Vermont Bills

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2024

H 723: An act relating to flood recovery

This bill establishes a comprehensive flood recovery and preparedness framework for Vermont municipalities and businesses affected by the 2023 severe storms. It provides financial relief through tax abatement reimbursements for municipalities that lost State education property tax revenue, grants to offset municipal lost revenues, and a new Flood Recovery Assistance Program offering up to $40 million for business losses including physical damage, lost revenue, and employee wages. The legislation also creates a working group to improve emergency management coordination between state agencies and municipalities, while allowing reconsideration of property tax abatement decisions made during the disaster period.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2024

H 719: An act relating to housing development and unit rehabilitation

This bill aims to increase housing availability in Vermont by modifying state land use laws, municipal zoning regulations, and tax policies. It directly affects developers, municipalities, and housing providers by creating exemptions for certain housing projects under Act 250, which governs land use in the state. Key provisions include raising the threshold for housing projects that trigger state review in smaller municipalities, exempting conversions of hotels and other buildings into affordable housing from certain regulations, and allowing some municipalities with strong zoning laws to handle development reviews locally instead of through state commissions. The legislation also repeals previous rules that required special permits for priority housing projects and establishes new criteria for when housing construction counts toward state jurisdiction thresholds.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2024

H 717: An act relating to supports to help students experiencing homelessness and students exiting the foster care system succeed in postsecondary educational institutions

This bill requires postsecondary schools in Vermont to designate a Student Liaison Officer to assist students experiencing homelessness and those exiting the foster care system with navigating financial aid and available services. The legislation mandates that these institutions create policies to give priority access to class enrollment and on-campus housing for these student populations, while also allowing waivers for registration and laboratory fees. Schools must ensure homeless students can access housing during school breaks and that enrollment policies account for barriers like work obligations and transportation challenges. The law takes effect on July 1, 2024, and applies to all postsecondary institutions operating within Vermont.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Housing

Jubilee McGill (D) · 18 co-sponsors

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2024

H 722: An act relating to the waiver of certain fees for vital records and other identification for persons experiencing homelessness

This bill removes fees for vital records, nondriver identification cards, and driver's licenses for Vermont residents experiencing homelessness and for those under 22 who were previously in foster care. To qualify, individuals experiencing homelessness must submit an affidavit confirming their status, while foster care recipients need to prove their placement history through a child-placing agency. The changes apply to certified copies of birth certificates, nondriver ID cards, and operator's privilege cards, setting their cost to zero for eligible applicants. The law takes effect on July 1, 2024, and is intended to reduce financial barriers to obtaining essential identification documents for these specific populations.

Topics ✓ Housing

Jubilee McGill (D) · 19 co-sponsors

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2024

H 731: An act relating to Family Division jurisdiction in juvenile proceedings

This bill requires that juvenile delinquency cases involving youths aged 14 to 22 begin in the Family Division of the Superior Court rather than the Criminal Division, with certain exceptions for specific serious offenses. The law allows the Family Division to transfer cases to the Criminal Division after a hearing if the youth is older or if the offense is particularly severe, and it mandates that prosecutors file felony charges for minors in the Family Division first. The changes apply to both new cases and those involving violations of release conditions, ensuring that all juvenile proceedings initially originate in the Family Division unless specific criteria for transfer are met.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Troy Headrick (I) · 30 co-sponsors

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2024

H 727: An act relating to social host liability for furnishing alcohol or cannabis to an individual under 21

This bill establishes civil penalties for social hosts who allow minors under 21 to consume alcohol or cannabis at gatherings on their property. It requires property owners to take reasonable steps to prevent underage consumption of these substances and sets escalating fines of $500, $750, and $1,000 for first, second, and third or subsequent violations respectively. The law applies to any residence or premises under the host's control and takes effect on July 1, 2024. This legislation does not affect existing criminal liability or other civil claims related to social host liability.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2024

H 732: An act relating to traffic cameras and traffic violations for illegally passing a school bus

This bill requires all Type I and II school buses in Vermont to be equipped with live digital video cameras that automatically detect and record vehicles illegally passing a stopped school bus. The cameras will capture images of license plates only, not occupants, and store footage for up to 90 days unless a violation is reported, in which case images are kept until the case is resolved. If a violation is confirmed, the school bus operator can submit the recorded evidence to issue a civil traffic violation to the vehicle's registered owner, removing the need for a law enforcement officer to witness the infraction. Additionally, the bill eliminates point assessments on driving records for illegal school bus passing violations, though it does not change the underlying penalty for the offense. The changes take effect on August 1, 2025, and apply to school buses during the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education ✓ Technology ✓ Transportation

Dennis LaBounty (D) · 24 co-sponsors

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2024

H 728: An act relating to the provision of translation services during school enrollment

This bill requires school districts, approved independent schools, and prequalified private prekindergarten providers in Vermont to offer translation services during the school enrollment process for families who do not speak English. The law mandates that all enrollment forms and applications be translated into the primary language of non-English-speaking families and includes alternative proof of residency forms. Schools must provide translation assistance through options such as English learner liaisons, in-person interpreters, or digital translation tools like smartphone applications. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024, ensuring that non-English-speaking families have access to necessary documentation and support when enrolling their children in school.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Immigration

Leonora Dodge (D) · 28 co-sponsors

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 9, 2024

S 225: An act relating to criminal sentencing and decarceration

This bill aims to reduce Vermont's incarcerated population by repealing the state's habitual offender statute, which currently allows for life sentences after multiple felony convictions. It establishes a 20-year maximum sentence cap for most crimes while maintaining life sentences for murder, and prevents community supervision from being revoked for technical violations. Additionally, the legislation requires the State Auditor to prepare minority impact statements that analyze how new criminal laws would affect different demographic groups before they are passed. These provisions collectively seek to create more predictable sentencing limits and ensure that new laws are evaluated for their potential impact on minority communities.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 9, 2024

S 226: An act relating to seizure and forfeiture reporting

This bill requires Vermont law enforcement agencies to maintain detailed records of property seizures and forfeitures, including information about the property's value, source, and final disposition. It mandates that the Department of Public Safety compile annual reports on these seizures and submit them to the state's Judiciary committees, while also creating a searchable public website with machine-readable data. The law specifies how agencies can use proceeds from forfeited property, allowing them to cover reporting costs and fees, and includes provisions for confidential informant cases where reporting can be postponed. These requirements apply retroactively to seizures occurring on or after January 1, 2024.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 9, 2024

S 233: An act relating to amendments to the scope of practice for optometrists

This bill updates Vermont's laws to expand the scope of practice for optometrists, allowing them to perform certain advanced therapeutic procedures under a new specialty endorsement license. The legislation defines specific advanced procedures that qualified optometrists may perform, including minor eye surgeries like chalazia excision, limited eyelid repairs, and specific laser and injection treatments, while explicitly prohibiting more invasive procedures like LASIK, corneal transplants, and general anesthesia. Optometrists seeking this specialty endorsement must complete additional continuing education hours focused on advanced procedures. The bill also clarifies definitions for therapeutic pharmaceutical agents and adverse events, and establishes continuing education requirements for all optometrists, with extra requirements for those holding the specialty license.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 9, 2024

S 229: An act relating to nonprofit public transit systems

This bill requires that nonprofit public transit systems in Vermont have a majority of their governing board members appointed by the legislative bodies of the municipalities they serve. It defines nonprofit public transit systems as domestic corporations where board membership is proportional to the population of served municipalities and includes the Secretary of Transportation as a nonvoting member. The legislation sets a July 31, 2024 deadline for existing transit systems to update their bylaws to comply with these requirements and mandates that the Agency of Transportation oversee compliance with state and federal laws.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Bill results