Rep. Larry Labor

Maddy summaryThis bill requires secondary school districts in Vermont to include at least two nonvoting student members on their school boards, allowing students to participate in board discussions and provide input on policies and budgets without casting votes. Student members would be appointed by the board based on applications submitted by district residents, receive the same compensation as voting members, and attend all regular meetings with specialized training on board procedures. Additionally, serving as a student school board member would count toward flexible graduation pathways, recognizing this experience as applied or work-based learning. The bill applies only to districts providing secondary education, while elementary-only districts are encouraged but not required to include student representation.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows unified towns and gores in Essex County, Vermont to hire a professional assessor to handle property valuation duties. It amends state statutes to give the Board of Governors authority to appoint an outside assessor and an assessor clerk, similar to how other municipal boards select their officials. The changes grant these unified towns the power to incur debt and issue bonds to fund these positions, aligning their operational structure with other municipalities in the state. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2023, and applies specifically to the unified towns and gores within Essex County.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to repeal all existing laws that regulate licensed cannabis establishments in Vermont. It would directly affect businesses currently operating under cannabis regulations and the state's legal framework for overseeing these operations. The legislation includes findings about potential harms of cannabis use to health, safety, employment, driving, and youth, though it does not specify new regulations or enforcement measures. If passed, the bill would remove the current legal structure governing licensed cannabis businesses without replacing it with new oversight provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill would exempt all U.S. military retirement income and military survivor benefit income from Vermont state income tax. It directly affects active and retired military personnel, as well as the surviving spouses and dependents of deceased service members who receive these benefits. The legislation amends existing tax code sections to remove military retirement and survivor benefits from taxable income, while also clarifying that taxpayers can only choose one income exclusion option if they qualify for multiple types of exemptions. The bill states its purpose is to honor and thank military retirees and their families for their service, and it applies retroactively to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023.

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 requires Vermont's Agency of Transportation to study whether direct-current fast chargers can be installed at locations that previously served as welcome centers. The legislation also asks the agency to update the state's National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan to include these chargers if the study finds them feasible. Additionally, the bill mandates that the agency submit a written report on the findings to the House and Senate Transportation Committees by December 15, 2023. The measure directly affects the state's transportation department and aims to improve electric vehicle charging options at former welcome center sites.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Vermont State Highway Safety Office to prepare a written report by January 15, 2024, recommending how the state should adjust its approach to educating about, enforcing, and prosecuting distracted driving violations for noncommercial drivers. The report must consult with various state agencies and organizations, examine current enforcement methods like fines and license suspensions, and specifically consider strategies for drivers under 18 years old. The legislation does not change any existing laws but requires officials to analyze what is working and what needs improvement in addressing distracted driving.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to grant legal personhood status to a human fetus starting at 24 weeks of development, which would affect reproductive rights and abortion access in Vermont. The legislation amends state law to recognize fetal personhood from 24 weeks after the pregnant individual's last menstrual period while simultaneously protecting abortion access before that threshold. Key provisions prohibit public entities from restricting reproductive choices prior to 24 weeks and prevent law enforcement from prosecuting individuals for abortions performed before that point. The bill directly impacts pregnant individuals, healthcare providers, and public institutions by establishing a 24-week boundary for when fetal personhood protections would apply versus when reproductive choice protections remain in full effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the state to conduct a feasibility study for building a bicycle path alongside U.S. Route 5, covering approximately 190 miles from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border. The study must examine construction and maintenance costs, potential funding sources, logistical challenges, construction timelines, and the project's impact on Vermont's tourism industry and local municipalities. The analysis will determine whether a continuous route or a segmented, phased approach is more practical for implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to standardize the opening time for all polling places across Vermont, which currently have a uniform closing time of 7:00 p.m. The legislation would establish a specific opening hour that all polling locations must follow, ensuring consistency statewide. It directly affects election officials and voters who rely on polling place hours for planning. The bill would require all polling places to open at the same designated time, creating uniformity in election day procedures.