Rep. Bob Hooper

Maddy summaryThis bill extends certain employment protections and benefits to temporary and seasonal state employees in Vermont. It grants them whistleblower rights, requires pay based on comparable classified positions, provides access to leave benefits, and prohibits termination without good cause. Additionally, temporary workers employed for six months receive health insurance meeting Affordable Care Act standards. The legislation also clarifies definitions of "state employee" and "employee" in labor relations laws to include long-term temporary workers who exceed 1,280 hours annually over two years, while excluding short-term replacements from collective bargaining rights.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a pilot program to help middle schools in Vermont establish career and technical education programs for grades eight and nine. It provides $5.5 million in grant funding to eligible schools located more than 15 miles from existing career centers, with requirements that schools match the funding through in-kind contributions and commit to maintaining the programs for five years. The grants cover one full-time teacher and equipment costs for two years, after which schools must fund their own operations. The Agency of Education will report annually on student participation and program sustainability to the state legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how retirement payments are adjusted for teachers in Vermont's State Teachers' Retirement System based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. It establishes new caps on annual increases and decreases, limiting adjustments to five percent for those who retired before July 2022 and four percent for those retiring on or after that date. The legislation also changes how cost-of-living decreases are handled, allowing them to offset future increases rather than immediately reducing benefits. Additionally, the bill appropriates $3.7 million in state funds for the 2024 fiscal year to cover the system's employer contributions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont school districts that do not operate their own elementary or high schools to designate up to three eligible schools to serve as the public schools for their students. These designated schools can be public schools in Vermont or other states, or recognized independent schools that meet specific criteria such as serving as regional career centers or being designated as public schools under older laws. The legislation also repeals the definition and approval process for independent schools while keeping the recognized independent school enrollment process intact. Additionally, it creates a new definition for therapeutic schools and adjusts special education tuition provisions. The bill allows school districts to pay tuition to designated schools for their students without requiring a separate vote from the district's electorate, though some existing options for tuition payment remain available.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to improve emergency medical services in Vermont by providing $20 million annually from 2024 to 2028 to support ambulance operations, training, and equipment. It requires health insurance plans and Medicaid to cover emergency medical services for patients who do not need to be transported to a hospital. The legislation also establishes a refundable income tax credit for qualified emergency responders and creates a study committee to examine the EMS system. Additionally, the bill sets requirements for Medicaid reimbursement rates for ambulance services and restricts transporting patients to destinations where the ambulance service has a financial interest.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends health and life insurance benefits to members of Vermont's General Assembly, allowing them to enroll in the state employees' health plan with the Assembly covering 80% of premiums and members paying 20%. It also provides term life insurance coverage of $15,000 for sitting legislators, with the Assembly paying 75% of the premium and members responsible for the remaining 25%, while simultaneously increasing life insurance benefits for retired state employees from $10,000 to $15,000. Additionally, the legislation establishes adjournment compensation for legislators, paying them 10% of their weekly session salary for each week the General Assembly is not in session. These changes would take effect on July 1, 2023, and apply to all members of the General Assembly.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the 802 Opportunity Grant to provide tuition assistance for youth in foster care and kinship care in Vermont. It directly affects students under the custody of the Commissioner for Children and Families, as well as young adults aged 18 to 24 who were in foster care or permanent guardianship for at least six months between ages 16 and 18. The key provision increases the annual grant amount from $3,000 to $4,000 and allows eligible students to receive grants for up to six consecutive years or until they complete an undergraduate degree, whichever comes first. The bill also appropriates an additional $150,000 for fiscal year 2024 to fund these expanded grants and takes effect on July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires three Vermont state departments to ask whether applicants or their family members have served in the U.S. Armed Forces on intake forms used to determine eligibility for programs and services. The Department for Children and Families, the Department of Vermont Health Access, and the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living would each add this question to their application materials. The change applies to all individuals seeking assistance from these agencies and would take effect on July 1, 2023. The legislation does not specify how the information would be used or what benefits veterans might receive as a result of providing this data.

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 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.