Sen. Martine Gulick

Maddy summaryThis bill allows judges to consider evidence that does not strictly follow standard court evidence rules during weight of the evidence hearings. It applies to criminal cases where a judge must decide if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial. The change permits more flexible evidence submission without altering the standard for determining whether evidence of guilt is great. This means prosecutors and defense attorneys may present information in a less formal manner during these preliminary hearings. The law takes effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Vermont's Open Meeting Law to require most state and local government meetings to be held in a hybrid format, allowing participants to attend both in person and online. It applies to state boards, councils, and commissions, as well as local government bodies, while exempting advisory groups that do not have decision-making power. The law mandates that these meetings be electronically recorded and made publicly available for at least 30 days after minutes are posted, and requires public bodies to designate accessible physical locations for in-person attendance. Local municipalities may request exemptions from recording requirements if they can prove compliance would cause undue hardship based on their size, budget, and staffing. The bill also clarifies definitions related to meetings and public participation, ensuring transparency regardless of whether meetings occur in-person, remotely, or in a hybrid arrangement.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Vermont's climate change cost recovery program to allow the state to charge fossil fuel companies for climate adaptation costs without requiring them to be part of a specific support project. It changes how payment schedules work by requiring installments to be paid annually at 10% of the total amount, with interest charges and adjustments based on inflation. The law also extends the time companies have to respond to cost recovery notices from 15 to 30 days and clarifies that existing legal remedies remain available alongside this program. These changes take effect on July 1, 2024, but apply retroactively to costs incurred since January 1, 1995.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group to study psychedelics for mental health treatment. The group will review existing research on the costs and benefits of using psychedelics in therapy and assess whether Vermont should allow healthcare providers to administer them legally. It will also examine how legal access would affect public health. The Working Group must submit its findings and recommendations to several state committees by November 15, 2024, with support from the Vermont Department of Mental Health and the Vermont Psychological Association.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 15-month pilot program allowing the use of automated traffic law enforcement cameras in highway work zones to protect workers and reduce speeding. The system will only activate when workers are present, when vehicles exceed the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour, and when visible signs indicate the cameras are in operation. Vehicle owners who receive citations from the system will face escalating fines of $80 for a second violation and $160 for a third or subsequent violation within 12 months, while the first violation carries no fine. The program requires a public education campaign before it begins in July 2025 and depends on receiving federal funding to proceed.

Maddy summaryThis Vermont law, known as the "Vermont Ghost Guns Act," prohibits individuals from possessing, transferring, or manufacturing firearms, firearm frames, or receivers without a serial number. The bill requires that any unfinished firearm parts or completed guns be imprinted with a serial number by a federally licensed firearms dealer, importer, or manufacturer before they can be legally owned or sold. Exceptions are made for licensed dealers, law enforcement, antique firearms, permanently inoperable guns, and weapons made before 1968. Violations result in civil penalties for simple possession of unserialized parts and criminal charges including fines and imprisonment for transferring or manufacturing unserialized firearms, with harsher penalties for carrying such weapons during violent crimes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont schools to use evidence-based reading assessments for all students in kindergarten through third grade and mandates that those who struggle significantly receive extra reading support. It directs the state education agency to create guidance on these assessments, report progress to lawmakers, and establish notification procedures for parents when screening results indicate a need for intervention. The legislation also requires educators to receive professional training on reading assessments and instruction, updates school literacy planning requirements for independent schools, and adjusts the structure and timeline of the state's literacy advisory council.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new article to Vermont's state constitution that guarantees equal treatment under the law regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin. The amendment would require the government to ensure all people receive equal protection and prohibit denying rights based on these characteristics. It also explicitly allows for measures designed to help groups that have historically faced discrimination. If voters approve this change in the 2026 election, it would become part of the state's founding legal document.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new policies and procedures for Vermont's public libraries and school libraries to ensure compliance with free speech principles, civil rights laws, and the state's diverse population. It requires library boards to adopt material selection and reconsideration policies that reflect diversity in race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and political beliefs while protecting intellectual freedom. The legislation also clarifies confidentiality rules for library records, expands protections against criminal threats at public libraries, and updates the role of the Department of Libraries to include developing model policies and professional development programs for librarians.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a temporary Vermont Sister State Program Working Group to develop a state program that would create partnerships between Vermont and other countries or provinces. The Working Group includes representatives from state agencies such as Commerce, Education, and Agriculture, along with leaders from the Vermont Arts Council and Council on World Affairs. The group will study existing sister state programs, gather stakeholder input, and make recommendations on how to fund, administer, and structure the program, with goals including fostering cultural exchange, supporting immigrant communities, and maintaining connections with military and aid organizations. The Working Group must submit an initial report by February 2025 and a final report with recommendations by November 2025, and it will dissolve on March 31, 2026.