HCR 201 is a ceremonial resolution congratulating the 5/6 St. Albans Steelers youth football team on winning the inaugural Northern Vermont Youth Football League 5/6 championship. The resolution formally recognizes the team's undefeated 9-0 season record and championship victory over the Chittenden South Buccaneers. It has no policy provisions or direct impact on laws or constituents; it solely serves to honor the team's achievement through a formal expression of the Vermont General Assembly.
This bill removes Vermont corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and other business entities' ability to spend money on election-related activities or ballot initiatives. It defines "election activity" and "ballot-issue activity" more clearly and revokes any prior legal authority allowing these entities to fund such efforts. The law specifically prohibits corporations from paying, contributing, or expending money for political campaigns or ballot measures, while preserving their core business powers. This applies uniformly across all entity types and aims to align corporate powers with the General Assembly's intent that political spending wasn't granted when entities were formed.
This bill adjusts Vermont's special education funding to keep pace with inflation. It requires the state to calculate annual funding for each supervisory union (school district group) using a base amount adjusted each year by the official inflation rate for government spending. Starting in fiscal year 2027, funding will be determined by multiplying this inflation-adjusted base amount by the union's long-term student enrollment average. The change ensures special education funding maintains its real value over time, directly affecting all Vermont school districts providing federally mandated special education services.
H.901 requires all Vermont municipal, regional, and state emergency management plans to include disability expertise and use a framework (C-MIST) to identify and address the needs of people with disabilities during emergencies. It mandates that emergency planning include people with lived disability experience, partner with disability-led organizations, and update plan templates to ensure accessible shelters, communications, and evacuation routes. The bill also requires schools to develop disability-inclusive emergency plans, prohibits disability-specific disaster registries, and mandates state agencies to inspect emergency shelters for ADA compliance. This directly affects local governments, emergency management organizations, schools, and state agencies responsible for emergency planning and response.
H.904 proposes creating an automated system to handle DNA match notifications for Vermont's public safety database. The system would automatically receive DNA match alerts from the state database, send them to designated law enforcement agencies, and track the actions those agencies take in response. This bill directly affects law enforcement agencies that use Vermont's State DNA Database and State Databank. The key change is replacing manual processes with an automated workflow for managing DNA match information.
H 903 requires Vermont healthcare providers (physicians and psychiatrists) issuing mental health certification certificates under 18 V.S.A. §§ 7504 and 7508 to consider behavioral information from sources like family, caregivers, school staff, or law enforcement about the patient’s days/weeks prior to evaluation. It prohibits providers from relying solely on a patient’s immediate clinical presentation to determine if they meet the legal standard for "person in need of treatment." Instead, providers must also document additional risk information not visible during the exam, such as patterns of behavior observed outside a clinical setting. This bill directly affects mental health professionals making involuntary treatment certification decisions in Vermont.
This Vermont House concurrent resolution (HCR 197) formally congratulates the YMCA on its 175th anniversary and extends best wishes for its future work. It specifically acknowledges the YMCA's national history and its local impact in Vermont, noting that the YMCA of Greater Burlington and Meeting Waters YMCA serve 15,000 Vermonters annually. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to these two Vermont branches. As a ceremonial resolution, it contains no new policies, funding, or requirements - it is purely a symbolic gesture of recognition.
This Vermont joint resolution (JRS 37) expresses legislative support for gender equality in Olympic Nordic combined competition. It specifically urges the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include women in this sport, noting that women like Vermonter Tara Geraghty-Moats have competed successfully in non-Olympic events but were excluded from the Olympics, leading some athletes to switch sports. The resolution directs Vermont's Secretary of State to send a copy to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), Nordic Combined USA, and the IOC. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws but aligns Vermont with international advocacy efforts for the sport's inclusion of women in the 2026 Winter Olympics and beyond.
JRS 40 is a procedural joint resolution that adjusts the Vermont legislative schedule. It directs the Senate and House to adjourn on Friday, February 13, 2026, and reconvene no later than Tuesday, February 17, 2026, skipping the weekend. This resolution directly affects the Vermont General Assembly's calendar for that specific session period.
This bill (H.900) would exempt all Social Security benefits from Vermont's personal income tax. It directly affects Vermont residents who receive Social Security benefits, including retirement, disability, or survivor payments. The key provision removes the state tax liability on these benefits, meaning recipients would no longer pay Vermont income tax on that income. The bill aims to provide tax relief for this specific group of Vermonters.
This concurrent resolution designates February 2026 as Recovery Awareness Month in Vermont to highlight efforts addressing substance abuse challenges. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes Vermont's ongoing work through organizations like VAMHAR and Recovery Partners of Vermont. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to share it with these groups to support their awareness initiatives. It directly affects Vermont residents by promoting community engagement with recovery resources.
HCR 194 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Robert P. Nolan, a North Bennington educator, coach, volunteer firefighter, and community leader who died at age 93 in 2025. The resolution expresses the Vermont General Assembly's sympathy to his family and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to them. It does not create any new laws, policies, or financial obligations - it solely commemorates Nolan's decades of service to his community, including 30 years teaching, 70 years with the local fire department, and leadership roles in church and youth activities. This is a non-binding tribute with no direct impact on legislation or affected parties beyond the family.
