Vermont Bills

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 369: An act relating to parental rights and responsibilities

H 369 establishes a legal presumption that shared parental rights and responsibilities (meaning both parents share decision-making and physical care) are in the best interests of a child after separation or divorce. Courts must assume shared parenting is appropriate unless evidence shows it would cause direct physical harm or significant emotional harm to the child or a parent. The bill updates the factors courts consider in custody cases, including parents' ability to communicate and cooperate, the child's relationship with each parent, and the child's adjustment to their current environment. It also requires child support orders to reflect the true cost of raising a child and approximate the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the family remained intact. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 387: An act relating to the creation of a property right for an individual’s personal characteristics

H 387 would require businesses and individuals to obtain an individual's consent before using their name, likeness, voice, portrait, or picture for commercial purposes. The bill creates a legal right that gives people control over how their personal characteristics are used in advertising, marketing, or promotional materials. It directly affects businesses that market products or services and individuals whose image or voice might be used without permission. This law aims to protect personal privacy by preventing unauthorized commercial exploitation of an individual's identity.

Topics ✓ Technology

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 354: An act relating to a thermal efficiency benefits charge

H 354 creates a new "thermal efficiency benefits charge" that Vermont utility customers using unregulated fuels (like oil or propane for heating) would pay as a separate line item on their bills starting July 1, 2025. The funds collected would go into an Electric Efficiency Fund to support programs, including a 25% incentive for installing high-efficiency biomass heating systems (without requiring other energy upgrades). The charge aims to fund societally cost-effective thermal efficiency programs that help meet greenhouse gas reduction goals under Vermont law. It directly affects residential and commercial customers of unregulated fuels, not electricity or natural gas utility customers.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 373: An act relating to pilot projects expanding democratic practices in State and local government

H 373 proposes pilot programs to expand democratic participation in Vermont's state and local governments. It would create new neighborhood and regional planning assemblies, test methods like random selection (sortition) and structured group discussions (charrettes), require paid time off for election participation, and fund school assemblies to decide school policies. The bill also explores linking community engagement to health outcomes and provides grants for schools to use deliberative processes. These pilot projects would affect towns, cities, villages, schools, and public bodies, but the bill is currently in committee and has not become law.

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 358: An act relating to motor vehicle inspections

H.358 (An act relating to motor vehicle inspections) limits when noncommercial vehicles fail safety inspections in Vermont. It requires inspection stations to fail a vehicle only if a part or system poses an immediate risk of accident (like faulty brakes), not for minor issues. For non-dangerous problems (e.g., worn tires), stations must provide written documentation to the owner detailing the issue and recommended fixes, with a copy kept in the vehicle. This bill affects all Vermont vehicle owners and inspection stations, taking effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Transportation

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 395: An act relating to creating the Municipal Law Enforcement Assistance Program

H 395 creates a Municipal Law Enforcement Assistance Program allowing Vermont towns and cities to vote to add a $75 surcharge on civil penalties collected by the Judicial Bureau for violations occurring within their borders. Municipalities must first approve the surcharge via voter vote, and the Judicial Bureau would collect the surcharge (keeping $5 for administration) and remit the rest quarterly to the municipality. Funds received must be used exclusively for local law enforcement services like staffing, equipment, or training. The bill requires municipalities to notify the Judicial Bureau within 10 days of approval, with the program effective July 1, 2025, pending committee review and passage. This applies only to communities choosing to adopt the surcharge.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 362: An act relating to State recognition of Native American tribes and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

H.362 revises Vermont's process for recognizing Native American tribes and strengthens transparency for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It requires new proof of ancestry, community presence, and cultural connection for tribes seeking state recognition, and mandates consultation with Odanak Abenaki leaders on all related policies. The bill creates a task force to review past tribal recognitions and establishes a three-member review panel system for applications, with members chosen independently to avoid conflicts of interest. It also directs the Commission to fund Odanak Abenaki-led cultural preservation projects. The bill does not alter existing tribal recognition status but changes how future applications are evaluated and reviewed.

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 376: An act relating to the creation of the Treatment and Recovery Fund and the labeling and taxation of alcoholic beverages

H 376 requires all alcoholic beverages sold in Vermont to display clear labels showing alcohol content in U.S. Standard Drinks, along with cancer warnings and serving facts (like calories and sugar). It increases taxes on beer, hard cider, wine, and spirits, with future tax hikes tied to inflation starting in 2027. The bill creates the Treatment and Recovery Fund, which will use all new tax revenue to fund mental health services in schools and alcohol treatment/supportive housing programs. This affects alcohol manufacturers, retailers, and consumers across Vermont by changing labeling rules, raising costs for certain beverages, and directing new tax revenue to public health services.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 370: An act relating to cryptocurrency and protecting the public welfare

H.370, the "Cryptocurrency Public Protection Act," prohibits Vermont state pension funds and all state funds from investing in cryptocurrency, requiring them to divest holdings by July 1, 2025. It mandates the state financial regulator to develop fraud prevention rules for cryptocurrency by November 2025 and requires the Public Utility Commission to investigate cryptocurrency mining facility locations and utility rates to protect communities and ratepayers. The bill directly affects state retirement systems, consumers through fraud safeguards, and municipalities regarding mining facility impacts. Key mechanisms include mandatory divestment timelines, regulatory framework development, and environmental/siting reviews for mining operations. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Technology

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 381: An act relating to prohibiting the manufacture and transfer of gas-operated semiautomatic firearms

Vermont's H.381 prohibits the manufacture, sale, transfer, and import of gas-operated semiautomatic firearms, which are defined as weapons using gas pressure to automatically reload after each shot (e.g., certain rifles and pistols). The bill requires the Attorney General to publish a list of prohibited firearms by October 1, 2025, with exemptions for law enforcement, military personnel, federal entities, and immediate family transfers. It applies to owners and dealers, with penalties including up to one year in jail or a $1,000 fine for violations. The law takes effect on October 1, 2025, and does not apply to firearms legally possessed by licensed dealers before that date.

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 361: An act relating to creating municipal and regional civilian oversight of law enforcement

This bill creates local civilian oversight boards in Vermont municipalities and regions to investigate complaints against police officers and agencies. These boards, which can be appointed or elected, receive complaints, conduct investigations (in addition to agency reviews), and issue public reports with recommendations that the Vermont Criminal Justice Council must consider. The bill specifically bans chokehold training except for prevention and requires law enforcement agencies to report serious incidents like officer-involved deaths to these boards within 10 business days. It directly affects all Vermont police departments, officers, and the Criminal Justice Council, which must follow board recommendations on officer discipline.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 386: An act relating to establishing an Agricultural Land Transfer Assistance Program

H.386 establishes Vermont's Agricultural Land Transfer Assistance Program within the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to help current farm owners plan land transfers and connect with new farmers. The program provides a free succession planning toolkit with financial resources, legal templates, and farm-specific education, plus an online land portal matching sellers with buyers committed to farming. It also creates a Land Transfer and Succession Board to guide implementation and trains "land transfer navigators" to assist both sellers and prospective farmers through the process. This directly affects Vermont farm owners seeking to sell or transfer land and new farmers aiming to purchase agricultural land, aiming to maintain farmland for agricultural use.

Bill results