Rep. Saudia Lamont

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a statewide registry for short-term rental properties in Vermont, requiring owners to register their units annually with the Department of Housing and Community Development. Property owners must pay a $135 annual fee per unit, though this fee is waived if they have already registered with a local municipality that maintains a comparable system. The registry will collect specific information about each property, including owner contact details, location, building characteristics, and accessibility features, while protecting the data from being used for marketing purposes. Local governments that already run rental housing registration programs will share their data with the state registry, and the bill authorizes the hiring of staff to manage the program starting in 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the State of Vermont to develop a comprehensive plan for transitioning to a regenerative economy by 2026, which aims to repair and restore natural and human resources rather than simply reducing harm. The legislation mandates that the state be divided into 11 regions, each forming a People's Assembly to create local plans through broad public engagement involving community members, businesses, and organizations. These regional plans must address specific goals including regenerative agriculture, food justice, waste reduction, renewable energy, and racial equity while guiding state investments and policy decisions. The bill establishes a long-term target of achieving 90 percent of a regenerative economy by December 31, 2046, and requires all state funding streams to align with the resulting roadmap.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to decriminalize the possession of a personal supply of regulated drugs in Vermont, changing penalties from criminal charges to a civil offense with a $50 fee. The legislation would establish a Drug Use Standards Advisory Board to set benchmarks for what constitutes a personal use supply and allow individuals with prior possession convictions to have their criminal records sealed if their amounts fall below these benchmarks. It also authorizes pilot drug-checking programs that let individuals test substances for chemical composition and contaminants to reduce overdose risks. The bill aims to shift Vermont's approach from criminal prosecution to public health strategies, redirecting resources toward prevention, treatment, and harm reduction services.

Maddy summaryThis bill would remove Vermont's current laws that criminalize consensual adult sex work while keeping strict criminal penalties for human trafficking. It directly affects adults who engage in sex work for hire by decriminalizing their voluntary participation, but it continues to prohibit recruiting, transporting, or forcing anyone into sex work through force, fraud, or coercion. The key provision repeals the section of the state code that defines prostitution to include consensual sexual acts for hire, while maintaining detailed definitions and severe penalties for trafficking offenses. The bill also clarifies what constitutes coercion, including threats of harm, withholding documents, or controlling finances, and sets specific prison terms for different trafficking-related crimes.

Maddy summaryThis bill would remove criminal penalties for possessing, dispensing, or selling psilocybin in Vermont and create a Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group to study the potential for regulated therapeutic use. The legislation cites research suggesting psilocybin may help treat mental health conditions like depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders, and it amends state law to exclude psilocybin from the definition of hallucinogenic drugs. The newly formed working group would include legislators, medical professionals, researchers, and community members to review evidence, examine programs in other states, and recommend whether Vermont should establish a regulated system for healthcare providers to administer psychedelics therapeutically. The group must submit its findings and recommendations by November 15, 2024, to relevant legislative committees.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires law enforcement officers to detain a driver for a primary violation before issuing a ticket for specific secondary motor vehicle violations. The changes directly affect drivers in Vermont who may be stopped for issues like expired registration, driving without a license, or broken taillights. Under the new rules, officers must have a valid reason to stop a vehicle first, such as a safety concern or another suspected offense, before addressing these secondary violations. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2023, and applies to ten specific categories of violations listed in the bill text.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont's Medicaid program to provide coverage for one breast pump per child born to Medicaid beneficiaries. It allows pregnant Medicaid recipients to order and receive a breast pump before the baby is born, but only after reaching 27 weeks of pregnancy. The legislation directs the Agency of Human Services to seek necessary federal approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement this coverage change. If federal approval is not needed, the coverage provisions would take effect on July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits settlement agreements in employment discrimination cases from preventing an employee from continuing to work for their employer or any affiliated company. It makes any clause in such agreements that restricts an employee's ability to work void and unenforceable, ensuring that resolving a discrimination claim does not result in the employee being barred from their job. The law applies to agreements entered into after June 30, 2023, while leaving earlier settlements unaffected. Employers and employees affected by discrimination claims will need to ensure settlement terms do not include restrictions on future employment.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Vermont state laws to lower the threshold for what constitutes unlawful harassment in employment, schools, and public accommodations. It directly affects employers, employees, educational institutions, and businesses by changing how harassment cases are evaluated. The key provision removes the requirement that harassment must be "severe or pervasive" to be illegal, allowing a single incident to potentially qualify as unlawful if it creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. Additionally, the bill clarifies that harassment can be determined based on the totality of circumstances rather than isolated incidents, and it protects individuals even if they participated in or continued working despite the conduct.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes funding for a new full-time litigator position within Vermont's Human Rights Commission. It allocates $120,000 from the state's General Fund in fiscal year 2024 to cover the salary and benefits for this role. The legislation aims to strengthen the commission's capacity to handle legal cases related to human rights violations. The funding takes effect on July 1, 2023, and directly impacts the commission's operational resources and staffing levels.