Maddy summaryThis bill creates a public directory of tobacco substitutes, such as e-cigarettes, that are legally allowed for sale in Vermont. It requires manufacturers to annually certify to the state that their products have received federal approval from the Food and Drug Administration or are under review, and to pay fees for each product listed. The Division of Liquor Control will maintain this online directory and can remove products that fail to meet certification requirements, after which those items become illegal to sell. Retailers, distributors, and wholesalers face daily fines and potential license suspensions if they sell tobacco substitutes not included in the directory. Manufacturers who falsely represent their product's status could face fines or imprisonment.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill aims to increase housing availability in Vermont by modifying state land use laws, municipal zoning regulations, and tax policies. It directly affects developers, municipalities, and housing providers by creating exemptions for certain housing projects under Act 250, which governs land use in the state. Key provisions include raising the threshold for housing projects that trigger state review in smaller municipalities, exempting conversions of hotels and other buildings into affordable housing from certain regulations, and allowing some municipalities with strong zoning laws to handle development reviews locally instead of through state commissions. The legislation also repeals previous rules that required special permits for priority housing projects and establishes new criteria for when housing construction counts toward state jurisdiction thresholds.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont's Housing Division to track and report on progress toward statewide and regional housing targets established in the Statewide Housing Needs Assessment. The legislation mandates the development of specific metrics, including timelines with deadlines and regional measures covering investment rates, price, quality, and zoning compliance. Through 2030, the Division must publish annual reports detailing progress against these targets, assess whether advancement is satisfactory, and provide recommendations to accelerate housing development if needed. The bill affects the Department of Housing and Community Development, regional planning commissions, and housing developers by creating a structured accountability system for meeting housing goals.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Department of Health to create free opioid overdose response training videos and distribute naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses, to businesses and organizations likely to encounter people experiencing overdoses. The legislation also requires the department to expand community prevention programs, improve access to treatment services, educate healthcare providers and recovery program participants on overdose prevention, and establish public kiosks where naloxone can be dispensed. These measures aim to increase public awareness and access to life-saving resources for individuals at risk of opioid-related overdoses across the state. The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis House concurrent resolution honors Vermont National Guard Deputy Adjutant General Kenneth Gragg for his distinguished career in public service. The document recognizes his 46 years of military and civilian service, including his leadership in financial management, construction projects, and pandemic response efforts. It directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to Gragg as a formal acknowledgment of his contributions. This is a ceremonial measure with no new laws or policy changes, serving only to publicly recognize his achievements.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires individuals receiving unemployment insurance benefits in Vermont to repay benefits received during weeks when they failed to attend a scheduled job interview or provided false information to an employer that prevented an interview from occurring. The law defines these failures as lacking reasonable efforts to secure work and establishes that affected individuals must return any overpaid benefits, with notices specifying the amount owed and the weeks involved. The bill also sets a three-year limit from the date of overpayment for the state to make repayment determinations and takes effect on July 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Vermont's bail and release procedures by removing the $200 limit on bail amounts for individuals charged with violating court orders, skipping bail hearings, or failing to appear in court. It also expands the factors judges can consider when setting release conditions, such as whether a person is already under community supervision or has other pending charges. Additionally, the legislation creates a new criminal offense for bail jumping and adjusts evidentiary standards for certain hearings to align them with other bail proceedings. These changes directly affect judges, defendants, and law enforcement by altering how pretrial release is managed and enforced.
Maddy summaryThis bill protects employees from being fired, discriminated against, or retaliated against for taking time off to serve as volunteer firefighters or volunteer emergency medical personnel. It also allows employers to claim a $500 tax credit for each volunteer firefighter or emergency medical personnel they employ for at least 12 weeks during the tax year. To qualify for protections, employees must provide written proof from their volunteer department to their employer, and employers are not required to pay employees for time spent on volunteer duties. The tax credit is available to private employers who maintain workers' compensation insurance and meet state registration requirements. These changes take effect on July 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill would provide tax benefits to individuals who officiate K-12 school athletic events in Vermont. It would exclude income earned from officiating these events from personal income tax and create a sales tax exemption for equipment purchased by officials for use in their work. The income exclusion applies retroactively to January 1, 2024, while the sales tax exemption would begin immediately upon passage. These changes aim to support school sports officials by reducing their tax burden on earnings and equipment costs.
Maddy summaryThis bill increases the property tax credit for Vermont homeowners by raising the housesite value exclusion from $400,000 to $500,000 for most income levels. It directly affects homeowners who file for the homestead property tax credit, allowing them to exclude a larger portion of their property's value when calculating their tax liability. The change applies to tax claims filed on or after January 1, 2025, and is effective for the 2024 tax year. The bill adjusts the income thresholds and calculation formulas in the state's tax code to reflect this higher exclusion amount.