Rep. Jim Masland

Maddy summaryHCR 48 is a ceremonial resolution honoring former Vermont House Representative Curt McCormack of Burlington, who died in September 2024. It recognizes his environmental advocacy (including pioneering work on chlorofluorocarbon limits), transportation leadership (as Bicycle-Pedestrian Coordinator and House Transportation Committee Chair), and service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal. The resolution extends condolences to his family and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to them. This procedural resolution does not create policy changes or affect any constituents.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits six specific artificial dyes (Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) in foods and beverages served during the school day in Vermont public schools and approved independent schools. It does not apply to food or beverages sold off-campus or after school hours until midnight. The law will take effect on July 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont's Secretary of Natural Resources to create a regional plan by January 2025 for managing septage (waste from septic tanks), sludge (treated wastewater solids), and biosolids. The plan must establish regional districts for waste disposal, identify regional acceptance sites at wastewater facilities, address cost-sharing between towns, and handle contaminants like PFAS. It directly affects all Vermont municipalities and wastewater treatment facilities that manage these materials. The plan must include public input and will take effect July 2025.

Maddy summaryH 422 requires groundwater testing at contaminated sites (where hazardous materials were released) to be conducted at Vermont's State Agricultural and Environmental Laboratory, unless the lab cannot perform the tests or private lab testing would save significant costs (approved by the Secretary of Natural Resources). This affects site owners who pay for monitoring and the Secretary of Natural Resources, who must enforce the testing requirement. The bill aims to lower monitoring costs by prioritizing state lab testing, preventing post-closure funds from being exhausted. It applies to sites requiring groundwater monitoring under state law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont's regional planning commissions to establish regional councils of governments by July 1, 2027, through agreements with their member municipalities. These councils, composed of elected municipal officials, will coordinate shared services like emergency management, waste disposal, economic development, and regional planning across participating towns. The councils may receive state/federal funding, hire staff, and coordinate intermunicipal projects but cannot assume essential powers like taxation or eminent domain. The bill also sets a deadline for the state to develop a process for determining council structures and membership.

Maddy summaryH.57, "Jessica's Law," would extend Vermont's existing $80,000 survivor benefit for emergency personnel to law enforcement officers. It requires the state to pay this benefit to surviving spouses, children, or parents when a certified law enforcement officer dies "in the line of duty" or from an occupation-related illness. The bill amends existing law to include law enforcement officers under the same eligibility criteria and benefit structure currently applied to firefighters and emergency personnel. The benefit would be administered by a state review board and take effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryH.360 establishes privacy protections for Vermont residents using mobile identification, such as digital driver's licenses or nonmobile credentials. It requires mobile ID systems to let users share only necessary information (e.g., age verification without revealing full birthdate) and obtain explicit consent before disclosing any data. The bill prohibits businesses from forcing mobile ID use for services unless legally required (like age checks for alcohol sales) and mandates that verification systems cannot store, link, or share data about ID checks. These rules apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles and all entities using mobile ID verification.

Maddy summaryH 369 establishes a legal presumption that shared parental rights and responsibilities (meaning both parents share decision-making and physical care) are in the best interests of a child after separation or divorce. Courts must assume shared parenting is appropriate unless evidence shows it would cause direct physical harm or significant emotional harm to the child or a parent. The bill updates the factors courts consider in custody cases, including parents' ability to communicate and cooperate, the child's relationship with each parent, and the child's adjustment to their current environment. It also requires child support orders to reflect the true cost of raising a child and approximate the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the family remained intact. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHCR 30 is a memorial resolution honoring Donald H. Turner Jr., a former Vermont Representative, House Republican Leader, and Milton Town Manager. The resolution expresses the General Assembly's condolences to his family following his death in November 2024 and directs copies of the resolution to his family, the Milton Town Clerk, and the Milton Fire Department. This procedural resolution commemorates his public service, including his 30+ years with the Milton Fire Department and his legislative career representing Milton.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes safety standards and oversight for developers and deployers of inherently dangerous artificial intelligence systems in Vermont. It requires these entities to submit safety and impact assessments to a new Division of Artificial Intelligence within the Agency of Digital Services. The Attorney General can enforce the law by taking legal action against noncompliant developers or deployers, including seeking court orders to stop violations. The bill specifically targets high-risk AI systems, dual-use foundational models, and generative AI systems that pose serious risks to public safety, economic security, or individual rights.