This bill (S 145) would amend Vermont's State Employees Labor Relations Act to explicitly include Assistant Attorneys General as "State employees" eligible for collective bargaining. Currently excluded from this right, Assistant Attorneys General working in State's Attorneys' offices would gain the ability to organize unions and negotiate wages, benefits, and working conditions with their employers. The bill achieves this by revising the definition of "State employee" in the law to remove the specific exclusion for Assistant Attorneys General. The change would take effect on July 1, 2025.
S.144 (An act relating to secondary enforcement of certain motor vehicle violations) prohibits police from stopping drivers solely for minor traffic violations like expired registration stickers, unobstructed license plates, or minor equipment issues (such as a single broken taillight). It requires officers to have already detained a driver for a different, more serious violation before enforcing these specific minor offenses. The bill also bans officers from asking for consent to search a vehicle or questioning drivers about unrelated matters after a traffic stop, except when detecting evidence of another crime. This takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all Vermont law enforcement.
S 141 prohibits possessing firearms or dangerous weapons in Vermont state buildings, affecting all visitors, employees, and contractors entering such facilities. Key provisions define "dangerous weapon" (excluding pocket knives under 2.5 inches) and "state building" (excluding privately leased portions), with exceptions for law enforcement, National Guard, and authorized educational activities. Violations carry fines up to $2,000 or 1 year in jail, increasing to $10,000 or 5 years if weapons are used to commit crimes. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, after being referred to the Judiciary Committee on April 3, 2025. It does not apply to authorized activities like training classes or official duties by specific personnel.
Vermont's S.143 expands the Advisory Council on Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying Prevention in Schools to include 15 members, adding student representatives from the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network and Education Justice Coalition, disability rights advocates, and organizations focused on racial equity and domestic violence. The bill requires the Council to review and update model prevention policies every two years starting in 2025, develop resources on restorative practices and disability accommodations, and annually gather student and parent input. It mandates an annual report to the legislature with recommendations for policy improvements and resource needs. This directly affects schools, educators, and students by strengthening statewide prevention frameworks and response protocols.
This bill creates a "second look" process allowing Vermont courts to review long-term sentences for incarcerated individuals who have served at least 10 years or 50% of a sentence (if at least five years total). It also establishes compassionate release for inmates aged 65+ with serious medical needs, those with terminal/incurable conditions, or those with debilitating health issues who pose no public safety risk. The Department of Corrections must notify eligible inmates and provide petition forms after 40% of their sentence is served, and courts must hold hearings within 45 days if eligibility criteria are met. Petitions require specific documentation and cannot be filed more frequently than every two years after a denial.
This bill requires Vermont's Secretary of Natural Resources to study packaging waste management by January 2027. The study will examine current recycling rates, barriers to reducing plastic waste, health/environmental impacts of packaging chemicals, and opportunities for reuse programs. It also bans the use of chemical conversion technologies (like breaking down plastic into fuel or oil) for plastic waste disposal in Vermont. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.
This bill prohibits Vermont municipalities from passing laws that criminalize basic activities like sleeping, camping, or resting on public property for unhoused individuals. It creates state-funded grants to support municipal programs offering housing assistance, mental health care, job training, and temporary shelter in designated "humanitarian zones" with access to sanitation and water. Municipalities must report annually on homelessness progress and include homelessness strategies in local planning. The bill also requires the state to expand low-barrier housing programs and establish a task force to oversee implementation.
S 137 would require Vermont primary and general election ballots to include a new "None of these candidates" option. Voters selecting this option would have their vote counted specifically as a valid vote for "None" rather than as a blank or invalid ballot. The bill amends election laws to add this option after candidate names on ballots and specifies that such votes must be recorded separately on tally sheets. This change directly affects all Vermont voters participating in primary and general elections starting July 1, 2025.
This bill establishes a state Task Force to study and develop proposals for reparations related to chattel slavery in Vermont. The Task Force will examine the historical impacts of chattel slavery, consider whether the state should issue an apology, and recommend specific remedies to the Vermont General Assembly. It directly affects Vermont's government by creating a formal body to conduct this study and provide recommendations. The bill does not implement reparations itself but sets up the process for the legislature to consider them based on the Task Force's findings.
This bill (H.500) prevents the repeal of existing Vermont regulations governing automated license plate recognition (ALPR) systems used by law enforcement. It specifically preserves provisions in 23 V.S.A. chapter 15, subchapter 2 that regulate how police can use ALPR data, including rules for data retention and permissible uses. The bill directly affects Vermont law enforcement agencies that deploy ALPR technology. It maintains current restrictions on how long license plate data can be stored and how it may be accessed or shared, without creating new requirements. The legislation is procedural, aiming to keep existing privacy safeguards in place.
This bill (H 497) requires all approved independent schools and postsecondary schools in Vermont to comply with existing student freedom of expression rights for school-sponsored media, as defined in Vermont law. Specifically, it mandates that independent schools follow 16 V.S.A. § 1623 and postsecondary schools follow 16 V.S.A. § 180. The law ensures students can express views through school publications and media without censorship by school authorities. It directly affects students and school administrators at these institutions by requiring adherence to established media rights protections. The bill is currently in the Education Committee after its first reading on April 1, 2025.
S 136 adds two faculty or staff trustees to the boards of trustees for both the Vermont State Colleges Corporation and the University of Vermont. This increases the Vermont State Colleges board from 15 to 17 members and the UVM board from 25 to 27 members. The new trustees will be elected by the faculty and staff of each institution, with the Vermont State Colleges board required to elect its new faculty/staff trustee by August 1, 2025. The bill aims to enhance representation from academic staff on these governing bodies.
