Rep. Katherine Sims

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Green Mountain Recreation Fund to support trail development and nonprofit organizations in Vermont. The fund would be financed by taking five percent of the existing tax on beer and wine sales. Money from the fund would hire three full-time staff members to manage trail programs, administer grants, and provide technical assistance to trail groups. Additionally, the bill establishes grant programs for nonprofit trail organizations and municipalities to advance outdoor recreation initiatives. The legislation directly affects trail stewardship groups, local governments, and the organizations that manage recreational trails across the state.

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 creates the Rural Infrastructure Assistance Program to help Vermont's small towns access and manage federal and state funding for projects like clean water, housing, broadband, and climate resilience. The program provides direct support services including community needs assessments, funding application assistance, and project management help, with priority given to municipalities with the highest administrative capacity needs. An initial $3 million appropriation in 2024 funds the program, while the bill also directs remaining federal relief funds to prioritize communities with the greatest need based on a new administrative capacity index. Additionally, the legislation amends the Municipal and Regional Planning Fund to allocate 20 percent of its revenue directly to municipalities for planning purposes.

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 requires health insurance plans and Vermont's Medicaid program to cover pasteurized donated human breast milk for infants under 12 months old when medically necessary. The coverage applies when a licensed healthcare professional prescribes the milk, it is obtained from a certified human milk bank, and the infant's parent or guardian cannot produce sufficient milk due to medical or physical reasons. Covered conditions include premature birth, low birth weight, failure to thrive, and other medical needs determined by a prescriber. The law takes effect on January 1, 2024, for private health insurance plans and upon federal approval for Medicaid coverage.

Maddy summaryThis bill would restrict how employers in Vermont can use electronic monitoring and automated decision systems to manage employees. It requires employers to limit monitoring to specific purposes like ensuring safety, tracking work hours, or verifying compliance with labor laws, and mandates that monitoring be the least invasive option possible. Employers must provide detailed written notice to employees at least 15 days before starting monitoring, explaining what data will be collected, how it will be used, who will access it, and how long it will be kept. The law also requires annual lists of all monitoring systems in use and allows exceptions for monitoring suspected illegal activity or violations of rights.

Maddy summaryThis bill would remove the current sales tax exemption for prewritten computer software accessed remotely in Vermont, requiring businesses and consumers to pay a six percent sales tax on such software. The legislation defines vendor-hosted software as any prewritten program accessed through the internet or a vendor's server, regardless of how it is delivered, whether access is permanent or temporary, or how it is billed. By repealing the 2015 exemption, the bill ensures that digital software subscriptions and remote access services are taxed the same as other digital products sold in the state. The changes would take effect on July 1, 2024, and apply to both sales and use tax obligations for software accessed within Vermont.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes changes to Vermont's housing programs to increase funding and expand eligibility for rental housing improvements, primarily affecting private landlords and nonprofit housing organizations. It would amend existing programs to allow grants and forgivable loans for rehabilitating non-compliant units, building new accessory dwelling units, and creating new rental units, with a cap of $50,000 per unit and a requirement for landlords to contribute at least 20% in matching funds or services. The legislation also creates a new Middle-Income Rental Housing Revolving Loan Program to provide subsidized loans for rental developments serving middle-income households, while exempting smaller municipalities from certain zoning requirements and allowing towns to register with state agencies to issue wastewater permits without full state permits. Additionally, it would reduce the number of residents who can appeal zoning decisions from 10 to a lower threshold and exempt certain downtown housing projects from state environmental review requirements.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill aims to protect the academic freedom of public educators in Vermont by affirming their right to teach about gender identity and systemic and structural racism. It directly affects teachers and school staff in the state's public education system. The legislation would establish legal protections ensuring educators can address these topics without facing retaliation or censorship. The bill is currently in its early stages and has been referred to the Committee on Education for review.