Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Office of the Housing Advocate within the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development to assist landlords, tenants, and homeowners with housing-related questions and concerns. The office would be run by a nonprofit organization under contract and led by a Chief Housing Advocate who can provide information, referrals, and help with complaints or appeals related to housing services. Key provisions include educating residents on their rights, investigating housing problems, monitoring housing laws, and ensuring confidential handling of complaints while preventing conflicts of interest among staff. The office must submit annual reports to state legislators and other agencies, and all state agencies are required to cooperate with its reasonable requests for information.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the State of Vermont to cover all costs for public schools that need remediation, mitigation, reconstruction, or new construction due to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contamination. It applies to public schools tested by the Agency of Natural Resources after 2015 that show PCB levels exceeding the state's action threshold. The legislation defines "public school" according to existing state law and ensures eligible schools receive funding or reimbursement for necessary cleanup and rebuilding expenses.
Maddy summaryThis bill would remove criminal penalties for possessing, dispensing, or selling psilocybin in Vermont and create a Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group to study the potential for regulated therapeutic use. The legislation cites research suggesting psilocybin may help treat mental health conditions like depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders, and it amends state law to exclude psilocybin from the definition of hallucinogenic drugs. The newly formed working group would include legislators, medical professionals, researchers, and community members to review evidence, examine programs in other states, and recommend whether Vermont should establish a regulated system for healthcare providers to administer psychedelics therapeutically. The group must submit its findings and recommendations by November 15, 2024, to relevant legislative committees.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Vermont Rental Housing Improvement Program to provide grants and forgivable loans to private landlords for rehabilitating rental housing units, with a focus on non-code-compliant or newly created units. The program is administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development through statewide or regional nonprofit housing organizations, which distribute funds to eligible landlords who must contribute at least 20 percent in matching funds or in-kind services. Recipients cannot use assisted units for short-term rentals and must prioritize leasing to households exiting homelessness or refugee resettlement programs for five years, with alternative income-based tenant requirements if qualifying households are unavailable. The bill also establishes transparency requirements, mandating that recipient identities and award amounts be published quarterly online, and limits individual grants or loans to a maximum of $50,000 per unit.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits settlement agreements in employment discrimination cases from preventing an employee from continuing to work for their employer or any affiliated company. It makes any clause in such agreements that restricts an employee's ability to work void and unenforceable, ensuring that resolving a discrimination claim does not result in the employee being barred from their job. The law applies to agreements entered into after June 30, 2023, while leaving earlier settlements unaffected. Employers and employees affected by discrimination claims will need to ensure settlement terms do not include restrictions on future employment.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Vermont state laws to lower the threshold for what constitutes unlawful harassment in employment, schools, and public accommodations. It directly affects employers, employees, educational institutions, and businesses by changing how harassment cases are evaluated. The key provision removes the requirement that harassment must be "severe or pervasive" to be illegal, allowing a single incident to potentially qualify as unlawful if it creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. Additionally, the bill clarifies that harassment can be determined based on the totality of circumstances rather than isolated incidents, and it protects individuals even if they participated in or continued working despite the conduct.
Maddy summaryThis bill would allow executors or administrators of a deceased person's estate to file a lawsuit for defamation on behalf of the deceased. The key provision adds defamation actions to the list of legal claims that can survive a person's death and be pursued by their estate representatives. It permits these lawsuits to be based on defamatory statements made either before or after the person died, regardless of when the law takes effect. The change directly affects estate managers and attorneys representing deceased individuals' estates in Vermont.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes funding for a new full-time litigator position within Vermont's Human Rights Commission. It allocates $120,000 from the state's General Fund in fiscal year 2024 to cover the salary and benefits for this role. The legislation aims to strengthen the commission's capacity to handle legal cases related to human rights violations. The funding takes effect on July 1, 2023, and directly impacts the commission's operational resources and staffing levels.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Vermont Agency of Human Services to update specific administrative rules to use respectful language and reflect current practices. It requires the agency to submit a plan by January 1, 2024, to amend rules governing intermediate care facilities, guardianship for mentally retarded persons, Medicaid regulations, long-term care services, and vocational rehabilitation. The agency must prioritize updating the rules related to intermediate care facilities and guardianship. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2023, and applies to the agency's rulemaking processes rather than directly changing how services are delivered to individuals.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary Building Energy Code Study Committee to address low compliance rates with Vermont's residential and commercial building energy standards. The committee will consist of 15 members representing government agencies, industry groups, and municipalities, and will study strategies to improve code enforcement and administration. Key recommendations may include designating the Division of Fire Safety as the statewide authority for energy code enforcement and developing funding mechanisms such as incentives and federal grants. The committee must submit its final report to the General Assembly by December 1, 2023, and will be funded with $125,000 for consultant services and member compensation.