Rep. Monique Priestley

Maddy summaryVermont's H.644 prohibits mental health professionals and entities from offering, providing, or advertising mental health services delivered by artificial intelligence systems, with limited exceptions. The bill directly affects licensed mental health providers, clinics, and AI service developers operating in Vermont. It amends licensing rules to define AI misuse as unprofessional conduct and adds penalties of $10,000 per violation under the Consumer Protection Act. The law aims to prevent harm from AI systems that have been shown to give dangerous advice (e.g., encouraging self-harm or suicide) based on research cited in the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill (H.560) amends Vermont's Cybersecurity Advisory Council membership by adding three new positions: the Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Digital Infrastructure, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Institutions, and a representative from the Judiciary appointed by the Chief Justice. The Council advises the state on cybersecurity infrastructure, best practices, communications protocols, and safeguards. These changes aim to strengthen legislative and judicial input into cybersecurity planning. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryH 397 updates Vermont's emergency management and flood response systems. It requires the Division of Emergency Management to annually report on mitigation plans to legislative committees and revise the State Emergency Management Plan every five years to cover response coordination, preparedness, and local planning templates. The bill expands grant funding for flood mitigation projects, including voluntary buyouts for flood-affected properties, and mandates new assistance for municipalities to access river monitoring and weather alert systems. It also provides municipalities with greater flexibility to borrow funds for emergency-related expenses and manage unspent budget balances. These changes directly affect state agencies, local governments, and communities in flood-prone areas.

Maddy summaryH 401 raises the weekly sales exemption limit for home-based food businesses (cottage food operations) from $125 to a higher amount adjusted for inflation. This change directly affects small-scale home bakers and producers of non-refrigerated foods like baked goods, jams, and dried snacks who currently must pay licensing fees once weekly sales exceed $125. The bill amends licensing fee rules to exempt these operations from fees when annual sales remain below the new threshold. It aims to support small producers by reducing regulatory barriers as economic conditions have changed since the original exemption was set. The bill passed both chambers and was signed into law in June 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Vermont House resolution (HR 9) urges all state agencies to protect the privacy and medical confidentiality of Vermonters diagnosed with autism, specifically in response to federal plans for an autism research database. It directly affects autistic Vermonters by seeking to prevent their personal health data - like medical records, insurance claims, and wearable device information - from being collected or shared without informed consent. The resolution emphasizes that autism is a neurological difference, not a disease, and highlights concerns about federal data collection practices that lack explicit privacy safeguards. As a non-binding resolution, it directs state officials to uphold privacy rights and has been formally adopted by the House.

Maddy summaryH 398 creates the Vermont Disaster Recovery Loan Fund within the Vermont Economic Development Authority. The fund provides loans and financial assistance to businesses, including agricultural and forest product enterprises, after disasters. It requires the Authority to consult with specific state secretaries when considering aid for non-declared disasters, though no consultation is needed for disasters declared by the Governor or President. This bill directly affects Vermont businesses recovering from disaster-related losses.

Maddy summaryH 520 is a bill that proposes to enhance individual users' control over their data on social media platforms. It aims to require social media companies to provide users with the ability to delete their personal data. Additionally, the bill mandates that companies allow users to obtain their data in a portable format and transfer it to other social media platforms.

Maddy summaryH.96 increases the monetary thresholds requiring a certificate of need for healthcare projects in Vermont. It raises the cost limits from current levels (e.g., $1.5 million for facility capital costs to $10 million) to $10 million or $50 million for larger projects. The bill directly affects hospitals and healthcare facilities that would previously need state approval for projects exceeding these thresholds. It also exempts healthcare services or facility projects resulting from state contracts from the certificate requirement. This change reduces regulatory burden for many healthcare investments by raising the cost bar for mandatory review.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 34 designates the Commissioner of Labor and the Executive Director of the Office of Workforce Strategy and Development as co-leaders for workforce education and training in Vermont. This legislation outlines their authority and responsibility to coordinate state government workforce programs. It requires them to develop a state plan, align training with job market needs, and establish performance measures for workforce activities. The bill also mandates that businesses and training providers receiving state funding submit reports evaluating their training results, and it requires the collection of individual-level data to assess program effectiveness.

Maddy summaryHCR 134 is a House concurrent resolution that honors Cassandra Polhemus for her exemplary leadership as the chief executive officer of the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA). It recognizes her achievements, including overseeing VEDA's lending commitments and its response to the pandemic.