Rep. Rebecca Holcombe

Maddy summaryHCR 166 is a ceremonial resolution congratulating The Pick and Shovel, a Newport City retail store, on its 50th anniversary. It contains no policy changes or funding provisions - only symbolic recognition of the store's history and services. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to deliver a copy to the business, with no direct impact on residents, laws, or government operations. This is purely a commemorative gesture with no legislative effect.

Maddy summaryThis ceremonial resolution (HCR 190) formally congratulates the Thetford Academy Panthers boys’ indoor track and field team for winning a second consecutive Division II championship. It specifically recognizes their 2026 victories in multiple events (including the 55-meter dash, relays, and field events) and their narrow championship win over U-32. The resolution has no policy impact - it is purely symbolic, directing the Secretary of State to send a copy to Thetford Academy. It does not affect any laws, funding, or regulations.

Maddy summaryVermont's House of Representatives passed JRH 8, a non-binding joint resolution condemning a U.S. military operation in Venezuela on January 3, 2026. The resolution demands the immediate release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from U.S. custody, the withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, and respect for Venezuela's right to political self-determination. It urges the U.S. government to abandon plans for similar interventions that disrupt other nations' sovereignty. As a symbolic resolution, it directs Vermont's Secretary of State to send a copy to President Trump, Secretary of State Rubio, and Defense Secretary Hegseth.

Maddy summaryH.880 would repeal Vermont's current exception allowing clergy to avoid reporting child abuse or neglect when disclosed confidentially during spiritual counseling. This change directly affects clergy members (like priests, ministers, or religious advisors) who currently may withhold reports under specific conditions. The bill removes the four-part exception (confidential communication during counseling, intended as confidential, for contrition/conscience, and required by religious law) and also repeals a related provision requiring reporting if abuse is learned outside that confidential context. As enacted, clergy would have the same reporting obligations as other mandated reporters under Vermont law, effective July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryH.863 imposes a $0.30 fee on retail deliveries (like online orders shipped to Vermont) that are subject to sales tax, collected by vendors and listed separately on receipts. It permits municipalities to levy a local tax on gasoline and diesel fuel sales and allocates funds to transportation programs including electric vehicle incentives, public transit coordination, and creating pollinator habitats along roads. The bill also requires public EV charging stations to accept credit cards and provide real-time availability, and mandates a study on electric bicycle safety. These provisions aim to fund infrastructure improvements, support clean energy transitions, and enhance transportation equity.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative resolution (HCR 175), not a substantive bill. It honors the late Venerable J. Stannard Baker of Shelburne, recognizing his pivotal role in Vermont's marriage equality history. The resolution commemorates his leadership in the landmark 1999 *Baker v. State* case that established marriage equality under the Vermont Constitution, leading to civil unions and later marriage rights. It expresses the legislature's condolences to his family and directs the Secretary of State to share the resolution with his family and the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont.

Maddy summaryHCR 177 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Twin Valley High School's Athletic Director and boys' soccer coach Buddy Hayford for achieving 500 career coaching victories. It recognizes his 43-year coaching career, including 10 divisional titles, two state basketball titles, and his status as Vermont's first high school soccer coach to reach 500 wins. This resolution, offered by all House members and sponsoring senators, formally congratulates Hayford and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to him and his school - **it is not a law but a symbolic gesture of appreciation**.

Maddy summaryThis bill (H.825) simplifies the process for property owners to install wheelchair ramps by removing the requirement to submit a zoning permit application. It directly affects property owners seeking to make accessibility improvements and the municipal panels that review development projects. The key provision requires these panels to allow ramp construction without permits and mandates they receive training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it relates to zoning. This change aims to reduce barriers for accessible home modifications while ensuring local officials understand ADA compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes liability standards for developers and deployers of high-impact artificial intelligence systems in Vermont. It directly affects companies (excluding small businesses with <20 employees or <10,000 users) that create or operate AI systems making consequential decisions - such as in criminal justice, housing, employment, healthcare, or critical infrastructure. Key provisions require developers to ensure systems are safe for foreseeable use and deployers to guarantee systems don’t harm individual rights, with specific definitions for "high-impact AI" and "harm" (including physical, financial, reputational, or psychological injury). The law applies only to systems meeting the defined high-impact criteria, not general AI tools.

Maddy summaryH.791 establishes the "Vermont Government Data Practices Act," setting privacy standards for how state agencies handle personal information. It requires all Vermont state agencies (including departments, boards, and commissions) to only collect and store necessary personal data - such as health records, biometrics, location data, or financial details - directly from individuals when possible, and to maintain accuracy and relevance. The bill prohibits agencies from disclosing personal information without justification and mandates that contractors handling state data follow the same rules. This directly affects how Vermont's government manages citizen data across all executive branch operations.