Technology

H 262 restricts Vermont employers from using electronic monitoring of employees (like tracking computer use or location) and automated decision systems (such as AI tools for hiring or promotions) without specific limitations. Employers may only use such monitoring if it serves one of seven defined purposes (e.g., safety, compliance, or performance assessment) and is the least invasive method necessary. The bill requires employers to justify monitoring based on objective evidence and prohibits using it for general surveillance or non-essential purposes. It directly affects all Vermont employers, including contractors and job applicants, by imposing new requirements on workplace monitoring practices.

H.208 creates Vermont's first comprehensive data privacy law, giving residents specific rights over their personal data. It requires businesses to obtain clear, affirmative consent for data collection (prohibiting "dark patterns" like deceptive pop-ups), bans the sale of biometric data and sensitive health information (including gender-affirming and reproductive health data), and restricts online tracking. The law directly affects Vermont residents and any business collecting their data, including data brokers and companies using contextual advertising. Key provisions include mandatory opt-in consent for data processing, requirements for transparent privacy notices, and new protections against automated decisions affecting housing, employment, or healthcare access.

This bill allows telehealth and telephone medical consultations in Vermont to be recorded only with the explicit consent of both the patient and the health care provider. It amends Vermont law to require mutual consent before any recording of these appointments can occur, updating statutes for telemedicine (§ 9361) and audio-only phone consultations (§ 9362). The law directly affects all patients and providers using telehealth services in Vermont, ensuring recordings are permitted only with agreement from both parties. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.