Labor & Employment (Professional Licensing)

This bill requires an annual allocation of at least $145,000 from the Fire Safety Special Fund to provide cancer screenings for all new firefighters entering Vermont's Firefighter I certification program. The screenings must meet National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) 1580 standards for emergency responders. The funding comes from insurance companies that pay into the Fire Safety Special Fund under existing law. This directly affects new firefighter trainees at the Vermont Fire Academy, ensuring they receive standardized cancer screenings as part of their entry-level training. The requirement takes effect July 1, 2026.

This bill amends Vermont's State Employees' Retirement System membership definitions, primarily updating Group G eligibility. It adds three new job categories to Group G: Department of Corrections facility employees providing direct security/treatment, justice-involved youth facility staff, and Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital patient care workers. It also expands Group G eligibility for sheriffs and deputy sheriffs who hold Level II/III law enforcement certification, perform law enforcement as their primary duty, and work for county sheriff's departments participating in the retirement system. The bill also clarifies existing Group C membership rules for certain public safety employees.

H.359 regulates when Vermont state agencies can replace permanent employees with private contractors. It requires agencies to provide 35 days' written notice to unions before seeking bids for privatization contracts, including details on wages (at least equal to comparable state positions) and services. Contracts must include wage standards, health insurance parity, performance metrics, and just-cause employment protections for contractor workers. The bill also mandates Attorney General certification that contracts align with merit system principles and requires annual audits to verify 10% cost savings and performance compliance before renewal. This directly affects state agencies, union-represented workers, and private contractors hired for state services.