within the same supervisory union, provided the receiving school has available capacity. The legislation establishes a tuition-free transfer system where the receiving district cannot charge fees to students from other districts in the same supervisory union. Key provisions include setting transfer limits of at least 5% or 10 students from each sending school, using lottery systems when demand exceeds capacity, and ensuring special education services follow the student to their new school. The bill also outlines application deadlines, notification requirements, and conditions under which students may remain enrolled year after year.
This bill establishes a legislative study committee to examine potential changes to the Vermont General Assembly's structure and operations. The committee would investigate options such as meeting year-round, reducing the number of legislators, or transitioning to a single-chamber system to improve diversity and ensure fair compensation and health benefits. Members of the Vermont General Assembly would be directly involved in this review process. The bill does not implement any changes immediately but instead creates a framework for studying and recommending future modifications to the legislature's composition and functions.
This bill proposes establishing a new department of eight to ten people to regularly review police body and dashboard camera footage for compliance with nonbiased policing policies. The department would operate as a tool for officer oversight and training by examining video records from law enforcement vehicles and officers. Funding for this initiative would come from savings generated by reducing the high costs associated with storing existing and new camera footage. The legislation directly affects law enforcement agencies in Vermont by creating a formal review mechanism for police video evidence.
This bill would require employers in Vermont to have good cause before terminating employees who have worked for at least 60 days, while exempting casual employees and those with fewer than 60 days of employment. The legislation defines good cause as failure to perform job duties after progressive discipline, egregious misconduct, or legitimate business reasons, and limits termination based on off-duty conduct to situations with a clear connection to job performance. Employers would need to follow a progressive discipline process including verbal warnings, written warnings, and written reprimands before termination, except in cases of egregious misconduct or legitimate business reasons. The bill also allows employees or representative organizations to bring enforcement actions on behalf of the state for violations of these termination requirements.
This bill allows Vermont state legislators to take temporary or partial leave from their full-time or part-time jobs while serving in the General Assembly. It directly affects employees who must leave their current positions to take legislative office. The key provision ensures that taking this leave does not result in loss of job status, seniority, or eligibility for insurance and other employee benefits. The changes would take effect on July 1, 2023.
This bill would create a legal exception to Vermont's tobacco possession laws, allowing people under 21 to hold tobacco products when participating in Indigenous cultural practices. It amends existing statutes to add a specific provision that permits minors to possess tobacco in connection with Indigenous cultural tobacco practices, while maintaining the general rule that individuals under 21 cannot possess, purchase, or attempt to purchase tobacco products. The law would take effect immediately upon passage and applies specifically to Indigenous cultural contexts rather than general tobacco use.
This bill expands labor protections for agricultural and domestic workers in Vermont by granting them the right to collectively bargain and extending minimum wage, overtime pay, workers' compensation, and unemployment insurance benefits to these groups. It also establishes a "good cause" standard for terminating employment, requires employers to provide severance pay, and allows employees to sue on behalf of the state for violations of this termination requirement. Additionally, the bill protects workers from adverse employment actions related to their exercise of First Amendment rights and permits collective bargaining representatives to be certified through voluntary employer recognition or majority employee sign-up. These changes directly affect employers of agricultural and domestic workers while providing new legal rights and protections for those workers.
This bill establishes a public prekindergarten education program in Vermont, making full-day early education available to three- and four-year-old children and five-year-olds not yet in kindergarten. It creates a new Department of Economic Empowerment by reorganizing the Department for Children and Families, adds a second Deputy Secretary to the Agency of Education with specific qualifications, and provides property tax exemptions for child care providers. The legislation also expands eligibility and payment rates for the Child Care Financial Assistance Program, creates a new Noncitizen Child Care Assistance Program, and introduces grants to support child care workforce retention.
