Rep. Peter Anthony

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to change the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours, requiring employers to pay overtime for any hours worked beyond that threshold. It directly affects employers and employees in Vermont by amending state labor laws to redefine full-time work expectations. Key provisions include adjusting overtime pay calculations, limiting child labor hours to 32 per week, modifying earned sick time accrual rates based on the new 32-hour standard, and updating definitions for short-time compensation programs. The changes would take effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Transportation Infrastructure and Resiliency Act of 2024, directs state funding and policy changes to improve roads, support electric vehicle adoption, and enhance transportation options across Vermont. It increases funding for road repair programs, provides grants for eBike and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and establishes new rules allowing property owners to install charging stations. The legislation also expands funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects, creates a plan for carsharing expansion, and requires the state to develop new revenue sources for transportation and environmental initiatives. Additionally, it allows certain areas to set speed limits below 25 mph and mandates reporting on electric vehicle outreach efforts and charging station availability.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a statewide rental housing registry in Vermont, requiring landlords of long-term and short-term rentals to register their properties with the Department of Housing and Community Development. Landlords must provide detailed information about each unit, including owner contact details, location, year built, and accessibility features, and pay an annual fee of $35 per unit unless they already register with a local health and safety program. The collected fees will fund registry administration and support hiring additional inspectors to conduct housing safety inspections. Local governments that already maintain rental registries can share their data with the state to avoid duplicate registration requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill would expand Vermont's 3SquaresVT program by allowing eligible SNAP recipients to use their benefits at participating restaurants through the federal Restaurant Meals Program. It also requires the state to develop a plan for calculating minimum 3SquaresVT benefits at 30 percent of the federal moderate-cost food plan, which would increase the amount of assistance provided. The legislation creates a new staff position and allocates $85,000 to help restaurants apply for and participate in the program while establishing eligibility criteria that prioritize local food availability and diverse cultural options. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2024, with a transition plan due to state committees by January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require online companies to design their services with children's best interests in mind if those services are likely to be accessed by minors under 18. It mandates that companies consider different developmental stages when creating features and prohibits the use of deceptive user interface designs known as dark patterns that could manipulate children's choices. The law applies to businesses operating in Vermont and defines specific rules for how personal data about children can be collected, processed, and shared, including restrictions on profiling and geolocation tracking. Companies must also provide clear default settings that protect children's privacy rather than requiring them to opt out of data collection.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a two-year Child and Youth Representation Policy Fellowship Program within Vermont's Office of Child, Youth, and Family Advocate to improve how children and youth participate in legal, healthcare, and human services systems. The program will analyze existing representation structures and funding while prioritizing racially and socially equitable approaches to youth engagement. A new full-time position called Child and Youth Representation Policy Lead will be created to oversee the initiative and coordinate with community stakeholders. The Office must submit progress reports to legislative committees by December 2024 and May 2025, with proposed legislation recommendations due by November 2025. Funding of $300,000 from the Tobacco Litigation Settlement will support the program and position in fiscal year 2025, with any remaining funds carried forward to 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Office of Entrepreneurship within the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to support new and small businesses in Vermont. The office will focus on strengthening policies for entrepreneurs, providing technical assistance, helping businesses under five years old navigate state agencies, and ensuring at least five percent of state contracts go to these newer businesses. Additionally, the bill eliminates all first-year registration fees for new businesses and requires an annual report on contract awards to businesses under five years old, including data on demographic representation. A third provision directs the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to study and recommend ways to reduce regulations on home-based food businesses while protecting public health. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Public Utility Commission to create a statewide low-income electric ratepayer protection program that helps eligible households pay their electricity bills. The program would assist residential customers earning at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level, aiming to ensure those at or below 60 percent of state median income spend no more than 10 percent of their monthly income on electricity if they heat with electricity, or no more than six percent if they do not. The Commission must work with a collaborative group including utility companies, consumer representatives, and state agencies to design the program, which would use automatic screening methods based on existing financial assistance programs and include arrearage forgiveness. Funding for the program would be collected statewide from all customer classes in an equitable manner, with the Commission considering options like voluntary payments or surcharges on high-volume users. The bill also repeals an existing section of state law and takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Thermal Energy Network Act, would bring utility-style thermal energy networks under the oversight of Vermont's Public Utility Commission. It defines thermal energy networks as infrastructure that distributes heat and cooling from non-fossil fuel sources to multiple buildings and requires the Commission to issue a certificate of public good before any private company can operate such a network for more than 20 customers. Municipalities would retain the ability to build and operate these networks without Commission approval, similar to how they currently manage water and sewer services. The bill also directs the Commission to create rules that simplify permitting, allow pilot projects, and prioritize serving low- and moderate-income customers.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Protecting Soils and Waters from Forever Chemicals Act, prohibits the land application of septage throughout Vermont and restricts landfill disposal of waste containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) when state standards are exceeded or when facilities lack proper certification. The legislation requires all solid waste management facilities to obtain state certification before operating, with specific exemptions for certain domestic wastewater treatment plants that meet defined conditions. Additionally, the bill bans the use of sludge as daily cover at landfills and mandates that the Secretary of Natural Resources and the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets develop a memorandum of understanding by January 15, 2025, to enforce PFAS soil standards. These changes directly affect wastewater treatment facilities, landfills, and municipalities that manage septage and sludge waste.