Rep. Debbie Powers

Maddy summaryThis House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 74) is a ceremonial measure congratulating four Vermont youth selected as 2025 Boys & Girls Clubs of Vermont Youth of the Year honorees: Jason (Brattleboro), Kali (Burlington), Megan (Vergennes), and Tyler (Rutland). It formally recognizes their achievements as the highest honor bestowed by the Boys & Girls Clubs movement. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to each honoree. As a symbolic gesture with no policy impact, it does not affect laws, funding, or regulations.

Maddy summaryHCR 70 is a ceremonial resolution designating April 10, 2025, as Alzheimer’s Awareness Day at the Vermont State House. It formally recognizes the impact of Alzheimer’s disease in Vermont, citing local statistics about affected residents, caregivers, and associated costs. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to the Alzheimer’s Association, Vermont Chapter, and acknowledges current awareness efforts by families, caregivers, and medical professionals. This is a non-binding designation with no new policy or funding changes.

Maddy summaryHCR 65 is a symbolic resolution designating May 2025 as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) Awareness Month in Vermont. It recognizes PSP - a rare, progressive neurological disorder affecting movement, cognition, and daily functioning in approximately 20,000 Americans - as a condition requiring greater public and healthcare awareness. The resolution directs Vermont’s Secretary of State to send copies to CurePSP (a national advocacy group) and the Vermont Medical Society. This non-binding measure aims to highlight PSP’s challenges, support affected families, and encourage broader understanding, with no new funding or policy changes.

Maddy summaryH.502 would change Vermont’s Public Records Act to allow public agencies to charge requesters the actual cost of staff time spent fulfilling record requests, rather than using a flat fee structure. This directly affects public agencies (like town offices or state departments) and individuals or organizations seeking public records. The key provision requires agencies to calculate and collect the precise cost of employee hours dedicated to processing each request. The bill does not alter the right to access public records but changes how fees for staff time are calculated and collected.

Maddy summaryHCR 55 is a symbolic resolution recognizing April 2025 as "Month of the Military Child" in Vermont. It directly acknowledges the experiences of Vermont military children, particularly those with parents in the Vermont National Guard (approximately 1,000 personnel deployed annually), who face challenges like frequent relocations and parental deployment. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to the Vermont National Guard’s Child & Youth Services office. As a concurrent resolution, it has no legal force but serves to honor military-connected youth through official state recognition.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution recognizes March 2025 as National Athletic Training Month in Vermont. It acknowledges athletic trainers as licensed health care professionals who provide injury prevention, acute care, and rehabilitation services in schools, clinics, military settings, and other workplaces across Vermont. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers (VAAT) and formally honors their contributions to public health. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or funding.

Maddy summaryHCR 60 is a ceremonial resolution designating March 25, 2025, as Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Day at the Vermont State House. It formally recognizes advocates and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who will visit the State House that day to discuss service needs. The resolution has no policy or funding changes - it simply designates a day for acknowledgment and directs the Secretary of State to share the resolution with advocacy groups present. This is a symbolic gesture, not a substantive legislative action.

Maddy summaryHCR 54 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Thomas Paul Salmon, a former Vermont Representative, Governor (75th), and Interim University of Vermont President. The resolution expresses the General Assembly's condolences to his family following his death on January 14, 2025, and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to them. It commemorates his career, including his two terms as governor (1972-1978) and his six-year tenure as UVM Interim President. As a non-binding memorial resolution, it has no policy impact or direct effect on constituents.

Maddy summaryHCR 13 is a non-binding memorial resolution honoring Robert Louis Picher, the former Clerk of the Vermont House of Representatives. It commemorates his 30 years of service (1963-1993, plus 2002 acting role), military career, legal background, and community contributions. The resolution expresses the Vermont General Assembly’s condolences to his family and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to them. This is purely ceremonial with no policy changes or affected constituents.

Maddy summaryHCR 48 is a ceremonial resolution honoring former Vermont House Representative Curt McCormack of Burlington, who died in September 2024. It recognizes his environmental advocacy (including pioneering work on chlorofluorocarbon limits), transportation leadership (as Bicycle-Pedestrian Coordinator and House Transportation Committee Chair), and service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal. The resolution extends condolences to his family and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to them. This procedural resolution does not create policy changes or affect any constituents.