Rep. Lori Houghton

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House concurrent resolution that formally congratulates the Essex High School girls' volleyball team on winning their second consecutive Vermont State championship. The resolution recognizes the team's undefeated regular season performance and their decisive 3-0 victory over Champlain Valley Union High School in the championship match. It lists the names of the team members and coaches who achieved this accomplishment. The General Assembly directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of this resolution to Essex High School as an official acknowledgment of their success.

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 establishes new structures and funding to support suicide prevention efforts in Vermont, including a special fund for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and a Crisis Response Commission to oversee its operation. It creates a Suicide Fatality Review Team to investigate suicide deaths and identify ways to prevent future incidents, while also requiring crisis phone numbers on student ID cards and mandating suicide awareness training for faculty and staff. The legislation raises a small fee on universal service charges to help fund the 988 Lifeline and directs the Department of Mental Health to submit reports on call diversion and other suicide prevention activities.

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 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 is a ceremonial resolution that honors organizations and individuals working to improve rural broadband access in Vermont. It recognizes the Communications Union Districts (CUDs) and related groups like the Vermont Communications Union Districts Association and the Vermont Community Broadband Board for their efforts in building broadband networks. The resolution acknowledges past legislative actions that created funding and oversight structures to support these broadband initiatives. It does not change any laws or policies but serves to formally recognize the achievements of these groups in expanding internet access to over 200 municipalities.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates January 23-27, 2023, as the first annual Holocaust Education Week in Vermont. It directly affects Vermont schools and educational institutions by establishing a formal period for Holocaust education activities. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the document to the Vermont Holocaust Memorial and the Agency of Education to facilitate the event. This commemorative measure recognizes the historical significance of the Holocaust and aims to increase awareness through organized educational programming during the designated week.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Department of Mental Health to work with the Department of Health on studying suicide rates in the state. The study will focus on ways to reduce access to lethal means, identify gaps in prevention services, and gather data on suicide methods used in Vermont. The legislation requires these departments to examine current suicide incidence and develop strategies to decrease suicide rates through evidence-based analysis. This measure affects state health agencies and aims to improve suicide prevention efforts through systematic data collection and service gap identification.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Agency of Transportation to develop a funding plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and expanding access to efficient, low-cost transportation options. It establishes a working group to study regional climate initiatives and implements a self-funded fee system that charges higher fees for less efficient vehicles while rebating funds to owners of more efficient cars. The legislation also allocates money for electric vehicle incentives, e-bike programs, public transit improvements, and infrastructure updates, while requiring the agency to work with Amtrak and provide training on complete streets design to municipalities.