Rep. Rebecca Holcombe

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House concurrent resolution that formally congratulates the 2023 Thetford Academy Panthers' Division III baseball championship team. It recognizes the team's achievement of winning their first baseball title in 37 years with a 6-0 victory over the White River Valley School Wildcats. The resolution names the individual players and coaches who contributed to the team's success and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to Thetford Academy.

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 requires Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board to evaluate hospital budgets by considering spending across all health care providers to improve system-wide coordination and price regulation. It would create a new analyst position on the Board's finance team and fund at least two independent annual audits to monitor compliance with budget orders and support accounting oversight. The legislation aims to help the Board identify ways to control health care spending growth and report on affordability, access, and quality in the state's health care system.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont school districts that close an existing elementary or high school to designate three or fewer public schools to serve as the district's public schools for those students. The law mandates that when a school closure occurs, the district must ensure education continues by assigning students to designated public schools rather than automatically paying tuition to outside schools. Parents retain the right to request tuition for their children to attend other approved schools if they believe it better serves their child's needs, though the school board makes the final decision on such requests. The bill also allows certain districts in rural areas to designate public high schools in neighboring states like New York as their public schools under specific conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution in Vermont of cosmetic and menstrual products containing specific harmful chemicals, including perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), ortho-phthalates, formaldehyde, lead, and asbestos. It also bans textiles and athletic turf fields that contain PFAS, with a provision for future restrictions on any product using PFAS if their use is deemed unavoidable. The law includes a one-year waiver system for manufacturers who cannot immediately eliminate certain chemicals due to technical limitations, and requires the Department of Health to develop a community engagement plan to address outreach to vulnerable populations. Violations of the ban are treated as violations of Vermont's Consumer Protection Act, giving the Attorney General and private parties the authority to pursue civil actions.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Vermont municipalities to receive reimbursement for state education property taxes they abated for property owners affected by severe storms and flooding between July and October 2023. It also permits municipalities to be reimbursed for reasonable interest expenses incurred when borrowing funds to make these tax payments, capped at eight percent. Additionally, the bill excludes federal disaster relief payments from household income when calculating the homestead property tax credit for the 2023 and 2024 tax years, helping homeowners maintain eligibility for tax credits despite receiving disaster assistance.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Vermont's landfill disposal requirements by adding new restrictions on specific waste materials and establishing stricter rules for facilities receiving waste from municipalities without approved waste management plans. It directly affects landfill operators, waste management facilities, and municipalities by prohibiting the disposal of items such as leaf and yard residuals, wood waste, and food residuals in landfills starting in 2016 and 2020, respectively. The legislation also requires facilities to remove mandated recyclables and hazardous materials from waste streams when receiving material from municipalities lacking approved implementation plans, while allowing for separate storage areas for these materials. Additionally, the bill clarifies certification requirements for solid waste management facilities and includes exemptions for waste collected during nonprofit litter cleanup events.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow Vermont to join the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact, an agreement among multiple states that makes it easier for licensed physician assistants to practice across state lines. Under the compact, a physician assistant holding a valid license in one participating state could obtain temporary permission to practice in other participating states without applying for a new full license in each location. The system maintains patient safety by ensuring that the physician assistant remains under the jurisdiction of the state where the patient is located during a medical visit and allows licensing boards to share information about disciplinary actions. The compact also includes special provisions to help military families by simplifying the licensing process for active-duty personnel and their spouses who move between states.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act to create a statewide framework for conserving Vermont's natural landscapes and protecting biodiversity. It defines three types of protected land areas - ecological reserve areas, biodiversity conservation areas, and natural resource management areas - and sets conservation goals to protect 30 percent of the state's land by a specified target date. The legislation requires the state to prioritize conservation efforts that maintain connected ecosystems, support sustainable land management practices, and ensure access to land for Indigenous peoples and historically marginalized communities. By creating these protections, the bill aims to help Vermont address climate change impacts, reduce flood risks, and preserve natural habitats while balancing conservation with housing and economic development needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House concurrent resolution that formally congratulates Tracy Borst, Thetford Town Clerk and Treasurer, for receiving the International Institute of Municipal Clerks' Institute Directors Award of Excellence. The resolution recognizes her as the first recipient from Vermont and New England for this professional achievement, highlighting her career milestones including becoming a Master Municipal Clerk and earning treasurer certifications. It directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to Ms. Borst as an official acknowledgment of her contributions to municipal governance.