H.830 allows Vermont students or their parents/guardians in public and approved independent schools to opt out of using electronic devices for classroom work. Schools must create policies outlining how to exercise this right, including alternative learning methods and protections against discrimination for students who choose not to use devices. The bill also prohibits schools from punishing teachers who teach without electronic devices. It becomes effective July 1, 2026.
H.821 establishes an updated Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council in Vermont, requiring it to study AI's impacts on education, finance, and public health. The bill mandates that businesses using generative AI in consumer services must disclose this usage to customers. The Council must submit a report by January 15, 2027, with recommendations for ethical AI use in public services and pilot projects for public finance engagement. The bill also specifies the Council's membership composition, including state agency representatives and experts in ethics, health, and education. This legislation directly affects Vermont state agencies, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and businesses offering consumer services using AI tools.
H 813 requires approved independent schools receiving public funding to meet the same education quality standards, transparency rules, and accountability measures as Vermont public schools. It mandates these schools to develop annual improvement plans, publicly report student performance data (including graduation rates and cost-per-pupil), maintain safe facilities, employ licensed special educators, follow open meeting and public records laws, and not charge extra fees to publicly funded students. The bill directly affects independent schools that accept state tuition payments, ensuring they operate with comparable standards to public schools. Key provisions include standardized reporting formats, safety regulations, and prohibitions on charging additional fees beyond state funding. This extends Vermont’s public school accountability framework to all schools using public funds.
H.838 amends Vermont's State Employees’ Retirement System definitions to create a new Group G membership category. It directly affects specific state employees, including Department of Corrections security/treatment staff, justice youth facility workers, Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital employees, sheriffs, and certified deputy sheriffs who perform law enforcement as their primary duty. The bill establishes eligibility requirements: employees must be hired after July 1, 2023 (or elect to join by June 2023), or be current members who elect to join by December 2024, while meeting certification and employment criteria. This changes membership classification without altering retirement benefits or funding.
This is a symbolic House resolution (HR 12), not a policy bill. It expresses Vermont's support for Governor Philip B. Scott's statement criticizing federal immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota. The resolution specifically endorses the governor's call for halting "Operation Metro Surge" (the federal deployment of ICE/CBP agents), condemning the fatal shooting of a protester, and demanding adherence to constitutional rights. As a resolution, it has no legal effect or policy changes - it solely conveys legislative support for the governor's position.
This bill (H.808) modifies how harassment is evaluated under Vermont's Title 16 legal code. It specifically requires school districts to consider factors beyond student performance when determining the purpose or effect of harassment incidents. The bill directly affects school districts and their compliance with anti-harassment policies in educational settings. It changes the evaluation criteria for harassment cases by expanding the factors considered, moving away from student performance as the sole metric. The bill does not alter the definition of harassment itself but changes how its impact is assessed.
H.801 proposes creating a working group to improve state and regional government operations. The group, appointed by regional planning commissions, state agencies, municipalities, and stakeholders, must produce a December 2026 report surveying state programs aiding municipalities, assessing their impact, and recommending better regional coordination, service sharing, and potential consolidation of state boards. The report must also include proposals for aligning regional plans with state processes. The working group will consult with Vermont's AI Advisory Council and Division of AI to explore public engagement strategies using artificial intelligence, including incentives to improve social health determinants.
This bill (H 811) is a technical correction to Vermont law. It updates the legal reference in the statute governing the election of the Adjutant and Inspector General of the Vermont National Guard. Specifically, it adds a cross-reference to the existing law (2 V.S.A. § 10(c)) within the statute that sets the election process (20 V.S.A. § 363(a)(1)). The bill does not change the election process, timing, or who is elected - it only ensures the statutory references are consistent. This is a procedural update affecting only the legislative text, not the actual election procedures.
This bill establishes liability standards for developers and deployers of high-impact artificial intelligence systems in Vermont. It directly affects companies (excluding small businesses with <20 employees or <10,000 users) that create or operate AI systems making consequential decisions - such as in criminal justice, housing, employment, healthcare, or critical infrastructure. Key provisions require developers to ensure systems are safe for foreseeable use and deployers to guarantee systems don’t harm individual rights, with specific definitions for "high-impact AI" and "harm" (including physical, financial, reputational, or psychological injury). The law applies only to systems meeting the defined high-impact criteria, not general AI tools.
H 807 eliminates mandatory school attendance rules when a student misses school due to hazing, harassment, or bullying. This bill directly affects students experiencing these harmful behaviors, allowing them to avoid compulsory attendance without facing truancy penalties. The key provision removes the requirement for schools to count such absences as truancy, shifting focus from punishment to addressing the underlying issue. The bill aims to prevent further harm by not penalizing students for avoiding unsafe school environments.
H.791 establishes the "Vermont Government Data Practices Act," setting privacy standards for how state agencies handle personal information. It requires all Vermont state agencies (including departments, boards, and commissions) to only collect and store necessary personal data - such as health records, biometrics, location data, or financial details - directly from individuals when possible, and to maintain accuracy and relevance. The bill prohibits agencies from disclosing personal information without justification and mandates that contractors handling state data follow the same rules. This directly affects how Vermont's government manages citizen data across all executive branch operations.
This bill repeals most provisions of 2025 Acts and Resolves No. 73, which was a major education and tax reform package. It specifically retains changes to tuition eligibility for approved independent schools, State Board of Education appointment rules, and the creation of regional assessment districts. The bill also creates new property tax classifications: a higher rate for second homes/short-term rentals and a separate classification for seasonal residential properties taxed like nonhomestead nonresidential properties. These changes directly affect Vermont school districts, property taxpayers, and the administration of education funding. The repeal does not alter the foundation formula or other core education finance mechanisms established by the 2025 law.
