Rep. Tom Burditt

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House concurrent resolution that formally congratulates the 2023 Mill River Union High School Minutemen cheerleading team for winning the Division II championship. The resolution recognizes the team's athletic achievements, including their seventh consecutive Division II title and their victory over Rutland High School with a score of 193-192.5. It specifically names the seven team members and their head coach, Baylee Austin, and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to the school. The document acknowledges cheerleading as a competitive sport requiring agility, timing, and coordination, and celebrates the team's performance at the 2023 championship event held at Vergennes Union High School.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a ceremonial resolution honoring Marshall Webb, a nonprofit cofounder and environmental advocate who passed away in 2022. It recognizes his contributions to Shelburne Farms, a Vermont center for sustainability education, and acknowledges his personal connection to the organization and the state. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to Webb's family and Shelburne Farms as a formal expression of appreciation. This measure does not change laws or policies but serves to publicly acknowledge Webb's legacy and impact on the community.

Maddy summaryThis House concurrent resolution congratulates Vermont athletes who won medals at the 2022 National Senior Games and designates March 15, 2023 as Senior Physical Fitness Day at the State House. It specifically honors 45 Vermonters who competed in 11 sports, including top finishers like 87-year-old Flo Meiler who won five gold medals. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send copies to the honored athletes, the Vermont Senior Games Association, and the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness. This is a ceremonial measure that recognizes athletic achievement and promotes senior fitness awareness without creating new laws or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires safety belts on all Type I school buses manufactured after July 1, 2023. It directly affects school districts, transportation companies, and bus manufacturers operating in Vermont. The legislation mandates that new buses built after the specified date must be equipped with seatbelts for student passengers. This change aims to enhance student safety during school transportation by ensuring restraint systems are available on newer bus models. The bill currently awaits committee review and does not yet establish specific implementation timelines or enforcement procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs a portion of Vermont's cannabis excise tax revenue to fund the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Specifically, it allocates up to $500,000 annually to create and support one administrator position and two criminal investigator positions within the Office of the Attorney General. The funding comes from unspent cannabis tax money transferred to the state's general fund, separate from other appropriations for this task force. The bill also updates existing laws governing how cannabis tax revenue is distributed for substance misuse prevention and task force support, with most provisions taking effect in July 2023 and others in July 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Secretary of Education to create a plan for consolidating the state's 54 local school districts into one statewide district, similar to the system used in Hawaii. The proposal would affect all students, school administrators, and taxpayers by centralizing education governance and potentially changing how school budgets and teacher contracts are managed. The Secretary must submit a detailed report with a timeline by January 15, 2024, outlining how the transition would occur by fiscal year 2027, while considering federal legal requirements. The legislation cites Vermont's unusually small average district size and declining student population as reasons for exploring this structural change to improve efficiency and equity.

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 proposes changes to Vermont's laws on criminal violence, bail procedures, and mental health evaluations for defendants. It increases penalties for carrying weapons while committing felonies and using firearms during drug sales, while also designating these actions as violent acts for bail decisions. The legislation also updates rules for determining a defendant's mental competency to stand trial and sanity at the time of an offense, including requirements for psychiatric examinations and who bears the cost of evaluations. Additionally, it clarifies procedures for ordering mental health screenings and ensures that relevant records are released to examiners when assessing competency or sanity.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Vermont General Assembly to approve the use of specific law enforcement technologies before state or local police agencies can employ them. The technologies covered include facial recognition software, tattoo recognition systems, genetic DNA testing, stationary license plate readers, cell site simulators, and international mobile subscriber identity catchers. Additionally, the bill restricts law enforcement from purchasing, trading, or obtaining information from private or public entities that was gathered using these approved technologies. The legislation aims to establish a legislative oversight process for these surveillance tools rather than allowing agencies to use them without explicit state authorization.