Sen. Ginny Lyons

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Adult Guardianship Equity Act, moves guardianship cases for adults with developmental disabilities from the Family Division to the Probate Division of Vermont's Superior Court. It establishes new rules requiring that guardianship be used only when necessary to protect an individual's rights, prioritizing voluntary guardianship options and ensuring the least restrictive approach is taken. The law also repeals the previous chapter governing guardianship services for people with developmental disabilities and creates specific procedures for when the Office of Public Guardian must be appointed if no private guardian is available. Additionally, it clarifies that individuals receiving guardianship services can appeal decisions or petition to modify or terminate their guardianship through the court system.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a two-year pilot program in Vermont to provide monthly $1,000 cash transfers to youth leaving the foster care system. The program is voluntary, and participants must complete annual surveys to assess their progress in finances, health, employment, housing, and education. The cash transfers are designed to be tax-free and will not count toward eligibility for other state and federal benefits like SNAP, medical assistance, or financial aid. Funding of $650,000 is allocated for the 2024 fiscal year, and the Department for Children and Families must submit a final report by November 2025 with findings and recommendations.

Maddy summaryThis legislative bill is a House concurrent resolution that formally congratulates Shawna Wakeham-Smith on the tenth anniversary of her role as Director of Wish Granting at Make-A-Wish Vermont. The resolution recognizes her decade of leadership in facilitating life-changing wishes for children facing major health challenges and acknowledges her work as a liaison between families and organizations. It directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to both Wakeham-Smith and Make-A-Wish Vermont to honor her contributions.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Vermont Holocaust Studies Act, requires public schools in Vermont to include Holocaust education in their curricula for grades six through 12 starting in the 2024-2025 school year. The legislation mandates that each supervisory union provide at least six hours of age-appropriate instruction annually, integrated into existing subjects like global citizenship or English language arts. The Vermont Agency of Education will support schools by identifying resources, offering professional development, and advising educators on implementing the required content. The bill defines the Holocaust as the Nazi regime's persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews and millions of others, and outlines specific learning objectives including understanding genocide prevention, human rights protection, and the roles of citizens in combating discrimination.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a temporary study committee to examine the effects of PFAS chemicals in landfill leachate on Vermont's natural resources and to identify better waste management options. The committee will include representatives from environmental agencies, waste management companies, environmental organizations, and health departments, and will develop a long-term state plan for managing PFAS in solid waste. The group is required to submit its findings and recommendations by December 1, 2023, and will cease to exist on February 1, 2024, after which its work will inform future environmental policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a ceremonial resolution honoring the memory of James McNamara, a former Vermont state representative and environmental commissioner from Burlington. It expresses the General Assembly's sincere sympathies to McNamara's family following his death in November 2022. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to McNamara's family and to the District 4 Act 250 Environmental Commission. This type of commemorative measure does not create new laws or policies but serves to acknowledge McNamara's public service contributions.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow Vermont to join the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact, enabling licensed audiologists and speech-language pathologists to practice in other member states without needing separate licenses for each location. The compact facilitates this by recognizing licenses from other participating states while maintaining each state's authority to regulate practice and protect public health. It specifically supports military families by allowing providers to practice in states where their spouses are stationed and enables telehealth services across state lines. The legislation also establishes a system for sharing information about disciplinary actions and investigations between member states to ensure consistent oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Vermont's personal income tax deduction for student loan payments to include both interest and principal amounts paid on qualifying education loans. It directly affects Vermont residents who pay student loans for eligible educational institutions and meet specific income limits, allowing them to deduct these payments from their taxable income. The bill applies to taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $120,000 or less for single filers and $200,000 or less for married couples filing jointly, using federal definitions for what counts as a qualified education loan and eligible institution. The changes take effect retroactively to January 1, 2023, and apply to all taxable years beginning on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill would protect people and organizations involved in safer drug consumption programs from criminal prosecution and civil penalties. It defines these programs as supervised spaces where individuals can use preobtained drugs with access to sterile supplies, overdose monitoring, first aid, and referrals to treatment services. The legislation also removes a future expiration date for the exemption that allows possession of small amounts of buprenorphine without criminal penalty. To receive legal protections, program operators must publicly report annual data on participants, supplies distributed, and overdose incidents.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont school districts that do not operate their own elementary or high schools to designate eligible public or independent schools to serve as the district's public schools. It allows these districts to pay tuition to designated schools for their students, with specific criteria for which independent schools qualify, such as being recognized regional centers or having historical public school status. The legislation also removes the definition and approval process for independent schools while keeping the enrollment process for recognized independent schools intact. Additionally, it creates a new definition for therapeutic schools and updates special education tuition provisions. The changes apply to school districts and their students, with oversight and reimbursement rules for tuition payments between districts.