Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont's Motor Vehicles Commissioner to design and issue special license plates for veterans and active military members who have received specific military decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross or Silver Star. The legislation codifies existing special plate programs for veterans and expands eligibility to include recipients of various military awards, Pearl Harbor survivors, former prisoners of war, and veterans from specific conflicts. Eligible applicants must submit an application certified by the Office of Veterans' Affairs, and plates can only be transferred to the original holder or their surviving spouse. The bill mandates that new plate designs for decorated recipients be implemented by January 1, 2025, while maintaining all currently available veteran and military plates.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new ethics rules for Vermont State board members and employees by prohibiting board members from holding outside positions that involve policy development or advocacy related to their official duties, and it restricts state employees from engaging in certain political activities. The legislation creates a formal complaint process managed by the Executive Director to address ethics violations, including a mechanism to remove board members who violate the new restrictions after a hearing. State employees are barred from using their official authority to influence elections, coercing colleagues into political contributions, serving as political party officers, or running for partisan office without taking an unpaid leave of absence. The bill also defines permissible and impermissible political activities for state workers and sets potential penalties including fines and imprisonment for intentional violations.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Vermont municipalities to create and enforce local rules requiring owners to maintain buildings that pose risks to public health and safety. It allows towns and cities to compel cleaning or repairs of dangerous properties and establish specific health and safety standards for buildings within their jurisdiction. If a municipal official determines a building is uninhabitable or hazardous, the municipality can recover maintenance costs by placing a tax lien on the property, provided the owner receives proper notice and has access to an appeals process. The legislation applies to all incorporated towns, cities, and villages in Vermont and takes effect immediately upon passage.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Vermont state law to expand the legal definition of a mobile home park to include communities where mobile home owners own their individual lots rather than renting them. The change clarifies that such owner-occupied communities should be treated similarly to traditional mobile home parks under existing housing regulations. It also specifies exclusions, such as storage lots, agricultural employer housing, and seasonal vacation sites, which remain outside the definition. The legislation would take effect on July 1, 2024, and primarily affects mobile home park owners, operators, and residents in Vermont.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes changes to compensation and benefits for Vermont state legislators, including allowing them to participate in flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care expenses. It establishes specific salary amounts for leadership roles like the Speaker and Senate President Pro Tempore, ties future pay adjustments to the mean Vermont wage, and provides compensation for up to 20 days of work during legislative adjournments. The legislation also expands leave of absence rules to permit members to take time off from any job, creates a working group to review legislative staffing and session length, and offers orientation stipends for newly elected members.
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Vermont's Act 250 land use regulations by clarifying when developers must obtain a jurisdictional opinion for certain exempt projects. It requires a jurisdictional opinion only for specific development projects that will not be finished by June 30, 2026, while maintaining the exemption for those completed by that date. The legislation also mandates that projects seeking exemption must be substantially complete by June 30, 2029, to retain their exempt status. This change affects developers and land use planners working on projects under Act 250 exemptions, streamlining the process for shorter-term developments while ensuring oversight for longer-term projects.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Vermont municipalities to require public transit amenities, such as bus stops and shelters, to be included in zoning regulations and site plan reviews for new developments. It amends state zoning laws to allow local governments to mandate connections to existing transit infrastructure and to include public transit facilities in official maps and transportation master plans. The legislation applies to municipalities reviewing development projects beyond single-family homes and aims to integrate transit planning into local land-use decisions. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024, and give communities more tools to ensure new developments support public transportation access.
Maddy summaryThis bill would prevent Vermont from adopting California's vehicle emission standards, requiring the state to develop its own rules instead. It directly affects the Secretary of Natural Resources and the Department of Motor Vehicles by amending state statutes to explicitly prohibit using California's Clean Air Act waiver for setting motor vehicle emission requirements. The legislation also repeals existing Vermont rules for low and zero emission vehicles and sets an effective date of July 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill would prohibit Vermont state employees from being enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans through state insurance contracts and restrict the inclusion of such plans in state employee health coverage unless all certified employee organizations agree. It also requires health insurance companies to guarantee acceptance of Medicare supplemental insurance applications for individuals who switch from Medicare Advantage plans, provided they meet specific enrollment timing requirements. Additionally, the legislation would limit advertising and sales of Medicare Advantage plans to people enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare Savings Plans, and ban commissions and fees for selling these plans to Vermont residents.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires municipalities in Vermont to publicly post notices for all employment vacancies. The law mandates that job postings be displayed in the municipal clerk's office, on the municipal website or through an online recruiting service, and in the state Department of Labor's job bank. Each posting must include the job title, required skills or experience, salary range, and application dates with a minimum 10-day application period. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024, and apply to all municipal and county government positions.