Rep. Art Peterson

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that municipal zoning rules limiting the number of group homes do not apply to facilities housing high-risk, justice-involved youth. It amends state law to exclude such facilities from the definition of group homes that are permitted as single-family residential uses, while maintaining existing limits on the number of homes per lot. The change directly affects municipalities, zoning authorities, and operators of residential care facilities by creating a specific exemption for youth justice facilities. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2023, and aims to provide clearer guidance on how different types of group homes are treated under local zoning regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow all Vermont students from prekindergarten through 12th grade to attend any public or approved independent school of their choice, regardless of where they live. It creates a School Choice Grant funded by the student's home school district that would be transferred to the school the family selects, with the state Agency of Education managing the process. Schools must accept all applicants unless they lack capacity, in which case they would use a lottery system, and independent schools cannot discriminate based on protected characteristics. The bill also requires the Joint Fiscal Office to submit a report by January 2024 with recommendations on how to integrate this program into Vermont's existing education funding system.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase criminal penalties for selling cannabis to people under 21 and for selling or possessing cocaine, LSD, heroin, and fentanyl in Vermont. It directly affects individuals who dispense or sell these substances, as well as those who knowingly enable underage cannabis consumption. The legislation establishes stricter sentencing guidelines, including longer prison terms and higher fines, with particularly severe penalties for repeat offenders and cases involving deaths or serious injuries caused by impaired driving. The bill also clarifies that licensed dispensaries providing cannabis to registered patients or caregivers are exempt from these new restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill would add immunization status to the list of protected characteristics in Vermont's anti-discrimination laws, prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on whether a person has been vaccinated. The legislation defines immunization status as an individual's vaccination history against infectious diseases and makes it unlawful for employers, landlords, and public accommodation operators to refuse services, housing, or employment opportunities because of this status. Key provisions amend existing state statutes to explicitly include immunization status alongside other protected categories such as race, sex, and disability, preventing discriminatory practices in hiring, renting, selling property, and accessing public facilities. The bill applies to employers, employment agencies, housing providers, and operators of public places, ensuring that decisions about jobs, housing, and services cannot be influenced by a person's vaccination history.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurers in Vermont to offer the same Medicare supplemental insurance policies to people eligible for Medicare due to end-stage renal disease as they offer to those eligible by age or disability. The law mandates that insurers use community rating methods without medical underwriting or screening for these plans, ensuring equal access regardless of health status. It also establishes a six-month initial enrollment period for affected individuals and requires the state to collaborate with advocates to educate the public about Medicare supplemental insurance options. The changes take effect on January 1, 2024, and apply to all plans issued or renewed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new income tax deduction in Vermont for parents who pay for home study programs for their dependents. It allows taxpayers to deduct up to $1,000 of qualified expenses per dependent, covering costs for educational instruction, materials, equipment, software, and computer hardware used during normal school hours. The deduction applies to expenses incurred for students who are claimed as dependents on the taxpayer's return and are not dependents of another taxpayer. The bill would take effect retroactively starting January 1, 2023, and applies to taxable years beginning on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow executors or administrators of a deceased person's estate to file a lawsuit for defamation on behalf of the deceased. The key provision adds defamation actions to the list of legal claims that can survive a person's death and be pursued by their estate representatives. It permits these lawsuits to be based on defamatory statements made either before or after the person died, regardless of when the law takes effect. The change directly affects estate managers and attorneys representing deceased individuals' estates in Vermont.

Maddy summaryThis bill would exempt sales of precious metals sold for investment from Vermont's sales and use tax when the transaction is valued at $1,000 or more. It directly affects buyers of gold and silver bullion or coins who are purchasing for investment purposes rather than for industrial or artistic use. The law would continue to tax the first $1,000 of any such sale while exempting amounts above that threshold. The exemption applies specifically to rare coins with numismatic value and gold or silver bullion or coins traded according to their precious metal value. This change would take effect on July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont State Colleges and the University of Vermont to give admission preference to in-state students who have completed career technical education programs in fields that the institutions offer. The law applies to eligible residents who have finished relevant CTE training and seeks to create a direct pathway for these students into postsecondary programs aligned with their technical background. The preference would be implemented starting July 1, 2023, and applies specifically to both the state college system and the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new structures and funding to support suicide prevention efforts in Vermont, including a special fund for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and a Crisis Response Commission to oversee its operation. It creates a Suicide Fatality Review Team to investigate suicide deaths and identify ways to prevent future incidents, while also requiring crisis phone numbers on student ID cards and mandating suicide awareness training for faculty and staff. The legislation raises a small fee on universal service charges to help fund the 988 Lifeline and directs the Department of Mental Health to submit reports on call diversion and other suicide prevention activities.