Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Transportation Infrastructure and Resiliency Act of 2024, directs state funding and policy changes to improve roads, support electric vehicle adoption, and enhance transportation options across Vermont. It increases funding for road repair programs, provides grants for eBike and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and establishes new rules allowing property owners to install charging stations. The legislation also expands funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects, creates a plan for carsharing expansion, and requires the state to develop new revenue sources for transportation and environmental initiatives. Additionally, it allows certain areas to set speed limits below 25 mph and mandates reporting on electric vehicle outreach efforts and charging station availability.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Department of Health to create free opioid overdose response training videos and distribute naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses, to businesses and organizations likely to encounter people experiencing overdoses. The legislation also requires the department to expand community prevention programs, improve access to treatment services, educate healthcare providers and recovery program participants on overdose prevention, and establish public kiosks where naloxone can be dispensed. These measures aim to increase public awareness and access to life-saving resources for individuals at risk of opioid-related overdoses across the state. The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill would require online companies to design their services with children's best interests in mind if those services are likely to be accessed by minors under 18. It mandates that companies consider different developmental stages when creating features and prohibits the use of deceptive user interface designs known as dark patterns that could manipulate children's choices. The law applies to businesses operating in Vermont and defines specific rules for how personal data about children can be collected, processed, and shared, including restrictions on profiling and geolocation tracking. Companies must also provide clear default settings that protect children's privacy rather than requiring them to opt out of data collection.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a two-year Child and Youth Representation Policy Fellowship Program within Vermont's Office of Child, Youth, and Family Advocate to improve how children and youth participate in legal, healthcare, and human services systems. The program will analyze existing representation structures and funding while prioritizing racially and socially equitable approaches to youth engagement. A new full-time position called Child and Youth Representation Policy Lead will be created to oversee the initiative and coordinate with community stakeholders. The Office must submit progress reports to legislative committees by December 2024 and May 2025, with proposed legislation recommendations due by November 2025. Funding of $300,000 from the Tobacco Litigation Settlement will support the program and position in fiscal year 2025, with any remaining funds carried forward to 2026.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont's Commissioner of Financial Regulation to submit an annual report to the General Assembly detailing the department's oversight activities. The report must cover regulatory compliance, enforcement actions, consumer complaints, market conditions, and fee assessments across banking, insurance, and securities industries. It also includes emerging industry trends and recommendations for adapting regulations to new products and services. The Commissioner must deliver the first report by January 1, 2025, and continue submitting it annually thereafter. This measure aims to increase transparency about the department's regulatory work and the industries it oversees.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires workers on State-funded storm repair and climate change mitigation projects to receive the prevailing wage if the project costs more than $100,000. It applies to projects involving storm damage cleanup, temporary shelter construction, disaster preparation, and climate change mitigation efforts. The prevailing wage would be determined by whichever is higher: the federal Davis-Bacon Act rate or local rates from collective bargaining agreements. The bill also prevents the Governor from suspending these wage requirements during a state of emergency and directs the Commissioner of Labor to create rules for implementation.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Public Utility Commission to create a statewide low-income electric ratepayer protection program that helps eligible households pay their electricity bills. The program would assist residential customers earning at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level, aiming to ensure those at or below 60 percent of state median income spend no more than 10 percent of their monthly income on electricity if they heat with electricity, or no more than six percent if they do not. The Commission must work with a collaborative group including utility companies, consumer representatives, and state agencies to design the program, which would use automatic screening methods based on existing financial assistance programs and include arrearage forgiveness. Funding for the program would be collected statewide from all customer classes in an equitable manner, with the Commission considering options like voluntary payments or surcharges on high-volume users. The bill also repeals an existing section of state law and takes effect immediately upon passage.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program administered by the Agency of Human Services to help municipalities and other organizations acquire or renovate existing buildings for permanent supportive housing. The program provides up to $4.5 million in 2025 funding for projects that convert buildings into multiple studio apartments with kitchens and bathrooms, while requiring energy-efficient renovations. Each funded site must employ or contract two staff members to provide daily on-site support services such as case management, support groups, and connections to community resources. The bill targets individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, those recovering from mental health or substance use disorders, aging out of foster care, and other vulnerable populations. Eligible applicants must submit proposals identifying specific buildings, outlining costs and local contributions, and demonstrating accessibility to healthcare and transportation.
Maddy summaryThis bill would allow individuals in Vermont to exclude certain damages from their state income tax when they win an employment-related lawsuit against their employer. Specifically, it removes from taxable income amounts awarded for emotional distress, mental anguish, lost wages, or lost benefits, but not punitive damages. The change applies to both court-awarded damages and settlement agreements reached in such cases. This provision would take effect retroactively for the 2024 tax year and all subsequent years.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors in Vermont to obtain a state license, following Washington state's model which includes registration, bonding, and insurance requirements. It directly affects construction and service contractors operating within the state by mandating they meet specific licensing standards before working. The legislation also aims to protect consumers by ensuring contractors provide transparent cost estimates. If passed, contractors would need to comply with these new rules to legally operate in Vermont.