Rep. Carol Ode

Maddy summaryThis bill is a ceremonial resolution that congratulates the winning school teams of the 2024 Jr Iron Chef VT competition. It recognizes the middle and high school teams that competed in a statewide culinary event organized by Vermont Afterschool, which challenges students to create nutritious, locally-sourced dishes. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the document to each winning team and to the organizing group. This measure does not change any laws or policies but serves to acknowledge the achievements of the participating schools.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House concurrent resolution that formally honors Robert Bick for his three decades of leadership at the Howard Center, a mental health and substance abuse service organization in Vermont. The resolution recognizes his specific contributions, including starting Vermont's first methadone clinic, establishing harm reduction services, and expanding the organization's reach to 19,000 people through organizational improvements. The measure directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to both Bick and the Howard Center, serving as an official acknowledgment of his achievements rather than changing any laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a commemorative resolution that celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Catamount Trail, a recreational trail in Vermont. It recognizes the trail's origins in 1984 when three friends established the Catamount Trail Association and began skiing the trail's length. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to the Catamount Trail Association. It does not create new laws or change policies but serves to honor the trail's history and ongoing stewardship.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution commemorates Vermont's April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse, a rare astronomical event visible across much of the state. It officially recognizes the historic nature of the eclipse, noting that the last total solar eclipse visible in Vermont occurred nearly a century ago in 1932. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to the Vermont Space Grant Consortium and the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium, which are partners in educating the public about the event. This ceremonial measure serves to acknowledge the significance of the eclipse for Vermont residents and visitors rather than to change any laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis House concurrent resolution honors the memory of Reuben Jackson, a jazz archivist, radio host, and poet who passed away in February 2024. The bill expresses the Vermont General Assembly's condolences to his family and directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the resolution to his partner, Vermont Public, WPFW Radio, and the Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives at the University of the District of Columbia. Jackson was recognized for his significant contributions to jazz preservation, including his work curating the Duke Ellington Collection at the Smithsonian Institution and hosting Vermont Public's Friday Night Jazz program. The resolution serves as a formal acknowledgment of his life's achievements and legacy in music and literature.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires sellers and landlords in Vermont to disclose flood risk information to buyers and tenants, including whether properties are in mapped flood hazard areas and if they have experienced past flooding. It also establishes accessibility standards for state-funded residential construction and updates definitions and disclosure requirements for mobile homes and mobile home parks. The legislation creates legal consequences for sellers who fail to provide required flood information, allowing buyers to terminate contracts or seek damages. Additionally, the bill mandates that mobile home sales include written disclosures about flooding history and requires appraisal reports to separate the value of the mobile home from its location.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution recognizes June 24, 2024, as Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day in Vermont to honor the state's French-Canadian heritage and community contributions. The measure does not create a new legal holiday or change any laws, but instead serves as an official acknowledgment of the cultural significance of the date to Franco-American communities. It directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the resolution to the Canadian Club in Barre and the Vermont French-Canadian Genealogical Society. This type of commemorative resolution is symbolic and does not affect government operations or public policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill congratulates Vermont athletes who won medals at the 2023 National Senior Games in Pittsburgh and designates March 21, 2024 as Vermont Senior Games Day at the State House. It recognizes the 86 Vermont athletes who competed in 13 sports and won a total of 33 medals, while also honoring the specific individuals who participated in the event. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send copies to the Vermont Senior Games Association and the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness to promote senior fitness awareness. This is a ceremonial measure that celebrates athletic achievement rather than creating new laws or policy requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Vermont's existing medical leave laws to clarify definitions and requirements for unpaid leave related to serious health conditions. It directly affects employees working for employers with at least 10 to 15 employees, depending on whether the leave is for family or parental reasons. The legislation defines a serious illness health condition as one posing imminent danger of death, requiring inpatient care, or needing continuing in-home care, and includes rehabilitation from such conditions including substance use disorder treatment. Key provisions allow employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for their own serious illness or that of certain family members, with requirements for reasonable notice and medical certification from a health care provider. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Tree Fruit Farmer Assistance Program to provide financial grants to Vermont tree fruit farmers who experienced production losses in 2023 due to freezing or frost conditions. The program requires farms to be currently operating, in good standing with the state agriculture agency, and to submit applications by a specified deadline. Grants are calculated using a formula that considers the farm's tree fruit acreage, compares 2023 revenue to 2022 revenue, and reduces awards for any crop insurance payments already received for the same losses. The bill appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to implement the program, with any unused funds to be transferred to the Working Lands Enterprise Fund by December 31, 2024.