Rep. Esme Cole

Maddy summaryThis bill requires municipalities in Vermont to charge an impact fee on new residential homes larger than 5,000 square feet when building permits are issued. The collected fees must be sent to the Vermont Housing Finance Agency to support affordable housing projects that benefit the home's developer or owner. The fee is calculated at a minimum of $10,000 per 1,000 square feet above the 5,000-square-foot threshold, with municipalities allowed to set higher rates using their own formulas. The law applies to all towns, cities, villages, and unorganized towns or gorges and takes effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program to distribute free radon test kits to homeowners in one or two Vermont counties with significant granite bedrock or high lung cancer rates. The Department of Health will provide the kits voluntarily to participants, analyze the results, and send individual reports back to each homeowner while keeping personal information private. The program will also compare aggregated test data with local lung cancer statistics to identify potential health risks and recommend remedial actions. By January 1, 2026, the Department must submit a final report to state health committees with findings and suggestions for future legislation. The act takes effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires sellers of residential real estate in Vermont to disclose whether a property has been tested for radon and provide any available testing reports to prospective buyers. The law applies to anyone offering to sell residential property and mandates that this information be included in the purchase or sale contract. If a residence has undergone radon testing, the seller must provide a copy of the testing report to the buyer. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2024, and does not affect property title marketability if compliance requirements are not met.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a new 11 percent excise tax on the retail sale of firearms, firearm precursor parts, and ammunition in Vermont, which would be paid by sellers at the time of each transaction. The tax applies to both licensed firearm dealers and ammunition vendors, with licensed dealers required to collect the tax during background checks and remit it quarterly to the state. All revenue generated from this tax would be deposited into the Domestic and Sexual Violence Special Fund, which supports grants for domestic and sexual violence prevention services. The legislation excludes transfers exempt from background checks, such as those to law enforcement agencies or immediate family members, and would take effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public schools and approved independent schools in Vermont to include instruction on the history and contributions of marginalized groups in science, arts, and humanities courses. It specifically mandates coverage of Native Americans, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, various racial and ethnic backgrounds, different socioeconomic statuses, immigrants, refugees, and diverse religious backgrounds. The State Board of Education must develop specific standards and performance measures for this content by July 1, 2025, and schools must begin implementing these requirements in the 2025-2026 school year. The instruction must be age-appropriate and integrated into existing courses with established student performance standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes occupancy requirements for short-term rental properties in Vermont, affecting owners who rent out homes or apartments for fewer than 30 consecutive days at least 14 times per year. The law mandates that rental owners must have lived in their property for at least 120 days in the previous year, or 33 percent of the days they owned or leased it if they have held it for less than a year. By adding these rules to existing state statutes, the legislation aims to ensure that short-term rental operators maintain a primary residence connection to their properties. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024, and apply to all short-term rentals meeting the specified rental frequency and duration criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $200,000 from the state's General Fund to reimburse the Burlington Fire Department for emergency medical services provided to individuals experiencing drug overdoses. The money is distributed through the Department of Health as a grant to the City of Burlington, with the requirement that these funds supplement rather than replace existing city funding for the fire department. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2024, and is intended to help cover the costs associated with responding to overdose incidents in Burlington.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase fines and add more points to driving records for using portable electronic devices like phones while driving in Vermont. It directly affects all drivers who use handheld devices or text while operating a moving vehicle on highways. The bill establishes higher penalties for violations in school zones and work zones where construction or maintenance crews are present, with fines ranging from $250 to $1,000 and additional points on driving records. It also creates a new Distracted Driving Diversion Program to offer an alternative to traditional penalties for eligible first-time offenders. The legislation applies to both junior operators and licensed drivers, with specific provisions preventing duplicate penalties for the same incident.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a comprehensive flood recovery and preparedness framework for Vermont municipalities and businesses affected by the 2023 severe storms. It provides financial relief through tax abatement reimbursements for municipalities that lost State education property tax revenue, grants to offset municipal lost revenues, and a new Flood Recovery Assistance Program offering up to $40 million for business losses including physical damage, lost revenue, and employee wages. The legislation also creates a working group to improve emergency management coordination between state agencies and municipalities, while allowing reconsideration of property tax abatement decisions made during the disaster period.