Rep. Jim Masland

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Secretary of Natural Resources to evaluate whether the state can support an expanded polystyrene foam densifier facility for recycling waste Styrofoam. The assessment must include cost estimates, location recommendations, and details on how businesses and waste haulers would access the facility. By January 15, 2024, the Secretary must submit a report to legislative committees with findings on whether to build the densifier and whether to ban landfill disposal of EPS foam if the facility is approved. The law takes effect on July 1, 2023, and requires coordination with waste management entities and businesses that generate EPS foam waste.

Maddy summaryThis bill would make community service a mandatory requirement for all high school students in Vermont to graduate. It directs the state Agency of Education to create and implement a program that integrates community service into every high school by the 2029-2030 school year. The legislation does not specify the exact amount of service required or the types of projects that would count, leaving those details to be determined by the state education agency. This change would directly affect all Vermont high school students and their schools, requiring them to participate in approved community service activities as part of their graduation criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Vermont schools and educational programs that receive state funding from using unlawful physical restraints, seclusion, mechanical restraints, or chemical restraints on students. It defines specific types of restraints and seclusion that are banned, while allowing certain voluntary physical contacts like escorts and prompts that do not restrict movement. Covered entities must report and document any incidents involving restraint or seclusion, notify parents within 24 hours, and hold meetings within five school days to discuss prevention strategies and potential behavioral support plans. The Agency of Education is tasked with creating a performance review system to monitor compliance and provide technical assistance to schools for implementing evidence-based programs that reduce the need for restraints.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes Vermont's public policy to encourage parents to share rights and responsibilities for raising their children after separation or divorce, unless there is a risk of harm to the child or a parent. It creates a rebuttable presumption that shared parental arrangements serve the child's best interests and requires courts to consider specific factors when making custody decisions, including each parent's ability to foster a positive relationship between the child and the other parent. The legislation also clarifies definitions of legal and physical responsibility, prohibits courts from favoring one parent based on gender or financial resources, and sets an effective date of July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to gradually reduce how much energy from large hydroelectric plants counts as renewable energy in Vermont. It directly affects utility companies and energy providers that sell power from hydroelectric facilities with a capacity greater than 200 megawatts. Under the bill, the amount of large hydroelectric energy eligible to meet renewable energy obligations would decrease by 10 percent each year starting in 2024, eventually reaching zero. The legislation amends state law to clarify that energy from plants exceeding 200 MW is not renewable, with a phased reduction schedule applied to compliance calculations.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Public Utility Commission to create rules for how electric grid upgrade costs are shared among customers. The commission must establish a process by July 1, 2024, to spread these costs fairly across all customers within each utility service area. A second deadline requires the commission to develop statewide cost-sharing rules by July 1, 2029, ensuring upgrades are distributed equitably across the entire state. The legislation affects electric utility customers and the Public Utility Commission, aiming to make grid improvements more transparent and balanced.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to create a pilot program offering financial assistance to farmers who adopt year-round agricultural practices across different regions of the state. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to develop specific standards and criteria for what qualifies as year-round agriculture and allocates funding to support the program's implementation. The legislation affects farmers and agricultural agencies by establishing a formal mechanism to encourage continuous farming activities throughout all seasons.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands workers' compensation benefits for Vermont firefighters who develop specific types of cancer. It creates a legal presumption that these cancers resulted from job-related exposures if the firefighter had clean cancer screening results before or within two years of starting their career, has at least five years of firefighting service in Vermont, is under 65 years old, and does not have a history of tobacco use within 10 years of diagnosis. The law covers leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and cancers of the bladder, brain, colon, gastrointestinal tract, kidney, liver, pancreas, skin, or testicles, and applies to firefighters diagnosed within 10 years of their last active duty. The bill also recommends that fire departments keep incident reports for at least 10 years to support these claims.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program to support community nurses who work in partnership with Vermont municipalities to provide health services. The Department of Health would administer grants of up to $10,000 per municipality to fund these nurse programs, with priority given to communities establishing new programs. To qualify, municipalities must demonstrate nonprofit or municipal financial oversight, legislative approval, and a plan for ongoing funding after grant eligibility ends. The legislation appropriates $200,000 for fiscal year 2024 and intends to provide the same amount annually thereafter, aiming to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont state agencies to install non-fossil-fuel heating and cooling systems when replacing or installing new equipment in buildings they own or control, starting in fiscal year 2025. It directly affects the Department of Buildings and General Services, the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, and the Agency of Transportation, mandating the use of alternatives like geothermal heat pumps, electric heat pumps, or wood fuel systems instead of oil, propane, natural gas, or coal. The law includes exemptions for situations where non-fossil-fuel systems are financially impracticable based on life-cycle cost comparisons and allows agencies to keep existing fossil fuel equipment as backup systems. Agencies must also submit annual reports detailing equipment installations, fuel usage, and the reasons for any exemptions granted.