This bill requires Vermont municipalities to review housing development applications within 60 days, with failure to meet this deadline automatically approving the application. It also mandates that local governments determine if an application is complete within 15 days and must provide written reasons for any denials. The law applies to residential and multifamily housing projects and takes effect on July 1, 2024.
This bill would classify binary explosives, such as Tannerite, and similar two-component systems as legally defined explosives in Vermont. By amending the state's definitions of destructive devices and explosives, the legislation requires these compounds to be regulated under existing laws that govern traditional explosives. The change applies to anyone who possesses, sells, or uses these components, particularly when they are marketed together with instructions for combination. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2024, and does not alter regulations for standard firearms or ammunition components like primers or gunpowder.
This bill creates a new crime called land improvement fraud in Vermont, targeting contractors who deceive homeowners about construction or landscaping work. It applies to anyone performing work like driveway installation, tree removal, or forestry operations on residential or non-residential property, and it criminalizes actions such as failing to complete agreed-upon work, misrepresenting facts, or charging excessive prices during emergencies. People convicted of this crime face fines and jail time depending on the amount of financial loss caused, and they must either work under supervision of a licensed company or post a $50,000 surety bond to continue working in the industry. The bill also allows law enforcement to seize equipment used in fraudulent activities and requires convicted individuals to register with the Attorney General. Additionally, the legislation expands restrictions on timber trespass by requiring convicted offenders or those with civil judgments to post a bond before they can resume timber harvesting work.
This bill creates a pilot program to support antiracism and diversity work in Vermont schools by funding up to five Equity Teams in supervisory unions or school districts. The program would provide each team with a $10,000 stipend to review equity-related policies and curriculum, with team members including administrators, teachers, and students. An Equity Team Commission would oversee the pilot, select participating districts, and submit a report by September 2025 on the program's outcomes and potential for expansion. The initiative is funded through a $50,000 appropriation from the state General Fund and is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2024.
This bill requires all licensed Vermont educators to complete professional learning on evidence-based literacy instruction, with current teachers finishing by January 2025 and new teachers completing it within their second year of teaching. It also mandates that educator preparation programs be reviewed to ensure they teach evidence-based literacy practices and incorporates a new examination to test candidates on literacy fundamentals. Additionally, the bill extends the Advisory Council on Literacy through 2027 and transfers rulemaking authority for educator licensing from the Standards Board for Professional Educators to the Agency of Education. These changes aim to improve literacy outcomes for Vermont students by updating teacher training and oversight requirements.
This bill exempts accessory on-farm businesses from development permit requirements under Vermont's Act 250, allowing farmers to expand their operations without seeking state-level approval. The legislation defines accessory on-farm businesses as activities like processing and selling farm products, hosting educational events, or offering farm stays, provided more than 50% of sales come from products grown on-site. To qualify, the farm must follow required agricultural practices, the business must be operated by the farm owner or residents, and improvements cannot alter more than one acre of land. Municipalities retain the ability to adopt less restrictive rules, and the Secretary of Agriculture will provide training to help farms understand permit requirements for water and wastewater systems.
This bill establishes a new Vermont Data Privacy Act to protect the personal information of Vermont residents by creating clear rules for how businesses collect, use, and share consumer data. It defines key terms like personal data, consent, and profiling while explicitly excluding employees and commercial transactions from coverage. The law requires businesses to obtain clear affirmative consent from consumers, prohibits deceptive design practices known as dark patterns, and grants consumers specific rights over their data including access, deletion, and opt-out options. Companies must also implement reasonable security measures to protect personal information and provide mechanisms for consumers to exercise their privacy rights.
This bill establishes a legal right for tenants and homeowners in Vermont to install electric vehicle charging equipment at their residence, affecting landlords, property managers, and residents of rental properties and common interest communities. The law requires landlords to approve written tenant requests for charging equipment installation, provided the property already has at least 10% of parking spaces equipped with chargers, offers parking as part of the lease, or has fewer than five parking spaces. Tenants must cover installation costs, pay for electricity usage, and maintain liability insurance, while landlords cannot be forced to create new parking spaces or provide additional infrastructure beyond existing property rules.
This bill requires second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides to be registered as restricted-use pesticides in Vermont, meaning they can only be applied by certified pesticide professionals. It specifically targets products containing active ingredients like brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, and difethialone, which are currently available for broader use. The legislation directs the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets to create rules ensuring these rodenticides do not cause significant harm to non-target wildlife populations or their habitats. Additionally, the bill mandates a report by January 1, 2026, to assess the environmental and health impacts of regulating these substances as restricted-use pesticides. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024.
This bill requires Vermont school districts and independent schools to create written cardiac emergency response plans to improve safety during sudden cardiac arrest incidents. The plans must include specific steps for using school personnel, placing automated external defibrillators, conducting CPR and AED training, and coordinating with local emergency medical services. All schools must have these plans ready by the 2024-2025 school year, with high-needs schools defined as those where at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The legislation applies to both regular school settings and athletic events, ensuring consistent emergency preparedness across all school activities.
This bill would ban the sale, lease, or operation of motor vehicles with tinted windows on the windshield, vent windows, or side windows located immediately to the left and right of the driver in Vermont. It requires dealers to stop selling or leasing vehicles with these tinted windows and mandates that vehicles with such tint fail the annual safety inspection. The law includes exemptions for medical reasons, emergency vehicles, and specific areas on the windshield for stickers and toll transponders, allowing tint only on side and rear windows if the vehicle has proper mirrors. Dealers and vehicle owners would face administrative penalties for violations, and the Department of Motor Vehicles must update inspection procedures to enforce these rules starting January 1, 2025.
This bill modifies Vermont's theft laws to allow prosecutors to combine the value of multiple thefts occurring within 180 days to determine if a crime meets the $900 threshold for more serious charges. It directly affects individuals accused of grand larceny and retail theft by changing how the value of stolen property is calculated in certain cases. The key provision permits adding up the value of separate theft incidents within a six-month period to decide whether a case is charged as a felony rather than a misdemeanor. If the combined value of these related thefts exceeds $900, the charges could be elevated to grand larceny or felony retail theft, which carry heavier penalties. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.
