Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Community Care, Health, and Safety Fund to provide grants for community-based services that reduce harm from drug use and support people with substance use disorders. It eliminates misdemeanor criminal penalties for possessing or dispensing a personal use supply of regulated drugs, requiring instead that individuals be offered information about available services and access to needs assessments. The legislation designates 40 percent of cannabis excise tax revenue and a portion of opioid abatement funds to finance these services, while establishing an advisory board to determine what constitutes a benchmark personal use supply. The bill also authorizes monetary incentives for participation in needs assessments and aims to shift resources from prosecution toward prevention, treatment, and harm reduction strategies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Vermont Data Privacy Act to protect the personal information of Vermont residents by creating clear rules for how businesses collect, use, and share consumer data. It defines key terms like personal data, consent, and profiling while explicitly excluding employees and commercial transactions from coverage. The law requires businesses to obtain clear affirmative consent from consumers, prohibits deceptive design practices known as dark patterns, and grants consumers specific rights over their data including access, deletion, and opt-out options. Companies must also implement reasonable security measures to protect personal information and provide mechanisms for consumers to exercise their privacy rights.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Vermont Baby Bond Trust, a state-administered program that provides $3,200 in savings accounts to children born on or after July 1, 2024, who qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP coverage at birth. The funds are intended for eligible expenses including education, purchasing a home or property in Vermont, starting a business, or contributing to retirement or education savings accounts. The program requires beneficiaries to complete a financial literacy course before age 18 to access their funds, and they must claim the money by their 30th birthday if they are still Vermont residents. The bill also ensures that money in the trust is not counted as income or assets for determining eligibility for government assistance programs.

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 authorizes municipal stormwater utilities in Vermont to form cooperative agreements with other municipalities to share financial resources and establish joint ratemaking structures. It allows these utilities to collaborate on administrative matters and develop rates based on equivalent residential units calculated from impervious surface areas. The legislation also creates a grant program providing up to $100,000 to groups of cooperating municipalities outside Chittenden County for technical assistance in establishing utility governance and ratemaking. A total of $400,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2025 to fund these grants, with the act taking effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Vermont Emergency Management Division to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the state's disaster preparedness following the 2023 summer flooding events. The assessment must evaluate early warning systems, evacuation routes and shelters, local emergency management coordination, and emergency communications infrastructure. By January 25, 2025, the Division Director must submit a written report to relevant legislative committees detailing findings and, if needed, propose an improvement plan that could include legislative recommendations. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage and directly impacts the state's emergency management operations and oversight processes.

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 House concurrent resolution honors Vermont National Guard Deputy Adjutant General Kenneth Gragg for his distinguished career in public service. The document recognizes his 46 years of military and civilian service, including his leadership in financial management, construction projects, and pandemic response efforts. It directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to Gragg as a formal acknowledgment of his contributions. This is a ceremonial measure with no new laws or policy changes, serving only to publicly recognize his achievements.

Maddy summaryThis bill would limit hospital liens on patient injury settlements in Vermont by prohibiting hospitals from claiming liens when patients have health insurance, including Medicare, Medicaid, or plans where the hospital is a participating provider. It would cap hospital liens at 25 percent of the net amount received by the patient and require hospitals to pay a fair share of legal and administrative costs associated with obtaining the settlement. The changes would apply to patients injured in accidents not covered by workers' compensation and would take effect on July 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes procedures for obtaining emergency court orders against stalking or sexual assault outside of regular court hours, including weekends and holidays. It allows individuals to file complaints and affidavits electronically or through designated authorized personnel, who can administer oaths over the telephone and communicate requests to judges for immediate review. The bill requires that any issued orders include a hearing date within 14 days for the defendant to contest the order, and it mandates that all orders and affidavits carry specific warnings about criminal penalties for violations or false statements.