Rep. Taylor Small

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits crisis pregnancy centers from advertising services they do not provide or that are designed to mislead the public, particularly regarding medical care availability and timing. It directly affects crisis pregnancy centers in Vermont by requiring them to clearly disclose whether they are licensed medical facilities and what services they actually offer. The legislation treats false advertising by these centers as an unfair or deceptive practice subject to existing consumer protection enforcement. Additionally, the bill addresses data privacy concerns by regulating how these centers collect and share personal information from visitors who may believe they are seeking medical care.

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 allows children to express their preferences in child custody cases by amending Vermont state law to include the child's wishes as a factor courts must consider when determining parental rights and responsibilities. The legislation establishes specific procedures for children to address the court directly, permitting those aged 14 and older to speak if they request it, while allowing younger children to do so if the court determines it serves their best interests. To protect children during these proceedings, the bill requires that children generally not address the court in the presence of the parents unless the judge finds it beneficial, and mandates alternative methods for gathering input if a child is not allowed to testify. Additionally, the law requires the appointment of a guardian ad litem to represent the child's interests whenever the court seeks the child's input on custody matters.

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 modifies Vermont's health insurance requirements to expand colorectal cancer screening coverage and increase funding for primary care services. It mandates that health insurers cover colorectal cancer screenings for individuals aged 50 and older in accordance with national guidelines, while also allowing for high-risk screenings as recommended by physicians. The legislation requires major health insurers, the state employee health plan, and certain educational benefit plans to increase their allocation of total health spending to primary care by at least one percentage point annually until reaching a minimum of 12 percent. Additionally, the bill establishes reporting requirements for insurers to track primary care spending and directs state officials to recommend payment increases for Patient Centered Medical Homes to support comprehensive primary care delivery.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates February 2023 as School Board Recognition Month in Vermont to acknowledge the contributions of school board members. It formally recognizes these citizen leaders for their essential role in public education governance and their unique form of civic engagement. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to the Vermont School Board Association. This is a ceremonial measure that does not change laws or policies but serves to honor school board members.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's State Refugee Office to hire an outside contractor to create a comprehensive list of organizations serving the state's immigrant community, including refugees, asylum seekers, and other immigrants. The assessment will gather information on what services these organizations provide, where their funding comes from, how they work with the State Refugee Office, and their organizational structure. The State Refugee Office must issue a request for proposals by September 15, 2023, complete the inventory by November 15, 2024, and submit the final report to state committees by December 1, 2024. The bill appropriates $25,000 in state funds to pay for this study and takes effect on July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of specific products containing PFAS chemicals in Vermont, with different deadlines for different product categories. It immediately bans PFAS in pesticides, apparel, cookware, and paper products by January 1, 2024, while also restricting certain cosmetic products by 2026 and aiming for a complete PFAS ban across all products by 2030. The law requires manufacturers to submit confidential formula statements and mandates testing for pesticides packaged in fluorinated containers to detect chemical leaching. These provisions directly affect manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of the listed products while establishing clear compliance timelines and reporting requirements.