This bill requires the state to conduct a feasibility study for building a bicycle path alongside U.S. Route 5, covering approximately 190 miles from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border. The study must examine construction and maintenance costs, potential funding sources, logistical challenges, construction timelines, and the project's impact on Vermont's tourism industry and local municipalities. The analysis will determine whether a continuous route or a segmented, phased approach is more practical for implementation.
This bill would allow children to attend school and child care facilities without required immunizations if their parents or guardians provide a signed statement affirming conscientious or personal beliefs against vaccination. To qualify, parents must annually submit a form stating they have reviewed educational materials about vaccine risks and the dangers of vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly for those who cannot be vaccinated. The bill also permits exemptions when a licensed health care practitioner certifies in writing that a specific immunization could be harmful to a child's health. These provisions would take effect on July 1, 2023, and the signed exemption forms would not be used as evidence in civil proceedings.
This bill proposes to standardize the opening time for all polling places across Vermont, which currently have a uniform closing time of 7:00 p.m. The legislation would establish a specific opening hour that all polling locations must follow, ensuring consistency statewide. It directly affects election officials and voters who rely on polling place hours for planning. The bill would require all polling places to open at the same designated time, creating uniformity in election day procedures.
This bill requires Vermont's Department of Health to submit an annual report on adverse reactions reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. The report must include data on the number of reactions, details by vaccine type and recipient age, emergency visits, hospitalizations, permanent disabilities, deaths, and information about compensation support activities. Health care practitioners administering vaccines in Vermont are also required to report all significant adverse events to the system, even if the vaccine connection is uncertain. The annual report will be sent to state health committees, posted online, and shared electronically with health care providers. The law takes effect on July 1, 2023.
This bill would expand eligibility for Vermont's Medicare Savings Programs by raising income limits for two of the three programs. It increases the income threshold for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program to 150 percent of the federal poverty level and raises the limit for the Qualifying Individual Program to 185 percent of the federal poverty level. The legislation also eliminates the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary Program entirely. These changes would allow more low-income Vermonters to qualify for financial assistance with their Medicare premiums and cost-sharing. The bill requires approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services before the new eligibility rules take effect.
This bill creates a new Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program in Vermont that would provide paid, job-protected leave to employees and self-employed individuals for specific reasons including serious illness, childbirth, adoption, military family needs, and domestic or sexual violence situations. The program would be administered by the Office of the Treasurer and would allow workers to take time off to care for themselves or family members facing health issues, or to seek medical care, counseling, or safe housing after experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Eligible workers would need to meet certain work history requirements and pay contributions to fund the benefits, with leave defined as "safe leave" specifically for victims of abuse to access services, recover from injuries, or relocate to secure safe environments. The legislation also expands the definition of family members to include individuals with significant personal bonds regardless of biological or legal relationships, ensuring broader coverage for diverse family structures.
This bill requires Vermont school districts that do not operate their own elementary or high schools to designate eligible public or independent schools to serve as the district's public schools. It allows these districts to pay tuition to designated schools for their students, with specific criteria for which independent schools qualify, such as being recognized regional centers or having historical public school status. The legislation also removes the definition and approval process for independent schools while keeping the enrollment process for recognized independent schools intact. Additionally, it creates a new definition for therapeutic schools and updates special education tuition provisions. The changes apply to school districts and their students, with oversight and reimbursement rules for tuition payments between districts.
This bill requires health insurance plans and Vermont Medicaid to cover specific fertility-related services for all insured individuals and Medicaid beneficiaries. It mandates coverage for fertility diagnostic care, intrauterine insemination, at least three rounds of in vitro fertilization with donor or partner gametes, and clinically appropriate fertility medications. The legislation also prohibits insurers from imposing higher costs or restrictions based on the use of donor materials or surrogacy, while excluding experimental procedures and nonmedical donor costs. Additionally, the bill directs the state to seek federal approval to expand Medicaid coverage for these services.
This bill directs Vermont's State Refugee Office to hire an outside contractor to create a comprehensive list of organizations serving the state's immigrant community, including refugees, asylum seekers, and other immigrants. The assessment will gather information on what services these organizations provide, where their funding comes from, how they work with the State Refugee Office, and their organizational structure. The State Refugee Office must issue a request for proposals by September 15, 2023, complete the inventory by November 15, 2024, and submit the final report to state committees by December 1, 2024. The bill appropriates $25,000 in state funds to pay for this study and takes effect on July 1, 2023.
This bill proposes establishing a task force to study how restorative justice can improve Vermont's criminal justice system. The task force would include state officials, legislators, and community justice representatives to examine current programs, laws, and funding. Its goal is to recommend changes that would make restorative justice services more consistent and accessible across the state. The group would explore ways to standardize how people are referred to diversion programs and how funding is used for related services. Ultimately, the task force would submit proposed legislation to reform how restorative justice is implemented in Vermont.
This bill allocates $400,000 from the state's General Fund to support expanded emergency veterinary care in Vermont. The money would be distributed as $100,000 grants to four veterinary clinics or hospitals located in different geographic areas across the state. These grants are intended to help the selected facilities maintain evening and weekend hours for emergency animal care services. The funding comes from the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets for the 2024 fiscal year.
This bill establishes three main benefits for Vermont veterans. First, it requires the state to create and maintain a confidential database of veterans in Vermont, collecting information from various agencies while protecting personal details from public access. Second, it reduces motor vehicle registration fees for veterans with honorable discharges, offering either a 50% discount or a full waiver for vehicles purchased with VA financial assistance. Third, it increases the amount of U.S. military retirement pay exempt from Vermont state income tax, raising the exclusion limit for single filers from $10,000 to $15,000 and adjusting thresholds based on total income levels.
