Rep. Mary Morrissey

Maddy summaryThis House concurrent resolution congratulates Vermont athletes who won medals at the 2022 National Senior Games and designates March 15, 2023 as Senior Physical Fitness Day at the State House. It specifically honors 45 Vermonters who competed in 11 sports, including top finishers like 87-year-old Flo Meiler who won five gold medals. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send copies to the honored athletes, the Vermont Senior Games Association, and the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness. This is a ceremonial measure that recognizes athletic achievement and promotes senior fitness awareness without creating new laws or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires students graduating from Vermont public high schools to demonstrate civics knowledge as a condition of receiving a diploma. The law offers two pathways: passing the standard U.S. citizenship civics test with a minimum score of 60 percent, or completing one semester of community service with a local government organization under a mentor's supervision. The requirement applies to all public high school and career technical center students, though students with individualized education programs may participate at the discretion of their IEP team. The measure would take effect for students graduating in the 2025-2026 academic year or later.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurers in Vermont to offer the same Medicare supplemental insurance policies to people eligible for Medicare due to end-stage renal disease as they offer to those eligible by age or disability. The law mandates that insurers use community rating methods without medical underwriting or screening for these plans, ensuring equal access regardless of health status. It also establishes a six-month initial enrollment period for affected individuals and requires the state to collaborate with advocates to educate the public about Medicare supplemental insurance options. The changes take effect on January 1, 2024, and apply to all plans issued or renewed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont public schools to include Holocaust education in their curricula for grades six through twelve, starting in the 2024-2025 school year. It mandates that each supervisory union provide at least six hours of age-appropriate instruction annually, integrated into global citizenship or English language arts classes, while the Agency of Education will offer technical assistance to help schools develop and implement the program. The law defines key terms like "Holocaust" and "genocide" and outlines specific learning goals, including understanding how prejudice escalates to violence, recognizing the roles of perpetrators, bystanders, and rescuers, and examining how to combat discrimination in democratic societies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont State Colleges and the University of Vermont to give admission preference to in-state students who have completed career technical education programs in fields that the institutions offer. The law applies to eligible residents who have finished relevant CTE training and seeks to create a direct pathway for these students into postsecondary programs aligned with their technical background. The preference would be implemented starting July 1, 2023, and applies specifically to both the state college system and the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College.

Maddy summaryThis bill would exempt all U.S. military retirement income and military survivor benefit income from Vermont state income tax. It directly affects active and retired military personnel, as well as the surviving spouses and dependents of deceased service members who receive these benefits. The legislation amends existing tax code sections to remove military retirement and survivor benefits from taxable income, while also clarifying that taxpayers can only choose one income exclusion option if they qualify for multiple types of exemptions. The bill states its purpose is to honor and thank military retirees and their families for their service, and it applies retroactively to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill would remove existing bans and penalties on the purchase, use, and possession of tobacco products in Vermont, including electronic cigarettes and other nicotine-delivery devices not approved by the FDA for medical purposes. It updates legal definitions to clarify what counts as a tobacco product and tobacco substitute, while maintaining age restrictions that prohibit anyone under 21 from buying, possessing, or attempting to purchase these items. The legislation also establishes civil penalties for retailers who sell to minors and requires annual compliance testing by the Division of Liquor Control to ensure at least 90% accuracy in age verification for buyers between 17 and 20 years old.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to grant legal personhood status to a human fetus starting at 24 weeks of development, which would affect reproductive rights and abortion access in Vermont. The legislation amends state law to recognize fetal personhood from 24 weeks after the pregnant individual's last menstrual period while simultaneously protecting abortion access before that threshold. Key provisions prohibit public entities from restricting reproductive choices prior to 24 weeks and prevent law enforcement from prosecuting individuals for abortions performed before that point. The bill directly impacts pregnant individuals, healthcare providers, and public institutions by establishing a 24-week boundary for when fetal personhood protections would apply versus when reproductive choice protections remain in full effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont's Department of Health to submit an annual report on adverse reactions reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. The report must include data on the number of reactions, details by vaccine type and recipient age, emergency visits, hospitalizations, permanent disabilities, deaths, and information about compensation support activities. Health care practitioners administering vaccines in Vermont are also required to report all significant adverse events to the system, even if the vaccine connection is uncertain. The annual report will be sent to state health committees, posted online, and shared electronically with health care providers. The law takes effect on July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House concurrent resolution honoring the memory of former Representative Joseph L. Krawczyk Jr. of Bennington. It formally extends the General Assembly's sincere sympathy to his family following his death on December 13, 2022. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to Krawczyk's family. It recognizes his extensive service as a Vietnam veteran, Army colonel, state legislator, and community leader.