This bill makes three main changes to Vermont education laws: it pauses the mandatory implementation of a shared financial data management system for school districts until July 1, 2023, while allowing districts to continue using or leave the system during this period; it creates a tuition benefit program for Vermont National Guard members to attend state colleges, private institutions, or approved training programs at in-state tuition rates; and it updates requirements for home study programs by clarifying enrollment notice procedures, assessment methods, and curriculum documentation standards. The first provision directly affects supervisory unions, school districts, and technical center districts by temporarily suspending a previously mandated financial system. The second provision establishes tuition benefits for National Guard members and their dependents at various postsecondary institutions. The third provision ensures home study programs follow specific enrollment and assessment procedures to maintain educational standards.
This bill amends Vermont's agricultural laws to remove the word "or" from specific sections regarding the Secretary of Agriculture's authority. It also repeals the sales tax exemption for advanced wood boilers, which previously allowed these heating systems to be purchased without sales tax. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024, except for the sales tax repeal, which begins on June 30, 2023. The legislation directly affects Vermont residents and businesses that use or sell advanced wood boilers for heating purposes.
This bill establishes a statewide system for reappraising property values to ensure fair and consistent property taxation across Vermont municipalities. It requires the Director of Property Valuation and Review to order reappraisals when a municipality's property valuations fall outside acceptable ranges or when properties have not been reappraised within six years. The legislation allocates funding for assessment education programs and scholarships for municipal assessors, while also directing the Department of Taxes to develop a phased implementation plan for statewide reappraisals beginning in 2027. The bill includes provisions for implicit bias reduction training for assessors and requires the department to study property data to improve valuation accuracy and consistency.
This bill amends Vermont laws regulating pharmacy technicians and pharmacists to expand their roles in administering vaccines and performing health tests. It specifically defines pharmacy technician duties to include administering immunizations and conducting COVID-19 tests under pharmacist supervision, while establishing new requirements such as CPR certification and specialized training for technicians performing these tasks. The legislation also grants pharmacists authority to prescribe certain medications and vaccines under approved state protocols, including hormonal contraceptives and various vaccines for patients of different age groups. Additionally, the bill creates a study process to explore certification pathways for art and music therapists and adjusts requirements for pharmacy management qualifications.
This bill establishes a Prekindergarten Education Implementation Committee to develop a plan for providing full-day prekindergarten education to all four-year-old children in Vermont by July 1, 2026. The committee, composed of representatives from education agencies, school associations, private providers, and families, will examine how to expand access through public schools or contracted private providers while considering costs, quality standards, and special education needs. The committee must submit its implementation plan and draft legislative language by December 1, 2024, and will cease to exist on February 1, 2025. The bill also appropriates $107,500 in fiscal year 2024 to fund the committee's operations and potential contractor assistance.
This bill formally approves amendments to the Town of Brattleboro's charter that were previously approved by voters in March 2019. The changes establish new election rules that allow 16- to 18-year-olds, known as youth voters, to participate in local elections alongside regular voters. Key provisions include creating a Representative Town Meeting with up to 140 members elected by district, establishing a five-person Selectboard, and implementing early voting options for youth voters. The bill also defines the roles and terms of various elected positions, including school directors and Town Meeting members, while clarifying that youth voters have the same rights and responsibilities as adult voters once elected to office.
This bill approves amendments to the City of Burlington charter that expand voting rights for certain noncitizen residents. The changes allow noncitizens who live permanently in the United States, are at least 18 years old, have taken a Voter's Oath, and are registered to vote to participate in local Burlington elections. These noncitizen voters can only vote for local city and school district officials and ballot questions specific to their ward or city district, not for state or federal offices. The bill also requires the city's administrative officer to create forms and procedures to identify these voters on registration checklists. This legislation was passed by the legislature and enacted despite a gubernatorial veto.
This bill creates an optional state income tax for pass-through entities like partnerships, S corporations, and LLCs to help them qualify for a federal tax deduction on state and local taxes. Under the proposed system, eligible businesses with only individual members can elect to pay a tax calculated using the second-highest individual income tax rate, which allows them to claim a federal deduction for state taxes paid. In exchange for the entity paying this tax, individual members receive a refundable credit equal to 90% of their share of the tax paid, reducing their personal Vermont tax liability. The bill also exempts nonresident members from filing Vermont individual income tax returns if the entity has paid the new tax on their income.
This bill requires Vermont state agencies to submit a comprehensive report every three years on criminal justice investments and trends, specifically focusing on Justice Reinvestment II initiatives. The report must include data on recidivism rates, clearance rates, bail practices, pretrial detainee information, and funding utilization for programs like domestic violence intervention, transitional housing, mental health services, and restorative justice. Multiple state departments including Corrections, Public Safety, and the Attorney General must share relevant data with the Vermont Statistical Analysis Center to compile these findings, with the final report delivered to both House and Senate committees. The legislation also mandates that demographic information such as race, gender, and age be included whenever possible, while protecting the confidentiality of individual records until they are aggregated in the official report.
This bill modifies Vermont's juvenile justice system by allowing courts to transfer certain serious cases involving minors aged 12 to 19 from family court to adult criminal court. The law specifies particular violent offenses, such as murder, aggravated assault, sexual assault, and armed robbery, that qualify for transfer when the child is 16 or older, while also including drug trafficking and firearm-related crimes for those aged 16 to 19. A judge must hold a hearing to evaluate factors like the child's maturity, prior record, and the nature of the offense before deciding whether adult court is appropriate, though parties can also agree to transfer without a hearing. Once transferred, the juvenile will be processed through the adult criminal justice system rather than the family division.
This bill updates various court and judicial procedures in Vermont, affecting judges, lawyers, court staff, and individuals involved in legal proceedings. Key changes include raising the small claims court limit from $5,000 to $10,000, allowing judicial masters to hear Superior Court cases, and permitting written declarations instead of sworn oaths in some situations. The legislation also modifies juvenile record access for background checks, clarifies rules for ignition interlock devices, and extends the Vermont Sentencing Commission's term while directing it to report on stalking definitions and cash bail.
This bill creates a Legislative Working Group on Renewable Energy Standard Reform to draft new legislation for Vermont's 2024 session. The group will include representatives from state lawmakers, utility companies, environmental organizations, and community groups to study energy policy issues. Its main tasks involve examining how to improve grid stability, identify barriers to achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2030, and evaluate the economic and environmental impacts of proposed changes. The working group must submit its draft legislation and findings report to state committees by December 1, 2023, with members receiving compensation for attending up to eight meetings.
