Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Thermal Energy Network Act, would bring thermal energy networks under the regulatory authority of Vermont's Public Utility Commission. It directly affects companies and organizations that build or operate systems that distribute heat from noncombustion sources like geothermal energy to buildings for heating, cooling, and hot water. The legislation requires a certificate of public good from the commission before anyone can construct such networks, and it grants these networks the same rights as electric and gas utilities to place infrastructure on private or public land. The commission must also create rules to simplify permitting, prioritize serving low and moderate income customers, and allow small networks serving fewer than 50 people to receive approval within 31 days.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes establishing a new Vermont Climate Infrastructure Fund to support climate-related projects and investments across the state. Administered by the State Treasurer's Office with an advisory board, the fund would coordinate financing efforts with existing agencies like the Vermont Economic Development Authority and Vermont Bond Bank to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve climate resilience. The fund would invest in clean energy solutions, forest and agricultural land improvements, watershed health, and projects that benefit underserved communities while also seeking federal funding opportunities and stimulating private investment.
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 requires employers in Vermont to pay tipped workers the standard minimum wage starting January 1, 2024, instead of allowing a reduced "tipped minimum wage." It applies to employees in hotels, motels, tourist places, and restaurants who regularly receive more than $120 per month in tips. The legislation also sets a transitional phase where tipped workers must receive at least half the minimum wage beginning July 1, 2023, before reaching full minimum wage coverage in 2024. The standard minimum wage itself continues to increase annually by either 5% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is smaller, ensuring tipped workers benefit from these raises once the transition is complete.
Maddy summaryThis bill would require employers in Vermont to have good cause before terminating employees who have worked for at least 60 days, while exempting casual employees and those with fewer than 60 days of employment. The legislation defines good cause as failure to perform job duties after progressive discipline, egregious misconduct, or legitimate business reasons, and limits termination based on off-duty conduct to situations with a clear connection to job performance. Employers would need to follow a progressive discipline process including verbal warnings, written warnings, and written reprimands before termination, except in cases of egregious misconduct or legitimate business reasons. The bill also allows employees or representative organizations to bring enforcement actions on behalf of the state for violations of these termination requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands labor protections for agricultural and domestic workers in Vermont by granting them the right to collectively bargain and extending minimum wage, overtime pay, workers' compensation, and unemployment insurance benefits to these groups. It also establishes a "good cause" standard for terminating employment, requires employers to provide severance pay, and allows employees to sue on behalf of the state for violations of this termination requirement. Additionally, the bill protects workers from adverse employment actions related to their exercise of First Amendment rights and permits collective bargaining representatives to be certified through voluntary employer recognition or majority employee sign-up. These changes directly affect employers of agricultural and domestic workers while providing new legal rights and protections for those workers.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a public prekindergarten education program in Vermont, making full-day early education available to three- and four-year-old children and five-year-olds not yet in kindergarten. It creates a new Department of Economic Empowerment by reorganizing the Department for Children and Families, adds a second Deputy Secretary to the Agency of Education with specific qualifications, and provides property tax exemptions for child care providers. The legislation also expands eligibility and payment rates for the Child Care Financial Assistance Program, creates a new Noncitizen Child Care Assistance Program, and introduces grants to support child care workforce retention.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to name the State office building at 133 State Street in Montpelier after former Governor Philip H. Hoff. The legislation amends Vermont law to officially designate the building as the "Philip H. Hoff State Office Building" while also clarifying the name of a separate building in Rutland. The change takes effect on July 1, 2023, and applies to the building that houses state offices in the Capital Complex.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new permanent position of Dementia Coordinator within Vermont's Agency of Human Services to help coordinate state efforts and community partnerships in supporting people with dementia and their families. The Coordinator would update the state's Alzheimer's action plan, manage grant funding for expanded services, streamline government programs to reduce duplication, oversee dementia-specific training, and collect and share data to improve care quality. The role requires a master's or bachelor's degree in human services, public health, or public administration with professional experience, and the Commission on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders would recommend qualified candidates. An initial $150,000 appropriation funds the position in fiscal year 2024, with the Coordinator required to submit an annual report on dementia care status and legislative recommendations by December 1. The act takes effect on July 1, 2023.