This Vermont House resolution (H.R. 13) is a symbolic statement, not a binding law. It calls for a global ceasefire, truth and reconciliation processes, and an end to apartheid, specifically referencing concerns about Israeli conduct in Gaza as noted in a future-dated UN report (2025). The resolution directs Vermont’s House Clerk to send copies to U.S. President Trump, Israeli President Herzog, Palestinian Authority President Abbas, UN Secretary-General Guterres, and Vermont’s congressional delegation. It does not create new legal obligations but expresses Vermont’s support for conflict resolution between Palestinians and Israelis. The resolution cites Vermont’s historical opposition to apartheid (e.g., divestment from South Africa in 1986) as context for its position.
H 847 adds a voluntary checkoff box to Vermont's individual income tax returns, allowing taxpayers to direct a portion of their tax refund or overpayment to Hunger Free Vermont, Inc. The bill requires the Commissioner of Taxes to deduct designated funds from refunds/overpayments and deposit them into a dedicated account for Hunger Free Vermont. It mandates that taxpayers receive clear information about the program and annual financial reports from the organization. The checkoff is entirely optional, with funds only deducted if a taxpayer chooses to contribute, and applies retroactively to tax years beginning January 1, 2025.
H 865 requires Vermont public servants to disclose travel costs and details to the Ethics Commission for any travel related to their official duties or public role. This includes the purpose, destination, all costs (transportation, lodging, meals), and who paid for each expense (state, personal, or outside sources like lobbyists). Public servants must submit these disclosures within 30 days of travel start (or weekly for trips over 30 days), excluding regular commuting. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, aiming to increase transparency in public travel spending.
H.858 creates a new statewide collective bargaining unit for sworn law enforcement officers and full-time state firefighters in Vermont. It specifically covers officers from the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Liquor and Lottery, and Department of Motor Vehicles (all certified under 20 V.S.A. chapter 151), plus all full-time state firefighters, and any other certified law enforcement officers not already covered by existing contracts. The bill excludes managers/supervisors and employees already represented by three existing bargaining units (State Police, Supervisory, and State Deputy Sheriffs). This new unit, called the "State Law Enforcement and Firefighters Bargaining Unit," will apply to negotiations starting July 1, 2026.
H.863 imposes a $0.30 fee on retail deliveries (like online orders shipped to Vermont) that are subject to sales tax, collected by vendors and listed separately on receipts. It permits municipalities to levy a local tax on gasoline and diesel fuel sales and allocates funds to transportation programs including electric vehicle incentives, public transit coordination, and creating pollinator habitats along roads. The bill also requires public EV charging stations to accept credit cards and provide real-time availability, and mandates a study on electric bicycle safety. These provisions aim to fund infrastructure improvements, support clean energy transitions, and enhance transportation equity.
H.851 proposes three pilot programs: (1) Incentivizing existing gas stations to install EV charging stations and add amenities like food, rest areas, and showers for travelers; (2) Creating incentives for public transit riders (e.g., discounts or prizes) and exploring autonomous vehicles to expand service frequency and hours; and (3) Establishing a state-operated rideshare service for on-demand transportation across Vermont, funded by its own revenues to support existing transit agencies. The bill directly affects gas station operators, EV drivers, public transit users, and Vermont’s transit agencies. Key provisions include station upgrades, rider rewards, autonomous vehicle trials, and a new state rideshare program. All changes are structured as temporary pilot programs within the Agency of Transportation.
Vermont's H 855 prohibits defendants in civil lawsuits from claiming that autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) independently caused harm to a plaintiff. It directly affects companies or individuals who develop, modify, or use AI systems that result in injury. The bill bans this specific defense while allowing other legal arguments, such as negligence or foreseeability. It defines AI broadly as systems that generate outputs to influence environments based on input, without altering other defenses under the law.
H.869 requires Vermont union school districts to fill vacancies on school boards where seats are tied to specific towns by appointing an eligible person chosen by that town's selectboard. The district must notify the selectboard within five days of a vacancy, and the selectboard has 30 days to select a replacement to serve until the next election. This applies to districts using proportional representation (based on town population) or a modified at-large system for town-specific seats. The bill standardizes the vacancy-filling process for these districts, replacing prior unspecified procedures.
This bill requires Vermont's Division of Fire Safety to update building codes by July 2027 to set minimum sound control standards for nonresidential spaces in public buildings (like schools, libraries, or community centers). It mandates that ceilings in these spaces must cover at least 50% of visible area with sound-absorbing materials rated to reduce echoes (minimum 0.75 noise reduction coefficient), and may include additional rules for walls and floors. The requirements exclude dwelling units (like apartments) and utility rooms. The changes take effect on July 1, 2026, with full implementation by July 2027.
H.857 prohibits alcohol retailers from displaying alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages together in the same retail space, directly affecting businesses holding alcohol retail licenses. It also allocates funds to the Cannabis Control Board to commission an independent legal analysis of Vermont’s current cannabis advertising regulations. The bill does not change advertising rules but seeks to evaluate the existing legal framework for cannabis advertising. This focuses on clarifying regulatory alignment with health policies rather than implementing new restrictions.
H 859 establishes a Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Board to review research on psychedelic therapy's benefits for mental health and substance use disorders, and to recommend state programs allowing therapeutic use of psychedelics. The bill requires Vermont's Department of Health to contract with a Vermont entity to conduct clinical drug development trials specifically for ibogaine - a treatment being studied for substance use disorders and trauma. The Advisory Board will assess public health impacts, monitor other states' programs, and propose pilot projects for psychedelic-assisted therapy in end-of-life care or for mental health conditions. This directly affects Vermont's healthcare system, mental health providers, and individuals seeking treatment for conditions resistant to current therapies.
H.854 modifies Vermont legislators' pay based on when the regular legislative session ends. It ensures members receive full salary if the session concludes before the first Friday in May. If the session extends beyond that date, members get only expense reimbursement for up to three weeks past May 1, and no pay or reimbursement for longer sessions. This directly affects all Vermont General Assembly members by tying their compensation to session timing rather than calendar dates. The bill amends existing pay statutes to create this incentive structure.
