Sen. Ginny Lyons

Maddy summaryThis bill is a ceremonial resolution that congratulates the Boys & Girls Clubs of Vermont's 2024 Youth of the Year honorees and designates April 4, 2024 as Boys & Girls Club Day at the State House. The resolution recognizes Braden Howe from Brattleboro and Henry Tornwini from Burlington, who were selected for their achievements and community contributions. It directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the resolution to the honored youth, serving as an official acknowledgment of their accomplishments. This type of measure does not change laws or policies but instead provides formal recognition and public appreciation for the individuals and organization involved.

Maddy summaryThis proposal would add a new article to the Vermont Constitution guaranteeing employees the right to organize and collectively bargain with their employers. The amendment allows workers to form labor organizations to negotiate wages, hours, working conditions, and workplace safety protections. It also permits labor organizations to collect dues from members and prevents laws from interfering with collective bargaining agreements that require union membership as a condition of employment. If ratified by voters in November 2026, this change would establish a constitutional right to collective bargaining in Vermont.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a ceremonial resolution that congratulates the 2023 Green Mountain Council Class of Eagle Scouts in Vermont for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. It recognizes these young individuals for their dedication and service, noting that earning this rank is a significant accomplishment. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to each of the 50 scouts named in the text. This measure does not create new laws or policy changes but serves as a formal acknowledgment of their achievements.

Maddy summaryThis House concurrent resolution celebrates the 50th anniversary of the National Conference of State Legislatures, an organization founded in 1975 that supports state and territorial legislators and their staff. The resolution recognizes the group's role in advancing state legislative effectiveness, fostering cooperation between states, and providing a unified voice for state legislatures in the federal system. It directs the Vermont Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measure is a commemorative action with no policy changes or budgetary impact.

Maddy summaryThis House concurrent resolution honors the professional achievements of child and victim advocate Sally Borden. It recognizes her decades of work supporting victims of criminal acts, domestic violence, and child abuse through leadership roles at organizations like KidSafe Collaborative in Vermont. The resolution formally acknowledges her career accomplishments and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to Borden and her organization. This legislative action serves as a ceremonial tribute rather than changing any laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates court rules to protect young children who have suffered serious physical abuse by limiting how many times they must describe their traumatic experiences in legal proceedings. It extends existing protections for child victims of sexual offenses to children under 16 who are victims of cruelty causing serious bodily injury, allowing their statements to be used as evidence in court. The legislation also permits hearsay statements from children aged 12 and under to be admitted as evidence in cruelty cases involving serious bodily injury, similar to rules already in place for sexual offense cases. These changes aim to reduce the emotional burden on young victims while ensuring their accounts can still be considered in legal cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House concurrent resolution that formally honors Robert Bick for his three decades of leadership at the Howard Center, a mental health and substance abuse service organization in Vermont. The resolution recognizes his specific contributions, including starting Vermont's first methadone clinic, establishing harm reduction services, and expanding the organization's reach to 19,000 people through organizational improvements. The measure directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to both Bick and the Howard Center, serving as an official acknowledgment of his achievements rather than changing any laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis Vermont bill proposes to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products and flavored e-liquids statewide, targeting items with characterizing flavors such as fruit, candy, mint, menthol, and other non-tobacco tastes. The legislation directly affects tobacco manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers by prohibiting the sale of any tobacco product or e-liquid containing characterizing flavors, with specific exceptions for certain prefilled nicotine cartridges. Key provisions include expanding the definition of flavored products to cover menthol cigarettes and establishing a presumption that a product is flavored if marketing claims suggest a distinguishable taste or aroma other than tobacco. The bill also mandates child-resistant packaging for all tobacco products and restricts the sale of flavored tobacco and e-liquids through vending machines.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources to develop a plan for restricting consumer products containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, which are chemicals linked to health and environmental concerns. The plan must identify which products pose risks, establish how manufacturers report PFAS content, define key terms, and outline how the public will receive information about these substances. The agency must gather input from various stakeholders and submit the implementation plan and draft legislation by November 1, 2024, to relevant state committees. The law takes effect on July 1, 2024, and includes pesticides in the definition of consumer products subject to this process.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Vermont to join the federal Restaurant Meals Program, allowing eligible SNAP recipients to use their benefits at participating restaurants instead of buying groceries. It requires the state to develop eligibility criteria for restaurants and provides funding for a new staff position to help restaurants apply and participate. The legislation also mandates a transition plan by January 2025 to adjust 3SquaresVT benefit calculations to 30 percent of the federal moderate-cost food plan, which would increase benefits for some recipients.