Vermont Bills

signed · Vermont · House May 12, 2023

H 504: An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Berlin

This bill approves amendments to the Town of Berlin's charter that were previously voted on by residents in November 2022. The changes update how town officers are elected and appointed, specifying that Selectboard members will serve staggered terms and clarifying that the Town Clerk is now an appointed rather than elected position. It also adjusts tax rules by allowing the Town Treasurer to waive personal property taxes for individuals with assessed values of $1,650 or less. The legislation takes effect immediately upon passage and includes a transition provision for the current Town Clerk to finish their term or be replaced by the Selectboard.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Vermont · Senate May 12, 2023

S 17: An act relating to sheriff reforms

This bill reformulates Vermont sheriff offices to improve accountability, transparency, and financial oversight. It requires assistant judges to co-sign financial transactions during sheriff transitions and mandates annual audits when sheriffs leave office. The legislation also establishes conflict of interest rules for sheriffs and deputies, requiring them to disclose and recuse themselves from matters involving personal or family interests. Additionally, sheriffs must file annual disclosure forms with the State Ethics Commission detailing their income sources, business ownership, and any conflicts involving their spouses or domestic partners. These changes aim to restore public trust by creating clearer financial controls and ethical standards for elected sheriffs and their staff.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Vermont · Senate May 12, 2023

S 99: An act relating to miscellaneous changes to laws related to vehicles

This bill makes several updates to Vermont vehicle laws, including changes to the new motor vehicle arbitration process, mobile identification rules, and registration procedures. It requires manufacturers to provide one final repair attempt before arbitration hearings and allows consumers to request arbitration again within one year if the repair is unsatisfactory. The bill also authorizes the issuance of mobile driver's licenses and other identification credentials that can display limited or full profiles of credential information, while ensuring physical possession of the device remains with the holder. Additional provisions update how registration receipts work for electronic transactions, establish refund procedures for destroyed vehicles, and set registration fees for all-surface vehicles. These changes affect vehicle owners, manufacturers, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and law enforcement officers.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Vermont · Senate May 12, 2023

S 89: An act relating to establishing a forensic facility

This bill establishes a new forensic facility within the existing Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital by July 1, 2024, to provide specialized care for individuals involved in the criminal justice system. The legislation requires the Department of Mental Health to update rules for involuntary psychiatric medications and begin drafting regulations for therapeutic community residences by late 2023. The Agency of Human Services must submit a staffing and programming plan to the General Assembly, while the relevant departments are required to provide annual reports on patient demographics, waitlist numbers, and emergency procedures from 2025 through 2030. Additionally, the bill creates a working group to assess whether forensic-level care is needed for individuals with intellectual disabilities who are charged with violent crimes or found incompetent to stand trial.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

passed both · Vermont · Senate May 12, 2023

S 5: An act relating to affordably meeting the mandated greenhouse gas reductions for the thermal sector through efficiency, weatherization measures, electrification, and decarbonization

This bill, known as the Affordable Heat Act, creates a new Clean Heat Standard program to help Vermont meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals by shifting away from fossil fuel heating in homes and businesses. It establishes a system where regulated utilities and fuel importers must purchase tradeable clean heat credits to fund efficiency upgrades, weatherization, and electrification projects that reduce emissions. The program prioritizes low and moderate-income households with high energy burdens and aims to use available federal funding to keep costs low for customers. The Public Utility Commission is given authority to set rules, designate default service providers, and enforce compliance with the credit requirements.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

passed · Vermont · House May 11, 2023

HR 11: House resolution relating to establishing the Special Committee on Impeachment Inquiry and granting it investigatory powers

This Vermont House resolution establishes a Special Committee on Impeachment Inquiry to investigate whether there are sufficient grounds to impeach Franklin County State's Attorney John Lavoie and/or Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore. The seven-member committee, appointed by the Speaker of the House with representation from multiple parties, is authorized to meet during the 2023-2024 legislative session and has the power to subpoena witnesses, demand documents, administer oaths, and hire investigators. The committee will report its findings and any impeachment articles or recommendations to the House of Representatives.

signed · Vermont · Senate May 10, 2023

S 37: An act relating to access to legally protected health care activity and regulation of health care providers

This bill expands access to certain health care services in Vermont by requiring health insurance plans and Medicaid to cover gender-affirming and abortion-related services. It protects health care providers from professional disciplinary action or insurance premium increases when they provide legally protected health care activities. The legislation also allows pharmacists to prescribe emergency contraception, permits vending machines to dispense contraceptives at pharmacies and colleges, and restricts how pregnancy centers can advertise their services. Additionally, it limits when health information about these services can be shared and requires state agencies to track access to reproductive and gender-affirming care.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Vermont · House May 10, 2023

H 76: An act relating to captive insurance

This bill updates Vermont's regulations for captive insurance companies, which are insurance entities owned by the businesses they insure. It requires branch captive companies to submit annual reports from their home jurisdictions to the state Commissioner and allows waivers if those reports are deemed sufficient. The legislation also mandates that incorporated protected cells include specific naming conventions like "Incorporated Cell" or "IC" in their titles. Additionally, the bill requires captive insurers to keep original records and documents in Vermont unless the Commissioner approves keeping them elsewhere, and it strengthens pre-licensing requirements by asking applicants to provide detailed information about their assets, management expertise, and operational plans. A portion of premium tax revenues will be transferred to the Department of Financial Regulation to fund captive insurance oversight, with this funding change taking effect on July 1, 2023.

signed · Vermont · House May 10, 2023

H 146: An act relating to amendments to the charter of the Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District

This bill amends the charter of the Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District to update its governance and budget procedures. It requires the District's Board of Supervisors to review proposed budgets after considering public comments and adopt them by January 15th each year. The amendment also establishes that if a budget is not approved by the start of a fiscal year, the District will continue operating under the previous year's budget, while ensuring the District remains obligated to pay bond principal, interest, and long-term contract obligations. Additionally, the bill sets the annual District meeting for budget adoption on the first Tuesday in March.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Vermont · House May 8, 2023

H 271: An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Springfield

This bill formally approves amendments to the Town of Springfield's charter that were previously voted on by residents in November 2020. The changes establish new procedures for town governance, including how ordinances are adopted, how charter amendments are proposed, and how town meetings and elections are conducted. Key provisions require Selectboard meetings to use individual roll call votes, mandate that certain administrative roles like Town Clerk and Town Attorney be appointed based solely on qualifications, and create a unified budget request process for the Town Manager. The bill also clarifies procedures for appointing acting clerks during election periods and ensures annual independent audits of town finances.

signed · Vermont · House May 8, 2023

H 418: An act relating to approval of an amendment to the charter of the Town of Barre

This bill formally approves a charter amendment for the Town of Barre that was previously voted on by local residents in May 2022. The change replaces the town's elected Board of Listers and Constable with appointed positions, giving the Selectboard authority to hire an Assessor and appoint a Constable for a one-year term. The Constable role now allows the Selectboard to limit or condition law enforcement authority based on certification requirements. The amendment takes effect immediately upon passage, ending the current terms of elected officials and transitioning to the new appointment system.

passed · Vermont · Senate Apr 27, 2023

S 146: An act relating to the permitting of indirect discharges

This bill updates Vermont's regulations for permitting indirect discharges of wastewater, primarily affecting on-site sewage systems and their permits. It clarifies that existing indirect discharges must comply with water quality standards and obtain permits by a specific deadline, while exempting smaller systems under 6,500 gallons per day from permitting requirements. The legislation requires more rigorous review and site-specific analysis for larger systems in high-quality waters, including cumulative impact assessments to protect Class A and B(1) water bodies. Additionally, it establishes a stakeholder group to evaluate how current agricultural and forestry practices protect high-quality waters and mandates periodic reporting on reclassification efforts and permit issuance in sensitive water areas.

Topics ✓ Environment

Bill results