Rep. Troy Headrick

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont to use ranked-choice voting for all major political party presidential primary elections, allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference instead of selecting only one. Under the new system, ballots would be processed in rounds where votes for eliminated candidates are transferred to the voter's next preferred choice until one candidate achieves a majority. The legislation also establishes rules for handling incomplete ballots and gives political parties the option to choose between winner-take-all or proportional delegate allocation methods. If a party does not specify its delegate allocation method, the election would default to a winner-take-all system. This change would directly affect all voters participating in Vermont's presidential primaries and election officials administering those votes.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Vermont's earned sick leave law to explicitly allow employees to use accrued sick time for reproductive health care appointments and protects their privacy by prohibiting employers from requiring specific medical details about the nature of the treatment. It also establishes a state fund to provide grants to organizations that offer practical support, such as covering travel, housing, and childcare costs, to individuals seeking abortion services. The legislation strengthens existing protections against employer retaliation and clarifies that employees do not need to find replacements for absences related to medical care. Additionally, it updates the legal framework to ensure employees can access reproductive health services without facing economic hardship or privacy violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the transfer of Vermont inmates to correctional facilities outside the state, directly affecting the Department of Corrections and incarcerated individuals. It amends existing statutes to remove the Commissioner of Corrections' authority to order inmate transfers to out-of-state facilities and repeals provisions related to using competitive bidding for such placements. The legislation also clarifies the intent to create new work camps within Vermont to reduce reliance on out-of-state housing, while specifying that new work camps should only house nonviolent offenders who have already served part of their sentence in a state facility. These changes take effect on January 1, 2025, aiming to keep inmates within Vermont for oversight, cost, and family visitation reasons.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires postsecondary schools in Vermont to implement several new protections against sexual misconduct, including conducting biannual anonymous campus climate surveys, hiring confidential resource advocates, and establishing formal partnerships with local sexual assault programs. The legislation mandates that schools provide amnesty for good faith reports of sexual misconduct and deliver annual awareness programming and training to students and staff. Additionally, the bill removes the previous expiration date for the Intercollegiate Sexual Harm Prevention Council, ensuring its continued operation. These measures directly affect all postsecondary institutions with Vermont campuses and aim to improve support systems and data collection regarding sexual violence on college campuses.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont state agencies to install non-fossil-fuel heating and cooling systems when replacing or installing new equipment in buildings they own or control, starting in fiscal year 2025. It directly affects the Department of Buildings and General Services, the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, and the Agency of Transportation, mandating the use of alternatives like geothermal heat pumps, electric heat pumps, or wood fuel systems instead of oil, propane, natural gas, or coal. The law includes exemptions for situations where non-fossil-fuel systems are financially impracticable based on life-cycle cost comparisons and allows agencies to keep existing fossil fuel equipment as backup systems. Agencies must also submit annual reports detailing equipment installations, fuel usage, and the reasons for any exemptions granted.

Maddy summaryThis bill would prohibit individuals from knowingly possessing firearms or deadly weapons on school property, including school buildings and buses. It directly affects students, staff, visitors, and anyone else who might enter school grounds. The law allows exceptions for law enforcement officers performing their duties or when school officials specifically authorize weapon possession for instructional purposes. Violations would result in criminal penalties, with first-time offenders facing up to one year in jail or a $1,000 fine, and repeat offenders facing up to three years in jail or a $5,000 fine. The bill defines school property broadly to include any property owned, leased, controlled, or subcontracted by a school.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College to cap student enrollment at the level recorded on July 1, 2023, until Burlington's rental vacancy rate reaches five percent. It also mandates that the university guarantee each on-campus student at least 93 square feet of living space in all residential buildings, including new construction and repurposed spaces. The university must prioritize current students with insufficient space for relocation before offering compliant housing to new students, while reserving non-compliant two-person spaces for those with documented medical accommodation needs. The changes take effect on July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase pay and expand benefits for Vermont state legislators by making them eligible for the state employees' health insurance plan at no cost to themselves. It would establish an annual salary equal to half the statewide average wage, with higher amounts for the Speaker of the House and Senate President Pro Tempore, and include reimbursements for child care, dependent care, and overnight parking for those with mobility limitations. The legislation also provides per diem compensation and expense reimbursement for legislators-elect attending pre-session training and meetings, while updating rules for out-of-state committee business to include mileage, lodging, and meal reimbursement. These changes would be implemented through amendments to existing state statutes governing legislative compensation and benefits.